'Breaking Bad' Creator Vince Gilligan Didn't Expect Show to Win Top Prize

— -- The 66th Primetime Emmy Awards were held at the Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles on Monday night. Here's what some of the winners had to say backstage:

-- The “Breaking Bad” crew appeared together following their win in the outstanding drama series category – a victory that creator Vince Gilligan called a "wonderful icing on the cake" for a show that ended its run last September.

Gilligan conceded that he didn't believe “Breaking Bad” would take the top drama prize when he arrived at the ceremony. However, once Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul and Anna Gunn all won acting Emmys, he sensed that momentum was on their side. He remarked, "It's a wonderful surprise and a real honor."

When asked why “Breaking Bad” had made such an impression on fans and on the TV landscape, Gilligan credited his "damn great cast." Cranston, whose role as meth dealer Walter White earned him the Emmy for outstanding lead actor in a drama series, chimed in, "Hey, it's just, tell a good story."

Speaking of a good story, much was made of Cranston's extended kiss with Julia Louis-Dreyfus as the latter approached the stage to accept her acting Emmy. It was the continuation of a bit that began when they presented together earlier in the night. Why did Cranston smooch Louis-Dreyfus, with whom he worked on “Seinfeld?” Cranston quipped, "It's not a question of why, but more a question of why not?"

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-- Louis-Dreyfus was more forthcoming about their "romantic" moment. The “Veep” star, who was awarded the Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a comedy, revealed that both she and Cranston sought permission from their respective spouses before going ahead with the kiss. However, she noted, "We wanted to really make sure that the presenting stuff worked ... because obviously I might not have won. That was very stiff competition."

-- ABC's “Modern Family” made Emmy history when it was named outstanding comedy series. It is the fifth time the show has triumphed in the category, tying a record held by Frasier. Modern Family creator Steven Levitan didn't want to immediately entertain the idea of breaking the mark in the future, saying, "We're just fully enjoying this moment. That is it. We never thought we'd get here. We are incredibly, incredibly honored to have gotten this much."

-- “The Good Wife” star Julianna Margulies marveled at the number of talented actresses who are doing great work on TV at the moment, dropping names like Robin Wright, Kerry Washington and Claire Danes. She belongs in that category too, obviously, having just won the Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a drama. Margulies commented, "This is the golden age of television, but it's also the time for women in television."

-- A couple of the winners shared their memories of the late Robin Williams, who was saluted by Billy Crystal during the telecast. Kathy Bates, who was honored for her performance in “American Horror Story: Coven,” recalled a night years ago, before cellphone use was widespread, when she won a Golden Globe and didn't have a quarter to call her mother on a payphone to deliver the good news. Williams stepped up and offered her a coin; Bates said Monday night, "I never forgot that kindness."