Death becomes Emmys! ‘Prisoners’ takes box office hostage.

After the coffee. Before shaking the Emmy hangover.

The Skinny: Sorry I’m a little late this morning. I was making the rounds at Emmy parties Sunday night, where I learned that I’m too old to make the rounds at Emmy parties. Now I have to go a whole day without hearing a word about Sunday’s “Breaking Bad” because I’ll be watching it tonight. So no spoilers! Monday’s recap includes analysis and critiques of the Emmys and a look at the weekend box office.

Daily Dose: Time Warner Cable has reached a distribution agreement with Milwaukee-based broadcaster Journal Communications. While Time Warner Cable’s squabble with Journal Communications didn’t get nearly the attention of the cable company’s month-long dispute with CBS, it lasted about twice as long. This is good news for Palm Springs residents, where Time Warner Cable is the big pay-TV provider as Journal owns the NBC affiliate there.

And the Emmy goes to... Sunday night’s Emmy Awards had its fair share of predictability (“Modern Family,” Jim Parsons) and surprises (Jeff Daniels, Tony Hale). HBO had a big night with “Veep” and “Behind the Candelabra” doing well. Netflix may have turned binge viewing into a household word, but the streaming service’s drama “House of Cards” went home mostly empty-handed. Emmy coverage and analysis from the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, USA Today, Variety and Hollywood Reporter.

Emmys 2013 full coverage: Best & worst moments | Winners and top nominees | Red carpet video

Death and all his friends. Awards shows are supposed to be happy celebrations of talent. But Sunday’s Emmys were hijacked by death. Besides the special goodbyes to James Gandolfini, Corey Monteith and others and an incredibly long In Memoriam segment, there was also a bizarre flashback to the TV coverage assassination of President Kennedy just in case the proceedings weren’t grim enough. “This might be the saddest Emmys of all time,” cracked “Modern Family” co-creator Steve Levitan. And then there was the band playing off every winner way too soon. Needless to say, most of the critics thought the show was kind of dead. Reviews and recaps from the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Variety, Hollywood Reporter, USA Today and Deadline Hollywood.

Taking prisoners. The kidnapping drama “Prisoners” held the box office hostage with a take of $21.4 million, slightly beating projections. The only other new movie in wide release - “Battle of the Year” -- about a dance competition, didn’t impress the judges and took in only $5 million. Performing well in limited release were “Enough Said” and “Rush.” Weekend box office recaps from the Los Angeles Times and Movie City News.

A big fish called Wanda. Chinese entertainment giant Dalian Wanda Group Corp. is spending billions to build an entertainment center and movie studio in Qingdao. Wanda, which owns the AMC movie theater chain, wooed big stars including Leonardo DiCaprio for its announcement and has deals with the major Hollywood talent agencies to help it build a movie empire. More on Wanda’s aspirations from the Wall Street Journal and New York Times.

Emmys 2013 full coverage: Red carpet video | Quotes from the stars | Show highlights | Red carpet arrivals | Timeline | Photo booth | Emmys presenters

Fashion statement. NBCUniversal is launching Esquire Network on Monday. The new cable channel is targeting upscale men with lifestyle shows about cooking, drinking and travel. It has also bought rerun rights to Jimmy Fallon’s late night show as well as the NBC sitcom “Parks and Recreation.” Executives at Esquire swear the channel isn’t Bravo for men. Curtain raisers from the Associated Press and Los Angeles Times.

Inside the Los Angeles Times: Robert Lloyd on the new CBS sitcom “Moms.”

Follow me on Twitter and hold on tight. @JBFlint.