Nominations have just been announced for the 64th annual Emmy Awards. The full list is here; below is a rundown of some of the major categories and early thoughts:
BEST DRAMA
Boardwalk Empire
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Game Of Thrones
Homeland
Mad Men
This is the first time in memory that no Drama nominee has come from any of the major broadcast television networks, with only PBS and Downton Abbey representing the non-cable world. Mad Men led the way with 17 total nominations (tied with American Horror Story), with Abbey and Hatfields & McCoys right behind with 16. The Good Wife, which has been nominated in each of the past several years, turned out to be the main victim of Downton‘s decision to run as a regular Drama series rather than a Miniseries. The idea–fear?–that Smash might find its way in turned out to be unfounded.
BEST COMEDY
The Big Bang Theory
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Girls
Modern Family
30 Rock
Veep
A great day for HBO, which got both its freshman comedies Girls and Veep into the race. Modern Family had the most nominations with 14. Notably excluded: New Girl, Louie and Parks & Recreation. There was no valedictory nomination for Desperate Housewives, and Glee didn’t make it in.
BEST COMEDY ACTRESS
Zoey Deschanel, New Girl
Lena Dunham, Girls
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly
Amy Poehler, Parks & Recreation
7 nominees means some very close choices in the nomination voting. Modern Family places its ensemble acting nominees in the Supporting category, where Sofia Vergera and Julie Bowen are nominated. Lena Dunham has nominations as a producer, director and writer of Girls to go along with her acting nomination.
BEST COMEDY ACTOR
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Louis C.K., Louie
Jon Cryer, 2 1/2 Men
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Showtime did well by pulling a nomination for Cheadle. Modern Famliy‘s actors had 4 of the 6 Supporting Actor nominations, with Ed O’Neill, Ty Burrell, Eric Stonestreet and Jesse Tyler Ferguson all in. Louis C.K. is also nominated as writer and director of his show.
BEST DRAMA ACTRESS
Kathy Bates, Harry’s Law
Glenn Close, Damages
Claire Danes, Homeland
Michele Dockery, Downton Abbey
Juliana Margulies, The Good Wife
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Glenn Close’s star power is such that she continues to be nominated even though Damages is seen only on DirecTV (and on Academy member DVDs, of course). Maggie Smith’s required Downton nomination is for Supporting Actress
BEST DRAMA ACTOR
Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Damian Lewis, Homeland
Every nominee for this category is again from either cable or PBS. Giancarlo Esposito’s and Aaron Paul’s nominations for Breaking Bad are for Supporting Actor.
BEST MOVIE OR MINISERIES
American Horror Story
Game Change
Hatfields & McCoys
Hemingway & Gellhorn
Luther
Sherlock
Downton Abbey‘s exit from this category helped BBCAmerica’s Luther find a way in. The nominations are considerably dispersed from the days when HBO completely controlled this category.
BEST REALITY COMPETITION
The Amazing Race
Dancing With the Stars
Project Runway
So You Think You Can Dance
Top Chef
The Voice
NBC managed to inject a little new blood here with the inclusion of The Voice.
The Emmys will be handed out on September 23 on ABC.
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