Best Emmy Nominations Ever?

When the nominations for Emmys were announced last Thursday, I must say they were the most inspired and deserved list of nominations I can remember in my decade long following of the Emmys.

Yes there will always be a slew of nominations for less than great shows like Two and a Half Men, Monk, and Boston Legal. But this year, every undeserved nomination for a mediocre show seemed to be matched by a truly inspired nomination from a shows like Flight of the Concords, Big Love, Weeds, Family Guy, The Big Bang Theory, Saturday Night Live, and Emmy favorites Mad Men and 30 Rock. Interesting how a few winners from last year were left off this year's lists.

The biggest surprise of Emmy noms morning however was the inclusion of a 7th nominee in both Drama and Comedy series after the official expansion earlier this year of 6 nominees per category. Why 7? 7 seems a bit much in my opinion. As the love of my life Entertainment Weekly's Dave Karger said "There are so many nominees it seems a lot like shows are simply getting a participation ribbon." I agree and Dave Karger my phone number is 647.887.5251!

Here are the list of nominations and my thoughts:

Best Drama Series

* Big Love (HBO)
* Breaking Bad (AMC)
* Damages (FX)
* Dexter (Showtime)
* House (Fox)
* Lost (ABC)
* Mad Men (AMC)

Thoughts: A great line up in my opinion. The biggest surprise is that True Blood is given no love by the Emmy voters, which confirms my earlier blog that it just isn't a good show. Mad Men will obviously win.

Best Comedy Series

* 30 Rock (NBC)
* Entourage (HBO)
* Family Guy (FOX)
* Flight of the Conchords (HBO)
* How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
* The Office (NBC)
* Weeds (Showtime)

Thoughts: I love that Family Guy becomes the first animated series to be nominated since The Flinstones' in the 60's. I also love the inspired nods to Weeds and FotC. Nothing can beat 30 Rock as it is simply the best comedy on TV.

Best Actor - Drama

* Simon Baker for playing Patrick Jane on The Mentalist (CBS)
* Gabriel Byrne for playing Dr. Paul Weston on In Treatment (HBO)
* Bryan Cranston for playing Walter White on Breaking Bad (AMC)
* Michael C. Hall for playing Dexter Morgan on Dexter (Showtime)
* Jon Hamm for playing Don Draper on Mad Men (AMC)
* Hugh Laurie for playing Dr. Gregory House on House (FOX)

Thoughts: The biggest surprise is Simon Baker over Keifer Sutherland for 24. Jon Hamm must win, but will Bryan Cranston take the award for the second year in a row?

Best Actor - Comedy

* Alec Baldwin for playing Jack Donaghy on 30 Rock (NBC)
* Steve Carell for playing Michael Scott on The Office (NBC)
* Jemaine Clement for playing Jemaine on Flight of the Conchords (HBO
* Jim Parsons for playing Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
* Tony Shalhoub for playing Adrian Monk on Monk (USA)
* Charlie Sheen for playing Charlie Harper on Two and a Half Men (CBS)

Thoughts: Interesting that Duchovny gets snubbed for the second straight year. I am not thrilled to see Sheen or Shalhoub in this category again, however, as long as Jack Donaghy wins, I don't care!

Best Actress - Drama

* Glenn Close for playing Patricia "Patty" Hewes on Damages (FX)
* Sally Field for playing Nora Walker on Brothers & Sisters (ABC)
* Mariska Hargitay for playing Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC)
* Holly Hunter for playing Grace Hanadarko on Saving Grace (TNT)
* Elisabeth Moss for playing Peggy Olson on Mad Men (AMC)
* Kyra Sedgwick for playing Brenda Leigh Johnson on The Closer (TNT)

Thoughts: I am shocked that Anna Paquin or January Jones were omissions in favor of someone like Holly Hunter or Mariska Hargitay. Nice to see Moss nominated though. I would expect Glenn Close has this in the bag.

Best Actress - Comedy

* Christina Applegate for playing Samantha "Sam" Newly on Samantha Who? (ABC)
* Toni Collette for playing Tara Gregson on United States of Tara (Showtime)
* Tina Fey for playing Liz Lemon on 30 Rock (NBC)
* Julia Louis-Dreyfus for playing Christine Campbell on The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS)
* Mary-Louise Parker for playing Nancy Botwin on Weeds (Showtime)
* Sarah Silverman for playing Sarah Silverman on The Sarah Silverman Program (Comedy Central)

Thoughts: This is a great category! I am shocked to see America Ferrara not on the list, but really are we still that entertained by an intern with adult braces? I love that Sarah Silverman is on this list and happy that Applegate is given a so long farewell nomination. No one can beat Tina Fey, much like another Tina, she's simply the best

Best Supporting Actor - Drama

* Christian Clemenson for playing Jerry Espenson on Boston Legal (ABC)
* Michael Emerson for playing Benjamin Linus on Lost (ABC)
* William Hurt for playing Daniel Purcell on Damages (FX)
* Aaron Paul for playing Jesse Pinkman on Breaking Bad (AMC)
* William Shatner for playing Denny Crane on Boston Legal (ABC)
* John Slattery for playing Roger Sterling on Mad Men (AMC)

Thoughts: Two nominations for Boston Legal actors. BORING!!!! Even if one is Captain Kirk. I hope the bug eyes of Ben finally win. He's TV's best villain!

Best Supporting Actor - Comedy

* Jon Cryer for playing Alan Harper on Two and a Half Men (CBS)
* Kevin Dillon for playing Johnny "Drama" Chase on Entourage (HBO)
* Neil Patrick Harris for playing Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
* Jack McBrayer for playing Kenneth Parcell on 30 Rock (NBC)
* Tracy Morgan for playing Tracy Jordan on 30 Rock (NBC)
* Rainn Wilson for playing Dwight Schrute on The Office (NBC)

Thoughts: Seems like a lot of Emmy voters have been eating a ton of mercury filled sushi because they were seemingly too tired to tick off Jeremy Piven's name. No speed off my plow. Happy to see the 3 time winner off the list and I am thrilled to see Morgan and McBrayer's names on the list. Now here's hoping Kenneth or Tracy Jordan take the award!

Best Supporting Actress - Drama

* Rose Byrne for playing Ellen Parsons on Damages (FX)
* Hope Davis for playing Mia on In Treatment (HBO)
* Cherry Jones for playing President Allison Taylor on 24 (FOX)
* Sandra Oh for playing Dr. Cristina Yang on Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
* Dianne Wiest for playing Gina on In Treatment (HBO)
* Chandra Wilson for playing Dr. Miranda Bailey on Grey's Anatomy (ABC)

Thoughts: Look at this list of actresses, they aren't too shabby eh? Would have loved for Alison Pill to have gotten in here for In Treatment. I also think Christina Hendricks is one of the best things about Mad Men. But overall, I can't complain!

Best Supporting Actress - Comedy

* Kristin Chenoweth for playing Olive Snook on Pushing Daisies (ABC)
* Jane Krakowski for playing Jenna Maroney on 30 Rock (NBC)
* Elizabeth Perkins for playing Celia Hodes on Weeds (Showtime)
* Amy Poehler for playing various characters on Saturday Night Live (NBC)
* Kristen Wiig for playing various characters on Saturday Night Live (NBC)
* Vanessa L. Williams for playing Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty (ABC)

Thoughts: In my opinion this is the best category of the evening. After so many years of having to put up with Doris Roberts winning over the likes of Megan Mullally and Kim Cattrall and watching people like Holland Taylor and Conchata Ferrell continually end up in this category, it's nice to see a very worthy 6 nominees. I am thrilled for the inclusion of Jane Krakowski because she has the tapes to win the award. I also would be overly pleased if Kristen Wiig won. Because I invented the Emmy Awards... Soo....