Thursday, July 14, 2011

SEASON IN REVIEW: 2011 Emmy Award Nominations

Here are the major nominees for the 2011 Primetime Emmy Awards!

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Dexter (Showtime)
Friday Night Lights (DirecTV/NBC)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
The Good Wife (CBS)
Mad Men (AMC)
Comments: What a thrill to see the long overdue Friday Night Lights finally score a best series nomination in its final season! Once again, broadcast networks take a backseat to cable in the drama division though probably the biggest surprise was the lack of attention towards The Walking Dead in this or any other major category. This award will probably come down to a battle between the new Boardwalk Empire and perennial favorite Mad Men.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights (DirecTV/NBC)
Michael C. Hall, Dexter (Showtime)
Jon Hamm, Mad Men (AMC)  
Hugh Laurie, House (FOX)
Timothy Olyphant, Justified (FX)
Comments: No huge surprises here except how many times is Hugh Laurie going to keep being nominated for a show that is past its prime? I would love to see the award go to Kyle Chandler but it is probably Jon Hamm's year finally.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Kathy Bates, Harry's Law (NBC)
Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights (DirecTV/NBC)
Mireille Enos, The Killing (AMC)
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
Julianna Marguiles, The Good Wife (CBS)
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men (AMC)
Comments: The biggest surprise here is Kathy Bates. While she was easily the best part of Harry's Law, the show was not Emmy-caliber by any means but awards shows love Kathy Bates so that might explain it. Also, Mariska Hargitay is the Hugh Laurie of this category while some are surprised that Kyra Sedgwick did not get a nod for The Closer. This award will probably come down to Julianna Marguiles, who was the favorite last year but lost, and Elisabeth Moss.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Andre Braugher, Men of a Certain Age (TNT)
Josh Charles, The Good Wife (CBS)
Peter Dinklage, Game of Throne (HBO)
Alan Cumming, The Good Wife (CBS)
Walton Goggins, Justified (FX)
John Slattery, Mad Men (AMC)
Comments: No major surprises in this category and it's tough to say who will get the award here. I'm not a loyal watcher of any of these shows so I don't have much to say on this one.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife (CBS)
Michelle Forbes, The Killing (AMC)
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men (AMC)
Kelly MacDonald, Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Margo Martindale, Justified (FX)
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife (CBS)
Comments: No huge surprises here either. It wouldn't be surprising to see one of the two actresses from The Good Wife win including a possible repeat win for Archie Panjabi.

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
30 Rock (NBC)
The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Glee (FOX)
Modern Family (ABC)
The Office (NBC)
Parks and Recreation (NBC)
Comments: This was a tough category but it ended up being a sweep for the broadcast networks. I watch three of these shows regularly (Modern Family, The Office, Parks and Recreation) and while I love all three, Parks and Recreation was the most consistently funny this season. I'm thrilled to see it get the nod and would love to see it win but it wouldn't be surprising to see Modern Family win its second straight, and it is very deserving as well.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock (NBC)
Louis C.K., Louie (FX)
Steve Carell, The Office (NBC)
Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes (Showtime)
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Comments: Some thought that Joel McHale might get a nod here but overall, this list is not too surprising. Many are happy to see Johnny Galecki get a nod alongside co-star (and last year's winner) Jim Parsons. However, in his final season, Steve Carell is more than overdue for a win as one of the best characters in TV history. Though the show was uneven this year, Carell was at the top of his game as always and very much deserves to go out on top.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie (Showtime)
Tina Fey, 30 Rock (NBC)
Laura Linney, The Big C (Showtime)
Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly (CBS)
Martha Plimpton, Raising Hope (FOX)
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation (NBC)
Comments: This was an interesting category as some people thought there would be nods for Lea Michelle, Patricia Heaton, or Courteney Cox. But it's nice to see McCarthy and Plimpton in there, representing new shows (and McCarthy was announcing the nominations and floored to find out on live TV!) The winner, however, should be Amy Poehler who is the heart of a great ensemble on Parks and Recreation.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Ty Burrell, Modern Family (ABC)
Chris Colfer, Glee (FOX)
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men (CBS)
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family (ABC)
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family (ABC)
Ed O'Neill, Modern Family (ABC)
Comments: This category was all about Modern Family as all four male adults were nominated including Ed O'Neill, who did not make the cut last year. While they are very deserving, the only downside is that there was no room for the talented supporting cast of Parks and Recreation, particularly Nick Offerman who certainly deserved a nod over Jon Cryer. Another snub in some opinions was Neil Patrick Harris but this was a very competitive category. If the Modern Family men cancel each other out, Chris Colfer could get the win but if it goes to one of the Family, it should be Ty Burrell's turn this year.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Julie Bowen, Modern Family (ABC)
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock (NBC)
Jane Lynch, Glee (FOX)
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family (ABC)
Betty White, Hot in Cleveland (TV Land)
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Comments: This wasn't as competitive as the Actor category and not too surprising either but that doesn't mean all are deserving. Everyone loves Betty White, but Hot in Cleveland and her work on it are certainly not Emmy-worthy. Kristen Wiig also has gotten more over the top and screechier on Saturday Night Live but maybe Bridesmaids is fresh in the voters' memory. Last year's winner Jane Lynch is hosting the Emmys this year but many Glee fans thought her character wasn't nearly as strong this year. This award should come down to the two Modern Family ladies and while Vergara might be favored, I would give it to Bowen who was fantastic this season. 

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