Emmy Nominations Announced

The Emmy Nominations where announced yesterday. Sure much talk is occurring on the entertainment channels about it. The noms where both good and bad. A switch to panels hoping to give a better range of noms seems to have mostly failed as they continues to go with the safe selections of the past. There where some suprises noms such as Kyra Sedwick as best actress for the Closer, Lost almost getting ignored, and Desperate Housewives getting some votes but not nearly the total it got last year, but then again those surprises where only one and those shows seconds seasons where not nearly as good as their first.

Sadly some favorites of mine where left out as the WB and UPN continue to get completely ignored by the voters. That means my favorites of Veronica Mars and Gilmore Girls got big goose eggs.

The major nom categories:

DRAMA SERIES
"Grey's Anatomy" (will win)
"House"
"The Sopranos"
"24" (should win)
"The West Wing"

I love House, the show is an absolute pleasure to watch, but it is formulaic and there was no outstanding episode or character arc that really stands out. 24 deserves the win for continue to push the envelope in drama, both human and political. However, at the end of the day, safe and comfortable is what the Emmy voters go for which Grey's Anatomy fits nicely.

COMEDY SERIES
"Arrested Development"
"Curb Your Enthusiasm" (will win)
"The Office"
"Scrubs" (should win)
"Two and a Half Men"

No idea what Two and a Half Men are doing in this category. Arrested Development is gone and already had a win so its out. The Office is ok but still not up there and while cute, not particularity funny. Scrubs should win because its consistently the best comedy on television, but sadly it doesn't get the attention and ratings it deserves. That leaves Emmy vote favorite Curb Your Enthusiasm. I don't thing the show is funny at all but insiders like it and since insiders vote, that's all that really matters.

MINISERIES
"Bleak House: Masterpiece Theater"
"Elizabeth I"
"Into the West" (will win)
"Sleeper Cell"

Uh beats me. I watched Elizabeth I but none of the rest. So I shall guess at random and say "Into the West" for it was the traditional multi-part epic that was the way of mini-series.

REALITY COMPETITION
"Amazing Race" (should win)
"American Idol" (will win)
"Dancing with the Stars"
"Project Runway"
"Survivor"

Amazing Race continues to be the best reality show in television. Great casting and fantastic scope, none compare. However, this year you had all of American, including Hollywood routing for whathisname to win so I expect America Idol to ride that coattail to victory.

MADE FOR TELEVISION MOVIE
"Flight 93" (will win)
"The Girl in a Cafe"
"Yesterday"
"Mrs. Harris"

Once again I have watched none of these. Since Flight 93 is the television movie version of the later theatrical released film I think voters will give it the win just to say "we can do great movies too"

ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Peter Krause - "Six Feet Under"
Dennis Leary - "Rescue Me" (should win)
Christopher Meloni - "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
Martin Sheen - "The West Wing"
Keifer Sutherland - "24" (will win)

This is a tough category to call. Really just guessing. Except for Six Feet Under, all of them are outstanding shows with outstanding acting. My preference is Dennis Leary for his acting on Rescue Me which is simply riveting. I think recent changes to the character will hurt em as the current season is airing while voters are deciding. For whatever reason SVU gets raves but little rewards even though Meloni continues to rock. The West Wing is over and besides he will get another Emmy for get guess appearance nod so why offer him two. That leaves Kiefer for 24.

ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Steve Carrell - "The Office" (will win)(should win)
Larry David - "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
Kevin James - "King of Queens"
Tony Shaloub - "Monk"
Charlie Sheen - "Two and a Half Men"

Emmy voters love to reward movie actors. While Steve is started in television, he has gained much recognition for his movies so he almost gets it for that alone. However, having said that, of the group, he has probably done the best job. Nothing against my fav of the bunch, Tony Shaloub for "Monk" but Steve's is just the more better performance, but only by a sliver. Kevin James and Charlie Sheen? WTF?

ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Francis Conroy - "Six Feet Under"
Geena Davis - "Commander in Chief" (will win)
Mariska Hargitay - "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (should win)
Allison Janney - "The West Wing"
Kyra Sedgwick - "The Closer"

I have never understood why people like Six Feet Under. Its was a depressing show that moved at a depressing pace about depressing people, yet the Emmy folks love it. I am at a loss. Regardless, Francis will get nothing. I would love to see an SVU sweet of the main drama categories but Mariska already one once and her show is never the "safe" chose voters love. Allison was almost gone from the last season of the West Wing and didn't have any outstanding moments in the season. I don't even know why she was nominated. Kyra does a great job on the Closer but really the performance is highly entertaining but doesn't deserve rewards for it. Neither is Geena Davis performance in Commander in Chief. However, she use to be a movie star and that all the voters need to know.
This is one category that could have used a little shaking up. Less West Wing and Six Feet, more Veronica Mars and the like. Range people!! Reward range!

ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Stockard Channing - "Out of Practice"
Jane Kaczmarek - "Malcolm in the Middle" (should win)
Lisa Kudrow - "The Comeback"
Debra Messing - "Will & Grace"
Julia Louise-Dreyfuss - "The New Adventures of Old Christine" (will win)

Jane Kaczmarek should have been nominated and won many times for many years for her performance on Malcolm in the Middle. She deserves it for the last season but sadly that show was always ignored by the voters and will be this year too. No clue why Lisa Kudrow got nominated for she stunk in a show that stunk. There was a reason HBO cancelled it so quickly. Debra Messing should get passed to just because she didn't exactly break new ground. She was coasting through the final season not because she was being lazy but because she has been there and done that so many times with that character. Not something you reward people for. Julia Louise-Dreyfuss will get the win..but not for her current series. This will be more of a win for her still lauded but rarely rewarded work on Seinfeld.

So there you go. The major categories. See on August 27th on NBC with host Conan O'Brian. Sadly the show is probably going to continue to be "safe" and really with these list of nods, its going to be mostly just boring. Personally I could care less who wins (besides Scrubs).

(source)