And by ‘does it again’ I mean they get some pretty obvious choices right and totally screw up others. Biggest example? No nomination, again, for Tatiana Maslany? Second biggest example? They actually did nominate Woody Harrelson for True Detective (with all the love Matthew McConaughey was getting, I really expected Harrelson to be snubbed).
As expected, Breaking Bad, Downton Abbey and Game of Thrones got some major nominations. For a list of the major nominations and occasional bursts of commentary, follow the jump.
The Emmys will be held Monday, August 25th at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. NBC is broadcasting this year’s show, with Late Night‘s Seth Meyers serving as host.
OUTSTANDING DRAMA
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
House of Cards
Mad Men
True Detective
If Fargo had been entered as a drama series, this category would have had to go to seven nominees. It probably should have done so anyway, and added The Good Wife (or dropped Downton Abbey and add it…).
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex
Kerry Washington, Scandal
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Claire Danes, Homeland
Robin Wright, House of Cards
Tatiana Maslany is missing from this list for the second straight year. For every bit of joy, angst, ire, pain and confusion experienced by a character played one of the above women, Tatiana Maslany had to do that a half dozen times over – as different characters frequently in the same scenes! For the second straight year, the second-best performance of the year will be taking home the Emmy. It is just that simple.
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Woody Harrelson, True Detective
Matthew McConaughey, True Detective
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
Four of these actors have never been better in their careers. It’s just their bad luck that the same is true of Matthew McConaughey. Matthew Rhys should have take Jeff Daniels’ slot – that’s a major goof by the Academy.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey
Lena Headey, Game of Thrones
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men
Lena Headey had more to work with than anyone else in this category. Anna Gunn finished her run on Breaking Bad and could, conceivably win for that. Christine Baranski got several juicy moments following the major developments on The Good Wife, this season. I’d give the Emmy to Heady, but I could see it going to either of the others I’ve mentioned.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
Jim Carter, Downton Abbey
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Josh Charles, The Good Wife
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland
Jon Voight, Ray Donovan
Last call for Aaron Paul, but he’s in tough this year. For me, it’s a toss-up between him and Peter Dinklage, who just killed (literally and metaphorically) on Game of Thrones this season – but not one of the other performers in the category don’t deserve the award.
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Margo Martindale, The Americans
Diana Rigg, Game of Thrones
Kate Mara, House of Cards
Allison Janney, Masters of Sex
Jane Fonda, The Newsroom
Kate Burton, Scandal
Another stacked category. Janney won The Critics Choice Award, but that doesn’t mean much to the Academy (see also: Tatiana Maslany). I’d like to Diana Rigg or Jane Fonda win – with a bit of a lean towards Rigg and her saucy, murderous old noblewoman.
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Paul Giamatti, Downton Abbey
Dylan Baker, The Good Wife
Reg E Cathey, House of Cards
Robert Morse, Mad Men
Beau Bridges, Masters of Sex
Joe Morton, Scandal
It’s nice to see Robert Morse here. I’d like to see him win after pulling the performance he gave on the mini-finale of Mad Men. Class all the way.
OUTSTANDING COMEDY
The Big Bang Theory
Louie
Modern Family
Orange Is the New Black
Silicon Valley
Veep
Louie is the best comedy on TV. Almost makes it a shoo-in to not win.
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Lena Dunham, Girls
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
Taylor Schilling, Orange Is the New Black
If there’s a category that demonstrates how much we need a dramedy category, this is it. Edie Falco has won a few times for Nurse Jackie and keeps telling anyone who’ll listen that her role is not funny – and she’s not funny in it. She’s absolutely right.
Maybe Julia Louis-Dreyfus will. Surely her character’s ascension to the Oval Office is the funniest thing that’s happened this year.
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Louis CK, Louie
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Ricky Gervais, Derek
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
William H Macy, Shameless
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Everyone in the category deserves to be here. I have to lean toward Louis CK – he has come so far as an actor.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Allison Janney, Mom
Kate Mulgrew, Orange Is the New Black
Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
Anna Chlumsky, Veep
I’d have voted in Eden Shur of The Middle instead of Julie Bowen. And, just one question: where is Merritt Wever from Nurse Jackie? She plays the funniest character on the show.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Adam Driver, Girls
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Fred Armisen, Portlandia
Tony Hale, Veep
Great list of talent in this category. Braugher should take it in a walk, but it’s a strong category – he’s just that good!
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Natasha Lyonne, Orange Is the New Black
Uzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black
Laverne Cox, Orange Is the New Black
Tina Fey, Saturday Night Live
Melissa McCarthy, Saturday Night Live
Joan Cusack, Shameless
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Bob Newhart, The Big Bang Theory
Nathan Lane, Modern Family
Steve Buscemi, Portlandia
Jimmy Fallon, Saturday Night Live
Louis C.K., Saturday Night Live
Gary Cole, Veep
Good choices. Nothing to add here.
OUTSTANDING REALITY SHOW HOST
Betty White, Betty White’s Off Their Rockers
Tom Bergeron, Dancing With the Stars
Jane Lynch, Hollywood Game Night
Heidi Klum/Tim Gunn, Project Runway
Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance
Anthony Bourdain, The Taste
I’d like to thank the Academy for not nominating Seacrest.
OUTSTANDING REALITY SHOW COMPETITION
The Amazing Race
Dancing With the Stars
Project Runway
So You Think You Can Dance
Top Chef
The Voice
I don’t generally watch reality TV – competition or any other kind (unless it’s sports) – so no comment.
OUTSTANDING VARIETY, MUSIC, OR COMEDY SERIES
The Colbert Report
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Real Time with Bill Maher
Saturday Night Live
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
How many times to the well without drawing water for Bill Maher? Add one to that.
OUTSTANDING TV MINISERIES
American Horror Story: Coven
Bonnie & Clyde
Fargo
Luther
Treme
The White Queen
The flat out best season of American Horror Story and it comes up against Fargo. That kinda sucks. I can’t see anything else winning here.
OUTSTANDING TV MOVIE
Killing Kennedy
Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight
The Normal Heart
Sherlock: His Last Vow
The Trip to Bountiful
Can anything beat The Normal Heart, this year? No, I don’t think so.
LEAD ACTRESS IN A TV MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Helena Bonham Carter, Burton and Taylor
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Coven
Minnie Driver, Return to Zero
Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Coven
Cicely Tyson, The Trip to Bountiful
Kristen Wiig, The Spoils of Babylon
Looks like another win for Jessica Lange.
LEAD ACTOR IN A TV MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock: His Last Vow
Idris Elba, Luther
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Dancing On the Edge
Martin Freeman, Fargo
Billy Bob Thornton, Fargo
Mark Ruffalo, The Normal Heart
From what I can tell, this will be between Billy Bob Thornton and Mark Ruffalo. In horse racing, this would called a ‘pick ‘em.’
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TV MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Frances Conroy, American Horror Story: Coven
Kathy Bates, American Horror Story: Coven
Angela Bassett, American Horror Story: Coven
Allison Tolman, Fargo
Ellen Burstyn, Flowers in the Attic
Julia Roberts, The Normal Heart
Another strong category, with nothing but impressive performances. For me it comes down to Frances Conroy and Allison Tolman. I like tolman’s chances.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TV MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Colin Hanks, Fargo
Jim Parsons, The Normal Heart
Joe Mantello, The Normal Heart
Alfred Molina, The Normal Heart
Matt Bomer, The Normal Heart
Martin Freeman, Sherlock: His Last Vow
Matt Bomer. The class of the category.