65th Emmy Awards


Emmy nominations were announced on July 18. Herein, a list of nominees in select categories. Visit emmys.com/nominations for the full list of nominees. Tune into CBS on Sunday, September 22 at 8pm for the award presentation, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris.

Drama
Drama Series
  • Breaking Bad
  • Downton Abbey
  • Game of Thrones
  • Homeland
  • House of Cards
  • Mad Men
Notice that perennial entry (at least since it's been on air) Boardwalk Empire is not included. Notice, also, that the Netflix-exclusive series, House of Cards, from Beau Willimon (The Ides of March), is included. Look for Netflix to emerge as a major player in original programming within the next few years.

Lead Actress
  • Vera Farmiga, Bates Motel
  • Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
  • Claire Danes, Homeland
  • Robin Wright, House of Cards
  • Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
  • Connie Britton, Nashville
  • Kerry Washington, Scandal
There are seven nominees in this category, one more than the typical six. While Danes has won this award in the past, my support goes to Wright. She's flawless as the Lady Macbeth-esque political wife Claire Underwood. (Also, she's Princess Buttercup! Isn't that reason enough?!?)

Lead Actor
  • Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
  • Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey
  • Damian Lewis, Homeland
  • Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
  • Jon Hamm, Mad Men
  • Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom
Obviously I'm glad to see Daniels as a nominee, but I don't expect him to win. With such amazing performances from Cranston and Spacey, let's hope Lewis doesn't pull of a repeat.

Supporting Actress
  • Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad
  • Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
  • Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones
  • Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
  • Morena Baccarin, Homeland
  • Christina Hendricks, Mad Men
Gunn stepped up her game in this past season of Breaking Bad. I still love the Dowager Countess's zingers, but Smith isn't exactly growing in the role. Baranski brings a terrific mix of gravitas and levity to her role on The Good Wife, and Clarke impresses as the powerful Khaleesi.

Supporting Actor
  • Bobby Cannavale, Boardwalk Empire
  • Jonathan Banks, Breaking Bad
  • Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
  • Jim Carter, Downton Abbey
  • Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
  • Mandy Patinkin, Homeland
Holy Thespis, what a great category! I have loved watching Paul's performance as Jesse evolved over the course of Breaking Bad, but Banks was masterful this last season. Cannavale (The Big Knife) was wonderfully maniacal as Gyp Rosetti; Carter had more to do this year and did it well; and how do you not love Inigo Montoya Patinkin? But Dinklage - wow. I'm a recent Game of Thrones convert, and a big reason I'm so enthralled with the show is Dinklage's layered portrayal of this complex character.

Guest Actress
  • Margo Martindale, The Americans
  • Diana Rigg, Game of Thrones
  • Carrie Preston, The Good Wife
  • Linda Cardellini, Mad Men
  • Jane Fonda, The Newsroom
  • Joan Cusack, Shameless
Guest Actor
  • Michael J. Fox, The Good Wife
  • Nathan Lane, The Good Wife
  • Rupert Friend, Homeland
  • Robert Morse, Mad Men
  • Harry Hamlin, Mad Men
  • Dan Bucatinsky, Scandal
Writing
  • George Mastras, Breaking Bad, "Dead Freight"
  • Thomas Schnauz, Breaking Bad, "Say My Name"
  • Julian Fellowes, Downton Abbey, "Episode 4"
  • David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, Game of Thrones, "The Rains of Castamere"
  • Henry Bromell, Homeland, "Q and A"
OK. All of these shows are great (though, with the exception of "The Rains of Castamere," I can't recall which particular episodes these are ("Rains" is the Red Wedding episode)) but how do you not nominate Aaron Sorkin for writing? The opening speech in the prologue of the pilot alone is nomination worthy. I'm also upset that Beau Willimon is not included for his work on House of Cards. Of the nominees, my vote goes to Game of Thrones not just for the words, but the structure of the episode. Wonderful job, fellas.
Directing
  • Tim Van Patten, Boardwalk Empire, "Margate Sands"
  • Michelle MacLaren, Breaking Bad, "Gliding Over All"
  • Jeremy Webb, Downton Abbey, "Episode 4"
  • Lesli Linka Glatter, Homeland, "Q and A"
  • David Fincher, House of Cards, "Chapter 1"
All right, some more House of Cards love!
Comedy
Comedy Series
  • 30 Rock
  • Girls
  • Louie
  • Modern Family
  • The Big Bang Theory
  • Veep
Pretty good year for comedy, though I'm disappointed to see Parks and Recreation is still not included in the big category.

Lead Actress
  • Tina Fey, 30 Rock
  • Laura Dern, Enlightened
  • Lena Dunham, Girls
  • Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
  • Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Despite Poehler's and Louis-Dreyfus's genius performances (Falco is great, too, though I don't think Nurse Jackie is a comedy), do you think Fey will walk away with the award for the show's final season? (I'm rooting for Poehler.)

Lead Actor
  • Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
  • Jason Bateman, Arrested Development
  • Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
  • Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
  • Don Cheadle, House of Lies
  • Louis C.K., Louie
Thank Thespis Jon Cryer wasn't nominated again. That means someone deserving of the award is guaranteed to win. I know people liked LeBlanc on Friends, but if we're going to have an actor from Episodes nominated, I wish it was Stephen Mangan. Does anyone else think this is a rather weak category (with the exception of Louis C.K.)?

Supporting Actress
  • Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
  • Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory
  • Jane Lynch, Glee
  • Julie Bowen, Modern Family
  • Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
  • Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie
  • Anna Chlumsky, Veep
Hooray for Wever (Uncle Vanya)! Though Nurse Jackie is much more on the serious side of serio-comedies, Wever usually brings the funny, and also the heart. However, Bowen has won this award two years in a row. Can she make it a three-peat?

Supporting Actor
  • Adam Driver, Girls
  • Ty Burrell, Modern Family
  • Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
  • Ed O'Neill, Modern Family
  • Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live
  • Tony Hale, Veep
Bill Hader all the way. Much like the Support Actor in a Drama Series, this is a rich category. But this past season was Hader's final one on SNL and he's so versatile and such a team player and simply so good that it would be a shame for his work to go unrewarded. (Although, way to go, Tony Hale!) It's interesting to note, however, that last year's winner, Eric Stonestreet, is not included. He is the only Modern Family adult male actor not nominated.

Guest Actress
  • Elaine Stritch, 30 Rock
  • Molly Shannon, Enlightened
  • Dot-Marie Jones, Glee
  • Melissa Leo, Louie
  • Melissa McCarthy, Saturday Night Live
  • Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live
Guest Actor
  • Will Forte, 30 Rock
  • Bob Newhart, The Big Bang Theory
  • Nathan Lane, Modern Family
  • Bobby Cannavale, Nurse Jackie
  • Louis C.K., Saturday Night Live
  • Justin Timberlake, Saturday Night Live
This makes Cannavale (Glengarry Glen Ross) and Lane (The Addams Family) double nominees, and is the second of several (keep scrolling) for C.K.

Writing
  • Jack Burditt and Robert Carlock, 30 Rock, "Hogcock!"
  • Tina Fey and Tracey Wigfield, 30 Rock "Last Lunch"
  • David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik, Episodes, "Episode 209"
  • Louis C.K. and Pamela Adlon, Louie, "Daddy's Girlfriend, Part One"
  • Greg Daniels, The Office, "Finale"
It's nice to see some attention for The Office after its final season. While the show definitely faltered during the last few seasons, the last one, and especially the last few episodes, restored the show to its former glory. And the finale was a good and memorable one, as far as series finales go.

Directing
  • Beth McCarthy-Miller, 30 Rock, "Hogcock!/Last Lunch"
  • Lena Dunham, Girls, "On All Fours"
  • Paris Barclay, Glee, "Diva"
  • Louis C.K., Louie, "New Year's Eve"
  • Gail Mancuso, Modern Family, "Arrested"
Miniseries or Movie
Outstanding Miniseries or Movie
  • American Horror Story: Asylum (FX)
  • Behind the Candelabra (HBO)
  • Phil Spector (HBO)
  • Political Animals (USA Network)
  • The Bible (History Channel)
  • Top of the Lake (Sundance Channel)
What's most surprising about this category is that it is not dominated by HBO. Sure, the pay-cable channel has two entrants, but the other four nominees come from four different networks and some are actually mineseries, atypical for the category.

Lead Actress
  • Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Asylum
  • Laura Linney, The Big C: Hereafter
  • Helen Mirren, Phil Spector
  • Sigourney Weaver, Political Animals
  • Elisabeth Moss, Top of the Lake
This makes Moss a double nominee. My support goes to Linney (Time Stands Still) for an exceptionally moving performance in this coda to the poignant series. Although I did like Weaver (Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike) as the savvy and successful Hillary Clinton-like political animal.

Lead Actor
  • Michael Douglas, Behind the Candelabra
  • Matt Damon, Behind the Candelabra
  • Toby Jones, The Girl
  • Benedict Cumberbatch, Parade's End
  • Al Pacino, Phil Spector

Supporting Actress
  • Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Asylum
  • Imelda Staunton, The Girl
  • Ellen Burstyn, Political Animals
  • Charlotte Rampling, Restless
  • Alfre Woodard, Steel Magnolias
Supporting Actor
  • James Cromwell, American Horror Story: Asylum
  • Zachary Quinto, American Horror Story: Asylum
  • Scott Bakula, Behind the Candelabra
  • John Benjamin Hickey, The Big C: Hereafter
  • Peter Mullan, Top of the Lake
Kudos to Hickey, a Tony winner a couple of years ago for The Normal Heart.

Writing
  • Richard LaGravenese, Behind the Candelabra
  • Tom Stoppard, Parade's End
  • David Mamet, Phil Spector
  • Abi Morgan, The Hour
  • Jane Campion and Gerard Lee, Top of the Lake
Note the playwrights, Stoppard (Arcadia) and Mamet (Glengarry Glen Ross). Also, Morgan co-wrote Shame with director Steve McQueen.

Directing
  • Steven Soderbergh, Behind the Candelabra
  • Julian Jarrold, The Girl
  • David Mamet, Phil Spector
  • Allison Anders, Ring of Fire
  • Jane Campion and Garth Davis, Top of the Lake, "Part 5"
Other Categories
Variety Series
  • The Colbert Report (also nominated in the Writing and Directing categories)
  • The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (also nominated in the Writing and Directing categories)
  • Jimmy Kimmel Live (also nominated in the Writing and Directing categories)
  • Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
  • Real Time with Bill Maher (also nominated in the Writing category)
  • Saturday Night Live (also nominated in the Writing and Directing categories)
Variety Special
  • 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief (also nominated in the Directing category)
  • The Kennedy Center Honors (CBS) (also nominated in the Directing category)
  • Louis C.K.: Oh My God (HBO) (also nominated in the Writing and Directing categories)
  • Mel Brooks Strikes Back! with Mel Brooks and Alan Yentob (HBO)
  • Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update Thursday, Part One (also nominated in the Writing category)
Special Class Programs
  • 66th Tony Awards (this is the 2012 broadcast)
  • London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony
  • Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel, Live from Lincoln Center
  • 70th Golden Globes (this is the 2013 broadcast, hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler)
  • The Oscars (this is the 2013 broadcast, hosted by Seth MacFarlane)
Miscellaneous
  • The Newsroom, Outstanding Main Title Design, Michael Riley, Denny Zimmerman, Cory Shaw and Justine Gerenstein
  • Game of Thrones, Outstanding Interactive Program, Game of Thrones Season Three Enhanced Digital Experience
  • House of Cards, Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) and Outstanding Main Title Theme Music, Jeff Beal
  • Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics
    • Smash, "Hang the Moon," Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman
    • 66th Tony Awards, "If I Had Time," Adam Schlesinger and David Javerbaum
  • Outstanding Voice Over Performance, Seth MacFarlane, Family Guy, "Brian's Play," and Alex Borstein, Family Guy, "Lois Comes Out of Her Shell"
  • Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, Outstanding Special Class Short-Format Nonfiction Programs (watch all the episodes here)
And there you have it. Nominees (in selected categories) for the 65th Emmy Awards. (Visit emmys.com/nominations for the full list.) What do you think of this year's slate of nominees? Be sure to tune into the awards presentation and broadcast on September 22, and check back here the following day for my wrap up. In the meantime, head to my Emmys Pinterest board for lots of Emmys pics.

Comments

Post a Comment