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- 07/19/07 4:20 PM
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The 59th Emmy Award nominees are out! TV.com takes a look at who got how many, who is going for more, and who got snubbed.
Though the 59th Annual Primetime Emmy Award nominations were released only this morning, they're old news to TV buffs by now. It's time to turn attention to the statistics behind the awards show and the nominees that should have happened, but didn't.
Much of the focus on this year's Emmy nominations went toward HBO's The Sopranos, which came to a close last month after six critically acclaimed seasons. The mob drama walked away with 15 nominations this year, but did not walk away with the honor of being the most nominated show.
That honor went to the HBO made-for-television movie Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, which led all shows with 17 nominations. Right behind Knee was the miniseries Broken Trail with 16 nominations, an impressive feat for AMC's first original movie.
The Sopranos' 15 nods, while seemingly a bunch, is actually the third lowest take in the show's history. The program garnered 20 or more nominations twice before--22 in 2001 and 20 in 2004--each time taking home four wins. 2006 was the worst showing for the series, when it managed only seven nominations and one win.
Ugly Betty made the most impressive splash as a newcomer this year, with 11 nominations. The new kid on the block isn't just being recognized for technical awards either. The show is nominated for best comedy series, directing, lead actress, and supporting actress. Still, Betty was a few nominations away from other recent impressive debuts. Desperate Housewives grabbed 15 in its 2005 Emmy debut, The Sopranos whacked down 16 in 1999, and ER took a whopping 23 in 1995. In addition to Betty this year, 30 Rock also impressed many with 10 nominations for a freshman show, followed by Heroes with eight.
Not including talk-show hosts, Ed Asner's nomination for supporting actor in a miniseries or movie for The Christmas Card makes him the most nominated actor eligible for an Emmy this year. Asner has been nominated 16 times and has seven golden statues to his name.
That batting average fares much better than David Letterman's, who has only five wins in 46 nominations (for both writing and performing). Next in line is The Daily Show's Jon Stewart, who has 16 nominations against nine wins in far fewer years in a desk chair. As for Stewart's protégé and pseudo-rival, Stephen Colbert has eight nominations with three wins but should see both numbers increase if The Colbert Report continues its upward arc.
The biggest dustup over Emmy nominations will likely come from fans of Lost, particularly after what many consider its strongest season. The island-bound sci-fi/drama/thriller/mystery was blanked in the best drama series category, and buzz for Matthew Fox as a lead actor nominee apparently was just that. What's more, this year's take of six nominations is three less than last year--which represented the show's most frustrating season to date--and half of the 12 it got in 2005.
But at least Lost got some nominations. FX's The Shield and HBO's The Wire got zero, zilch, zippo. It's nothing new for critics' favorite The Wire, which has never received an Emmy nomination (correction: it received a nomination for Outstanding Writing in 2005), but The Shield is coming off one of its most lauded seasons.
Sci-Fi's Battlestar "The best show on television" Galactica received the most nominations it has ever received, but still only got four. Showtime's Dexter wasn't expected to get a lot of nominations, but the one category that many thought it would crack is best actor for Michael C. Hall. However, none of the three nominations it received were for the former Six Feet Under star.
The CW, which has its share of toast-worthy programming (and favorites among TV.com users), finished the day with...one paltry nomination. That honor went to Smallville, for the illustrious Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series award.
Another show many thought had a good chance of being included in the major best drama categories was NBC's Friday Night Lights. The show didn't score with Emmy voters, however, and walked away with only two nominations--one for directing and one for casting.
The trend here seems to show that Emmy voters lean heavily toward the major non-cable networks and the more "popular" shows. ABC had 70 overall nominations, NBC had 69, CBS had 44, and Fox had 28. Aside from the 86 nominations for HBO, which routinely cleans up at this time of year and had lots of help from Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee and The Sopranos, cable channels didn't fair too well. AMC was second among cable channels and rode its 16 nominations for Broken Trail to 18 overall after laying a goose egg last year. Elsewhere, Discovery Channel grabbed 16 nominations, Comedy Central and USA both took 12, TNT got 11, and Sci-Fi snagged seven.
Other notes from this year's Emmy nominations:
--The husband-and-wife team of William H. Macy (Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King) and Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives) are both nominated for Emmys this year.
--What do Emmy nominees Class, Kidnapped, Standoff, and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip have in common? There's no chance they'll get Emmys next year; they're all canceled.
--With three nominations this year, ER took over sole position of most nominated show in Primetime Emmys history with 120. It passed Cheers, which--barring the creation of Cheers: The Senior Years--will remain at 117 overall nominations.
--Perhaps not-so-coincidentally, Cheers spin-off Frasier holds the record for most wins by a single series with 37.
--Saturday Night Live has the most Emmy experience of the shows nominated this year. The sketch-comedy show earned five nominations in 1976 and has received at least one nod each year since except in 1981, 1982, and 1988.
--With her nomination for her role in Ugly Betty, Vanessa Williams has now been nominated for an Emmy, a Grammy, and a Tony.
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COMMENTS
Man the academy must really be jerks if they like to snub some of the best shows on TV. They also must really hate The CW, I mean 1 nomination? That's COLD!
04/12/2008 17:43:03why do they even bother? when you win, you actually lose. the wire is possibly the best tv programme ever and the fact it has never been nominated for anything ever makes the whole emmy competition a toal sham...in my opinion.
11/26/2007 18:28:40Unfortunately, it can hardly be counted as shocking that shows like The Wire, The Shield, and BSG are regularly discounted or short-sided from the Emmys. Although, it is a little surprising that they snubbed Lost too. As has been said, they only award Emmys to the safe of the safest shows - the ones that aren't too sci-fi, too violent or intense, too this or too that. And so on.
09/27/2007 14:08:26The Shield,The Wire It's a f... SHAME !
09/22/2007 05:24:53You must remember, Emmys are mostly a "safe" award. They're not going to risk irritating any of the masses that watch by voting in anything tricky, like a show about a guy who kills people for fun after getting off work as a cop (Dexter), no matter *how* well-produced, directed, written, plotted, filmed and acted the show is.
09/10/2007 01:24:09This BS. I dont know what the emmy board have been watching but The Wire is simply amazing and deserves several gongs. Plus Dexter, BSG, Dirt, Weeds and Day Break have all been fantastic to watch. Just because a show is axed, does not mean it was not genius. (Ick my grammar be shocking and wat not)
08/19/2007 06:05:49The Emmy Nominations were very disappointing this year. Yet again great shows like The Wire (travesty how this has been omitted), Real Time With Bill Maher, Rome, ER are totally ignored or given nods in minor categories. Furthermore, the lack of Black, Asia, Indian ... actors & actresses nominated was disheartening.
08/08/2007 22:25:39yeah no nominations for The SHIELD with that amazing torture scene, the death of a major character, all the drama twists and turns and evry episode left you wanting more, in my opinion house is overrated cause its the same over and over and heroes is pretty lame as well nothing is like the SHIELD and the wire is pretty good too
08/03/2007 16:11:21Shame about The Wire. For all the plaudits, it really gets a bad rap every year. Somebody (other that pretentious critics) give this show the recognition it deserves! Shame about Dexter too, but I guess it's a bit too cult-like to get a lot of accolades at the mo.
07/27/2007 08:20:54wheres Friday Night Lights and LOST.. shocking
07/25/2007 07:34:05Don't get why VM wasn't nominated, I know, it hasn't been the best season, but it definatly deserves an Emmy...and this was their last chance.
07/25/2007 03:40:55That is just sad that The Wire didn't get a nomination. It's actually more sickening than sad. I guess that's what our gov't and citizens have been doing to the African American people that live in crime and drug ridden cities. Just turn your head and it doesn't happen.
07/24/2007 22:22:12Can't believe that The Shield didn't get any noms--it's one of the best cop shows I've ever seen. Michael Chiklis, Jay Karnes, and CCH Pounder all deserved noms--they were all outstanding. Although I watch Lost, it's becoming too convoluted; perhaps that's why it didn't get a nom for best drama. And I agree that Gilmore Girls' Lauren Graham should've been nominated; she was always terrific on that show, as was Scott Patterson as Luke, and Emily Bishop as Lorelai's mother. It was truly a smart funny show that everyone could enjoy.
07/24/2007 20:48:10i was suprised with no lost.
07/24/2007 09:22:35shocking theres no lost
07/23/2007 10:26:06Lost never wins anyway, stop your whining.
07/21/2007 23:06:45WTF! No Lost?! That is insane!
07/21/2007 20:00:38Very surprised Matthew Fox (LOST) was not nominated, he was outstanding all season. Also disappointed that Battlestar Galactica gets snubbed at the acting level, Edward James Olmos was awesome and James Callis brilliant. I just don't get the repeated snubbing of Sci-fi programs.
07/21/2007 12:44:52I can't believe ER or Scrubs weren't nominated.
07/21/2007 07:56:11I am really dissapointed Veronica Mars didn't get any noms. I know this season wasn't that great- the writing was dissapointing but the acting was so amaizing. I am happy about the Brothers and Sisters noms. These emmy's are a little bland but I think I will watch. I will be rooting for Heroes, Ugly Betty, and Brothers and Sisters. Big Brother dserves a reality nom. This was a great article to catch up on statistics.
07/20/2007 21:33:15what about Entourage?!! nothing? best comedy on TV
07/20/2007 17:06:56Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee did NOT deserve 17 nominations, what a terrible adaptation of the story. My biggest gripe, aside from The Wire and Michael C. Hall, is Ian McShane for the third season of Deadwood... unbelievable. There is no one comparable of McShane as Swearengen.
07/20/2007 10:56:39Okay...Okay... I'm trying to keep my cool but I just don't get it! How does Lauren Graham NOT get a nomination? wait.. I'm sorry HOW DOES GILMORE GIRLS NOT GET A NOMINATION? It is by far the best show on The CW and probably the most watched and it deserves more recognition! Heroes should thank Gilmore Girls because some of it's viewers only started to watch it because of Milo Ventimiglia aka Jess from Gilmore Girls and Peter from Heroes... Lauren Graham DESERVES to be nominated!!! Although sesaon 7 wasn't the strongest season of the show, but a nomination for this season wouldn't be a nomination for the season it would be a nomination for the ENTIRE SHOW the WHOLE time it was on television. Not getting a nomination at all throughout it's entire lifetime is insulting, especially to the cast and to the fans. Just because it's on the CW, a "teen" network doesn't mean it's a "teen" show... its a multigenerational show I watch it, my mother watches it, my sisters watch it, and my grandmother watches it... that is definitely multigenerational...Every year Lauren Graham gets snubbed along with Gilmore Girls and I thought this year would be different considering they submitted Farewell My Pet and that is probably Lauren's best performance AND her character Lorelai actually comes to her senses and breaks up with Chris because of Luke! :D.. as you can tell I'm reallllllllly mad :evil:
07/20/2007 08:06:57A bit surprised at Lost. It certainly deserved a lot more nominations.
07/20/2007 07:35:45Happy with all the Ugly betty, 30 rock, Heroes, and House noms. Disspointed that Bones, So You Think You Can Dance, The Soup, and Gilmore Girls had no noms. Very disspointed in that whole reality/vareity category, and so so disspointed in the acting noms for drama, male and female, lead and supporting. tons of the nominees are way way past their prime too. Very disspointing year. So sad.
07/20/2007 07:12:31No Friday Night Lights, what the heck the Emmy's love low viewed shows, I mean we all remember Arrested Development and I loved that show. No Lost, no nods for the rest of the cast. No nods for Brothers & Sisters' Dave Annable, or Calista Flockhart, or Rob Lowe, that whole cast in fact. Wake up Emmy people.
07/20/2007 06:13:33i cant believe battlestar isn't a best drama nominee. It is superior to all the other so called nominees. :-/ Hollywood will never understand Scifi it seems.
07/20/2007 06:12:17I can't believe lost is not on the list!! What a disaster!!!!
07/20/2007 06:03:07I can't believe it! Lost is not in the best drama nomination! Lost is the best show ever, best story, best character's development, best actors ...You don't know what is quality! Emmy's Awards are sinking fast.
07/20/2007 03:06:33this was definitely Lost's best season technically, but I can understand that people don't like where the story has gone. it obviously doesn't make the show bad, and it will probably win its awards for writing, directing, sound, and acting. Lost has always been about that.
07/20/2007 01:11:35no Lost nomination in best drama category, what a shame
07/19/2007 23:26:35I'm pleased that the whiny LOSTies haven't totally taken over the comments section. For every non-fanboy I know, S3 was the worst season of all, practically going nowhere for even longer stretches of time than S2. At least the previous season had a start that was really the apex of the series, of course, before it tumbled into the toilet halfway through. The Wire is the most ridiculously snubbed series in history. Anyone that's watched it would at least put it in their Top Five Dramas Of All Time. It has been nominated for an Emmy though, once (I looked it up a few months back), so this article is slightly off. Definitely some big snubs for cable. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia is without a doubt THE best comedy on television. But it's on cable. Then there's The Wire, Dexter, Battlestar, Doctor Who...all on Cable. The new voting/nominating system is certainly less appalling then before, but it definitely has no qualms about going right for the big names and not much else.
07/19/2007 22:10:07the oc sucks... oh wait, its cancelled.
07/19/2007 22:01:26--With her nomination for her role in Ugly Betty, Vanessa Williams has now been nominated for an Emmy, a Grammy, and a Tony Time to add oscar to that list!
07/19/2007 21:26:15I lol'd. Lost season 3 is absolutely amazing. The funny thing is even if you didn't like the fall finale, after you finish the season, and rewatch the first 6 episodes, they feel much better as you know they are actually going somewhere. Ridicilious, that, season 2 got more nominations. Anyway. The Shield not getting any is probably even more frustrating. The emmys suck...
07/19/2007 21:05:20THIS...IS...AN...OUTRAGE! With its best season since it;s first, with some of the greatest episodes in television history, LOST didn't even get a nomination for best supporting actor! Even the people who where dissing LOST last year have admitted that it was excellent this year. What happened here! The Emmy's are proving that they can't be respected! The fans of LOST, for which there are many, will not stand for this outrage!
07/19/2007 20:29:17Though Battlestar Galactica deserved better, at least it snatched up nominations for writing and directing, in addition to nominations for visual effects and sound editing. It's very unusual for a sci-fi show to get nominations for writing or directing. Given the traditional bias against sci-fi, this is about as much as could be expected. Hopefully BSG can win in one of those categories. Too bad none of the actors were nominated because they deserve more than a few nods: Edward James Olmos, Grace Park, James Callis, Mary McDonnell, Michael Hogan and even guest stars like Dominic Zamprogna (in the "Collaborators" episode; quite a chilling scene in the airlock). I'm not so sure Lost had its strongest season. I got a bit turned off by those fall episodes, so much so that I stopped watching the show altogether. I only returned for the Locke episode and the season finale, which I admit was much better than I was expecting. Are the TV.com staff going to attend the ceremony again this year? Well, at least sit in the press bleachers outside?
07/19/2007 20:01:05I just happened to turn on the TV when the announcements were being made and was just floored by how pathetic they were. Nominations for shows that are past their prime(24 and The Sopranos), popularity kiss ass contests with NBC sitcom stars, and then an almost complete write off of what are the 3 best shows on Television in The Shield, The Wire, and Dexter. Who are these morons? How can any group of people heap endless praise on Tina Fey(responsible for some of the worst SNL and comedy as a whole has to offer) then ignore Michael C. Hall?
07/19/2007 19:44:43Does anyone even care about the emmys? All of these award shows are stupid anyway. No way I could ever sit through something that long without a plot or a scoreboard... I don't understand the point of it all. Is it to celebrate the wealthy and famous? Like they don't get enough attention as it is. Most of the good shows these days are coming from the UK and Canada anyways. We just repackage them or remake them.
07/19/2007 17:43:24Its a crime that The Wire (arguably the greatest show ever made) and a damm good show like Battlestar Galactica dont get recognized.
07/19/2007 17:42:11Its weird there's six nominees for best female in a drama and five for male. Matthew Fox, James Woods, Christopher Meloni, Michael Chiklis, Kyle Chandler, COME ON! Any one of them could've gone in that sixth spot.
07/19/2007 17:13:22