2012 Emmy Nominations

Give this man all the awards. Weird photo for the Emmy nominations, right? 

Well, the Emmy nominations have been announced, and for the most part they seem to be pretty predictable with very few surprises. Both Mad Men and American Horror Story are leading the pack with 17 nominations each. I somehow never got around to watching American Horror Story, but maybe I'll give it a shot at some point in the future. I only have so much time! 

In fact, the biggest surprises seem to be in the Best Comedy category having Girls and Curb Your Enthusiasm over Parks & Rec, Archer and Louie. (In fairness, I gave up on Girls after two episodes, and I haven't watched Curb in several years, so it's possible they're fantastic, but I have a hard time believing they're superior to either one of those...or Community.) And let's move on from Modern Family, shall we? The laugh quotient has been getting smaller and smaller. It's still a very likable show, but overall, it's just not the breath of fresh air it started off as. But no nominations for The Office? What a travesty that is! Wait. No, sorry. That was a joke. The Office is currently terrible. 

I can't believe the oversights in some seriously amazing quality shows. Almost no love for Justified, no love for Archer, Parks with only two nominations with such a solid ensemble. And Fringe's John Noble continues to be ignored despite his brilliance. And other people whose opinions I trust are upset with no Happy Endings and no Parenthood. 

I have to say I'm incredibly excited to see Sherlock getting so many miniseries nominations. I hope it sweeps those categories, especially Benedict Cumberbatch in the actor category. That guy's amazing. Although, despite the shortened seasons, I'm pretty surprised to see Luther in the miniseries category. I felt that had enough episodes to warrant an actual series, but what do I know? At any rate, as great as that show is, it simply doesn't hold a candle to the greatness of Sherlock.

Below the jump, you'll see the complete list of nominees, as well as my personal picks in bold. Not necessarily who I think will win, but who I feel SHOULD win. With COMMENTS!

Best Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
Homeland
Mad Men

To me, there's no question that Breaking Bad is currently the best show on TV. I had a difficult time getting into Downton Abbey, and still haven't gotten around to watching Boardwalk Empire or Homeland, so my opinion isn't 100% informed, but I have a difficult time believing they surpass the total greatness of Breaking Bad. 

Best Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Girls
Modern Family
30 Rock
Veep

The best comedy category seems to be pretty weak overall. 30 Rock is still very good, but I don't think good enough to make it into this category, so I gotta give it to Veep. 

Best Leading Actor in a Drama Series
Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Damian Lewis, Homeland

I'm disappointed not seeing Timothy Olyphant for Justified in this category. He could easily replace Michael C. Hall whose Dexter has pretty much been consistent if not amazing this last season. I'm debating between Jon Hamm and Bryan Cranston, but I feel like Cranston has had to play things just a bit more subtly than Hamm. (I feel like such a terrible person without first hand knowledge of the other three actors.) 

Best Leading Actor in a Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Louis C.K., Louie
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

To me, this is no question. 

Best Leading Actress in a Drama Series
Kathy Bates, Harry’s Law
Glenn Close, Damages
Claire Danes, Homeland
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men

I've only picked Moss because this is the only show I've actually watched. 

Best Leading Actress in a Comedy Series
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Lena Dunham, Girls
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly
Amy Poehler, Parks & Recreation

Leslie Knope is easily one of the best comedic characters on television. And Amy Poehler inhabits her with such a combination of sweetness, goofiness, and determination that truly shows her range as both a dramatic and comedic actress. Julia Louis-Dreyfus comes in a close second though. 

Best Miniseries or Movie
American Horror Story
Game Change
Hatfields & McCoys
Hemingway & Gellhorn
Luther
Sherlock

Sherlock needs to win. But I'm pretty sure it's going to end up being American Horror Story. 

Best Leading Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
Woody Harrelson, Game Change
Clive Owen, Hemingway & Gellhorn
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia (Masterpiece)
Idris Elba, Luther
Kevin Costner, Hatfields & McCoys
Bill Paxton, Hatfields & McCoys

Interesting they chose "A Scandal in Belgravia" as the episode for this one because I thought his work was better in "The Reichenbach Fall". But hey, I'm just some blogger somewhere. What do I know? But seriously, if Cumberbatch doesn't win, there is truly no justice in the world. (There really isn't though. My apologies to all the starving children in Africa.)

Best Leading Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Julianne Moore, Game Change
Connie Britton, American Horror Story
Nicole Kidman, Hemingway & Gellhorn
Emma Thompson, The Song of Lunch (Masterpiece)
Ashley Judd, Missing

I don't necessarily think she's the best, but people love good impersonations.

Best Reality Competition
The Amazing Race
Dancing With The Stars
Project Runway
So You Think You Can Dance
Top Chef
The Voice

Who cares? 

Best Reality Host
Tom Bergeron, Dancing With The Stars
Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance
Phil Keoghan, The Amazing Race
Ryan Seacrest, American Idol
Betty White, Betty White’s Off Their Rockers

Seriously, why are these categories? 

Best Variety Program
The Colbert Report
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Real Time with Bill Maher
Saturday Night Live

Either one of these shows will win, because why won't they? They always win. 

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bad
Brendan Coyle, Downton Abbey
Jim Carter, Downton Abbey
Jared Harris, Mad Men
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones

This one is a toss up for me because it's such a strong category. But I gotta go with Giancarlo here, given the range he needed to show in season four, as well as the fact that Aaron Paul and Peter Dinklage already have Emmys. 

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife
Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Joanna Froggatt, Downton Abbey
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife

Again, another choice because I simply haven't seen the other shows and Anna Gunn's performances weren't quite as layered as Christina Hendricks this past season. 

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Ed O’Neill, Modern Family
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live
Max Greenfield, New Girl

Because Greenfield's Schmidt is hilarious. 

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory
Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Kathryn Joosten, Desperate Housewives

I didn't even watch SNL this past season, but why not? Wiig for the win. 

Best Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Sarah Paulson, Game Change
Frances Conroy, American Horror Story
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story
Judy Davis, Page Eight (Masterpiece)
Mare Winningham, Hatfields & McCoys

Now I'm just picking who I think will win because I didn't even watch any of these. With the exception of Game Change, but Sarah Paulson was pretty forgettable in that. 

Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
Ed Harris, Game Change
Denis O’Hare, American Horror Story
David Strathairn, Hemingway & Gellhorn
Martin Freeman, Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia (Masterpiece)
Tom Berenger, Hatfields & McCoys

Everything Sherlock is awesome. 

Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Dot-Marie Jones, Glee
Maya Rudolph, Saturday Night Live
Melissa McCarthy, Saturday Night Live
Elizabeth Banks, 30 Rock
Margaret Cho, 30 Rock
Kathy Bates, Two and a Half Men

Margaret Cho got a nomination?! What? For her Kim Jong Il impersonation? Bizarre. Anyway, Banks for the win. 

Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Michael J. Fox, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Greg Kinnear, Modern Family
Bobby Cannavale, Nurse Jackie
Jimmy Fallon, Saturday Night Live
Will Arnett, 30 Rock
Jon Hamm, 30 Rock

I honestly have no idea for this category, so I'm not making a pick right now. 

Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Martha Plimpton, The Good Wife
Loretta Devine, Grey’s Anatomy
Jean Smart, Harry’s Law
Julia Ormond, Mad Men
Joan Cusack, Shameless
Uma Thurman, Smash

Same for this. 

Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Mark Margolis, Breaking Bad
Dylan Baker, The Good Wife
Michael J. Fox, The Good Wife
Jeremy Davies, Justified
Ben Feldman, Mad Men
Jason Ritter, Parenthood

As much as my gut wants to go with Jeremy Davies or Mark Margolis because they were awesome on those shows, Feldman's Michael Ginsberg really was able to shine around some seriously quality actors. 

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Louie, “Pregnant”
Girls, “Pilot”
Parks and Recreation, “The Debate”
Parks and Recreation, “Win, Lose, or Draw”
Community, “Remedial Chaos Theory”

This episode was simply brilliant. That troll still haunts my memories while simultaneously being absolutely hysterical. But either Parks episode or the Louie episode could win and I'd be a happy guy. 

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Downton Abbey, “Episode 7″
Mad Men, “The Other Woman”
Mad Men, “Commissions and Fees”
Mad Men, “Far Away Places”
Homeland, “Pilot”

I gotta give the edge to "Commissions and Fees", but I wonder if the three Mad Men episodes are going to end up splitting the vote and Downton or Homeland will win. Neither of which I've seen.

So there you have it. My incredibly important thoughts and feelings on this year's Emmy nominations. I'm focusing on the things that are truly changing the world.