By Meryl Gottlieb| mg986611@ohiou.edu| @buzzlightmeryl
The 66th Primetime Emmy Awards will air August 25 at 8 p.m. on NBC, hosted by Seth Meyers
Nominations for the 66th annual Primetime Emmy Awards were held Thursday morning and announced by Mindy Kaling and Carson Daly.
HBO's Game of Thrones ruled with 19 nominations with FX's new buzzworthy series Fargo following closely behind with 18. American Horror Story: Coven earned 17, Breaking Bad received 16 and HBO's The Normal Heart had 16 as well. On the network side, Saturday Night Live earned 14 noms and Modern Family earned 10.
Many of the categories will look the same as previous years as Breaking Bad, Downton Abbey, The Good Wife and House of Cards still dominate the drama categories while the same group is nominated in comedy (Modern Family, Amy Poehler, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jim Parsons, etc).
Even with the same handful of names reappearing on the list year after year, there are still a decent amount of first-time nominees including (but not limited to) Lizzy Caplan (Masters of Sex), Lena Headey (Game of Thrones), Matt Bomer (The Normal Heart), Joe Morton (Scandal) and Gary Cole (Veep).
I'll be looking to see if the much buzzed about series True Detective is able to win over longtime Emmy standout Breaking Bad. Here's hoping Peter Dinklage scores a win once again for his amazing work in this year's Game of Thrones. And props to Joe Morton for making me actually interested in who wins the Guest Actor in a Drama category. "You are a BOY."
At least in the comedy categories there is a consistent mix of shows represented. Granted they are basically the same shows every year. I really never know which way the academy will swing, either going with a winner who has won several times (Jim Parsons) or with the choice no one expected (Merritt Wever).
I'll be pulling for AHS: Coven all the way but am hopelessly torn in the acting categories. Jessica Lange or Sarah Paulson? Angela Bassett or Kathy Bates or Frances Conroy? Frankly, Lange did have a better performance this season, but all three supporting actresses were amazing. The Normal Heart scored nominations in every acting category it could, though I personally hope they aren't the ones to win them. I found Ryan Murphy's HBO movie about the beginning of the AIDS crisis rather slow and unimpressive. On the other hand, I'm ecstatic Sherlock is back among the nominees, nominated for the final episode of its third season. Well deserved, Holmes.
And now let's get to the snubs. A common theme in the Emmys is that the same people are nominated, and if new people are nominated, they are from shows with a history at the Emmys. The one snub I will never forgive is Tatiana Maslany for Orphan Black. Never before have I seen such finessed acting. Maslany plays at least five different characters each season, and it never feels like one actress is playing all the roles. Each character is completely different from the others. Some actors can't even manage doing one role, she does five. Stop the snub! #EmmyForMaslany
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is noticeably absent in many of the comedy categories, especially Best Comedy. After winning the Golden Globe this year, many thought the show was guaranteed a nomination. Personally, I think Andre Braugher's nomination for Supporting Actor is enough. He truly is my favorite on the show. Plus, Parks and Recreation certainly is more deserving than the Andy Samberg-lead cop comedy.
Game of Thrones did receive many nominations, but I am surprised it still didn't dominate more in the acting categories. Dinklage is definitely deserving and congrats to Headey for her first time nomination, but what about Charles Dance (this was his last shot to get a nomination) or half the cast really?
Here is a list of the major nominees. For a full list, click here.
Outstanding Drama
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
House of Cards
Mad Men
True Detective
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
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
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
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
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama
Margo Martindale, The Americans
Diana Rigg, Game of Thrones
Kate Mara, House of Cards
Allison Janey, Masters of Sex
Jane Fonda, The Newsroom
Kate Burton, Scandal
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
Outstanding Comedy
The Big Bang Theory
Louie
Modern Family
Orange is the New Black
Silicon Valley
Veep
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
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
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
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
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 CK, Saturday Night Live
Gary Cole, Veep
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 and Tim Gunn, Project Runway
Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance
Anthony Bourdain, The Taste
Outstanding Reality Show Competition
The Amazing Race
Dancing With the Stars
Project Runway
So You Think You Can Dance
Top Chef
The Voice
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
Outstanding TV Miniseries
American Horror Story: Coven
Bonnie & Clyde
Fargo
Luther
Treme
The White Queen
Outstanding TV Movie
Killing Kennedy
Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight
The Normal Heart
Sherlock: His Last Vow
The Trip to Bountiful
Outstanding 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
Outstanding 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
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
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
