Emmy Nominations Repeat Series But Fresh Notes in Acting Categories
Thursday, July 18, 2013 at 8:33AM 
Emmy is a beautiful lithe but deadly woman. Look at the lines in her figure! Each year she holds the world of television in her tiny gold hands but unless you're the one holding her you get jabbed by the dagger like wings. Herewith the lucky official nominees of Emmy 2013 and the less fortunate players who should wear protective gear when approaching her.
DRAMA
OUTSTANDING DRAMA
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
Homeland
House of Cards
Mad Men
Series & Acting noms / commentary after the jump
Omissions: No broadcast network show managed to oust any cable offerings (sorry Nashville, The Good Wife & Scandal, all of which have their passionate fans) but Netflix did win a nomination for its first ever original series "House of Cards". Now, let's hope they notice "Orange is the New Black" next year. I'd expect a repeat win for Homeland since Emmy doesn't change course easily
Very Happy For: Mad Men. People have turned on it this year which is why we can't have nice things. It's still the most brilliant show on television but people turn on steady brilliance just as easily as they turn on anything when it becomes too familiar.
CASE IN POINT: Mad Men was snubbed for Costume Design again despite being the best costumed show in the history of ever.
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Connie Britton, Nashville
Claire Danes, Homeland
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
Vera Farmiga, Bates Motel
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Kerry Washington, Scandal
Robin Wright, House of Cards
Omissions: Not many since they squeezed 7 actresses in here but previous Emmy darling Julianna Marguiles in The Good Wife was probably surprised to be absent. Genre fans will miss the presence of Critics Choice winner Tatiana from Orphan Black. I've only seen one episode but she's the kind of actress that Joss Whedon's "Dollhouse" needed - one with the technical facility to shift body language and vocal patterns on a whim (or plot turn).
Very Happy For: Connie Britton who is a brilliant TV actress and also sings beautifully. Yes, I want her to win if I can't have Moss and clearly no Mad Men actor is ever going to win a statue. (sigh)
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Damien Lewis, Homeland
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
Omissions: Previous nominees Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk) and Michael C Hall (Dexter) had to leave to make room for the newbies but I'm a bit surprised that Hugh Bonneville managed to stay in the field here since Downton is such an ensemble.
Very Happy For: Jeff Daniels. I don't really like The Newsroom but he's such a great actor and always has been. I've love him since Purple Rose of Cairo for which he so deserved an Oscar nomination 28 years ago.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
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
Omissions: I don't watch Game of Thrones anymore but I have to admit I never much cared for Clarke's performance when I did and think this spot would have been better suited for Michelle Fairley or Lena Headey
Very Happy For: Hendricks, who should've won long ago and Baccarin who gives me Firefly warm fuzzies
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Bobby Cannavale, Boardwalk Empire
Jonathan Banks, Breaking Bad
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
Jim Carter, Downton Abbey
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland
Omissions: No Mad Men supporting actors squeezed though I wasn't expecting them to. Still, it's a real shame that Vincent Kartheiser will close out that series never having been nominated for sneakily great work as the weaselly Pete Campbell. Perhaps his character is too whiny and unsympathetic for Emmy without the cocky villainous bravado that often marks characterizes "love to hate them" roles.
Very Happy For: Mandy Patinkin, HOLLA! Homeland's secret grounding weapon. Or secret to Emmy voters up till now at least.
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
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
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Nathan Lane, The Good Wife
Michael J. Fox, The Good Wife
Rupert Friend, Homeland
Robert Morse, Mad Men
Harry Hamlin, Mad Men
Dan Bucatinsky, Scandal
COMEDY
OUTSTANDING COMEDY
30 Rock
The Big Bang Theory
Girls
Louie
Modern Family
Veep
Omission: Emmy is still ignoring the genius of Parks and Recreation. But it's hard to argue with most of these nominees as quality television.
Very Happy For: 30 Rock which has ended but gave so many inspired gags and so much hilarious subversive joy during its run
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Laura Dern, Enlightened
Lena Dunham, Girls
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
Omissions: A beautiful lineup though there was no room for Sutton Foster from Bunheads or Zooey Deschanel for New Girl
Very Happy For: Laura Dern, The Face
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Jason Bateman, Arrested Development
Louis CK, Louie
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Omissions: Jon Cryer who got a sentimental win last year for --- anyway. BEGONE. Jake Johnson and Garret Dillahunt, who are both really good on "New Girl" and "Raising Hope" respectively are having trouble scaling this height for Emmy recognition.
Very Happy For: Louis CK who I would love to see win.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory
Jane Lynch, Glee
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
Anna Chlumski, Veep
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Omissions: None that I can think of but 7 nominees gives you lots of wiggle room. I'm surprised to see Jane Lynch back but I guess with diversification (she's in "Annie" on Broadway) there's some fresh energy to her career after Sue was getting stale.
Very Happy For: Krakowski, who richly deserved the statue as a goodbye to one of TV's greatest characters ever, Jenna Maroney. People will be stealing from this performance forever.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Adam Driver, Girls
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
Ed O’Neill, Modern Family
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live
Tony Hale, Veep
Omissions: Eric Stonestreet who has won in the past from Modern Family is suddenly missing, as is last year's welcome nominee from "New Girl". And surely but what did Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) ever do to Emmy voters? He should have already been a multiple winner of this category and yet he was never nominated.
Very Happy For: Adam Driver
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Molly Shannon, Enlightened
Dot-Marie Jones, Glee
Melissa Leo, Louie
Melissa McCarthy, Saturday Night Live
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live
Elaine Stritch, 30 Rock
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY
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
Will Forte, 30 Rock
Happy For: Bobby Cannavale, the former Mr. Sutton Foster, is such a good actor and is a double nominee today for this and Boardwalk Empire
MOVIES / MINIS
OUTSTANDING MOVIE OR MINISERIES
American Horror Story: Asylum
Behind the Candelabra
The Bible
Phil Spector
Political Animals
Top of the Lake
TOP OF THE LAKE for the win please. What an awesome sticky series. It's still so vivid in the memory. Jane Campion is everything.
LEAD ACTRESS IN A TV MINISERIES OR MOVIE
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
Who can win this? Will it be Moss or Lange? or a surprise?
LEAD ACTOR IN A TV MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Michael Douglas, Behind the Candelabra
Matt Damon, Behind the Candelabra
Toby Jones, The Girl
Benedict Cumberbatch, Parade’s End
Al Pacino, Phil Spector
This seems like a done deal for Michael Douglas, no?
FINAL NOTE: I can't be bothered to talk about Reality Programming because Emmy makes such terrible stuck-in-a-rut choices there. Project Runway has lost so much of its magic and they've still never nominated the best, funniest, weirdest and most subversive competition show on television RuPaul's Drag Race. #sorryboutit
ALSO: No Teen Wolf. ;)
WHAT WERE YOUR FAVORITE NOMINATION AND MOST OFFENSIVE SNUBS?
Reader Comments (71)
I just... can't with Maggie Smith anymore, you guys. Anna Gunn had one hell of a showcase episode and should be walking away with it, but frankly Hendricks or Baccarin would make lovely winners, too. And yet, Maggie Smith is going to win again for being snippy and British. It's demeaning, really.
I bet she doesn't even show.
For what it's worth, Smash was nominated in the song category for "Hang the Moon" and "The Bells and Whistles"... alongside "The Rural Juror"!
Oh, and how could i forget Mandy Patinkin?????? PLEASE WIN!!!! there´s nothing I want more from this year´s Emmy- since I hardly watch any tv- than Patinkin´s win.
Well, people forget that instead of Clarke in "GoT", they should've nominated Jennifer Carpenter!!!!!! She is NOT playing herself, Emmy voters! Maybe the last season of "Dexter" will finally get her nominated? (dream on...)
Yes, even cancer cannot get Monica Potter nominated in her fantastic season of "Parenthood".
No Emmy Rossum for "Shameless" :( Actually the 3rd season is easily the strongest out of the three.
Happy for Dern though, but I would've nominated Mike White and the series as well.
Yes, Burstyn doesn't really have much to do on "Political Animals", her function is the same as Maggie Smith in "Downton Abbey": sassy ladies who can cut you with their one-liners.
I just care about anna gunn winning.
I will never give up on RuPaul getting nominated. You get two hosts in each episode!
No words for an Emmy list without Corey Stoll, Keri Russell and the show and supporting cast of Parks and Rec. But that's always the way with Emmy...
Between Heroes and now Nashville what on earth does Hayden Panettiere have to do to be taken seriously?!
Not surprised but still outraged at the total non-recognition of SOUTHLAND. Also with the folks who would've liked a little more love for THE AMERICANS. Oh, and happy for Patinkin, yes!
Other than that, meh.
Joey -- you make a strong point. And both of those hosts are more deserving of a nod individually then some of the actual nominees.
There's a lot to like and dislike about this year's nominations. Only one thing is for certain: "RURAL JUROR" MUST WIN OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL MUSIC OR LYRICS! THERE IS NO GOD IF IT LOSES.
Liz & Dick is an Emmy nominee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (hahaha)
Outstanding Hairstyling For A Miniseries Or A Movie:
-American Horror Story: Asylum
-Behind The Candelabra
-Liz & Dick (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
-Phil Spector
-Political Animals
-Ring Of Fire
Vincent Kartheiser is great, so sad he keeps getting passed over for a nomination. I just saw him on stage this week playing Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, and he was definitely one of the highlights of a fairly dull production.
I love that they nominated four new ladies in Best Actress in a Drama Series. So often they just nominate the same people over and over so it was very refreshing to see so many new faces, especially in place of Juliana Marguiles who would be so expected to be nominated, and even another new face that was expected to be nominated, Keri Russell.
Kerry Washington! So happy. She's a very beautiful, talented actress and deserves some recognition. When's the last time a black woman was nominated in that category?
But how in the world did Jane Lynch get back in??? I guess they saw her Tony performance??? Like over Julie Walters missed for her? And poor Kaley Cuoco, I thought she might actually get into supporting actress this year.
HOW DID LILY RABE MISS OUT???!!! She was SO good! Sarah Paulson was too obviously and I hope she wins (but she was lead for sure), but Lily Rabe was like WOW. I so thought she was going to be nominated.
I also voice annoyance with no RuPaul or RuPaul's Drag Race, but they are just too resistant to welcome such gayness to the mainstream.
Who I want to win:
-John Hamm
-Kerry Washington
-Christina Hendricks
-Linda Cardinelli or Margo Martindale
-Louis CK
-Amy Poehler (srsly if she loses again ... i could see them giving it to )
-Sofia Vergara or Jane Krakowski (like, Sofia MAKES modern family, how does julie bowen have two statues???)
-Someone other than a modern family guy
-Elizabeth Moss (kinda got Lange fatigue this second season of AHS)
I think Heroes is one reason for Hayden Panattiere not to be taken seriously.
I have to say I'm surprised no one's mentioned that Parker Posey missed out on a Guest nomination for her turn on "Louie", which is especially sad since we know now what an expert she is at giving Emmy speeches.
Can I say what a wonderful line up of tv! I often have to chase around and sometimes pay extra on top of our cable subscription to see some of these shows but it's worth it! Soooooooo glad to See Top of the Lake up there! I can still feel the tension. Glad for Elizabeth Moss. She was wonderful and nailed the accent nearly all the time. But what about the boys. Those of us who loved David Wenhams Diver Dan from Sea Change know what a turn around this character was. I suppose it was an ensemble with Elizabeth at the heart. Outstanding performances around! My picks- Game of Thrones, Big Bang Theory and Top of the Lake for wins.
Will - You're right! She was amazing in Louie.
Corey Stoll should have been nominated for House of Cards. I'm happy that Wright made it in at least.
And, *ugh* those comedy series nominees stale. Not to beat a dead horse, but I do want to echo the love on here for Parks and Rec. Aubrey Plaza, Nick Offerman, Adam Scott, Aziz Ansari. All robbed.
I would have loved to see Jake Johnson from New Girl, but I'm not sure if that's due to his performance, or just because I'm a little smitten :D
Happy for Lange (banana-fana-fo-fange), Poehler, Baranski and Aaron Paul.
Travis: Well, my horse would be Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Charlie Day. Rob McElhenny. Danny DeVito. Kaitlin Olsen. David Hornsby in Guest for his once a season depraved ex-priest Matthew "Rickety Cricket" Mara. Totally sleazy characters done right.
Emilia Clarke has greatly improved playing Khaleesi Daenerys Targaryen of Game of Thrones. I think she's great.