The 2012 Primetime Emmy Awards nominations were announced early this morning. Here’s what we make of it.
Millennial angst triumphs. Girls is the big story in today’s Emmy noms. Lena Dunham and her novel idea to turn the raging trivialities and triumphs of the quarter-life crises has paid off earning the newcomer three Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series. If we were to look it up, this is probably a trifecta never attained at the nubile age of twenty-six. Somewhere old curmudgeons living under a troll bridge, like Chuck Lorre, are facepalming themselves into oblivion. However, whether you love or hate the show, its managed to enter the television consciousness, stay there, rack up viewers and start a conversation. Even if that conversation is, “What the hell is going on with these young people?” We’re thinking Dunham would’ve just been satisfied with that. The rest is probably icing on the cupcake.
And just like that the Emmys are trying to say to the viewing public that along with some of the staunch favorites that keep getting nominated year after year, expect a few curve balls, and prepare to measure up against an upstart. This is a good thing. Yet, there’s still some slog. Curb Your Enthusiasm and Modern Family still managed to get nominated, with much of Modern Family’s cast getting nods, and damn that Larry David! Urgh. But there’s also some interesting things from those upstarts. Veep landed on the list along with the excellent Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and New Girl‘s Zooey Deschanel and Max Greenfield both landed noms. Greenfield was a bit of a surprise. And so is Don Cheadle for his turn in House Of Lies, whose character started off as a bit of a turn-off, but as the show evolved actually became rather well nuanced and flawed. And that’s something voters like. As for snubs and what we’ll call the “sad sack” awards, Louie, many will say was sorely overlooked, and Community, just naturally. We imagine if perhaps Community moved to Showtime and it was renamed Junior College it may have a shot. Justified we’re thinking could’ve been on the list, and taken Boardwalk Empire‘s place. And speaking of Boardwalk Empire, yeah, yeah, Steve Buscemi, but no Michael Pitt? Please. Robbed. Lane Pryce gets a nom for his death, but Jimmy Darmody gets nothin? Baffling.
Finally, though, it’s nice, we guess, that voters have thrown in Kathy Bates, Jon Cryer, and Michael C. Hall. This is like that uncomfortably shot yearbook picture of three people watching foliage, and you didn’t really know there was a foliage team.
All in all, this is shaping up to be a good year for prestige dramas and shows that take a bit of a risk, like Downton Abbey and American Horror Story respectively. We like where this is going, but it’s important to note the huge lack of network shows in the drama series category. This is an important development. For the moment network still reigns in the comedy category, but without some inspired new shows, they may not hold on for long.
Good gracious. Someone finally came to their senses and put The Office out of its award-misery. Sheesh.
Here are the rest of the (main) nominations.
Outstanding Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Girls
Modern Family
30 Rock
Veep
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
Lena Dunham, Girls
Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Amy Poehler, Parks And Recreation
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Don Cheadle, House Of Lies
Louis C.K., Louie
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Jon Cryer, Two And A Half Men
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory
Kathryn Joosten, Desperate Housewives
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Sofia Vergara , Modern Family
Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Ed O’Neill, Modern Family
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
Max Greenfield, New Girl
Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live
Outstanding 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
Outstanding 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
Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series
Robert B. Weide, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Lena Dunham, Girls
Louis C.K., Louie
Jason Winer, Modern Family
Steven Levitan, Modern Family
Jake Kasdan, New Girl
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Chris McKenna, Community
Lena Dunham, Girls
Louis C.K, Louie
Amy Poehler, Parks And Recreation
Michael Schur, Parks And Recreation
Outstanding Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Game Of Thrones
Homeland
Mad Men
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Glenn Close, Damages
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Kathy Bates, Harry’s Law
Claire Danes, Homeland
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey
Damian Lewis, Homeland
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bad
Brendan Coyle , Downton Abbey
Jim Carter, Downton Abbey
Peter Dinklage, Game Of Thrones
Jared Harris, Mad Men
Outstanding 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
Outstanding 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
Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series
Tim Van Patten, Boardwalk Empire
Vince Gilligan, Breaking Bad
Brian Percival, Downton Abbey
Michael Cuesta, Homeland
Phil Abraham, Mad Men
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Julian Fellowes, Downton Abbey
Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon and Gideon Raff, Homeland
Semi Chellas and Matthew Weiner, Mad Men
Andre Jacquemetton and Maria Jacquemetton, Mad Men
Erin Levy and Matthew Weiner, Mad Men
Outstanding Miniseries or Movie
American Horror Story
Game Change
Hatfields & McCoys
Hemingway & Gellhorn
Luther
Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia (Masterpiece)
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Connie Britton, American Horror Story
Julianne Moore, Game Change
Nicole Kidman, Hemingway & Gellhorn
Ashley Judd, Missing
Emma Thompson, The Song Of Lunch (Masterpiece)
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Woody Harrelson, Game Change
Kevin Costner, Hatfields & McCoys
Bill Paxton, Hatfields & McCoys
Clive Owen, Hemingway & Gellhorn
Idris Elba, Luther
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia (Masterpiece)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or A Movie
Frances Conroy, American Horror Story
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story
Sarah Paulson, Game Change
Mare Winningham, Hatfields & McCoys
Judy Davis, Page Eight (Masterpiece)
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Denis O’Hare, American Horror Story
Ed Harris, Game Change
Tom Berenger, Hatfields & McCoys
David Strathairn, Hemingway & Gellhorn
Martin Freeman, Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia (Masterpiece)
Outstanding Directing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Dramatic Special
Jay Roach, Game Change
Kevin Reynolds, Hatfields & McCoys
Philip Kaufman, Hemingway & Gellhorn
Sam Miller, Luther
Paul McGuigan, Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia (Masterpiece)
Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special
Danny Strong, Game Change
Ted Mann, Ronald Parker and Bill Kerby, Hatfields & McCoys
Abi Morgan, The Hour
Neil Cross, Luther
Steven Moffat, Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia (Masterpiece)
Outstanding Variety Series
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
Outstanding Variety Special
Betty White’s 90th Birthday: A Tribute To America’s Golden Girl
Kathy Griffin: Tired Hooker
The Kennedy Center Honors
Mel Brooks And Dick Cavett Together Again
Tony Bennett: Duets II (Great Performances)
Outstanding Special Class Programs
84th Annual Academy Awards
The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards
The 54th Annual Grammy Awards
Herbie Hancock, Gustavo Dudamel And The LA Phil Celebrate Gershwin (Great Performances)
Louis C.K. Live At The Beacon Theatre
65th Annual Tony Awards
Outstanding Special Class – Short-format Live-Action Entertainment Programs
Childrens Hospital
The Daily Show Correspondents Explain
Parks And Recreation: April And Andy’s Road Trip
30 Rock: The Webisodes
Web Therapy
Outstanding Animated Program
American Dad!
Bob’s Burgers
Futurama
The Penguins Of Madagascar: The Return Of The Revenge Of Dr. Blowhole
The Simpsons
Outstanding Short-format Animated Program
Adventure Time
Disney Phineas And Ferb
MAD
Regular Show
Robot Chicken
Outstanding Reality Program
Antiques Roadshow
Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution
MythBusters
Shark Tank
Undercover Boss
Who Do You Think You Are?
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
The Amazing Race
Dancing With The Stars
Project Runway
So You Think You Can Dance
Top Chef
The Voice
Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition Program
Phil Keoghan, The Amazing Race
Ryan Seacrest, American Idol
Betty White, Betty White’s Off Their Rockers
Tom Bergeron, Dancing With The Stars
Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance
