Now that the excitement has died down, I've been scouring the complete list of nominations. Here's a few observations... Then, let me know what you think. -- Why bother with the Outstanding Mini-Series category? There were only two nominees worthy of a nomination. Exactly how many mini-series are even produced anymore? This is an outmoded TV format. Kill the category.
-- What's going on with the writers? 30 Rock dominates the comedy category and Mad Men dominates the drama category. What are the chances that the lone nomination in each category wins? I'd say slim and none. I call for limitations; only two episodes per series. Writing is such a subjective thing anyway. If you like 30 Rock's scattershot humor, you're more likely to vote for it compared to a traditional sitcom like Big Bang Theory. The latter should have snagged a nom for The Lizard-Spock Expansion episode.
-- I'm thrilled that Big Love was nominated for Outstanding Drama Series, but not a single actor was recognized, nor were the writers and directors. That doesn't make any sense.
-- It was great to see Breaking Bad in the Outstanding Drama Series, too. And I'm happy for Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul. It's a sin, however, that Vince Gilligan was not recognized for his writing.
-- It's a good thing to have the word "America" in your title. American Experience, American Masters and This American Life were all nominated -- against each other -- in the Outstanding Nonfiction Series category.
-- How can you lump a narrator with a voice-over actor? I don't know, but somehow Brothers & Sisters' Ron Rifkin is nominated for narrating the Jerome Robbins' documentary on PBS in the same category as Seth MacFarlane's Peter Griffin on Family Guy, Seth Green as a bunch of Robot Chicken characters, and three actors playing roles on The Simpsons (Hank Azaria as Moe, Harry Shearer as Mr. Burns, Dan Castellaneta as Homer). Ron is a great actor, but as a narrator, what shot does he have against those other guys?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-16-2009 @ 3:25PM
rick cokely said...
Honestly, they nominated Kristen Wiig. HELLO? Is there any more reason to doubt that the Emmys are just stupid?
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7-16-2009 @ 3:51PM
Ryan said...
Um... Kristen Wiig is the best person they got on that show! So thank goodness she's nominated.
But I have to say:
"I call for limitations; only two episodes per series. Writing is such a subjective thing anyway."
YES! YES! YES! I don't care if 30 Rock and Mad Men are God's gift to Earth (and I actually like these two shows), but don't tell me they had the top 8 written episodes in all of television last year. RIDICULOUS. A limit is definitely needed. Supremely lame.
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7-16-2009 @ 3:56PM
Jimmy said...
I said it before, and I'll say it again: Sarah Silverman?
Am I the only one who thinks her "acting" nomination is ludicrous?
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7-16-2009 @ 4:11PM
Bill said...
No nominations for 'The Shield' is an absolute joke. Especially snubbing Walton Goggins.
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7-16-2009 @ 4:14PM
Frank said...
I was hoping one of the USA (besides Monk) would get a nod... In Plain Sight, Burn Notice, something...
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7-16-2009 @ 4:18PM
Heather said...
Agree with the limitation on writing nods. I mean 4 out of 5 for Mad Men?! What the frack? As for voice over why is there no Jim Dale?
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7-16-2009 @ 4:40PM
tony DiMeo said...
I agree about the limit on the writing categories for comedy and drama though I'm a huge fan of Mad Men i feel that 4 noms for one show is too many. Big love deserves nom for the "Come all ye saints" and Breaking Bad should have been nominated for their "Peakaboo" episode
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7-16-2009 @ 4:46PM
Josh said...
Sucks that Elizabeth Mitchell didn't get a supporting actress nod. But there are always snubs, so oh well. =\
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7-16-2009 @ 4:50PM
Kat said...
Every time I think I'm over Bear McCreary getting snubbed for his truly original and genius Battlestar Galactica score a fresh wave of rage overcomes me. Especially considering the shows that did get nominated. I really think the Emmy voters must have been on crack. Or been paid. The stupid, it burns.
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7-16-2009 @ 5:07PM
Age-K said...
I agree with the writing limitation comment. But as far as the mini-series comment goes, there are still plenty of mini-series and some very good ones too. I remember being very torn over which ones I was rooting for last year. There are some years with a lot of good mini-series and some years that aren't.
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7-16-2009 @ 6:42PM
Ralph said...
Big Bang Theory should have been nominated over Family Guy. I like Family Guy, but it has NOT been as good as in previous years. Big Bang is an absolute classic in the making.
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7-17-2009 @ 12:43PM
Dan said...
Family Guy isn't even as good as American Dad anymore. I used to LOVE Family Guy (remember the episode where Stewey went into Peter's body to kill off his sperm?) but the show has become almost unwatchable lately. The decline in quality mirrors that of The Simpsons, but both continued to be gushed over by the Emmys for some reason.
Chuck, BSG, Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Scrubs and The Big Bang Theory all got the shaft.
7-16-2009 @ 8:11PM
Gordy said...
RuPaul's Drag Race wuz robbed. Kudos to the Big Love cast.
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7-17-2009 @ 1:02PM
nytheatreguy said...
The Emmys are a joke. "How I Met Your Mother," one of THE worst shows on television, nominated for best comedy series? Please.
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7-18-2009 @ 3:13PM
tony DiMeo said...
the thing that angered me the most was that Scrubs had a fantastic-ly funny and heartfelt final season and finale and did not get a nomination, I think scrubs should have won years ago in its 4th or 5th season but instead they gave it to the finale of "Everybody Loves Raymond" so i thought if the academy sees scrubs' finale they would love it and nominate it like with the Raymond finale but nothing no nominations although scrubs finale was way better than Raymond's because it was not cheesy or too sentimental. It's heartbreaking too because this was the last chance scrubs had at emmys and they got nothing but "Family Guy" got nominated. this proves how dumb the academy CAN be.
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