RB is on vacation this week, so you're left to talk Emmys with me. The nominations were announced this morning for the 61st annual Emmys (set to be awarded Sept. 12).
There's all kinds of analysis, perspective and talk of snubs around the Internet ... and here's a little bit more from me. Know, however, that I'm not a TV critic, just a guy with a DVR. So here are some of my initial thoughts about this year's Emmy field. Check out the full list below and give us your reactions as well.
- Props to "30 Rock" and "Mad Men" for leading their respective fields (22 for Liz Lemon's crew and 16 for Don Draper & Co.) I've really come to appreciate both of these shows a lot more over the past year.
- "Family Guy" getting a best comedy nom is definitely a flop. I'm a "Family Guy" fan, but even I'll admit that it's not as funny as it used to be. The shtick has gotten a bit tired.
- More on the comedies: Props for "How I Met Your Mother" getting a nod instead of the usual "Two and a Half Men" -- but "Big Bang Theory" is still funnier than both of them ... It might even be funnier than "30 Rock" some weeks. That's a flop.
- However, Mucho props to the Emmys for getting it right with "Big Bang" actor Jim Parsons, who got a best comedy actor nod. His Dr. Sheldon Cooper is just about the funniest character on TV.
- Supporting actor in a comedy series is still my favorite category though -- Johnny Drama, NPH, Kenneth the Page, Dwight Schrute. It's tough to choose.
- In the comedy supporting actress series, many props to Kristen Wiig for getting a nom. She's the only thing worth consistently watching on "SNL." If Amy Poehler wins, that will be a total flop.
- Many props on the best drama category. Lots of good cable shows that aren't exactly the most popular on TV -- "Dexter," "Breaking Bad," "Big Love," plus the aforementioned "Mad Men." I guess unlike what I'm used to with the Grammys, the good stuff actually gets nominated in the Emmys. (Unless your show is called "The Wire.")
- Part props, part flop for "24" getting shut out in the drama category. I know it's not as good as it once was, but still a piece of me is sad. Jack Bauer did get a nom in the miniseries/movies category for that two-hour catch-up they did last year.
- Props for the guy who may have taken Kiefer Sutherland's spot in best actor in a drama. That would be Simon Baker in "The Mentalist." I like that show enough (my wife looooooves it), but I know that without Baker it would be a total bore.
- Flops for the reality division -- all of it.
- Emmy flop for not recognizing the only reality TV show dude I really dig: Duff on "Ace of Cakes."
- And finally, props to Kathy Griffin for getting the phrase "She'll Cut a Bitch" into the Emmys.
YOUR TURN
Check out the full Emmy nominations list below and give us your props and flops in the comments.
COMEDY
BEST COMEDY SERIES
Entourage
Family Guy
Flight of the Conchords
How I Met Your Mother
The Office
30 Rock
WeedsBEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Steve Carell, The Office
Jemaine Clement, Flight of the Conchords
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Tony Shalhoub, Monk
Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half MenBEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
Toni Collette, United States of Tara
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds
Sarah Silverman, The Sarah Silverman ProgramSUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Kevin Dillon, Entourage
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Jack McBrayer, 30 Rock
Tracy Morgan, 30 Rock
Rainn Wilson, The OfficeSUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Kristin Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
Elizabeth Perkins, Weeds
Amy Poehler, Saturday Night Live
Kristin Wiig, Saturday Night Live
Vanessa Williams, Ugly BettyGUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Alan Alda, 30 Rock
Beau Bridges, Desperate Housewives
Jon Hamm, 30 Rock
Steve Martin, 30 Rock
Justin Timberlake, Saturday Night LiveGUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Jennifer Aniston, 30 Rock
Christine Baranski, The Big Bang Theory
Tina Fey, Saturday Night Live
Gena Rowlands, Monk
Elaine Stritch, 30 Rock
Betty White, My Name Is Earl
DRAMABEST DRAMA SERIES
Big Love
Breaking Bad
Damages
Dexter
House
Lost
Mad MenBEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Simon Baker, The Mentalist
Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, HouseBEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Glenn Close, Damages
Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: SVU
Holly Hunter, Saving Grace
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Kyra Sedgwick, The CloserSUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Christian Clemenson, Boston Legal
Michael Emerson, Lost
William Hurt, Damages
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
William Shatner, Boston Legal
John Slattery, Mad MenSUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Rose Byrne, Damages
Hope Davis, In Treatment
Cherry Jones, In Treatment
Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy
Dianne Wiest, In Treatment
Chandra Wilson, Grey's AnatomyGUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Edward Asner, CSI: NY
Ted Danson, Damages
Ernest Borgnine, ER
Michael J. Fox, Rescue Me
Jimmy Smits, DexterGUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Brenda Blethyn, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Carol Burnett, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Ellen Burstyn, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Sharon Lawrence, Grey's Anatomy
CCH Pounder, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective AgencyREALITY
REALITY COMPETITION PROGRAM
The Amazing Race
American Idol
Dancing With The Stars
Project Runway
Top ChefHOST FOR A REALITY OR REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM
Tom Bergeron, Dancing With the Stars
Phil Keoghan, The Amazing Race
Heidi Klum, Project Runway
Padma Lakshmi (Host) and Tom Colicchio (Co-Host), Top Chef
Jeff Probst, Survivor
Ryan Seacrest, American IdolREALITY SERIES
Antiques Roadshow
Dirty Jobs
Dog Whisperer
Intervention
Kathy Griffin: My Life On The D-List
MythBusters
VARIETY, MUSIC, OR COMEDYVARIETY, MUSIC, OR COMEDY SERIES
The Colbert Report
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
Late Show With David Letterman
Real Time With Bill Maher
Saturday Night LiveVARIETY, MUSIC, OR COMEDY SPECIAL
Will Ferrell: You're Welcome America. A Final Night With George W. Bush
Ricky Gervais: Out of England
Kathy Griffin: She'll Cut a Bitch
The Kennedy Center Honors
Chris Rock: Kill the MessengerMINISERIES OR MOVIE
MINISERIES
Generation Kill
Little DorritMADE-FOR-TV MOVIE
Coco Chanel
Grey Gardens
Into The Storm
Prayers For Bobby
Taking ChanceACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR A MOVIE
Kevin Bacon, Taking Chance
Kenneth Branagh, Wallander: One Step Behind
Kevin Kline, Cyrano de Bergerac (Great Performances)
Brendan Gleeson, Into the Storm
Sir Ian McKellen, King Lear (Great Performances)
Kiefer Sutherland, 24: RedemptionACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR A MOVIE
Drew Barrymore, Grey Gardens
Jessica Lange, Grey Gardens
Shirley MacLaine, Coco Chanel
Sigourney Weaver, Prayers For Bobby
Chandra Wilson, Accidental FriendshipSUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Len Cariou, Into the Storm
Tom Courtenay, Little Dorrit
Ken Howard, Grey Gardens
Bob Newhart, The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice
Andy Serkis, Little DorritSUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Shohreh Aghdashloo, House Of Saddam
Marcia Gay Harden, The Courageous Heart Of Irena Sendler (Hallmark Hall Of Fame Presentation)
Janet McTeer, Into The Storm
Jeanne Tripplehorn, Grey Gardens
Cicely Tyson, Relative Stranger
The fact that they nominated Family Guy and not 24 leaves me with no desire to watch the Emmys this year.
Unless they get Conan to host it again. Then maybe I'd change my mind.
I need to watch more TV.
I know maybe 4 of these shows.
OK, Mike, I'll jump in. Why are there so many awards shows? They are boring me. . . They have become so devalued that I'd rather sit on a Fresno sidewalk in 107-degree heat than watch another awards show.
What would the entertainment world do if it wasn't self-congratulating?
Question for you, Jim: Why do we have so many elections?
Great comeback, and I'm with you on elections. We have too many elections and too many awards shows. . . So let's stop doing both. . . I say you pick the award winners and I'll pick the office holders, and we'll cut out the middle men.
Weeds is a comedy? Huh, never realized that. Well, Doug is hilarious, but this new season with the whole "Esteban's baby" crap is not working out for me. Props to the 30 Rock crew; that's a great show. I don't know about you Mr. Oz, but Family Guy is still great. That "Stewroids" episode, classic. Flop for not nominating Brian Griffin for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. If only...Good luck to JT. He should become a full time SNLer if the whole making hit records, dating beautiful women thing doesn't work out for him.
I have to give props to Family Guy for Finally getting the nom... maybe it's undeserved this season, but it was a long time coming.
Oh and NPH & Timberlake FTW!
Flops to Kathy Griffin for being Kathy Griffin
Maybe they're doing that thing where they are recognizing Family Guy for it's bulk work as opposed to the Season like they should.
There are SO MANY good shows in Drama, I almost don't know who to route for!
And I really hope Mythbuster's wins for Reality Series, definitely will be deserving!
Totally coll that Flight of the Conchords got a nod!
For the first time in 21 years, I finally have a REASON to watch the Emmy Broadcast....Simon Baker being nominated for "Best Actor for a Drama Series"! He is OUTSTANDING in his role as Patrick Jane on The Mentalist. No one could have played this role any better. I have never been moved so much by a performance. There was an episode where he cried and let me tell you, there wasn't a dry eye in my house. His performance may seem simple to many but WE the viewers know talent when we see it. Hugh Laurie...EAT YOUR HEART OUT!
Five season and only one Emmy nomination for The Wire?
Screw the Emmys. I'll never take these people seriously again.
Yeah, I'm bitter.