First Emmy episode entries revealed: 'Mad Men,' 'Dexter,' 'Damages,' 'Big Bang Theory,' 'Weeds'
Yesterday was the deadline for Emmy contenders in series races to declare what sample episodes they're submitting to judges. Actors in the lead and supporting categories enter one; series submit six. Below are some episode titles we know so far.
There are only a few surprises here. Compare this info with the suggestions made when I asked our forum posters to recommend episode entries to nominees. If you know of other episode titles, please email me at GoldDerby@gmail.com.
What to think of all of these episode selections? Read reax in our forums here. See a list of nominees here.
BEST DRAMA SERIES
(Each series submits six episodes in three pairings that are randomly distributed to voters.)
"Big Love" — "Prom Queen" and "On Trial," "Come Ye Saints" and "Fight or Flight," and "Outer Darkness" and "Sacrament"
Breaking Bad" — "Grilled," "Peekaboo," "Better Call Saul," "4 Days Out," "Phoenix," "ABQ"
"Damages" — "I Lied, Too" and "Burn It, Shred It, I Don't Care," "Hey! Mr. Pibb" and "London, Of Course", "Look What He Dug Up This Time" and "Trust Me"
"Dexter" — "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" and "Easy As Pie"; "About Last Night" and "Go Your Own Way"; "I Had a Dream" and "Do You Take Dexter Morgan?"
"House M.D." — "Birthmarks" and "Locked In," "Simple Explanation" and "House Divided," "Under My Skin" and "Both Sides Now"
"Lost" — "The Incident, Part 1 and 2," "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham and" "LaFleur," "The Variable" and "Follow the Leader"
"Mad Men" — "Flight" and "Three Sundays," "Six Month Leave" and "A Night to Remember," "The Jet Set" and "Meditations in an Emergency"
BEST COMEDY SERIES
"Entourage" — "Fire Sale" and "Tree Trippers," "Gotta Look Up to Get Down" and "First Class Jerk," "Playin' with Fire" and "Return to Queens Boulevard"
"Family Guy" — "I Dream of Jesus" and "FOX-Y Lady," "Family Gay" and "Peter's Progress," "Road to Germany" and "Baby Not on Board"
"Flight of the Conchords" — "Unnatural Love" and "Murray Takes It to the Next Level," "Prime Minister" and "Tough Brets," "New Cup" and "Love is the Weapon of Choice"
"How I Met Your Mother" — "Do I Know You?" and "Benefits," "The Naked Man" and "Three Days of Snow," "Wooo!" and "The Three Days Rule"
"The Office" – "Michael Scott Paper Company" and "Broke," "Golden Ticket" and "Café Disco," "Stress Relief"
"30 Rock" — "Believe in the Stars" and "Reunion," "Christmas Special" and "Generalissimo," "Apollo, Apollo" and "Mamma Mia"
"Weeds" — "Mother Thinks the Birds Are After Her" and "Lady's a Charm"; "The Whole Blah Damn Thing" and "Three Coolers"; "Till We Meet Again" and "If You Work for a Living, Why Do You Kill Yourself Working?"
NOTE: In the acting races, contenders submit one sample episode.
BEST DRAMA ACTOR
Simon Baker, "The Mentalist" (Pilot)
Gabriel Byrne, "In Treatment" ("Gina, Week 4")
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad" ("Phoenix")
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men" ("The Mountain King")
Michael C. Hall, "Dexter" ("The Lion Sleeps Tonight")
Hugh Laurie, "House M.D." ("Under My Skin")
BEST DRAMA ACTRESS
Glenn Close, "Damages" ("Trust Me")
Sally Field, "Brothers and Sisters" ("A Father Dreams")
Mariska Hargitay, "Law & Order: SVU" ("PTSD")
Holly Hunter, "Saving Grace" ("Have a Seat, Earl")
Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men" ("Meditations in an Emergency")
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer" ("Cherry Bomb")
BEST COMEDY ACTOR
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock" ("Generalissimo")
Steve Carell, "The Office" ("Broke")
Jemaine Clement, "Flight of the Conchords" ("Unnatural Love")
Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory" ("The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis")
Tony Shalhoub, "Monk" (TBA)
Charlie Sheen, "Two and a Half Men" ("Is It the 'Ocu' or the 'Pado'?")
BEST COMEDY ACTRESS
Christina Applegate, "Samantha Who?" ("The Pill")
Toni Collette, "United States of Tara" (pilot)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus ("New Adventures of Old Christine")
Tina Fey, "30 Rock" ("Reunion")
Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds" ("Lady's a Charm")
Sarah Silverman, "The Sarah Silverman Program" ("There's No Place Like Homeless")
BEST SUPPORTING DRAMA ACTOR
Christian Clemenson, "Boston Legal" ("Roe")
Michael Emerson, "Lost" ("Dead is Dead")
William Hurt, "Damages" ("Hey, Mr. Pibb")
Aaron Paul, "Breaking Bad" ("Peekaboo")
William Shatner, "Boston Legal" ("Made in China"/"Last Call")
John Slattery, "Mad Men" ("Six Month Leave")
BEST SUPPORTING DRAMA ACTRESS
Rose Byrne, "Damages" ("Trust Me")
Hope Davis, "In Treatment" ("Mia, Week 6")
Cherry Jones, "24" (Day 7: 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.)
Sandra Oh, "Grey's Anatomy" ("Elevator Love Letter")
Dianne Wiest, "In Treatment" ("Gina, Week 6")
Chandra Wilson, "Grey's Anatomy" ("Stairway to Heaven")
BEST SUPPORTING COMEDY ACTOR
Jon Cryer, "Two and a Half Men" (“Sir Lancelot’s Litterbox”)
Kevin Dillon, "Entourage" ("Tree Trippers")
Neil Patrick Harris, "How I Met Your Mother" ("Benefits")
Jack McBrayer, "30 Rock" ("The Bubble")
Tracy Morgan, "30 Rock" ("The Funcooker")
Rainn Wilson, "The Office" ("Heavy Competition")
BEST SUPPORTING COMEDY ACTRESS
Kristin Chenoweth, "Pushing Daisies" ("Bad Habits")
Jane Krakowski, "30 Rock" ("The Ones")
Amy Poehler, "Saturday Night Live" ("Josh Brolin")
Elizabeth Perkins, "Weeds" ("No Man Is Pudding")
Kristen Wiig, "Saturday Night Live" ("Neil Patrick Harris")
Vanessa Williams, "Ugly Betty" ("The Fall Issue")
BEST REALITY/COMPETITION SHOW
"Amazing Race" ("Don't Let A Cheese Hit Me," episode 1401)
"Dancing with the Stars" — (Episode 803, 12 couples compete with the foxtrot and samba)
"Project Runway" — ("Finale, Part 1," episode 513)
"Top Chef" — "Last Supper" (episode 512)
BEST REALITY PROGRAM
"My Life on the D-List" — ("Red, White and Don't Be Blue," episode 410)
BEST REALITY TV HOST
Phil Keoghan, "Amazing Race" ("Don't Let A Cheese Hit Me," episode 1401)
Heidi Klum, "Project Runway" ("Finale, Part 1," episode 513)
Padma Lakshmi and Tom Colicchio, "Top Chef" ("Last Supper," episode 512)
Jeff Probst, "Survivor: Tocantins" ("Let's Get Rid of the Weak Players Before We Even Start," episode 01)
Photo: Showtime
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How the Emmy pundits scored (hey, where's my lollipop?!)
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Hugh Laurie's submission is excellent. His performance in "Under My Skin" was one of his finest
Posted by: JamesT | July 27, 2009 at 09:58 PM
yes, Lost is the best!!!
Posted by: Zdenka | July 24, 2009 at 10:50 AM
I think Bryan Cranston's pick is a poor one. That is the episode where he watches a girl die and doesn't save her. The acting is great but I think historically Emmy voters like it when they can sympathize with the character.
Posted by: Andrew | July 23, 2009 at 09:51 PM
I'm not trying to be mean (I'm really not) but I have come to the conclusion that NO ONE is capable of picking the right episode to showcase themselves.
Ah well. I guess if they all got it wrong that makes the playing field level again anyway. :P
Posted by: Anita | July 22, 2009 at 10:22 PM
Supporting had 2 episodes for many years but only 1 episode more recently. The episode is edited down to just their scenes and not the rest.
Posted by: Boomer | July 22, 2009 at 06:18 PM
I thought supporting actors got to submit two episodes is that not true anymore or ever true?
Posted by: jake | July 22, 2009 at 05:54 PM
Suggest you go to epguides.com for complete episode descriptions. I'm sure it took Tom and others every moment of time today just to confirm titles and not worry about the few people that won't seek out the other info on their own.
Posted by: Boomer | July 22, 2009 at 05:24 PM
A brief description of the episodes would really help the reader know which episodes were submitted. Without it, the titles are pretty meaningless.
Posted by: danny | July 22, 2009 at 05:08 PM
I think the 6th episode of Family Guy that should be submitted is "Three Kings," one of the funniest episodes in a long time for the show.
Posted by: zachimus8692 | July 22, 2009 at 04:00 PM
Bryan Cranston's pick isn't the same that Gold Derby forum members suggested. They chose "Bit by a Dead Bee," and he went with "Phoenix." Hopefully it's a risk that will pay off!
Posted by: marc604 | July 22, 2009 at 02:54 PM