10 questions loom over Emmy Award nominations
Here are the top 10 things to look for when Emmy Award nominations are unveiled Thursday morning.
1.) Battle of the two "Tonight Shows" in the Emmy race for best variety series. NBC entered Jay Leno's version. Conan O'Brien entered his own. Will both be nominated?
2.) What new TV series will make the top races? "Glee" and "Modern Family" are safe bets for best comedy, "The Good Wife" for best drama. But what else? And what about returning shows not yet nominated such as "The Big Bang Theory" and "Parks and Recreation"?
3.) Will the humility of the "Modern Family" actors backfire? The whole cast has declared themselves in the supporting races, thus jamming those categories. Who will snubbed due to overcrowding?
4.) Will "Cougar Town" star Courteney Cox finally score her first nomination? She was the only cast member of "Friends" (winner, best comedy series, 2002) who wasn't nominated.
5.) Can Ed O'Neill ("Modern Family") and Katey Sagal ("Sons of Anarchy") reap their first Emmy bids? Neither was nominated during the heyday of "Married … with Children," which was one of TV's longest-running shows never to win an Emmy.
6.) Can "Glee," "Modern Family" or "30 Rock" break the record for most nominations held by a comedy series? Current record is 22, which was set last year by "30 Rock." (It's unlikely that any show will beat the record for most noms scored by a drama series, which is 26 earned by "NYPD Blue" in 1994).
7.) Can Jeremy Piven return to the derby? After winning best supporting comedy actor three years in a row, the "Entourage" star suddenly wasn't nominated last year. To blame: no doubt that fishy story about mercury poisoning springing him from having to perform eight stagings per week of "Speed-the-Plow" on Broadway. Read more.
8.) Has scandal-plagued Charlie Sheen knocked himself out of the race? The "Two and a Half Men" star has been nominated for best lead comedy actor for the past four years, but will he be back?
9.) Are pundits overestimating the potential for "Glee"? Mike Ausiello of Entertainment Weekly doesn't believe Lea Michele or Matthew Morrison will be nominated.
10.) Can former "Sopranos" star Edie Falco nab a bid for "Nurse Jackie" and thus become one of the few performers nominated for both drama and comedy shows?
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God, I hope Conan will be nominated. 30 ROCK's starting to get old, but they'll probably get nominated, but not win. GLEE will get a slew of nominations, not sure who'll win what. But, if Jane Lynch doesn't get nominated for best supporting actress AND win, I would be very shocked. I think Charlie Sheen and Jeremy Piven may get nominated, but won't win. I hope Kristen Chenoweth gets nominated for her first guest role on GLEE. Her 2nd guest appearance wasn't as strong. Curious which LAW & ORDER guest star gets nominated in the guest actor and actress in the drama category. I wish they did broadcast the guest categories during the telecast and not during the "Shemmys", as Kathy Griffin calls them. (Doubt she'll be nominated this year, sorry)
Posted by: Carlos M. | July 08, 2010 at 04:09 AM
My fingers are crossed that Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton from Friday Night Lights (the BEST show ever on TV!!!) will get noticed and nominated - FINALLY!
Glee, Modern Family, Breaking Bad, and The Good Wife will get nods and deserve it as well. The actors in Glee are multi-talented and should be given some attention.
I could care less about Charlie Sheen and hope he does NOT get a nomination this year!! And Courtney Cox? Seriously? She is a terrible actress on a terrible show!!
Posted by: JenS | July 07, 2010 at 05:27 PM
I would be extremely disappointed if Julia Louis-Dreyfus is snubbed for Lea Michele, who doesn't deserve a nomination. It's a wasted debated whether Michele will be nominated because even if she is, Edie Falco practically has the award on her mantle already - I'd find it very hard to believe that she won't win after all the tremendous buzz for her performance.
Posted by: Dave | July 07, 2010 at 05:10 PM
Once again the drum keeps beating and the elitists keep nominating the same old tired cable shows...but we the viewers still keep saying with our clickers that the best drama Emmys should go to either "CSI-Crime Scene Investigators" or "NCIS"! Who else features such multi-layered performances each and every week as Lawrence Fishburne, George Eads or Paul Guilfoyle, or demonstrates such riveting characters as Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, David McCallum, Pauley Perrette and Cote DePablo? Up against the jagged mess of "Lost", the pathetic soap opera of "Good Wife" and the dull posturing of "Mad Men", both procedurals are realistic, flesh and blood shows with stories that haunt long after the credits end. If yet again either "CSI" or "NCIS" are left off the ballot, then the Emmys are reduced once more to a show for the snobs, and not the viewer!
Posted by: jtbwriter | July 07, 2010 at 03:49 PM
Re Variety series. Jay doesn't have a shot at a nomination. Since he came back, he seems to be less interested in doing the Tonight Show and has seemed bored some nights.
If Conan submits episodes from his last couple weeks, then he has a shot. It would make for a great telecast if he was nominated and won. I'd rather have him or Letterman win. As much as I like the Daily Show, it's won for too many years and hasn't deserved to win the past couple.
Posted by: Kelly | July 07, 2010 at 03:28 PM
@HG I guess you had to actually watch the show to see them but he had some hilariously scathing desk rants about "big jaw" and the NBC mess. He had some great comedy pieces like "law and order: Leno Victims Unit" and it all culminated with the Leno Super Bowl Ad! Conans last week was great but sadly I'm pretty sure it was too little too late to help with the Emmys...
All of the letterman stuff is on you tube... Pretty great
Posted by: Bill Riggins | July 07, 2010 at 02:51 PM
Fingers crossed for the entire cast of Sons of Anarchy- that show and Breaking Bad are the two best adult dramas on TV
Posted by: Calneva | July 07, 2010 at 02:18 PM
@ Bill Riggins, based on what? Kimmel dissed Leno on his own show about it, Conan had a must-see last week of shows, Letterman had some very weak jokes.
I hate the Emmys, it's even worse than the Oscars because at least the Oscars judges actually watch the WHOLE movie unlike Emmy judges who watch one episode of a 13-26 episode SERIES. What a joke. Plus it's ridiculous how they vote for the same favorites every single years establishing smarmy little tv dynasties.
With that said I'll be very happy to see Conan O'Brien get nominated and win best variety series but even then I won't watch and it won't change my mind about how the whole Emmy process if flawed.
Posted by: HJ | July 07, 2010 at 01:42 PM
I think that Lea Michele, Jane Lynch, Chris Colfer, Matthew Morrison, and even possibly Heather Morris (the cheerleader- who plays the perfect dumb girl) should all be considered for a nomination for best actor/actress or best supporting.
Posted by: Lily | July 07, 2010 at 01:25 PM
1. No. Conan isn't even a certainty to get nominated, but Jay's sure as hell won't.
2. No other shows will. Glee, Modern Family & The Good Wife will be the newly eligible shows to get through. The Big Bang Theory will be nominated and Parks & Rec could sneak in if there were 7 nominations for Best Comedy.
3. I don't think so. I think its certain to get four nominations - Bowen, Vergara, Burrell and O'Neill. Stonestreet may get in but could easily be snubbed too. I think the overwhelming love for Modern Family will allow it to get those four, if not five, if it proves to be an Emmy favourite.
4. My gut tells me she will, but I'm not super confident about her. If they want to give love to Julia Louis Dreyfus for her last season on New Adventures, she'll get snubbed.
5.I think Ed O'Neill will get nominated, but I'm not so confident for Sagal. Had she submitted in supporting, I think she'd get in, but lead is too overcrowded.
6. I can foresee Modern Family breaking it. It's going to get multiple acting, writing & directing noms and that's before you go technical, so I can see it breaking 22. Glee has too many detractors to break the record.
7. As much as I don't want him too, I have a feeling we'll see Piven's name there. Though with the influx of Modern Family nominees, maybe Emmy will forget him?
8.No. With Larry David back in the race this year and Joel McHale, Matthew Morrison and Thomas Jane all possible nominees, Sheen will not be nominated.
9. I think they are to a certain extent. But I think Lea Michele will get nominated - Morrison I'm not so sure on. But it certainly won't reap multiple writing/directing nominations like Modern Family.
10. Of course. Not only will Falco be nominated, but she is certain to win.
Posted by: Amy | July 07, 2010 at 12:49 PM
To answer question 9, I think Mr. Ausiello is dead wrong in omitting Lea Michele from his predictions list. Mary-Louise Parker won't receive a nomination for such a sub-par season and what has become a rote performance.
Ms. Michele is what makes 'Glee' work as well as it does, so I'm hoping she receives a well-deserved nomination for her work.
Posted by: Jake | July 07, 2010 at 12:32 PM
My predictions in response to these questions:
1.) No. Neither Tonight Show will be nominated for Best Variety Series.
2.) Just Glee and Modern Family will be nominated for Best Series honors from among newly eligible shows.
3.) I'm afraid that the Modern Family strategy will backfire and the whole cast will be snubbed, but I hope to be pleasantly surprised with multiple nods!
4.) Courteney Cox will not score her first nomination this year for Cougar Town (Lead Actress in a Comedy Series is way too competitive this year).
5.) Neither Ed O'Neill not Katey Sagal will reap their first Emmy bids (even though both really should!).
6.) Primarily because of strong competition between these shows, Glee, Modern Family, or 30 Rock will not break the record for most nominations held by a comedy series (there really needs to be one very dominant program in order to do that).
7.) Yes, Jeremy Piven will return to the derby!
8.) Yes, scandal-plagued Charlie Sheen has knocked himself out of the race (weak category, but there should be enough badwill to keep him out).
9.) No, "The Pacific" will not score the most nominations ever for a movie/mini (not enough strong acting contenders).
10.) Yes, Edie Falco will definitely nab a bid for "Nurse Jackie" and quite possibly (I hope!) the win!
Posted by: NateDoggg | July 07, 2010 at 10:08 AM
Umm...Hill Street Blues ended in 1987...I think you meant to say 1984, not 1994.
Posted by: Top40DJ | July 07, 2010 at 09:37 AM
I still say it's telling that the best on-screen comedy moments about the whole jay/conan debacle took place on the Late Show. I think Dave deserves it this year...
Posted by: Bill Riggins | July 07, 2010 at 09:36 AM