Emmy nomination movies - hit or miss?

By Pat Clark
pclark@modbee.com

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The folks over at the Emmys have been working hard to get more mainstream network shows to share in the award glory.

Cable and premium channel programs have been hogging the Emmy spotlight the past several years, taking over the nominee lists and winning several of the major categories.

You have to figure the big four networks have been getting increasingly cranky over the whole cable-

stealing-their-thunder thing since channels like AMC, FX, TNT, HBO and Showtime have been steadily gaining nominees -- and prestige -- over the years.

Adding insult to injury, "Breaking Bad," one of the most obscure, least watched -- and, oh, by the way, best written, developed and acted -- shows on television took the best-dramatic-actor spot last year; and "Mad Men," even better on all the above listed levels, won best drama series.

Ouch.

The Emmy powers decided to take the nominating process away from its panel of "blue-ribbon judges" and give it back to the entire academy: all the folks who make a TV show, such as camera operators, costume designers, makeup artists, directors, actors, etc.

They also added a sixth nominee in the major categories -- the two for best series and all four for acting (lead and supporting) -- presumably to open more spots for the little network engines that couldn't.

So, what do the main nominee lists look like for this year's Emmy Award telecast, set for Sept. 20?

Well, the big four networks do have a few nominees in there. But, frankly, there aren't many more of them than you'd otherwise expect.

Everyone knew "30 Rock" would be nominated for a passel of awards because it's simply the best comedy on TV, even if it is aired by the lowly NBC. Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, Jack McBrayer? No brainers for acting/supporting nods.

You had to figure "House," "Lost" and "The Office" would get best-series nods in their respective categories. Great shows. Very deserving.

I'd concede that finding "How I Met Your Mother" (CBS) in the best-comedy list is equal parts surprising and due. It seems this little gem that I've enjoyed for years flew under the radar until Neil Patrick Harris started to get breakout kudos the past few seasons. But all it really did was take an Emmy spot away from "Two and Half Men" from the previous year.

Where the sixth nominee did gain network ground was in a best-comedy nod for "Family Guy" (Fox). But it's a red herring. It doesn't belong there. The show is animated. It should be in the animated-show category along with "South Park," "The Simpsons," et al.

And, it just proves there shouldn't be six nominees in a field where their are so few options, network or not.

The comedy series categories are the only ones where the networks cleaned up in nominations. Again, it's more because there aren't that many shows or actors to choose from.

No shock to see "Entourage" (HBO), "Flight of the Conchords" (HBO) and "Weeds" (Showtime) among the best-comedy contenders. But "30 Rock" will beat out everyone, so they're all a bunch of bridesmaids, anyway.

Sure, the lists for comedy supporting actress and actor are almost all network-

based. Only one nod, for Elizabeth Perkins ("Weeds"), came from cable in the actress category. But when they've tossed two "Saturday Night Live" comics -- Amy Poehler and Kristin Wiig -- into the "actress" mix, you know there just wasn't anywhere else to draw from.

Where the network-heavy nods are fair is in the supporting-actor category: Kevin Dillon, "Entourage" (HBO); Neil Patrick Harris, "How I Met Your Mother" (CBS); Rainn Wilson, "The Office" (NBC); Tracy Morgan, "30 Rock, (NBC); Jack McBrayer, "30 Rock"; Jon Cryer, "Two and a Half Men" (CBS). But, again, comedy doesn't have a big presence these days.