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LOS ANGELES: HBO got the most Emmy recognition of any US network as “John Adams” and “Recount” helped the cable channel grab 85 award nominations and burnish its reputation for quality programmes.
HBO, the perennial favourite for Emmy nominations was shut out of the race for best drama series for the first time in a decade after its now-departed “The Sopranos” claimed the honour last year.
However, the premium cable channel still emerged number one overall thanks to “John Adams”.
“John Adams”, a seven-part HBO mini-series about the second president of the United States, scooped 23 nominations, including nods for leading man Pail Giamatti and supporting actors Tom Wilkinson, Stephen Dilane and David Morse.
Overall, the HBO network led the field with 85 nominations, ahead of ABC with 76, CBS with 51 and NBC with 50.
The other big winners in the nominees list were legal drama “Damages”, serial killer drama “Dexter” and “Mad Men”, set in the world of 1960s advertising.
“Damages”, “Dexter” and “Mad Men”, which earned 16 nominations, are the first shows originating on cable network other than HBO to be nominated for best drama series.
The heavy presence of contenders from a variety of cable channels reflected the recent flourishing of cable as an incubator for high-quality dramas.
Emmy watchers said that the phenomenon was made more pronounced by the shortened season on broadcast TV this year due to the Hollywood writers strike.
In fact, “Dexter” got additional broadcast exposure this year when CBS picked it up from sister cable network Showtime and aired it as a replacement programme during the strike.
Actresses nominated for best comedy series were Tina Fey of “30 Rock”, the series she created, last year’s honouree America Ferrera of “Ugly Betty”, Christina Applegate of “Samantha Who?” and Mary-Louise Parker of “Weeds”.
As for lead actors in comedy series, Tony Shalhoub of “Mock”, Steve Carrel of “The Office”, Lee Pace of “Pushing Daisies”, Alec Baldwin of “30 Rock” and Charlie Sheen of “Two and a Half Men” all received nominations.
Ryan Seacrest, host of top-rated series “American Idol” made the cut in the new category of best host for a reality or reality-competition show. Other nominees were Canadian funnyman Howie Mandel of “Deal or No Deal”, Heidi Klum of “Project Runway”, Jeff Probst of “Survivor” and Tom Bergeron of “Dancing With the Stars”.
Fan favourites like “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Desperate Housewives” were both left out of the best-series categories.
In the top acting awards, James Spader from "Boston Legal," Bryan Cranston from "Breaking Bad," Michael C Hall from "Dexter," Hugh Laurie from "House," Gabriel Byrne from "In Treatment" and Jon Hamm from "Mad Men" earned nods in the best actor in a drama series category.
The nominees for outstanding lead actress in a drama are Sally Field from "Brothers & Sisters," the winner last year, Kyra Sedgwick from "The Closer," Glenn Close from "Damages," Mariska Hargitay from "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and Holly Hunter from "Saving Grace."
This year’s Primetime Emmys, US television’s top awards, will be given out by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences at a gala show in Los Angeles on September 21.
- CNA/jk
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