2011 Emmy nominations: Mad Men, Boardwalk Empire, Modern Family, Game of Thrones score big

On Thursday Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly) and Joshua Jackson (Fringe) announced the nominees for the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards. HBO’s miniseries Mildred Pierce was the most recognized program scoring 21 nominations total; Mad Men (19), Boardwalk Empire (18), Modern Family (17), and Game of Thrones (13) were not too far behind.  Let us begin with the drama categories, as is tradition. Outstanding drama series include Mad Men, Dexter, The Good Wife, HBO newcomers Boardwalk Empire and Game of Thrones, and Friday Night Lights finally gets recognized in its fifth and final season. Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Michael C. Hall, (Dexter),  Hugh Laurie (House), Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire), Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights), and Timothy Olyphant (Justified) all received Outstanding actor in a drama nominations. Game of Thrones‘ Peter Dinklage (Tyrion “The Imp” Lannister) stands tall above the competition for Outstanding supporting actor in a drama amongst Josh Charles (The Good Wife)Alan Cumming (The Good Wife)Walton Goggins (Justified)John Slattery (Mad Men), and Andre Braugher (Men of a Certain Age). The following are contending for Outstanding actress in a drama: Kathy Bates (Harry’s Law), Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights), Mireille Enos (The Killing), Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: SVU), Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife), and Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men). Lastly, the Outstanding supporting actress in a drama bunch includes Kelly Macdonald (Boardwalk Empire), Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife), Christine Baranski (The Good Wife), Margo Martindale (Justified), Michelle Forbes (The Killing), and Christina Hendricks (Mad Men).

Next let us move onto the comedy categories. Modern Family, 30 Rock, The Office, and at long last Parks and Recreation and The Big Bang Theory all received nominations for Outstanding comedy. Alec Baldwin (30 Rock), Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory), Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory), Matt LeBlanc (Episodes), Louis C.K. (Louie), and Steve Carell (The Office) were handed Outstanding actor in a comedy nominations. After departing The Office, it’s surely Michael Scott’s time to shine. The Outstanding supporting actor in a comedy category is dominated Modern Family actors: Eric Stonestreet, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ty Burrell, Ed O’Neill, Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men), and Chris Colfer (Glee). Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) and Martha Plimpton (Raising Hope) headline the Outstanding actress in a comedy category which also includes Tina Fey (30 Rock), Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie), Laura Linney (The Big C), and Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly). The Outstanding supporting actress in a comedy bunch includes Modern Family‘s Julie Bowen and Sofia Vergara, Jane Lynch (Glee), Jane Krakowski (30 Rock), Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live), and the talented Betty White (Hot In Cleveland). Notable guest actors and actresses in comedies include Zach Galifianakis, Justin Timberlake, and Tina Fey for their SNL hosting duties, Glee‘s Kristin Chenoweth, Dot-Marie Jones, and Gwyneth Paltrow, and Raising Hope‘s Cloris Leachman.

And now it’s time to talk snubs. Community and Fringe were not recognized in the slightest. The comedy will eventually receive a nod, as Parks and Rec had to wait a few years too; as for the sci-fi drama, John Noble will always be recognized in my heart as a phenomenal actor and season 2’s “Peter” a brilliantly written episode. Speaking of Parks and Rec, where’s the recognition for Nick Offerman? The man who plays Ron freakin’ Swanson deserves Emmy love; he’s bound to receive it soon. And why The Walking Dead didn’t receive a top nod for Outstanding drama is beyond me; the zombie show managed to pick up nods for special visual effects and sound editing for the spectacularly creepy pilot “Days Gone By.”

The 63nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Jane Lynch, airs live Sunday, September 18 on FOX at 8PM.  Look after the break to see the nominees in list form.

OUTSTANDING DRAMA
Boardwalk Empire
Dexter
Friday Night Lights
Game of Thrones
The Good Wife
Mad Men

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Kathy Bates, Harry’s Law
Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights
Mireille Enos, The Killing
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: SVU
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House
Timothy Olyphant, Justified

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Josh Charles, The Good Wife
Alan Cumming, The Good Wife
Walton Goggins, Justified
John Slattery, Mad Men
Andre Braugher, Men of a Certain Age

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
Margo Martindale, Justified
Michelle Forbes, The Killing
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Bruce Dern, Big Love
Beau Bridges, Brothers & Sisters
Michael J. Fox, The Good Wife
Paul McCrane, Harry’s Law
Jeremy Davies, Justified
Robert Morse, Mad Men

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Mary McDonnell, The Closer
Julia Stiles, Dexter
Loretta Devine, Grey’s Anatomy
Randee Heller, Man Men
Cara Buono, Mad Men
Joan Cusack, Shameless
Alfre Woodard, True Blood

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES:
Mad Men: “The Suitcase”, written by Matthew Weiner
Mad Men: “Blowing Smoke”, written by Andre Jacquemetton and Maria Jacquemetton
Friday Night Lights: “Always”, written by Jason Katims
The Killing: “Pilot”, written by Veena Sud
Game of Thrones: “Baelor”, written by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss

OUTSTANDING COMEDY
The Big Bang Theory
Glee
Modern Family
The Office
Parks and Recreation
30 Rock

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Laura Linney, The Big C
Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly
Martha Plimpton, Raising Hope
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Louis C.K., Louie
Steve Carell, The Office
Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Chris Colfer, Glee
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
Ed O’Neill, Modern Family
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Jane Lynch, Glee
Betty White, Hot In Cleveland
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Idris Elba, The Big C
Nathan Lane, Modern Family
Zach Galifianakis, Saturday Night Live
Justin Timberlake, Saturday Night Live
Matt Damon, 30 Rock
Will Arnett, 30 Rock

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Kristin Chenoweth, Glee
Dot-Marie Jones, Glee
Gwyneth Paltrow, Glee
Cloris Leachman, Raising Hope
Tina Fey, Saturday Night Live
Elizabeth Banks, 30 Rock

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES:
Episodes: “Episode 107”, Written by David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik
The Office: “Goodbye, Michael”, written by Greg Daniels
Modern Family: “Caught in the Act”, written by Steve Levitan and Jeffrey Richman
Louie: “Poker/Divorce”, written by Louis C.K.
30 Rock: “Reaganing”, written by Matt Hubbard

OUTSTANDING VARIETY, MUSIC, OR COMEDY SERIES
The Colbert Report, Comedy Central
Conan, TBS
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, Comedy Central
Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, NBC
Real Time With Bill Maher, HBO
Saturday Night Live, NBC

OUTSTANDING TV MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Cinema Verite, HBO
Downton Abbey, PBS
The Kennedys, ReelzChannel
Mildred Pierce, HBO
The Pillars of the Earth, Starz
Too Big To Fail, HBO

OUTSTANDING REALITY SHOW HOST

Phil Keoghan, The Amazing Race
Ryan Seacrest, American Idol
Tom Bergeron, Dancing With the Stars
Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance
Jeff Probst, Survivor

OUTSTANDING REALITY SHOW COMPETITION
The Amazing Race, CBS
American Idol, Fox
Dancing With the Stars, ABC
Project Runway, Lifetime
So You Think You Can Dance, Fox
Top Chef, Bravo

Click here to see the nominees in all categories at the official Emmys website.

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