The nominees for the 2012 Emmy Awards were announced today. The actual ceremony won’t be held until September, but I have a few of my own favorites – I’m sure you do, too. I posted the list, in case you haven’t seen it, and I’d love to hear which performers and programs are “Emmy” worthy. I’ll be right up front with you. I think Jon Hamm and Stephen Colbert could take home all of the awards for whatever category is available for men. I don’t even care if they even appeared on the other shows. I’ve convinced myself that Colbert did play a minor role in “Game of Thrones” and that when Don Draper isn’t on my television screen, Jon Hamm is starring in “Downton Abbey”. Okay, maybe Peter Dinklage deserves Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series – I can concede that much. When it comes to the women nominees, well, the same goes for Glenn Close, Jessica Lange and Kathy Bates – just give them all of the awards and call it a night. As for the geniuses who couldn’t find a time slot for “Harry’s Law” – one that didn’t compete with “The Amazing Race” – you really didn’t know what a good thing you had until you lost her.
Outstanding Drama Series
“Boardwalk Empire”
“Breaking Bad”
“Downton Abbey”
“Game of Thrones”
“Homeland”
“Mad Men”
Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Kathy Bates, “Harry’s Law”
Glenn Close, “Damages”
Claire Danes, “Homeland”
Michelle Dockery, “Downton Abbey”
Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife”
Elisabeth Moss, “Mad Men”
Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Hugh Bonneville,”Downton Abbey”
Steve Buscemi, “Boardwalk Empire”
Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad”
Michael C. Hall, “Dexter”
Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”
Damian Lewis, “Homeland”
Outstanding Comedy Series
“The Big Bang Theory”
“Curb Your Enthusiasm”
“Girls”
“Modern Family”
“30 Rock”
“Veep”
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Zooey Deschanel, “New Girl”
Lena Dunham, “Girls”
Edie Falco, “Nurse Jackie”
Tina Fey, “30 Rock”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep”
Melissa McCarthy, “Mike & Molly”
Amy Poehler, “Parks and Recreation”
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock”
Don Cheadle, “House of Lies”
Louis C.K., “Louie”
Jon Cryer, “Two and a Half Men”
Larry David, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”
Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory”
Outstanding Made for TV Movie/Miniseries
“American Horror Story”
“Game Change”
“Hatfields and McCoys”
“Hemingway and Gellhorn”
“Luther”
“Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia”
Leading Actor in a Made for TV Movie/Miniseries
Woody Harrelson, “Game Change”
Clive Owen, “Hemingway & Gellhorn”
Benedict Cumberbatch, “Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia”
Idris Elba, “Luther”
Kevin Costner, “Hatfields & McCoys”
Bill Paxton, “Hatfields & McCoys”
Lead Actress in a Made for TV Movie/Miniseries
Julianne Moore, “Game Change”
Connie Britton, “American Horror Story”
Nicole Kidman, “Hemingway & Gellhorn”
Emma Thompson, “The Song of Lunch”
Ashley Judd, “Missing”
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
“The Amazing Race”
“Dancing With the Stars”
“Project Runway”
“So You Think You Can Dance”
“Top Chef”
“The Voice”
Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition Program
Tom Bergeron, “Dancing With The Stars”
Cat Deeley, “So You Think You Can Dance”
Phil Keoghan, “The Amazing Race”
Ryan Seacrest, “American Idol”
Betty White, “Betty White’s Off Their Rockers”
Outstanding Reality Program
“Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution”
“MythBusters”
“Antiques Roadshow”
“Shark Tank”
“Undercover Boss”
“Who Do You Think You Are?”
Outstanding Nonfiction Series
“American Masters”
“Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations”
“Inside The Actors Studio”
“The Weight Of The Nation”
“Frozen Planet”
Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series
“The Colbert Report”
“The Daily Show with Jon Stewart”
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
“Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”
“Real Time with Bill Maher”
“Saturday Night Live”
Outstanding Variety Special
“Betty White’s 90th Birthday: A Tribute To America’s Golden Girl”
“Kathy Griffin: Tired Hooker”
“The Kennedy Center Honors”
“Mel Brooks And Dick Cavett Together Again”
“Tony Bennett: Duets II (Great Performances)”
Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Aaron Paul, “Breaking Bad”
Giancarlo Esposito, “Breaking Bad”
Brendan Coyle, “Downton Abbey”
Jim Carter, “Downton Abbey”
Jared Harris, “Mad Men”
Peter Dinklage, “Game of Thrones”
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Archie Panjabi, “The Good Wife”
Anna Gunn, “Breaking Bad”
Maggie Smith, “Downton Abbey”
Joanna Froggatt, “Downton Abbey”
Christina Hendricks, “Mad Men”
Christine Baranski, “The Good Wife”
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Ed O’Neill, “Modern Family”
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, “Modern Family”
Ty Burrell, “Modern Family”
Eric Stonestreet, “Modern Family”
Bill Hader, “Saturday Night Live”
Max Greenfield, “New Girl”
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Mayim Bialik, “The Big Bang Theory”
Merritt Wever, “Nurse Jackie”
Julie Bowen, “Modern Family”
Kristen Wiig, “Saturday Night Live”
Sofia Vergara, “Modern Family”
Kathryn Joosten, “Desperate Housewives”
Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Sarah Paulson, “Game Change”
Frances Conroy, “American Horror Story”
Jessica Lange, “American Horror Story”
Judy Davis, “Page Eight”
Mare Winningham, “Hatfields & McCoys”
Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
Ed Harris, “Game Change”
Denis O’Hare, “American Horror Story”
David Strathairn, “Hemingway & Gellhorn”
Martin Freeman, “Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia”
Tom Berenger, “Hatfields & McCoys”
Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Dot-Marie Jones, “Glee”
Maya Rudolph, “Saturday Night Live”
Melissa McCarthy, “Saturday Night Live”
Elizabeth Banks, “30 Rock”
Margaret Cho, “30 Rock”
Kathy Bates, “Two and a Half Men”
Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Michael J. Fox, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”
Greg Kinnear, “Modern Family”
Bobby Cannavale, “Nurse Jackie”
Jimmy Fallon, “Saturday Night Live”
Will Arnett, “30 Rock”
Jon Hamm, “30 Rock”
Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Martha Plimpton, “The Good Wife”
Loretta Devine, “Grey’s Anatomy”
Jean Smart, “Harry’s Law”
Julia Ormond, “Mad Men”
Joan Cusack, “Shameless”
Uma Thurman, “Smash”
Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Mark Margolis, “Breaking Bad”
Dylan Baker, “The Good Wife”
Michael J. Fox, “The Good Wife”
Jeremy Davies, “Justified”
Ben Feldman, “Mad Men”
Jason Ritter, “Parenthood”
We’ll come back on September 24th and see if we agree with those who were chosen to take home the awards. There are some very good programs and talented people to pick from, something which won’t make choosing our favorites any easier.
Empress
realhousewifeofaiken 
I’m going to miss Kathy Bates and Jean Smart in Harry’s Law. I thoroughly enjoyed them. The series got cancelled, just when it was coming into full bloom.
One of the reasons NBC gave for cancelling “Harry’s Law” was that the viewership was too old. Their target demographic is the 18 – 49 crowd, which explains some of the programming we’re left with.
I’ll also miss David E. Kelley’s writing on the show – his only real rival for great scripts is Aaron Sorkin.
I adore: Julianna Margulies, Michael J Fox, Phil Keoegh/The Amazing Race, everyone on Mad Men, Damian Lewis (even though I never watched Homeland) and IF I had premium channels I’m sure I would have loved Boardwalk Empire too.
I haven’t followed “The Good Wife”, but I understand that it’s more than award worthy. Phil, IMHO, is an incredible host of “The Amazing Race”, and has his own back story that could be a reality show on its’ own merits. “Mad Men” and its’ entire cast make for great television viewing. Having grown up in the era about which the show is centered makes it all the more interesting for me.
If you love Damian Lewis, then “Homeland” is must-see TV. He can scare the hell out of you in the series – and Clare Danes is as good as she always is – no matter what the role is.
If you haven’t see it, “American Horror Story” is very different television. My only suggestion would be that you not try to snack during it or think that you’re going right to sleep afterwards. 😉
Hi Empress. So agree with you about Mad Men. My friend, entreating me to watch, said the show was a novel and that Michael Weiner was the Fitzgerald of our time. Who could resist with a recommendation like that! Very thoughtful content, I too, grew up in that time. I was the age of Betty and Don’s youngest, lol.
Stephen Colbert will hopefully win another Emmy this year, and deservedly so, for his Super Pac campaign work although I think Jon Stewart is the better interviewer. Both men have done so much to cast a light on the shadows of political sophistry and media chicanery of this age of deception.
I enjoy your work as well as Mel The Hound.
Thanks disgrazia, Watching “Mad Men”, I realized that my parents would have been the ages of Don and Betty Draper. Episodes about the Kennedy assassination or the Civil Rights movement do make the show hit very close to home. Weiner as a modern day Fitzgerald is a good analogy.
I will let mth know how you feel – we both appreciate your readership and comments.
I have a Colbert crush, so I’m hardly objective there, but both he and Stewart are national treasures when it comes to delivering the news and “truthiness”. 🙂
disgrazia4, Glad you enjoy the posts.