Primetime Emmy Nominations

The nominations for the 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were announced bright and early (for West Coasters) this morning by Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul (who is nominated for his role as Jesse on the hit AMC show, which concludes later this fall) and Neil Patrick Harris, who is hosting this year's ceremony on Sept. 22.

I'd like to say I get excited for these nominations but frankly, I didn't even know today was announcement day, guess cause I knew deep down there weren't going to be any real surprises.  And I was right.  Same old, same old for the most part, with a very few exceptions.  Just once I'd like to see nominations for an actor or a show out of left field (Jared Padalecki was particularly great this year on Supernatural) or actually nominate someone who truly gave a beyond-worthy performance (hello, Monica Potter on NBC's Parenthood this year!  And Jennifer Carpenter on Showtime's Dexter?  Come on!) instead of the usual suspects who seem to get the obligatory nomination out of, what, laziness of voters?  Can't say.

Cable rules once again, far surpassing nominations over network TV.  I think the only category cable doesn't dominate in is reality TV.  Wonder how long that'll last.

The few pleasant surprises for me include Kerry Washington on ABC's Scandal, a show I binge-watched recently and who is very, very good in the role of crisis manager Olivia Pope,  Happy to see Mayim Bialik recognized for her role as Amy on CBS' The Big Bang Theory, though I would have been equally happy for Melissa Rausch for her consistently hilarious Bernadette.  And Netflix is in the game now with their series House of Cards and stars Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright and the return of Arrested Development (Jason Bateman is nominated).

Thrilled to have Emilia Clarke's Daenerys and Peter Dinklage's Tyrion on Game of Thrones get nods.  And kudos to Firefly alums Morena Baccarin (Showtime's Homeland) and Christina Hendricks (AMC's Mad Men) for thiers.

Elisabeth Moss is a double nominee, for her role as the ever evolving Peggy on Mad Men and her work in the Sundance miniseries Top of the Lake.  And there are some noms for shows that are no longer with us, including HBO's Enlightened (star Laura Dern is nominated) and USA's Political Animals (star Sigourney Weaver is, too).

Big yawn once again for the onslaught of noms for the Modern Family guys in the Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy category.  There really isn't ANYONE else in all the comedies?  And I guess voters want to give one last nod to the folks at 30 Rock.  If Alec Baldwin wins again ... wish he'd pulled a John Larroquette and stopped submitting himself long ago.  He has enough Emmys for the role!  And where is Dexter ... anything??

So what do you think of this year's nominations?  Are you excited for anyone?  I'll definitely be anticipating Neil Patrick Harris and his hosting magic once again  on Sept. 22.

Here are the main categories:

Drama Series
Breaking Bad (AMC)
Downton Abbey (PBS)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
Homeland (Showtime)
House of Cards (Netflix)
Mad Men (AMC)

Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Girls (HBO)
Louie (FX)
Modern Family (ABC)
30 Rock (NBC)
Veep (HBO)

Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom (HBO)

Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Vera Farmiga, Bates Motel (A&E)
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
Clare Danes, Homeland
Robin Wright, House of Cards
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Connie Britton, Nashville (ABC)
Kerry Washington, Scandal (ABC)

Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Jason Bateman, Arrested Development
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes (Showtime)
Don Cheadle, House of Lies (Showtime)
Louis C.K., Louie
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock

Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Laura Dern, Enlightened
Lena Dunham, Girls
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie (Showtime)
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation (NBC)
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Bobby Cannavale, Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Jonathan Banks, Breaking Bad
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
Jim Carter, Downton Abbey
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
Morena Baccarin, Homeland
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Alan Driver, Girls
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
Ed O'Neill, Modern Family
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live
Tony Hale, Veep

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory
Jane Lynch, Glee
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
Anna Chlumsky, Veep

Best Supporting Actor in a TV Miniseries or Movie
Michael Douglas, Behind the Candleabra
Matt Damon, Behind the Candelabra
Toby Jones, The Girl (HBO)
Benedict Cumberbatch, Parade's End (HBO)
Al Pacino, Phil Spector

Best Supporting Actress in a TV Miniseries or Movie
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Asylum
Laura Linney, The Big C: Hereafter
Helen Mirren, Phil Spector
Sigourney Weaver, Political Animals
Elisabeth Moss, Top of the Lake

Miniseries or Movie
American Horror Story: Asylum (FX)
Behind the Candelabra (HBO)
The Bible (History Channel)
Phil Spector (HBO)
Political Animals (USA)
Top of the Lake (Sundance)