Basic cable making bids for Emmys
By Lynn Elber
The Associated Press
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 07.18.2008
LOS ANGELES — "Mad Men," AMC's sleek drama set in the advertising world circa 1960, and FX's legal thriller "Damages" made Emmy nominations history Thursday as the first basic-cable programs to gain best-series nods.
The HBO historical drama "John Adams" was the overall front-runner with 23 bids, including a lead-actor nomination for Paul Giamatti's turn as one of America's founding fathers.
"30 Rock," last year's best-comedy Emmy winner, was the top nominee among sitcoms with 17 bids. "Mad Men" was the leading drama-series contender with 16 nominations, including one for star Jon Hamm.
"The Wire," the just-ended, critically acclaimed HBO drama about police and drug dealers in Baltimore, lost its last shot at a best-drama nod after years of Emmy snubs. It received one nomination Thursday, for writing.
But other cable series made a serious dent in several top categories as broadcast networks watched their share of Emmy nominations glory erode.
In the category of lead drama actor, four of the five nominees were stars of cable shows, including Hamm. In the corresponding actress category, three of the slots went to cable series stars, including Glenn Close of "Damages."
Close said she heard about her nomination from her sister Nancy, who called her on her cell phone as she was being driven to a shooting location on Long Island in New York.
"I don't believe in comparison among artists, but, given the amazing number of talented people in this profession, to be included with a distinguished group of people is a huge honor," Close said.
"Damages" won critical acclaim last year — but not great ratings. She's hoping Emmy attention will boost the show's audience for its second season.
HBO failed to field a contender for best drama series for the first time in nearly a decade, after "The Sopranos" claimed the honor last year. But the premium-cable channel had a leading 85 bids overall, followed by ABC with 76.
Network audience favorites that failed to make a serious showing included "Grey's Anatomy" and "Desperate Housewives," both left out of the best-series categories, although "Grey's" stars Sandra Oh and Chandra Wilson 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 Tom Bergeron of "Dancing With the Stars," Howie Mandel of "Deal or No Deal," Heidi Klum of "Project Runway" and Jeff Probst of "Survivor."
Nominees in the top categories for the 60th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were announced at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences by Kristin Chenoweth, Neil Patrick Harris and TV academy Chairman John Shaffner.
The Emmy Awards ceremony will be held Sept. 21 and broadcast on ABC. Other Emmy honors, including those for technical achievement and guest actors and actresses in series, will be given at the creative-arts ceremony on Sept. 13.
Primetime Emmy nods
• Drama Series: "Boston Legal," ABC; "Damages," FX; "Dexter," Showtime; "House," Fox; "Lost," ABC; "Mad Men," AMC.
• Comedy Series: "Curb Your Enthusiasm," HBO; "Entourage," HBO; "The Office," NBC; "30 Rock," NBC; "Two and a Half Men," CBS.
• Miniseries: "The Andromeda Strain," A&E; "Cranford" (Masterpiece Theatre), PBS; "John Adams," HBO; "Tin Man," Sci Fi Channel.
• Made-for-TV Movie: "Bernard and Doris," HBO; "Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale," HBO; "The Memory Keeper's Daughter," Lifetime; "A Raisin in the Sun," ABC; "Recount," HBO.
• Actor, Drama Series: James Spader, "Boston Legal," ABC; Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad," AMC; Michael C. Hall, "Dexter," Showtime; Hugh Laurie, "House," Fox; Gabriel Byrne, "In Treatment," HBO; Jon Hamm, "Mad Men," AMC.
• Actress, Drama Series: Sally Field, "Brothers & Sisters," ABC; Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer," TNT; Glenn Close, "Damages," FX; Mariska Hargitay, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," NBC; Holly Hunter, "Saving Grace," TNT.
• Actor, Comedy Series: Tony Shalhoub, "Monk," USA; Steve Carell, "The Office," NBC; Lee Pace, "Pushing Daisies," ABC; Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock," NBC; Charlie Sheen, "Two and a Half Men, CBS.
• Actress, Comedy Series: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "The New Adventures of Old Christine," CBS; Christina Applegate, "Samantha Who?," ABC; Tina Fey, "30 Rock," NBC; America Ferrera, "Ugly Betty," ABC; Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds," Showtime.
— The Associated Press
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