2008 Emmy Nominees

Well, the list is finally out. I'll do predictions and such at a later date:

DRAMA SERIES:
"Boston Legal," ABC
"Damages," FX
"Dexter," Showtime
"House," Fox
"Lost," ABC
"Mad Men," AMC

Thoughts: I'm glad the Emmy voters bent the rules and expanded the list to six nominees. I'm disappointed that they did so in order to include "Boston Legal." Putting that show in the same group as the other shows listed is downright laughable. It was also surprising that they left the critically acclaimed "The Wire" off this list for its final season.

COMEDY SERIES:
"Curb Your Enthusiasm," HBO
"Entourage," HBO
"The Office," NBC
"30 Rock," NBC
"Two and a Half Men," CBS

Thoughts: No big surprises here, just disappointment that the voters didn't have the foresight to include "Pushing Daisies."

ACTOR, DRAMA SERIES:
Gabriel Byrne, "In Treatment"
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
Hugh Laurie, "House"
James Spader, "Boston Legal"

Thoughts: Again, what the hell is this obsession with "Boston Legal?" Great, great list until you get down to James Spader. If you are going to expand the nominees, why not include Kyle Chandler of "Friday Night Lights?" But I'll stomach Spader's inclusion since the voters had the foresight to include Bryan Cranston's remarkable performance.

ACTRESS, DRAMA SERIES:
Glenn Close, "Damages"
Sally Field, "Brothers and Sisters"
Mariska Hargitay, "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit"
Holly Hunter, "Saving Grace"
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"

Thoughts: Emmy voters nearly had it perfect with "Battlestar Galactica's" Mary McDonnell making the semifinals list. Instead, the voters proffer Mariska Hargitay. Jerks.

ACTRESS, COMEDY SERIES:
Christina Applegate, "Samantha Who?"
America Ferrera, "Ugly Betty"
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "New Adventures of Old Christine"
Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds"

Thoughts: Disappointed with the omission of Anna Friel of "Pushing Daisies" and a little surprised at the omission of the "Desperate Housewives" actresses.

ACTOR, COMEDY SERIES:
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Steve Carell, "The Office"
Lee Pace, "Pushing Daisies"
Tony Shalhoub, "Monk"
Charlie Sheen, "Two and a Half Men"

Thoughts: No surprises here.

SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY SERIES:
Jon Cryer, "Two and a Half Men"
Kevin Dillon, "Entourage"
Neil Patrick Harris, "How I Met Your Mother"
Jeremy Piven, "Entourage"
Rainn Wilson, "The Office"

Thoughts: Woo-hoo! Neil Patrick Harris! Unfortunately, Macon's own Jack McBrayer, very deserving on "30 Rock," misses the cut.

SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA SERIES:
Ted Danson, "Damages"
Michael Emerson, "Lost"
Zeljko Ivanek, "Damages"
William Shatner, "Boston Legal"
John Slattery, "Mad Men"

Thoughts: You know, I love William Shatner as Capt. Kirk and in the Priceline commercials as much as the next guy, but seriously, putting him on the list is just about the biggest joke around. Meanwhile, the remaining four-way battle should be one of the most interesting of the awards show. Great list (otherwise!), Emmys.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA SERIES:
Candice Bergen, "Boston Legal"
Rachel Griffiths, "Brothers and Sisters"
Sandra Oh, "Grey's Anatomy"
Dianne Wiest, "In Treatment"
Chandra Wilson, "Grey's Anatomy"

Thoughts: Surely the omission of "Mad Men's" Christina Hendricks, one of the breakout stars on TV this year, was a typo.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY SERIES:
Kristin Chenoweth, "Pushing Daisies"
Amy Poehler, "Saturday Night Live"
Jean Smart, "Samantha Who?
Holland Taylor, "Two and a Half Men"
Vanessa Williams, "Ugly Betty"

Thoughts: Poehler remains a very interesting nomination choice by the voters, and the delightful Chenoweth ought to be a shoo-in to win, but this being the Emmy voters, who the hell knows?

Gazing the lists of some of the other categories, "John Adams" and "Recount" both got a tremendous amount of Emmy love, which seemed fairly logical. A few disappointments, though: both Sarah Chalke ("How I Met Your Mother") and Amy Ryan ("The Office") were left off the Best Guest Star Actress, Comedy category. And Phil Keoghan ("The Amazing Race") should have been on the list for Best Reality host.

We'll have more as the Emmys draw closer at the end of the summer, including predictions and another online poll. Which were the choices you liked and didn't like? Is there a "Boston Legal" fan out there who can explain its appeal to me?

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: Whew, on top of all the Emmy madness is a pretty good night of TV.

Pick of the night is "VH-1 Rock Honors" which pays tribute to one of the greatest bands of all time, The Who. (VH-1, 9 p.m.)

Also highly recommended is the delightful "Burn Notice" (USA, 10 p.m.), in which you actually do get to see Tricia Helfer this time around.

"Swingtown," (CBS, 10 p.m.), which somehow missed out on the Emmys this year, airs a new episode. It's opposite "Fear Itself" (NBC, 10 p.m.), which continues to decline on a weekly basis.

Meanwhile, "My Boys" (TBS, 9:30 p.m.) continues to delight on a weekly basis. It follows a new "Bill Engvall" at 9 p.m.

Macon's McBrayer Among Emmy Semifinalists

Way to go, Emmys! In a bold move I never dreamed possible, the Emmy voters have put Mary McDonnell on the list of 10 semifinalists for Lead Actress (Drama) for her role on "Battlestar Galactica."

I've been calling for this ever since the show debuted, but Emmy has been notorious for ignoring quality shows in the fantasy genre like "BSG" or "Buffy," for example.

Here's the list of the Lead Actress nominees, courtesy of Goldderby.com:
Patricia Arquette, Medium
Glenn Close, Damages
Minnie Driver, The Riches
Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters
Mariska Hargitay, Law and Order: SVU
Holly Hunter, Saving Grace
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Mary McDonnell, Battlestar Galactica
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer
Jeanne Tripplehorn, Big Love

Any field with Close and Field in it is going to be tough, as those two are shoe-ins to reach the finals. Moss is an interesting choice, since I feel her role is more of a supporting one. Why the Emmys love Arquette is beyond me.

Best Actor (Drama) semifinalists include:
Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment
Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Patrick Dempsey, Grey's Anatomy
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Eddie Izzard, The Riches
Hugh Laurie, House
Denis Leary, Rescue Me
James Spader, Boston Legal

Seeing Cranston on this list is another reason for me to smile, since I think he turned in the performance of his career. Actually, except for the inexplicable love the Emmys show Spader, this is a pretty darn good list, and paring it down to five is an unenviable task.

Macon's own Jack McBrayer ("30 Rock") is among the semifinalists for Supporting Actor (Comedy):
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Kevin Dillon, Entourage
Justin Kirk, Weeds
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
John Krasinski, The Office
Jack McBrayer, 30 Rock
Tracy Morgan, 30 Rock
Jeremy Piven, Entourage
Fred Willard, Back to You
Rainn Wilson, The Office

Again, another fine list. It will be interesting to see how the Emmys thin it out with so many nominees on the same shows.

On the Supporting Actress (Comedy) side, the biggest shock is that last year's winner, Jaime Pressley of "My Name Is Earl," didn't even make the cut. Here's who did:
Kristin Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies
Conchata Ferrell, Two and a Half Men
Jenna Fischer, The Office
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
Judith Light, Ugly Betty
Elizabeth Perkins, Weeds
Amy Poehler, Saturday Night Live
Jean Smart, Samantha Who?
Holland Taylor, Two and a Half Men
Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty

It's a pretty decent group, though again, "Two and a Half Men" continues to be more popular with the Emmys than it should be. Chenoweth, Fischer and Krakowski are all very good picks, and I was pleasantly surprised for the talented Poehler. One big disappointment - no Cheryl Hines of "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

Finally, Gold Derby also released the list of Best Guest Actress (Comedy):
Polly Bergen, Desperate Housewives
Edie Falco, 30 Rock
Vivica A. Fox, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Kathryn Joosten, Desperate Housewives
Annie Potts, Ugly Betty
Carrie Fisher, 30 Rock
Shirley Knight, Desperate Housewives
Jane Lynch, Two and a Half Men
Amy Ryan, The Office
Sarah Silverman, Monk
Elaine Stritch, 30 Rock

While I'm thrilled to see Amy Ryan's name on here for her terrific guest turn on "The Office," I'm disappointed that Sarah Chalke's name was omitted for her work on "How I Met Your Mother." With three actresses listed for "30 Rock," it will be interesting to see how that shakes out, though I can't imagine the voters will leave Edie Falco off their ballot.

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: I was chided last week for not mentioning "Last Comic Standing" (NBC, 8 p.m.), so here is me mentioning it. It's followed by a new "Fear Itself," easily one of the most uneven series of the summer.

ABC continues with its documentary/reality show "Hopkins" at 10 p.m., which will air opposite a new "Swingtown" on CBS.

Finally, a full hour of comedy on TBS beginning at 9 p.m. with "The Bill Engvall Show" and followed by "My Boys" at 9:30 p.m.

More Emmy Leaks

Goldderby.com continues to lead the media in getting out the Emmy semifinalists. They leaked three categories yesterday, including Best Supporting Actor (Drama), Supporting Actress (Drama) and Lead Actress (Comedy).

Among the semifinalists are, for Supporting Actor:
Naveen Andrews, Lost
Bruce Dern, Big Love
Christian Clemenson, Boston Legal
Ted Danson, Damages
Michael Emerson, Lost
Zeljko Ivanek, Damages
T.R. Knight, Grey's Anatomy
William Shatner, Boston Legal
John Slattery, Mad Men
Blair Underwood, In Treatment
Jake Weber, Medium

In May, I singled out Danson, Emerson and Slattery as very deserving nominees, so I'm glad to see them there. Last year's winner, Terry O'Quinn of "Lost," isn't nominated this year. Whether it was his choice or the Academy's is unknown (though I'm guessing he's not pulling a Katherine Heigl and blaming the writers for weak storylines). Why "Medium" and "Boston Legal" continue to get Emmy love will always be a mystery to me, but nice call by the voters on the always-reliable Ivanek, a longtime favorite for me since his "Homicide" days.

For Supporting Actress, Drama:
Jane Alexander, Tell Me You Love Me
Candice Bergen, Boston Legal
Rose Byrne, Damages
Jill Clayburgh, Dirty Sexy Money
Sharon Gless, Burn Notice
Rachel Griffiths, Brothers & Sisters
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men
S. Epatha Merkerson, Law & Order
Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy
Dianne Wiest, In Treatment
Chandra Wilson, Grey's Anatomy

Connie Britton, who last year submitted herself as a lead, went the supporting actress route this year and was left off the list, which is a shame. Griffiths, Oh and Wilson aren't surprises, though it remains to be seen whether the "Grey's" actresses will be helped or hindered by the Heigl controversy. Byrne is in a tough spot; no way she submits herself against Glenn Close as a lead, but at the same time, the whole series is from her character's perspective, so she's hardly supporting, either.

Bergen, Alexander, Clayburgh, Gless and Wiest (and probably Merkerson) are long-time Academy favorites, so they may comprise the entire list of finalists. I noted Hendricks in the May blog, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

For Lead Actress, Comedy:
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
Marcia Cross, Desperate Housewives
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Anna Friel, Pushing Daisies
Felicity Huffman, Desperate Housewives
Eva Longoria Parker, Desperate Housewives
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, New Adventures of Old Christine
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds
Sarah Silverman, The Sarah Silverman Program

I had hoped/figured Ferrera (last year's winner), Louis-Dreyfus, Fey and Friel for nominations, so those are some good picks. The "Desperate" ladies aren't really a surprise, though Cross has been the one I think who has shined the most since the series began. I figured Applegate and Parker would get some support as well. The big surprise is Silverman, whose show is kind of a cross between sitcom and variety. Will the Emmy voters risk what she might say during a live acceptance speech?

I'll post more nominations when they are leaked.

SAG NEWS: The contract between SAG and the studios expired yesterday at midnight with no new deal in place, but we're still a long way away from a work stoppage. The studios presented SAG with a proposal, which the actors' union will take a few days to study.

But SAG is in a tough spot, since some big name actors like Tom Hanks are pushing for a deal while others like Jack Nicholson want to keep negotiating, dividing the rank and file down the middle. In addition, with deals signed by the Writers', Producers' and Directors' guilds, and a tentative deal reached with the other actors' union, AFTRA, the framework for a deal with SAG is in place, leaving not a lot of wriggle room. Hopefully, the two sides will come together soon.

R.I.P. DON S. DAVIS: The veteran character-actor, who died Monday from a heart attack, was 65. Davis was a familiar face in a lot of TV series, including "Twin Peaks," "The X-Files" and "Stargate SG-1." If you think he played a lot of military officers, there's probably a reason -- Davis served as a U.S. Army officer before becoming an actor.

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: "Nova" is beginning a new "ScienceNow" series (PBS, 9 p.m.) throughout the summer that looks at various new scientific issues. Tonight's installment centers on genetic profiling.

Everything else is so-called reality fare, so pick what you will.

Emmy Contenders

In a rather unique move, the Emmys have released the list of the final 10 comedy and drama series up for top show honors. Each list will be pared to five in the coming weeks, with the finalists in all of the categories to be announced in July.

For your perousal:

Outstanding Comedy Series Finalists
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
Family Guy
Flight of the Conchords
The Office
Pushing Daisies
30 Rock (won last year)
Two and a Half Men
Ugly Betty
Weeds

Outstanding Drama Series Finalists
Boston Legal
Damages
Dexter
Friday Night Lights
Grey’s Anatomy
House
Lost
Mad Men
The Tudors
The Wire

First, the comedies. I'm glad to see "Pushing Daisies" made the list and disappointed "How I Met Your Mother" didn't. I suppose "Flight of the Conchords" shows some out-of-the-box thinking by the Academy, but "Two and a Half Men" clearly doesn't. It might be most telling that four of the 10 shows are aired on pay cable, while three of the 10 are hour-long shows and not traditional sitcoms.

I already listed who I wanted to make the finals last month, so check out the May blog posts for that. Of the list, I expect the finals to come down to "Curb," "Conchords," "The Office," "30 Rock" and "Ugly Betty," but with the Emmy voters, who knows what they are thinking?

As for the dramas, that they waste a slot on "Boston Legal" is both bitterly disappointing and not surprising. I fully expected some of my picks - which included "Battlestar Galactica" and "Supernatural" - not to make it, but I was hoping "Breaking Bad" might sneak in.

With "The Wire" airing its final season and seemingly taking the slot usually reserved for last year's winner, "The Sopranos," it will be interesting to see if the voters bring this much-praised but often-overlooked series to the big dance. Another thing to look for is how "Grey's Anatomy" fares after star (and last year's Best Supporting Actress winner) Katherine Heigl pulling out of this year's race, citing the quality of her storylines as a reason why. If "Grey's" doesn't make the cut in what is a pretty tough field, Heigl may get the brunt of the criticism.

As for the finalists, I expect it to go down to "Boston Legal" (unfortunately; God, these voters are idiots), "Damages," "Mad Men," "The Tudors" and "The Wire." That may not be the case, though, because that would mean only one network show would make the cut.

Anyway, keep an eye out in this space for when the finalists are announced.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: The second part of the two-part "Doctor Who" adventure, "Forest of the Dead" (Sci Fi, 9 p.m.) airs tonight after Sci Fi reruns the first part, "Silence in the Library" at 8 p.m. As good as the first part was, tonight's episode may be some of the best work ever done in the four seasons since the show was revived.

On Saturday, "Robin Hood" (BBC America, 9 p.m.) is new. Also, a reminder, the first-ever "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) starring the late George Carlin is being rerun this weekend.

On Sunday, "Masterpiece: Mystery" (PBS, 9 p.m.) continues with "Inspector Lewis." Also, there's a new "In Plain Sight" (USA, 10 p.m.)

Emmy Memo II: Drama

On Tuesday, I put out a list of who I would like to see on an Emmy ballot for comedy. Obviously, there are always going to be differences of opinion, but I think it's a pretty good list.

Today, I'm tackling drama. It's a little bit more difficult, because with so many more dramas on the air than comedies (and that includes counting hour-long shows like "Ugly Betty" as comedies rather than dramas) it makes for a much more crowded field.

Plus, I don't watch every single show out there, so I know at least one reader ahead of time will be ticked off that I won't be listing anyone from "The Wire" below. It's not because I don't think it is; it's because I've never seen it.

Part of the problem with the Emmy process is that the people who vote on the awards don't see every show out there, either. Most of them are actively working in the TV industry and don't have time to watch every show out there. So when they get their list of nominees, they are exposed to a certain show for that one episode. When you have a show as complex as "Lost," for example, that makes it very tough to judge a show without having context.

That said, there's still no reason for Emmy voters to keep picking "Boston Legal" every year.

Anyway, here's the list:

BEST ACTRESS:
Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights)
Glenn Close (Damages)
Natalie Dormer (The Tudors)
Evageline Lilly (Lost)
Mary McDonnell (Battlestar Galactica)
Comments: One of the toughest things about putting a list together is how to classify certain actors and actresses. When you have ensemble shows like "Lost" or "BSG," it's hard to pick someone for a lead category. But I feel OK with these picks. Close is the only one above who is a shoo-in for a nomination, but I'm hoping (praying, actually) that this is the year for Britton or McDonnell.

BEST ACTOR:
Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights)
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)
Michael C. Hall (Dexter)
Jon Hamm (Mad Men)
Hugh Laurie (House)
Comments: Man, oh man, having to limit yourself to five slots is tough. I didn't list Michael Chiklis from "The Shield" only because it's been so long since the show has been on, I'm not sure it's in the qualifying time period. There are so many other actors I'd have love to have listed here as well - Edward James Olmos, Matthew Fox, Jonny Lee Miller and others - but I have to limit myself, just like the Emmys. Of the above list, Cranston was so sensational that he may deserve a category by himself.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica)
Christina Hendricks (Mad Men)
Maria Doyle Kennedy (The Tudors)
Yunjin Kim (Lost)
Katee Sackoff (Battlestar Galactica)
Comments: I tried not to list two actors from the same show in the same category, but it's really impossible to choose between Helfer and Sackoff. Kim's done some of her best work on "Lost" this season, and Hendricks' star is definitely on the rise. Kennedy was brilliant and tragic as Katherine of Aragon.

SUPPORTING ACTOR:
James Callis (Battlestar Galactica)
Ted Danson (Damages)
Michael Emerson (Lost)
Victor Garber (Eli Stone)
John Slattery (Mad Men)
Comments: Callis is just fun to watch as the sniveling Baltar, and Danson more than held his own with Glenn Close. Emerson is, quite simply, TV's best villain. Like I noted yesterday with Kristen Chenoweth, Garber ought to be required to do a musical number once an episode, and Slattery turned in a career-best performance (I still can't stop laughing at him having climb all those stairs after eating all those oysters).

BEST DRAMA:
Battlestar Galactica
Friday Night Lights
Lost
Mad Men
Supernatural
Comments: Since this is my list, I don't mind throwing a couple of Hail Marys. "FNL," "Lost," and "Mad Men" are virtual locks for nominations. BSG is on a lot of people's wish lists, but since the Emmys virtually ignore sci-fi and have ignored the show in the past, this is just more wishful thinking, sadly. I'm sure a lot of people are surprised by including "Supernatural" here, but few shows hit so consistently on a week-to-week basis, effectively mixing horror and humor. I know this show has zero chance at a nomination, which is why this is a wish list.

Again, feel free to list any omissions I might have made in the comments section.

COMING TOMORROW: Actor Michael Emerson talks about the "Lost" season finale.

PRODUCERS, UNION SETTLE: Hollywood studios and the AFTRA, the second largest actors' union, settled on a contract Wednesday morning. Though the studios still have to work out a deal with SAG, the largest union, it will greatly reduce the chances of another work stoppage, especially now with three union contracts in place to provide a framework for the remaining labor negotiations. So, good news indeed.

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: "Men In Trees," (ABC, 10 p.m.) which has a bit of a cult following, didn't have enough viewers to get renewed. So ABC is burning off the last few remaining episodes now, including tonight's new one.

Hockey gets a rare spotlight in primetime, as NBC airs Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals between Pittsburgh and Detroit beginning at 8 p.m.

Finally, a bit of a treat as R.E.M. is the featured band on "Austin City Limits" (PBS, 9 p.m.)

Emmy Memo I: Comedy

Hope you kids had a good holiday weekend.

Today and tomorrow I am doing my memo to the Academy, listing who I hope will be considered for Emmy statuettes, even though the Emmy process is probably the most frustrating of all the major awards.

This list is by no means complete -- after all, I can't watch every single show out there, though I do try -- but I think I've got some good lists going. You, gentle reader, are more than welcome to agree with me or provide some of your own suggestions.

Here we go:

BEST ACTRESS:
America Ferrera (Ugly Betty)
Tina Fey (30 Rock)
Anna Friel (Pushing Daisies)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (New Adventures of Old Christine)
Amy Pietz (Aliens In America)
Comments: Ferrera, Fey and Louis-Dreyfuss are sort of no-brainers for this category. The winsome Friel was truly the girl next door, albeit the dead girl next door, and Pietz stole practically every scene that she was in for the under-appreciated "Aliens."

BEST ACTOR:
Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
Steve Carell (The Office)
Zachary Levi (Chuck)
Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies)
Josh Radnor (How I Met Your Mother)
Comments: The first two are practically shoo-ins for nominations. Levi displayed a goofy charm as a reluctant spy, Pace was wonderful with his deadpan as the hapless piemaker with the unfortunate power of raising the dead, and Radnor does a good job often playing the straight man to his castmates' loony adventures.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies)
Jenna Fischer (The Office)
Becki Newton (Ugly Betty)
Jaime Pressley (My Name Is Earl)
Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty)
Comments: I tried to limit myself to one actor per show, because I think the Academy should just pick one. But as I argued last year, it's really a tough call between Williams' evil Wilhelmina, who drives a lot of the plot, and the scene-stealing Newton, who didn't get as much screen time as she should have. Fischer continues to be a rising star (although castmate Angela Kinsey also deserves strong consideration). Chenoweth is always fantastic (and should be required to do one musical number per episode). Pressley won last year, and will earn another nomination.

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother)
Jack McBrayer (30 Rock)
Chi McBride (Pushing Daises)
Michael Urie (Ugly Betty)
Ray Wise (Reaper)
Comments: I'm really hoping that Harris wins his long-deserved Emmy, creating one of TV's great characters in Barney Stinson. McBrayer and Urie steal pretty much every scene they are in. McBride was a revelation in his ability to do comedy after a large body of dramatic work (though I'd also love to get a nomination here for Digby the dog). Wise was inspired casting as the Devil, and will hopefully get more screen time next season.

SERIES
30 Rock
How I Met Your Mother
The Office
Pushing Daisies
Ugly Betty
Comments: "30 Rock" and "The Office" have traditionally gotten a lot of buzz since their debut, and "How I Met Your Mother" is, for my money, the consistently best traditional sitcom on the air. "Pushing Daisies" was, hands down, the best new show on TV this season. "Ugly Betty" wasn't quite up to its first season's standards, but is certain to grab a slot. Honorable mention to "Chuck," "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Aliens In America."

Coming tomorrow: The dramas

R.I.P. SYDNEY POLLACK: The Oscar-winning director, producer and actor was 73 when he died from cancer Monday. I was lucky enough to meet Pollack very briefly two years ago at the Austin Film Festival, and he was doing great work right up to his death, most recently with "Michael Clayton" as George Clooney's boss.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: Nowt. Nada. Nothing. I simply can't bring myself to list new episodes of "According to Jim" (ABC, 8 p.m.) as "best" anything. In addition, the truly rancid "Moment of Truth" (Fox, 8 p.m.) returns.

If you do want something to watch, try to catch "Recount" on HBO, which will probably run another 15 times or so this week on one of the network's channels. It's a truly clever retelling of the 2000 election fiasco, and Kevin Spacey, Tom Wilkinson and Laura Dern are virtual locks for Emmy nominations in the TV-movie acting categories.

Emmy Aftermath

Well, the Emmy voters have spoken.

And they said, "Boy, we have no clue what we're doing!"

James Spader?!? Seriously?!? (Taking a deep breath...)

OK, except for the bewildering selection of Spader, I can't say the Emmy voters did a terrible job. Of course, I should, since I went 2 of 10 for my predictions. But I qualify my choices by pointing out that trying to read the mind of the average Emmy voter is nearly impossible. (And, in the last Oscar pool, I only missed two picks in the ENTIRE list.)

More importantly, the Emmy voters weren't representative of the fan choices in my rather unscientific poll. Here are the results:

DRAMAS
Best Drama
Winner: The Sopranos
Prediction: The Sopranos
TV Guy choice: Heroes
Fans' choice: The Sopranos (38%)
The only reason why I didn't pick The Sopranos was because of the uneven final season, and the pop culture impact of Heroes.

Best Actor
Winner: James Spader
Prediction: James Gandolfini
TV Guy/Fans' choice: Hugh Laurie (49%)
No comment. Why anything from Boston Legal earned a nomination is beyond me. Laurie's vote total was the highest in any category from you guys.

Best Actress
Winner: Sally Field
Prediction: Edie Falco
TV Guy pick: Falco
Fans' choice: Kyra Sedgwick (35%)
In hindsight, I was just dumb. I should have remembered than any voter in any award show likes Sally Field, really likes Sally Field. And my heart breaks for Edie for yet another year.

Supporting Actor
Winner: Terry O'Quinn
Prediction: Michael Imperioli
TV Guy pick: Michael Emerson
Fans' choice: T.R. Knight (37%)
OK, so I overestimated the love for The Sopranos. Didn't realize the blog has so many Grey's lovers. ...

Supporting Actress
Winner: Katherine Heigl
Prediction: Rachel Griffiths
TV Guy/Fans' choice: Heigl (25%)
This one really pleasantly surprised me, with so many Grey's actresses in the field.

COMEDIES
Best Comedy
Winner: 30 Rock
Prediction: Ugly Betty
TV Guy choice: Ugly Betty
Fans' choice: The Office (30%)
Right instinct on the voters going with something new, just the wrong choice.

Best Actor
Winner: Ricky Gervais
Prediction: Alec Baldwin
TV Guy choice: Ricky Gervais
Fans' choice: Tony Shalhoub/Charlie Sheen (27%)
In this case, you readers thought more like the average Emmy voter than the average Emmy voter did. Go figure. Glad to see the win for Gervais, obviously. I think Baldwin might have been hurt by his off-camera drama with his ex-wife and daughter. That shouldn't be a factor in voting, IMO, but on the other hand, off-camera stuff probably cost Isiah Washington a shot at an Emmy nomination, so I guess it evens out on a karma scale.

Best Actress
Winner/Prediction/TV Guy & Fans' choice: America Ferrera (32%)
This one was close to a mortal lock, though the field was pretty strong.

Supporting Actor
Winner: Jeremy Piven
Prediction: Rainn Wilson
TV Guy/Fans' choice: Neil Patrick Harris (42%)
I can't really argue the Piven pick, but it's hard to pick an actor when they are going against a co-star, no matter what the category.

Supporting Actress
Winner: Jamie Pressley
Prediction/TV Guy pick: Jenna Fischer
Fans' choice: Vanessa Williams (33%)
In this case, I was more surprised by the readers than the voters. Pressley should have won last year, so it's nice she got it this year.

I'd have more to say about the Academy's voting, but a' la Ray Romano during the Emmy telecast, it'd just get bleeped out.

MONDAY'S BEST: I don't know if you can consider tonight the official start of the fall season or not, but Fox is all-new tonight with the ridiculous "Prison Break" (Fox, 8 p.m.) followed by the underwhelming "K-Ville" at 9 p.m.

"PB" seriously over-reached last season with its ridiculous conspiracy plot, and by getting rid of Sarah Wayne Callies, it leaves itself open with some major plot holes. Plus, Michael breaking his crew out of another prison seems a bit repetitive.

I reviewed "K-Ville" several posts ago, so you can look that up, but the short of it is the pilot seemed too familiar and awash in cop show cliches despite the potentially very interesting setting of post-Katrina New Orleans.

Donald Trump puts in a guest shot as the banker on "Deal or No Deal" (NBC, 8 p.m.)Hopefully, he doesn't try to fire Howie Mandel midway through the episode.

Finally, "Saving Grace" (TNT, 10 p.m.) is all-new.

Emmy Semifinalists

The Los Angeles Times awards blog has leaked the semifinalists in both Best Drama and Best Comedy. Emmy voters have a week or so to pare down this list of 10 each down to the five finalists.

In best drama, you have: "Boston Legal," "Dexter," "Friday Night Lights," "Grey’s Anatomy," "Heroes," "House," "Lost," "Rome," "The Sopranos" and "24."

Notable series that were left off because, frankly, the Emmy voters tend to be idiots include "Battlestar Galactica," "Rescue Me" and "The Shield."

Of the list that are finalists, "Boston Legal" definitely belongs in the what-are-they-possibly-thinking category. Of the rest, my PERSONAL choice of five would be "FNL," "Lost," "Heroes," "The Sopranos" and, based on its buzz, "Dexter." "Rome" was a fine series but not a finalist, IMHO, and "House" deserves its Emmy noms in the acting categories.

However, the finalist list will almost certainly include "Grey's," "The Sopranos," "FNL," "24" and either "Heroes" or "Lost." If that's the case, I'd love for "FNL," which has been TV's best drama this season (with the exception of "The Shield") to get the win and solidify its place on NBC's roster.

In the comedy category, there is: "Desperate Housewives," "Entourage," "Extras," "My Name Is Earl," "The Office," "Scrubs," "30 Rock," "Two and a Half Men," "Ugly Betty" and "Weeds."

It's a slightly more complete list than the dramas, though Emmy voters dropped the ball in a big way with the omission of "How I Met Your Mother." "The New Adventures of Old Christine" and "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" would also have been fine picks. On the other hand, major props to the voters for putting "Extras" on there.

My final list of the above choices would include "The Office," "Scrubs," "Extras," "Ugly Betty" and probably either "Entourage" or "Weeds." You've got to wonder why "Desperate Housewives," a shell of itself from the first season, is still being bandied about. It just goes to show how out of touch Emmy voters are.

The final list will likely include "The Office," "Men," "Betty," "30 Rock" and probably "Earl," though the Emmy voters may stick one of the pay cable series on the list to show how liberal they are.

Also reported on the site, goldderby.latimes.com, are several rumors among the acting noms, including:

BEST COMEDY ACTOR
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Steve Carell, "The Office"
Charlie Sheen, "Two and a Half Men"

BEST COMEDY ACTRESS
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "New Adventures of Old Christine"
America Ferrera, "Ugly Betty"
Teri Hatcher, "Desperate Housewives"
Felicity Huffman, "Desperate Housewives"
Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds"

BEST DRAMA ACTOR
James Gandolfini, "Sopranos"
Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"
Eddie Izzard, "The Riches"
Hugh Laurie, "House"
Denis Leary, "Rescue Me"
Kiefer Sutherland, "24"

BEST DRAMA ACTRESS
Minnie Driver, "The Riches"
Edie Falco, "Sopranos"

BEST SUPPORTING DRAMA ACTOR
Masi Oka, "Heroes"

BEST SUPPORTING DRAMA ACTRESS
CCH Pounder, "The Shield"

BEST SUPPORTING COMEDY ACTOR
John Krasinski, "The Office"

BEST SUPPORTING COMEDY ACTRESS
Vanessa Williams, "Ugly Betty"

For the most part, most of these names would be good choices. The Emmy voters could do better than Hatcher and Driver, however, and in theory, still might. Pounder would be a pleasant surprise, considering how often "The Shield" gets ignored. As much as I enjoy Oka, if "Heroes" gets one nom in the supporting actor category, it should go to Jack Coleman.

We'll pass along any more news when we hear it. Remember, all of the above picks are based on sources whom the LA Times considers reliable, so take from it what you will. The final list of noms comes out July 19, so you can be sure what will be the blog topic that day.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: I didn't get to comment last week about "On The Lot," (Fox, 8 p.m.), which is a shame because once again, my man Zach proved to be the class of the field. The most improved filmmaker was the girl who did film about the guy who takes his father-in-law to the doctor's office, a huge improvement over the awful documentary she submitted in the previous round. And say what you will about it, but I liked Will's film about the guy getting brain surgery. Tonight's group of six are submitting horror films.

Various other reality offerings are on the air tonight, but hey, I don't really care about them.

For Your Consideration

Rather than try to do one of those "dream Emmy ballots" that other publications put out, I decided to write about one or two choices in each category about actors who have done good work but have gone unnoticed by the Academy in the past or are on new shows. Thus, I won't be mentioning the big names like James Gandolfini of "The Sopranos" here, since he's pretty much a shoo-in.

The Academy is putting together the official ballot this weekend.

It's actually pretty difficult to limit myself to one or two choices in each, but here goes:

THE DRAMAS:

Best Actor: Hugh Laurie, House. Now it may seem to be a waste of pick to submit Laurie's name - after all, he's won two Golden Globes for this role - but Emmy voters didn't even him nominate him last year, which to me is unfathomable.

Also on the list is fellow UGA grad Kyle Chandler of "Friday Night Lights." Believe me, I've probably met more high school football coaches than any TV critic in America, and Chandler is spot on in his performance.

Best Actress: Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights: Any time I pick this category and I'm NOT picking Edie Falco of "The Sopranos" and Mary McDonell of "Battlestar Galactica," it's a safe bet that this is a special choice. Britton, who has been a solid actress on shows like "Spin City" and "24" absolutely blew me away this year as "Mrs. Coach" (as one of the players calls her). Britton's frank talk about teen sex with TV daughter Aimee Teegarden was the single best-filmed scene on TV this year.

Best Supporting Actor: These are the names I'm NOT throwing out there: Zach Gilford of "Friday Night Lights"; Masi Oka, "Heroes"; and Walton Goggins, "The Shield." It's not because they aren't worthy; each could walk away with an Emmy and I'd be thrilled. I just wanted to show how deep this category really is. There are about 20 actors I could legitimately put here. (The only reason I'm leaving Goggins off is because if the Emmy voters have snubbed the likes of Glenn Close and Forest Whittaker in past years from "The Shield," then they are likely going to screw over Goggins as well, which is a shame.)

So, limiting myself to two choices, I've got:

Michael Emerson, Lost: In addition to being a nice guy off the set, he's flat-out one of TV's best villains. What makes the character of Ben Linus so intriguing is that he thinks he's the good guy. As my co-worker Linda Morris says, "He really creeps me out!"

Jack Coleman, Heroes: Like Emerson, Coleman was originally a guest star who became so popular with the fans, they made him a regular. Though Oka's popularity and enthusiasm might net him a deserved nomination from the show, Coleman's character of HRG was a true study in shades of gray and revitalized the actor's career.

Best Supporting Actress: Elizabeth Mitchell, Lost: I love Elizabeth Mitchell. I really do. I mean, I'd want to marry her if she weren't already married. So when I heard she was joining "Lost," I had high hopes for what she would bring to the show. And she still cleared the high bar I had set, taking her game to a whole other level. It's annoying to know that Mitchell will probably lose to a "Grey's Anatomy" doctor, but she was the single best addition to an established cast this year.

THE COMEDIES:

Best Actor: Ricky Gervais, Extras: Gervais is more likely to get a writing nomination for his brilliant, but little-seen "Extras," but as he usually is, Gervais was brilliant.

Best Actress: America Ferrera, Ugly Betty: Actually, this is almost a wasted pick. Not because Ferrera isn't deserving, but because I think she's so deserving that she's a near lock to win this year. If you want to put your money down on one choice in an Emmy pool, make it this one.

Best Supporting Actor: Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother: Harris' scene-stealing Barney could have been one of those annoying TV characters (like Kramer on "Seinfeld") that chews up the scenery, but Harris found the perfect note of obnoxiousness and humor. Barney's savant-like "Price Is Right" ability, as well as the slap bet, made for some of the funniest sitcom moments this year.

Best Supporting Actress: What is a supporting player? Here's my dilemma. Look at "Ugly Betty." On the one hand, you have Vanessa Williams, who has been nearly perfect as the bitchy Wilhelmina Slater. But that character, while technically supporting, is almost a lead in that she drives much of the drama and is essential to the show.

On the other hand, you have Becki Newton, whose Amanda is much less essential to the overall plot, but steals virtually every scene she's in. So how do you choose? I can't; so either of these lovely ladies is a worthy choice.

So, what are your picks? Who did I leave off, or who did I choose that was right or wrong in your eyes? Write in, and tell your friends.

WASHINGTON DONE: Embattled "Grey's Anatomy" star Isaiah Washington is done, TVGuide.com is reporting. The actor, who made derogatory anti-gay remarks to co-star T.R. Knight this year, won't have his contract renewed. It's probably a good thing, since Washington's offscreen drama had detracted from the onscreen one, but Washington's character Burke had also reached a crossroads, walking out of his own wedding in the show's season finale.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: Fans of the short-lived drama "Standoff" (Fox, Fri., 9 p.m.) can catch the remaining few episodes as Fox burns them off. This was a decent little show with great chemistry between the leads, but failed to measure up in the ratings.

The "Gil Mayo Mysteries" are airing tonight with two episodes on BBC America. I haven't seen this one before, but BBC mysteries are usually worth your time.

"Hex" is brand-new (BBC America, Sat., 9 p.m.) I'd love to be able to tell you how the season premiere was, but alas I didn't watch it before my ceiling caved in and haven't had a place to set my VCR up since. I'll have to miss this week's as well, since my hotel doesn't get BBC America.

Is there anything on Sunday? Let's see, the Tony Awards (CBS, Sun., 8 p.m.); a new episode of "The Loop" (Fox, 8:30 p.m.) Anything else of note?

Oh yeah, something called "The Sopranos" (HBO, 9 p.m.) is airing its final episode, probably one of the most anticipated finales in the history of television. My advice is to catch it live and not tape it, since someone will likely blurt out something you don't want spoiled.