With Breaking Bad gone, it's anyone's game (especially Game's)
Early Thursday morning (though, thankfully, not as early as in years past), the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences announced its nominations for the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards, and HBO's Game of Thrones was the top nominee for the second year in a row, leading all programs with a stunning 24 nominations (up from last year's 19).
American Horror Story, always another major contender, added two nominations to last year's total to finish second with 19 overall, trailed by a pair of HBO films, Olive Kitteridge and Bessie. The best-performing newcomer this year was Amazon's Transparent, with an impressive 11 nominations, followed among the new series by ABC's American Crime (10 nominations) and AMC's Better Call Saul and Netflix's Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (each with 7).
HBO was yet again the leader among all networks, with a fairly astounding 126 total nominations (that's 27 more than its total in 2014). The second-highest total among all networks and the first among broadcast networks belonged to ABC for the first time in several years. That network had 42 nominations, ahead of CBS and NBC, which each had 41.
Listed below are the 2015 Emmy nominees in each major category.
Drama nominees
Last year's winners in each category are marked with an asterisk (*) if re-nominated this season.
Outstanding Drama Series
Both the drama and comedy fields have been expanded to seven nominees this year (up from last year's six), and there are several important rule changes designed to clarify which category each show is eligible for. Hourlong programs (like former comedy nominee Orange Is the New Black) are presumed to be dramas, while 30-minute shows are placed by default in the comedy category. Individual shows may lobby the Academy for an exception—which Netflix did attempt for OITNB, only to have the Academy reject its appeal, leaving it to compete as a drama, where its nomination total dropped from 12 in its first season to just four this year (for its second season, rather than the now-streaming third season, which will be eligible for the Emmys in 2016). Shameless, Jane The Virgin and Glee did have their petitions approved, however, and thus were eligible as comedies. In addition, there are now better defined rules for determining whether a show is a miniseries or a regular drama/comedy series; to qualify for the latter, a series must tell an ongoing story in at least six episodes.
Last year, the final season of Breaking Bad dominated the drama categories, winning best drama series and three of the four acting awards. With that show now off the air, this year's contests become more competitive and harder to predict. Mad Men, with its own final season, may be the sentimental favorite (and has a proven record, winning in this category in each of its first four seasons). But will this be the year that Game of Thrones finally wins the big one? Or will the Academy go with the next best thing to Breaking Bad in the form of its prequel, Better Call Saul (the only first-year series contending in the category)?
As for what's missing here, well, there's The Americans, the favorite drama of many a TV critic over the past year. It still couldn't make the cut despite the extra nominee slot this year. Nor could CBS's The Good Wife, another long-neglected critical favorite. And while the Academy did hand out a few nominations for Fox's new hit Empire, that show failed to crack the best drama category, as did Golden Globe winner The Affair.
Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Only Daniels, Hamm, and Spacey are repeats here from last year, but the other three contenders all have past nominations (and both Chandler and Odenkirk have won, though obviously not for their current shows, which are each in their debut seasons). Daniels won the trophy for this same role two years ago, making him an instant favorite (with last year's winner Bryan Cranston out of the picture), but Hamm (also nominated this year for a guest spot in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmdit) is the sentimental favorite: he now has 15 career nominations without a win.
Lead Actress in a Drama Series
It's a year of change in the lead actress category. Missing from last year's group of nominees are Lizzy Caplan (Masters of Sex), Scandal's Kerry Washington, Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey), and—in the biggest surprise—The Good Wife's Julianna Margulies, who won the Emmy here last year. In a welcome though unexpected twist, however, one of their replacements is perennial Emmy snub Tatiana Maslany. She and Viola Davis are the first-time Emmy nominees here.
Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
With Breaking Bad off the air, Aaron Paul can't repeat as the winner here, though his co-star Jonathan Banks is among the nominees—playing the same character for which he was nominated in 2013, but on a different show. Carter and Dinklage are actually the only repeats in this category from last year, but if TV critics are any guide, watch out for Mendelsohn, who was by far their favorite thing about first-year Netflix drama Bloodline.
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Anna Gunn was the winner here last year, so the end of Breaking Bad means that yet another category is suddenly up for grabs. All of the supporting actress contenders have previous Emmy nominations, though only Aduba and Baranski have won Emmys.
Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Writing for a Drama Series
| Joshua Brand |
The Americans, "Do Mail Robots Dream Of Electric Sheep?" |
FX |
| Gordon Smith |
Better Call Saul, "Five-0" |
AMC |
| David Benioff and D.B. Weiss |
Game of Thrones, "Mother's Mercy" |
HBO |
| Semi Chellas and Matthew Weiner |
Mad Men, "Lost Horizon" |
AMC |
| Matthew Weiner |
Mad Men, "Person to Person" |
AMC |
Directing for a Drama Series
Comedy nominees
Last year's winners in each category are marked with an asterisk (if re-nominated this season).
Outstanding Comedy Series
Modern Family has dominated this category, winning the award in each of its five previous seasons. Will this be the year its reign ends? The ABC sitcom received just six total nominations this year, easily its lowest total to date. (Last year, Modern Family was nominated 10 times, and its yearly total has been as high as 17.)
Louie, Silicon Valley, and Veep are the other other repeat nominees here. Streaming hits Transparent (which won the Golden Globe in this category) and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt were each nominated for their debut seasons, and Parks and Recreation (nominated here for its strong final season) was previously nominated in this category just once, in 2011. Missing from last year's nominees are Orange Is the New Black (which competed as a drama instead) and The Big Bang Theory. Critical darling Jane the Virgin was unable to crack the expanded field (while that show's star, Gina Rodriguez was similarly left out of the actress group despite winning the Golden Globe for her performance).
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Jim Parsons, who won the Emmy in this category in each of the past two years, could not even crack this year's field despite an expansion from six to seven nominees. Cheadle, Louis C.K., LeBlanc, and Macy are the repeat nominees from a year ago, while Anderson is a first-time nominee (giving first-year comedy hit black-ish its sole nomination).
In addition to his nomination here, Louis C.K. added four more in other categories this year. That gives him an astounding 30 Emmy nominations in the last five years alone (and 34 for his career, with six total wins).
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Julia Louis-Dreyfus owns this category, with wins in each of the past three years. She has some new challengers this year, however, in the form of Amy Schumer, Lisa Kudrow, and Lily Tomlin. The biggest potential challenger, however, could be Amy Poehler, who now has 14 career nominations (including six for portraying Leslie Knope on Parks & Rec) but is still seeking her first Emmy trophy.
Missing from last year's nominees in this category are Lena Dunham (whose Girls received just two nominations this year, repeating last year's disappointing total), Taylor Schilling (who failed to repeat as a nominee once OITNB was shifted into the drama category), and Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly). In addition to the aforementioned Gina Rodriguez, the most obvious omission here is Ellie Kemper, seemingly the only cast member from Netflix's first-year comedy Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt to go without a nomination.
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
In a major contrast to recent years, Burrell and Julie Bowen (below) are the only Modern Family stars nominated this year. That clears the way for first-time nominee Tituss Burgess, as well as the Key half of Key and Peele.
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Both Allison Janney (last year's winner here) and first-timer Gaby Hoffmann received two nominations this year; the latter also was honored for her guest role in HBO's Girls, while Janney is also looking for a repeat victory for her "guest" performance in Masters of Sex.
Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Writing for a Comedy Series
| David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik |
Episodes, "Episode 409" |
Showtime |
| Will Forte |
The Last Man on Earth, "Alive in Tucson" |
Fox |
| * Louis C.K. |
Louie, "Bobby's House" |
FX |
| Alec Berg |
Silicon Valley, "Two Days Of The Condor" |
HBO |
| Jill Soloway |
Transparent, "Pilot" |
Amazon |
| Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche |
Veep, "Election Night" |
HBO |
Directing for a Comedy Series
Miniseries/movie nominees
Outstanding Limited Series
The miniseries category has been retitled this year, and to qualify, a show must now tell a "complete, non-recurring story" across at least two episodes and 150 minutes. If any characters or storylines appear in multiple seasons, the show must compete with the regular drama or comedy series instead and may not be considered a limited series.
ABC's rookie series American Crime, which will follow the True Detective/Fargo/American Horror Story format of launching each season with a new cast and story, is the first broadcast network miniseries to be nominated since CBS's Elvis back in 2005.
Outstanding Made-for-Television Movie
Lead Actor in a Movie or Limited Series
Lead Actress in a Movie or Limited Series
Supporting Actor in a Movie or Limited Series
Supporting Actress in a Movie or Limited Series
Writing for a Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special
Directing for a Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special
Other nominees
Outstanding Variety Talk Series
| * The Colbert Report |
Comedy Central |
| The Daily Show with Jon Stewart |
Comedy Central |
| Jimmy Kimmel Live |
ABC |
| Last Week Tonight With John Oliver |
HBO |
| Late Show With David Letterman |
CBS |
| The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon |
NBC |
The variety series category has been split in two this year. The "Variety Talk" category winner will be announced during the main Emmy broadcast, while the new "Variety Sketch" award will be introduced during the Creative Arts ceremony.
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
Writing for a Variety Series
Outstanding Variety Special
| Bill Maher: Live From D.C |
HBO |
| The Kennedy Center Honors |
CBS |
| Louis C.K.: Live At The Comedy Store |
LouisCK.net |
| Mel Brooks Live At The Geffen |
HBO |
| The Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special |
NBC |
| Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Cheek To Cheek LIVE! |
PBS |
Outstanding Animated Program
| Archer, "Pocket Listing" |
FX |
| * Bob's Burgers, "Can't Buy Me Math" |
Fox |
| Over The Garden Wall |
Cartoon |
| The Simpsons, "Treehouse Of Horror XXV" |
Fox |
| South Park, "Freemium Isn't Free" |
Comedy Central |
Remember that unlike other shows, animated programs are nominated for a single episode, rather than the entire season.
Outstanding Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Program
| * Between Two Ferns With Zach Galifianakis: Brad Pitt |
FunnyOrDie.com |
| Billy On The Street With First Lady Michelle Obama, Big Bird And Elena!! |
FunnyOrDie.com |
| Childrens Hospital, "Just Like Cyrano de Bergerac" |
Adult Swim |
| Key & Peele Presents Van And Mike: The Ascension: Episode 5 |
CC.com |
| Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show Starring Katy Perry |
NBC |
Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series
Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special
Outstanding Informational Series Or Special
Outstanding "Structured" Reality Program
| Antiques Roadshow |
PBS |
| Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives |
Food |
| MythBusters |
Discovery |
| Property Brothers |
HGTV |
| * Shark Tank |
ABC |
| Undercover Boss |
CBS |
This is the second year that non-competitive reality shows are split into two categories. This "structured" category includes shows with a standard format each week (anything form MythBusters to Catfish to Antiques Roadshow), while the "unstructured" category (below) is for the shows that follow the lives of one or more "real" people (e.g., your Housewives, your Kardashians, your Deadliest Catchers).
Outstanding "Unstructured" Reality Program
| Alaska: The Last Frontier |
Discovery |
| * Deadliest Catch |
Discovery |
| Intervention |
A&E |
| Million Dollar Listing New York |
Bravo |
| Naked And Afraid |
Discovery |
| Wahlburgers |
A&E |
Outstanding Reality–Competition Program
| * The Amazing Race |
CBS |
| Dancing With the Stars |
ABC |
| Project Runway |
Lifetime |
| So You Think You Can Dance |
Fox |
| Top Chef |
Bravo |
| The Voice |
NBC |
Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program
| Tom Bergeron |
Dancing With the Stars |
ABC |
| Anthony Bourdain |
The Taste |
ABC |
| Cat Deeley |
So You Think You Can Dance |
Fox |
| Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn |
Project Runway |
Lifetime |
| * Jane Lynch |
Hollywood Game Night |
NBC |
More Emmy coverage
For the complete list of 2015 Emmy nominees, including the numerous technical, directing, and writing categories not listed above, visit the official Emmy website.
This year's Emmy winners will be announced during a ceremony televised live on Fox on Sunday, September 20th at 8p ET, hosted by Andy Samberg. In the week prior to the broadcast, we'll have a guide to expert predictions in each major category. But before that, you'll have an opportunity to make your own predictions in our annual Emmy poll, which launches next week.
What's your take?
What do you think of this year's Emmy nominations? Let us know in the comments section below.
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