THIS IS WHY THE EMMYS ARE ONLY SLIGHTLY LESS LAUGHABLE THAN THE GRAMMYS

Some quick hits, immediate reactions to the major Emmy Award nominations announced this morning in LA by Edie Falco and Tony Shalhoub:

• To be fair, this first note is a swipe at that crap-ass channel E!, but while introducing the presenters announcing the nominations, E! "personality" John Burke said "Eddie Falco," instead of ee-dee. Dumbass!

• How long have the Emmys presented their nominations announcement trying to replicate the fanfare of the Oscar announcements? I know they've always done the early morning thing -- 5:30 AM on the West Coast to make the network morning shows -- but I definitely don't remember it always being trying to duplicate the Oscars so explicitly. Maybe I'm just imagining that it's been different. It certainly is less interesting than the Oscar noms, and considering how boring those are (this isn't really exciting TV, no matter how much faux-excitement E! tries to instill in the proceedings with its vapid hosts and commentators), that's saying something. Anyway, a little note to Dick Askin (Chairman of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences): Learn how to read a teleprompter as if you've been there before. You were smart to have two actors read the rest rather than sharing the spotlight like your movie colleague usually does. You were painful to watch.

• Drama Series: Big surprise here -- I never would have expected Joan of Arcadia to receive a nomination, but I won't begrudge it. Joan is very standard, middle-of-the-road television drama, but it's very well-written and often pretty compelling. It doesn't really do anything innovative, like three of its co-nominees C.S.I., The Sopranos or 24, but it's still a good show. I would have preferred the wonderful American Dreams, the quirky Gilmore Girls, either daring HBO series Carnivale or Deadwood (Six Feet Under wasn't eligible this year), but Joan is acceptable. The West Wing on the other hand is bullshit! Talk about a show losing its luster and living on fumes. I've been watching The West Wing since episode one, and not only was this past season not up to snuff, overall it plain sucked. Yes, there were good episodes here and there, but the entire season was really uneven, and Aaron Sorkin's departure was quite noticeable. If The West Wing actually wins, this award is meaningless. And as someone who is not a Law & Order fan (I know, I know), I don't actually mind the show getting dissed again, except for the fact that anyone thinks The West Wing was better than it this year.

• Lead Actress Drama Series: It's really not even worth mentioning the other nominees since Edie Falco received a nod again and basically she wins every time. Deservedly so. But Edie, when you're standing at the podium and hearing Tony read your name last (ooh, those sneaky producers, doing everything in alphabetical order except keeping the suspense for the presenter), the "Oy Veysmeer" in response to your nomination for playing an Italian mafia wife is slightly ridiculous. As is the nomination in this category for Jennifer Garner.

• Lead Actor Drama Series: Dear Martin Sheen: You do know you just play the President, right? You're not actually the President. (Although, between you and me, you'd be better than the current guy.) Could you take your now over-the-top performance down a bit next season. Then you might actually deserve this nomination again, like Anthony La Paglia, Kiefer Sutherland and James Gandolfini did. (I couldn't take watching The Practice anymore, so I have no comment on James Spader.) Personally, I feel bad for Ian McShane of Deadwood. I guess he just said one "cocksucker" too many.

• Made-for-Television Movie: The Reagans? THE REAGANS???!!?!?!? Are you kidding me? This was an awful movie. And I'm not saying that from any political vantage point because I couldn't care less if Ron & Nancy got skewered or praised on TV. It was just bad. And boring. And absurd. And did I mention bad? Awful? Yeah. Sadly, it's nominations like this that give the conservatives in this country an argument that Hollywood is so liberal that they try to control the mood of the country, because the only reason I can imagine that this piece of shit three hour travesty gets a nomination is to bring attention back to the controversy that surrounded its being dumped by CBS and eventually aired on Showtime. This nomination is pathetic.

• Miniseries: Congratulations to PBS for dominating this category with nominations for both Prime Suspect 6 and American Family, and good show to A&E for Horatio Hornblower and to USA for Traffic: The Miniseries. Now all of you, smile for the camera and say how happy you are because we all know that you don't have a chance next to HBO's Angels in America. Thanks for coming.

• Lead Actress Miniseries or Movie: I love Judy Davis. Really I do. But aside from The Reagans being such a turd, whatever made her think that she could play Nancy simply by repeating her portrayal of Judy Garland is beyond me.

• Lead Actor Miniseries or Movie: On the other hand, James Brolin wasn't actually awful as Ronald Reagan, but he's about the only thing that wasn't terrible in that movie, and his portrayal was still more caricature than character. If this award doesn't go to Al Pacino for his Roy Cohn in Angels of America, though, I'll be shocked. And that means, we're in for a lovely incomprehensible acceptance speech. Yay!

• Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: The shows of three of the five nominees are no longer on the air: Friends (Jennifer Aniston) and Sex and the City (Sarah Jessica Parker) ended their runs while ABC's Life With Bonnie (Bonnie Hunt was simply cancelled. Everybody Loves Raymond (Patricia Heaton) will be its last season this fall, and as the kids get older and the show keeps going, Malcolm in the Middle (Jane Kaczmarek) gets progressively less funny. This category is as tired and boring as it seems. Make that bit of extra room on your mantle, Sarah Jessica. Your swan song should clinch it.

• Lead Actor Comedy Series: Yes, it's very sad that John Ritter passed away this year, and I understand the obvious sentimental nomination, but it really shouldn't have happened. Ritter appeared in (I think) a total of three episodes of 8 Simple Rules ... this year before passing away. That's three out of (did they do a full season?) 22 or 23. That's basically a guest role. Obviously, he was the lead when in the show, but that's not really being the lead of a series. Go ahead Emmy and honor John Ritter with a special presentation at the awards, but this nomination is unwarranted. However, Yay! Larry David. Matt Le Blanc and Kelsey Grammer? Zzzzzzz. And shocker? Look, a nom for presenter Tony Shalhoub (Monk). You know who's missing? Jason Bateman for his perfect straight-man to the surrounding craziness in the brilliant Arrested Development. Why don't you like Jason, Emmy? You know about the show ....

• Outstanding Comedy Series: I was ecstatic as Shalhoub read the nominations for this category. Arrested Development rightly received recognition for being one of the best comedies on television. The only reason Arrested Development might not deserve the award is because it has to compete against Curb Your Enthusiasm. Those are far and away the two funniest shows on TV. Sex and the City was expected and for some reason, everyone really does love Everybody Loves Raymond. I'm not that upset that Friends didn't get nominated, but could someone please, please< PLEASE explain to me why the simply awful Will & Grace keeps getting Emmy nominations. It's not funny. It once was, and then it decided to make its characters more one-dimensional while presenting the equivalent of verbal slapstick. The show actually gives me a headache every time I try to watch it. Friends or Frasier would have been more deserving, even though neither were as good as they had been in the past. What should have been in the place of Will & Grace? Aside from almost anything? Scrubs would have been a better choice, but really, the one show that should get a best comedy series and never has (I don't think) is obviously The Simpsons. All these years later, the writing continues to be stronger and funnier than just about everything else on TV – with the exception of Arrested Development and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

• Reality series: It's all about The Amazing Race. Yes, I loved The Apprentice, I'm a big fan of Last Comic Standing and I've been a faithful viewer of both Survivor and (sigh … I admit it) American idol. But the best series? No contest. As I wrote a couple days ago, The Amazing Race is, as it states in its title, simply amazing.

Here's a list of all the major category nominations. You can download a complete list of all the nominations in every last category from here.

Comments

[Jen]

Excellent analysis...some of my thoughts -

- I'm over Law & Order not being nominated. That said, where's Everwood? Or The OC?
- I'm glad Prime Suspect 6 and Helen Mirren were nominated, but I actually didn't think it was as good as past ones.
- Will & Grace is beyond me - I think Sean Hayes and Megan Mulally are great, but the show's weakest link is Grace, who bugs.
- Al Pacino just gobbles gobbles gobbles scenery. Nothing is left!
- Dave Chappelle would have been an awesome host.

[John Gibson]

What a waste of time the Emmys have become... Soproanos for all it's greatness had a down year and gets 20 nominations... Deadwood, one of the most cutting edged shows on TV today with some of the best writing and best character development on TV doesn't get a best drama nomination? What a joke. Same for Ian McShane, his portrayal of Al Swearengin has to be one of if not the best played character on TV today.

[Madpercolator]

Perhaps the excellent "Deadwood" didn't get a best drama nom because the Emmy folks couldn't find a clean clip to air at the awards show and mad-bleeping would make it too reminiscent of Sough Park clips.

Come to think of it... that sucks because I've grown to really like Deadwood - even letting it edge Carnivale out of my favorite series esteem.

Oh well. More thoughts 09/19, cuz that's when the awards are, no?

[Whoneedslight]

Ian McShane. Ian McShane. Ian McShane.

I'm going to go drown my sorrows in canned peaches.

[Aaron]

Surprisingly enough, I agree with ALL of the above comments. And I can't believe I forgot to mention Everwood, Jen. I would put it up there above Joan of Arcadia let alone The West Wing. I thought about mentioning The O.C., but the show wasn't as strong at the end of the season at the beginning, when to me it definitely transcended simple guilty pleasure into an actually complex guilty pleasure.

I was just responding to what was televised and hadn't even looked over the full list, but I'm ecstatic at the Chappelle's Show recognition. And considering that Deadwood actually managed to get 11 nominations, I guarantee Ian McShane got screwed primarily because of "cocksucker."

[Shelby]

Matt LeBlanc is nominated for Best Actor, but Jason Bateman isn't? Now that's just wrong.

[Anon]

How could they overlook Ian McShane of Deadwood??? *&@#! Idiots!

[Marleigh]

I have to disagree about The Simpsons. Though I still love the show, the writing is not nearly as sharp as it was three years ago. It's funny and all, but I feel that we're nearly at the end for Springfield. I get my animated satire fix courtesy of South Park these days.

And while Arrested Development is hysterical and Jason Bateman should have definitely been nominated, where's the nomination for Scrubs?! Will & Grace sucks it big time, as does Everybody Loves Raymond. Scrubs is far superior to both in every way. Why treat Zach Braff and the ever-amazing John C McGinley so poorly? Why?

[Joseph J. Finn]

No nominations for the very strong final season of "Angel?" Bite me.

[Cristiane]

Besides Ian McShane (his omission is simply incomprehensible), where were the nominations for Peter Gallagher, Keith Carradine and Brendan Fraser's devastating guest shot on Scrubs? Not to mention John McGinley, Kelly Bishop and Lauren Graham. Good to see that Deadwood got the only non-Sopranos writing nomination and glad to see that the Academy has finally realized that The Tonight Show is a piece of shit.

[Michael P]

The West Wing nominations are just lazy voting. Jason Bateman should have been nominated. Obviously the academy just doesn't like Scrubs - idiots. Doesn't anyone in the academy watch the WB? Lauren Graham and Kelly Bishop are long overdue.

One question, what do you have against Jennifer Garner. She's amazing. She's deserves the nomination.