Emmy Nominations 2012
Thursday, July 19, 2012 at 9:01AM 
Mad Men, The Film Experience's favorite show for five years running, and American Horror Story -- cheating with a "miniseries" categorization (like Downton Abbey in its debut year) -- led the nominations with 17 a piece.
The Emmys seem to be over genre shows... or perhaps American Horror Story and Game of Thrones hogged too much attention for the wealth to be spread. True Blood and Teen Wolf scored 0 nominations between them (and to think True Blood once was a nominee for "Best Drama Series") and The Walking Dead and Ocne Upon a Time scored only 3 nods apiece. Dexter somehow managed to keep Michael C Hall nominated for a really terrible season despite earning no other nominations.
- Boardwalk Empire (not my cuppa)
- Breaking Bad (the show I feel guiltiest about missing year after year)
- Downton Abbey (bliss. I'd be happy to see this win)
- Game of Thrones (wildly overrated)
- Homeland (so much better than I expected. a worthy nominee.)
- Mad Men (still the best show on television - my vote)
Snubbed Entirely and Not Just Here: REVENGE. How weird is that given the impact it made as a new show? It's the best nighttime soap since Dynasty. Respect!
- The Big Bang Theory (laugh track.noooooo)
- Curb Your Enthusiasm (still. really?)
- Girls (yay! so individualistic)
- Modern Family (still funny. but not as strong as parks & recreation)
- 30 Rock (still hilarious. but not as strong as parks & recreation)
- Veep (often funny. but not as strong as parks & recreation which also lampoons government)
Snubbed: You guessed it!
"We demand a recount"
And the rest of the nominations play like those are the only 12 series the voters watch, if you ask me!
MORE after the jump including THREE UNFORGIVABLE SNUBS
- Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey)
- Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire)
- Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)
- Michael C. Hall (Dexter)
- Jon Hamm (Mad Men) -my vote
- Damien Lewis (Homeland)
I think Michael C Hall is brilliant as Dexter but his best seasons are behind him and he's not finding anything new in the role at this point. Time to move on. Jon Hamm needs to win but never shall. (sigh)
- Kathy Bates (Harry's Law)
- Glenn Close (Damages)
- Claire Danes (Homeland) - my vote
- Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey)
- Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife)
- Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men)
Kathy Bates and Glenn Close. Love those ladies but one of them is phoning it in this time and the other one has played the character too long. Always pulling for Regina King to make a dent here for Southland but she won't.
Happiest surprise: Michelle Dockery has a tricky part that could be played with one note. She finds multiple variations.
UNFORGIVABLE SNUB #2: Madeleine Stowe not nominated for Revenge on which she is delicious and brilliant and riveting with every eye flicker and line reading.
Best Supporting Actress, Drama
- Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad)
- Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey)
- Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey) -my vote if Christina Hendricks weren't around
- Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife)
- Christine Baranski (The Good Wife)
- Christina Hendricks (Mad Men) - my vote
SNUBBED: Anjelica Huston (Smash)
Best Supporting Actor, Drama
Sibel Kekilli (who I ♥) and the great Peter Dinklage in Game of Thrones
- Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad)
- Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad)
- Brendan Coyle (Downton Abbey)
- Jim Carter (Downton Abbey)
- Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones) - my vote and really he makes everyone think the show is better than it is.
- Jared Harris (Mad Men)
Best Guest Actress, Drama
- Martha Plimpton (The Good Wife)
- Loretta Devine (Grey's Anatomy)
- Jean Smart (Harry's Law)
- Julia Ormond (Mad Men) - the first time I've ever really dug her as an actor. she's just terrific on this show and I hope she's around next season.
- Joan Cusack (Shameless) -my vote. love love love her on this show.
- Uma Thurman (Smash) -yay!
Best Guest Actor, Drama
- Mark Margolis (Breaking Bad)
- Dylan Baker (The Good Wife)
- Michael J Fox (The Good Wife)
- Jeremy Davies (Justified)
- Ben Feldman (Mad Men)
- Jason Ritter (Parenthood) -nice surprise. he's so sweet on this show
- Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
- Don Cheadle (Luck)
- Louis CK (Louis) -my vote though the lineup is uninspiring
- Jon Cryer (Two and Half Men)
- Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
- Jim Parsons (Big Bang Theory)
yawn. Seriously who is Jon Cryer blowing to get nominated without fail every single year? Sorry to be crass but seriously? Snubbed: Garrett Dillahunt on Raising Hope.
- Zooey Deschanel (The New Girl)
- Lena Dunham (Girls)
- Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie)
- Tina Fey (30 Rock)
- Julia Louis Dreyfuss (Veep)
- Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly)
- Amy Poehler (Parks & Recreation) -my vote
Good lineup. But SEVEN NOMINEES?
Best Supporting Actress, Comedy
- Mayim Bialik (The Big Bang Theory)
- Kathryn Joosten (Desperate Housewives)
- Julie Bowen (Modern Family)
- Sofia Vergara (Modern Family)
- Merrit Wever (Nurse Jackie) - my vote
- Kristen Wiig (SNL)
UNFORGIVABLE SNUB #1: Jane Krakowski for arguably her all time best season on 30 Rock. The Emmys suck
Oh, Schmidt!Best Supporting Actor, Comedy
- Ed O'Neill (Modern Family)
- Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family)
- Ty Burrell (Modern Family)
- Erin Stonestreet (Modern Family)
- Max Greenfield (The New Girl) -my vote
- Bill Hader (SNL)
SNUBBED AGAIN: Adam Scott and Nick Offerman from Parks & Recreation who are both doing truly outstanding work.
Outstanding Guest Actress, Comedy
- Dot Marie Jones (Glee)
- Maya Rudolph (SNL)
- Melissa McCarthy (SNL)
- Elizabeth Banks (30 Rock)
- Margaret Cho (30 Rock)
- Kathy Bates (Two and a Half Men)
Outstanding Guest Actor, Comedy
- Michael J Fox (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
- Greg Kinnear (Modern Family)
- Bobby Cannavale (Nurse Jackie)
- Jimmy Fallon (SNL)
- Will Arnett (30 Rock)
- Jon Hamm (30 Rock)
Can't say I'm qualified to vote on the guest categories though I did love Kinnear on Modern Family. And for a second I thought Cannavale was nominated for his angry clown gig on Modern Family, too. But no. Nurse Jackie.
Best Miniseries/TV Movie
- American Horror Story
- Game Change
- Hatfields and McCoys
- Hemingway and Gelhorn
- Luther
- Sherlock
Best Actress, Miniseries/TV Movie - THIS IS THE ONE. SO MANY FAVORITES
- The Underappreciated Connie Britton (American Horror Story)
- God (Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin in Game Change) -we'll finally get to see Julianne Moore receive an award on network television. It just never happens.
- #KIDMANIAFOREVER (Nicole Kidman as Martha Gellhorn in Hemingway & Gelhorn)
- Ashley Judd (Missing)
- The One and Only Emma Thompson Who Needs To Be In Our Lives More (The Song of Lunch)
Best Actor, Miniseries/TV Movie
- Woody Harrelson (Game Change)
- Kevin Costner (Hatfields & McCoys)
- Bill Paxton (Hatfields & McCoys)
- Clive Owen (Hemingway & Gelhorn)
- Idris Elba (Luther)
- Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia)
Outstanding Supporting Actress, Miniseries/TV Movie
- Frances Conroy (American Horror Story)
- Jessica Lange (American Horror Story)
- Sarah Paulson (Game Change) -YES
- Mare Winningham (Hatfields & McCoys)
- Judy Davis (Page Eight)
American Horror Story is a miniseries? Thought it was a plain ol' regular series. Downton Abbey also pulled this trick in its first season.
Outstanding Supporting Actor, Miniseries/TV Movie
- Denis O'Hare (American Horror Story)
- Ed Harris (Game Change)
- Tom Berenger (Hatfields & McCoys)
- David Strathairn (Hemingway & Gelhorn)
- Martin Freeman (Sherlock: A Scandal)
There are millions of other nominations in technical categories and writing and directing and every thing under the sun. It's almost like the Grammys wither overload. You can see all the nominations here.
Outstanding Costumes for a Series
- John Dunn (Boardwalk Empire)
- Gabriella Pescussi (The Borgias)
- Susannah Buxton (Downton Abbey)
- Michele Clapton (Game of Thrones)
- Eduardo Castro (Once Upon a Time)
UNFORGIVABLE SNUB #3: No Janie Bryant for Mad Men. It's utterly shameful that she's lost every year and now this? Basically the costume category is very uninspired this year and went straight for MOST COSTUMES. No Smash or Revenge either? And none of them anywhere to be seen in favor of the straight-up gaudy camp of Once Upon a Time?
Important Notes we didn't cover above... Smash's Joshua Bergasse was nominated for BEST CHOREOGRAPHY for "Let's Be Bad"/"National Passtime"/"Never Met a Wolf" and it damn well better win. Weirdly Smash only got one nomination for ORIGINAL MUSIC & LYRICS for "Let Me Be Your Star" which will compete with "The Heart of Christmas" a title song, "Welcome Back to Hope" from Raising Hope, "It's Not Just For Gays Anymore" from the Tony Awards, and "I Can't Believe I'm Hosting" from the Jason Segel episode of SNL. BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY nominations are very strong with Glee's only great episode "Asian F" getting a nomination, Mad Men for "The Phantom" and Pan Am's "Pilot" --loved the bright color of that show -- all in the mix.
30 Rock, Emmy, Game Change, Game of Thrones, Mad Men, Parks and Recreation, Smash
Reader Comments (85)
WTF!! Kathy Bates over MADELINE STOWE???????
Too bad about Madeline Stowe's worthy work in Revenge!!
Revenge was snubbed all over :(
No Debra Messing in Smash either :(
Look at the Best Actress in a Mini Series / Movie....
Julianne Moore
Nicole Kidman
Ashley Judd
Emma Thompson
Connie Britton
ActressTastic!!!! Love it.
Although I'm not sure how Ashley Judd's Missing is a miniseries or movie?? Wasnt it a drama series? lol
most egregious snub: janie bryant's costume design for mad men
"downton abbey" is really strong this year: six acting nominations!
I didn't like this season as much as the first one (that bates storyline was the worst part), but the show is still great. and I'm happy for michelle dockery, joanne froggatt (anna) and jim carter (carson) specially.
how come dexter is still getting nominated?
I should start watching "breaking bad".
sad for no cersei or megan hilty ("smash" is kind of awful, in the sense that it could be much better, but if jennifer hudson can get nominated for music acting, so could megan).
how on earth is there 7(!) nominees in the Best Actress in a Comedy series? lol
Yay for the Kidman and Moore nominations! It's 2003 all over again.
So sad Emily Watson isn't nominated for Appropiate Adult. She was also snubbed before for Life and Death of Peter Sellers, both were terrific performances.
:( Will she ever be nominated at the Emmys?
Breaking Bad. Yes.
How are Dexter and Two and a Half Men still getting acting nominations? This has GOT to stop. So many egregious snubs this year. More than usual, I think.
No Regina King again. Her snubs for Southland year after year are unforgivable. Best work by an actress on television by a mile.
So sad for Naya Rivera.
Comedy Series: Kind of hope it's Veep, expect it's Modern Family. Freaked out the heavily acclaimed Louie didn't get a nom.
Drama Series: No complaints.
Miniseries/TV Movie: It's between Sherlock and Game Change.
Lead Actor Drama: Though I'm not really sold on Mad Men on just it's (weak) first season, I kind of hope Hamm wins to break up the montony of Cranston's wins.
Lead Actress Drama: I think, this year, it's likely between Bates and Close with Elisabeth Moss as the possible upset.
Lead Actor Comedy: I think the win is going to be either Louis CK or Jim Parsons. However, where are Charlie Day and Danny McBride? Baldwin's been coasting since sometime in Season Four and Cryer didn't even deserve those supporting noms, let alone a lead nom. Charlie Day, meanwhile, has been OWNING the dialogue heavy and pukeworthily misanthropic classic Always Sunny in Philadelphia (there's a reason he wound up in Horrible Bosses) and Danny McBride dominates his character, always elevating the, frankly, lackluster scripts of Eastbound & Down.
Lead Actress Comedy: As Mike and Molly is just fat jokes, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss already won for The New Adventures of Old Christine and Nurse Jackie is a one Emmy character, that throws it down between three people: Fey (who's already won and is playing herself), Lena Dunham (who's playing herself) and Amy Poehler. I hope it's Amy Poehler, but I guess Fey could secure another one.
Happy for another step in Julianne's inevitable march towards some hardware finally. Nicole's Hemingway & Gelhorn came and went as far as I could tell.
And y'all should watch Breaking Bad.
Julia Ormond as guest actress for "Mad Men." Yes, yes, and more yes.
Seriously, Emmys? Kathy Freaking Bates over Madeleine Stowe?!? She will DESTROY you!
And since when was American Horror Story a miniseries? But YAY for Connie Britton, Jessica Lange (YOU GET THAT EGOT, GIRL!), and Dennis O'Hare!
And seriously, Emmys? You nominate SEVEN leading ladies in a comedy series, and Martha Plimpton on Raising Hope is NOT one of them?
Cat Deeley for Reality Show Host WIN!!!!!!!!
And the only acting nominee for Smash is Uma Thurman? Really? (I was going to make this a YOU GET THAT EGOT GIRL! thing, but then I realized that Uma did NOT win the Oscar for Pulp Fiction and got incredibly depressed, then realized that she lost it to Dianne Wiest in Bullets Over Broadway, as anyone would in any year ever, and felt a bit better.)
Yep, some surprises in the Guest Actor categories:
Uma for Smash
Julia Ormond for Mad Men
Ben Feldman (Ginsberg) on Mad Men
I just really, really hope that Christina Hendricks finally wins for Supporting Actress. Jon Hamm and Elizabeth Olson winning, too, would be nice.
I'm depressed. I just realized that "Enlightened", my favorite show of the year, was totally ignored. Also, I miss "The Good Wife" in the Drama Series category, specially after such a great season. At least, Martha Plimpton got in as guest actress.
However, we still got Mad Men! I'm over the moon with Jared Harris nomination. I love his scenes with Joan.
I guess my favorite category is Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. They're all great.
PS Strongly against considering American Horror Story a mini-series.
Wait! I've just realized... no Krakowski!!! That's it. I'm not watching this year.
Jane friggin Krakowski not being nominated in favor of BLOSSOM, Mrs. McCluskey and what's-her-face from Nurse Jackie is the most egregious snub of the year! I'm PISSED! She deserved to win!
Also, no Kelsey Grammer, but whatever.
almost forgot: "touch me" rightfully snubbed in the song category!
(still can't understand how the producers decided to submit this song for consideration - alongside "let me be your star", which secured a nomination -, over any other original song from smash besides "don't forget me" and "dig deep").
Favorite nomination: Michelle Dockery.
And I love the Joanne Froggatt nom, but Sioban Finneran would have been a better choice.
You're in better company without one of these foolish nominations.
I'm sickened over the snub of Madeline Stowe in Revenge. But I guess nighttime soaps are never the Emmy's cup of tea no matter how good the acting is. Even Emily Van Camp was worthy.
Such a shame.
American Horror Story will apparently stay in Miniseries because it will keep changing its cast and concept each season.
Michelle Dockery needs to win, and it could happen with all the Downton love. I actually feel that she has made herself as indispensable to the show as Maggie Smith, which is no small feat.
I held out hope that Kathy Bates would be a double nominee this year, after the cancellation of Harry's Law, and a very grass Two and a Half Men appearance, here she is with two nominations to bring her grand total of career Emmy nominations to 12 — and she has yet to win. Hope they breakdown and just give it to her for Harry's Law — all the trouble she's been through navigating television just to be snubbed for actual wins again and again. I hope after this Emmy's she doesn't come back to TV ever for the sake of a Film only rest of her career.
Michelle Dockery getting nominated made me so happy it almost (ALMOST) made up for the stupid Parks & Rec snub. Actually, no it doesn't. How do they ignore the best comedy on TV right now? Ridiculous.
But yes YOU SHOULD BE WATCHING BREAKING BAD. OMG SO GOOD. And you know I mean it because I wrote it in all CAPS.
No Jane Krakowski. I am dying.
It's funny that you said Jon Hamm deserves to win but never will because of Bryan Cranston, because I think in the Best Series category, Breaking Bad deserves to win but never will because of Mad Men. Can we start a campaign to make it so that just this one year, they switch awards, so that Hamm can finally win Best Actor and Breaking Bad can win Best Series? Just this once, so they at least have it on their records?
My only real hope, though, is that Giancarlo Esposito wins Best Supporting Actor. He added so much to that show. I can't think of another actor who entered a series in the middle and totally changed the dynamic of the show to that degree.
Also, the Comedy Series category is stupid. Veep and The Big Bang Theory over Parks and Recreation and Louie, or even Community (which, granted, wasn't quite as good this season as it was in its first two seasons).
Lucien -- i dunno. they used to nominated the diva soap actresses in the 80s. (sigh)
EVERYONE -- the post is fully updated with my reactions and three unforgivable snubs.
"Can we start a campaign to make it so that just this one year, they switch awards, so that Hamm can finally win Best Actor and Breaking Bad can win Best Series?"
THIS. +1000
Giancarlo Esposito gave my favorite performance last year in television OR movies.
With due respect to the incredible Mr. Dinklage - or the equally valuable Jared Harris - Esposito's work should be honored.
That comment about Cryer made me laugh! I don't like that Downton Abby gets to be a Drama Series this year and not a Mini. True Blood could've went there! (I know a lot of people make fun, but I seriously love that show)
Nat, apologies if I sound snippy but come on - how can you say Glenn has been playing Patti for too long when her nod is for season four of the show but then you choose Hamm as your pick for his category and his show is in season 5? I mean, fair enough if you don't back her nod but that sentence reads oddly.
I'm completely with you on the Krakowski snub which is making my head hurt. Go Merritt...if only.
"God" aka Julianne Moore. Haha oh Nat you make me laugh. But if I could have any win, it would be Sarah Paulson for Game Change. I think she might have a shot. She's so terrific in it.
I am full of RAGE about the Parks and Rec snub. How do you not nominate the best comedy on TV?!
re: American Horror Story vs. Downton Abbey Mini-Series classification
I feel that Downton could get away with it last year when we weren't yet sure (at the time of submissions anyway - I think!) if it was a one-off or not, and with the fact that British series are always shorter than American ones. It's weird this year to see that in Series when Sherlock and Luther and other BBC shows are in Mini-Series.
American Horror Story, meanwhile, really has no business being considered as a mini-series, changing setting and cast notwithstanding. It's a shameless awards play on the part of FX. Not that the show isn't deserving, but... who exactly do they think they're fooling?
Also, how do they make the distinction between supporting actor and guest actor? I was pleasantly surprised to see Mark Margolis get a Best Guest Actor nomination (a really inspired choice), but at the same time, he's been a series regular since Season 2. Just because he's not in every single episode, that makes him a guest actor?
Edwin, voters are only allowed to vote for the categories which performers submit themselves in. So, for example, Joan Cusack who is brilliant in all episodes of SHAMELESS submits in guest even though she's not really a guest, and so on. Who makes the distinctions? The performers, themselves.
nathaniel,
I've just read that emmy rules dictate that only one song from a songwriting team can be submitted for consideration.
so that's why "smash" received only one nomination in the original music & lyrics category. (and the reason the only other song submitted from the show was "touch me").
I know that you've heard this a trillion times before... but.... um... can you please watch 'Breaking Bad'? It's the best movie you've ever seen over and over again. I salivate at the possibility of reading your thoughts on it.
No Laura Dern!!!!!!!!!!! No Madeleine Stowe!!!!!!!!!!!!! No Jane Krakowski!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Emmys can seriously blow me.
Moore, Kidman and Thurman! Three of my FAVORITE screen actresses are up this year!
As much as I would love a Moore/Kidman tie, I'm sure Nicole is prepared to step aside for Julianne. It'll be pretty thrilling to finally see her win and give a speech! Julianne always seems so gracious and sweet, her time has come.
I'm sure Thurman will lose, since no one besides Nat seems to like Smash, but it's just nice to see her name in the conversation again. I'm always thankful for her Hysterical Blindness Globe win, since she was actually great in it and she never wins anything. I still seeth with anger over her Kill Bill snubs.
Giancarlo Esposito
He should win period
My Emmy noms reactions:
1. I knew Parks and Rec had a weak season, but was it no-Emmy weak? And yet, TWO of its somewhat weak episodes get writing noms ??!?!
2. YAY - Kathryn Joosten, RIP.
3. Good for Anna in Downton Abbey, but DOWAGER Maggie has this IN THE PURSE !!
4. Bates is a completely wasted Supporting Actor Drama nomination -- but yay Carson !! Downton is REAL popular !!
5. BOO - no reality series nomination for American Idol (I blame the judges)
6. French accent does not mean great acting - Mad Men guest actress; Glad Don Draper's new Mrs, was left out.
7. YAY - Michael Ginsberg (but why as a guest?). He should thank the writers.
8. 2 noms for Kathy Bates -- overdose? She's always nominated
9. Cougar Town is a miss -- injustice.
10. Way too much consistent love for Modern Family. Would've loved to see some supporting love to Parks and Rec or Cougar Town. Also, Schmidt for New Girl? Srsly? There is solid love for New Girl, that means.
11. Would've replaced "Signal 30" instead of the obvious LSD-induced "Far Away Places" for Mad Men writing
12. Dexter was weak, so no surprise there.
Adam Scott ran in lead, not supporting. Sadly, he had even less of a shot in lead because the Emmys are too busy loading up the category with CBS shows.
The biggest wins I'm hoping for:
Giancarlo Esposito for Breaking Bad, for at least the episodes Salud and Hermanos alone.
Julianne Moore for Game Change
Christina Hendricks/Jon Hamm for Mad Men
Nathaniel, you really do have to watch Breaking Bad! It gets better and better. Season 4 especially, gives Mad Men a real run for its money as the best show on TV.
@tesh
Kathy Bates is nominated frequently whenever she does television work but has yet to win a single Emmy.
@Tesh - I can't tell from your comment if you watch New Girl or not, but Schmidt is consistently hilarious. He takes what could be just an obnoxious, unlikeable character and makes him oddly endearing and vulnerable.