Newcomers finally get noticed in top categories
By Jeffrey Jolson
HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 7/19/07 – Emmy Award nominees were announced today and Hollywood is cheering as rule changes will finally bring fresh faces to this year’s Emmys with nominees including Ugly Betty, Entourage and 30 Rock for top comedies, and Heroes along with Boston Legal in the drama series category.
“Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee” tops the list as the Aidan Quinn-starring HBO Movie got a staggering 17 nominations, followed another Western-era drama “Broken Trail” with Robert Duvall and Thomas Hayden Church with 16 noms.
Answering calls that the Emmys had become a repeat with the same nominees and winners for years running, new Academy of Television Arts & Sciences rules seemed to have had their desired effect of bringing deserving new shows into the nominated elite. Of the 54 nominations for comedy and drama programs as well as lead and supporting performers, 33 were not included among last year’s nominees — a 60% rate of fresh faces and shows.
Newcomers in the performer categories include Minnie Driver in The Riches, Sally Field in Brothers & Sisters, America Ferrera in Ugly Betty, Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin in 30 Rock, and Ricky Gervais in Extras.
By network, HBO led with 86 nominations followed by ABC with 70, NBC with 69, CBS with only 44, Fox with 28 and PBS with 24. Other double digit nets were Comedy Central, Showtime, Discovery, AMC, TNT and USA.
Stars Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men) and Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer) announced the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards nominees and the awards ceremony details: Sunday, Sept. 16 at the Shrine Auditorium in downtown L.A., and broadcast by Fox this year.
The pair made the announcements with Television Academy chair Dick Askin, and revealed 11 of 90 total categories, which included plenty of newcomers and established favorites such as Boston Legal and the Sopranos.
The other contenders on the drama front include “Boston Legal,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “House” and “The Sopranos.” Who despite ending their run could still rack up a lot of goodbyes based on their 15 noms.
One surprise was 24 not getting a nomination after winning last year.
“The Office,” is open again for business in the top comedy category as is newcomer “Entourage” and top-rated sitcom, “Two and a Half Men.”
Shows with 17 Nominations: Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee, 16:Broken Trail, 15: The Sopranos, 11: Ugly Betty, 10: Grey’s Anatomy,The Starter Wife,30 Rock.
See stories below for Complete List of Nominees and Summary by show and network.