The 2014 Creative Arts Emmys are set to air Sunday, August 24th at 8:00 on FX Movie Channel, the night before the main ceremony airs on NBC. Listed below are select categories that were handed out during tonight’s ceremony. Every winner from tonight can be found here.

What do you think about the Creative Arts winners? Do you think True Detective could be surging enough to challenge Breaking Bad for Outstanding Drama Series? Could Fargo be weaker than anticipated, even though it’s still the favorite to win Outstanding Miniseries?

Animated Program: Bob’s Burgers
Children’s Program: One Last Hug: Three Days at Grief Camp

Art Direction for a Contemporary Program (Half-Hour or Less): House of Lies
Art Direction for a Contemporary or Fantasy Series (Single-Camera): Game of Thrones
Art Direction for a Period Series, Miniseries, or Movie (Single-Camera): Boardwalk Empire

Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Series: Christian La Fountaine – How I Met Your Mother
Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series: Adam Arkapaw – True Detective
Cinematography for a Miniseries or Movie: Neville Kidd – Sherlock

Comedy Guest Actor: Jimmy Fallon, Saturday Night Live
Comedy Guest Actress: Uzo Aduba – Orange Is the New Black

Costumes for a Series: Game of Thrones
Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special: American Horror Story: Coven

Drama Guest Actor: Joe Morton – Scandal
Drama Guest Actress: Allison Janney – Masters of Sex

Casting for a Drama Series: True Detective
Casting for a Comedy Series: Orange Is the New Black
Casting for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special: Fargo

Reality Show Host: Jane Lynch – Hollywood Game Night
Structured Reality Program: Shark Tank
Unstructured Reality Program: Deadliest Catch
Informational Series or Special: Vice / Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (tie)

Choreography: Tabitha and Napoleon D’umo – So You Think You Can Dance
Narrator: Jeremy Irons – Game of Lions
Character Voice-Over Performance: Harry Shearer – The Simpsons
Main Title Design: True Detective

Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series: Downton Abbey
Hairstyling for a Multi-Camera Series or Special: Saturday Night Live
Hairstyling for a Miniseries or Movie: American Horror Story: Coven

Make-up for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic): True Detective
Make-up for a Multi-Camera Series or Special (Non-Prosthetic): Saturday Night Live
Make-up for a Miniseries or Movie (Non-Prosthetic): The Normal Heart
Prosthetic Make-up for a Series, Miniseries, Movie, or Special: Game of Thrones

Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score): Alan Silvestri – Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey
Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special (Original Dramatic Score): David Arnold and Michael Price – Sherlock
Original Music and Lyrics: 67th Tony Awards – “Bigger!”
Original Main Title Theme Music: Alan Silvestri – Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey

Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series: Skip MacDonald – Breaking Bad
Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series: William Turro – Orange Is the New Black
Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries or Movie: Yan Miles – Sherlock
Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series: Peter Chakos – The Big Bang Theory

Sound Editing for a Series: Black Sails
Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special: Sherlock
Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour): House of Cards
Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or Movie: Treme
Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation: Nurse Jackie

Special Visual Effects: Game of Thrones
Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role: Black Sails

Stunt Coordination For A Comedy Series Or Variety Program: Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Stunt Coordination for A Drama Series, Miniseries Or Movie: The Blacklist

The post 2014 Creative Arts Emmy Winners Announced appeared first on TVHackr.

You can check out a full list of nominees here.

What do you think about the 2014 Primetime Emmy nominations? Who could be the night’s biggest winner? Which snub makes you the most upset?

Outstanding Drama Series
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
House of Cards
Mad Men
True Detective

Outstanding Comedy Series
Louie
Modern Family
Orange Is the New Black
Silicon Valley
The Big Bang Theory
Veep

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Bryan Cranston – Breaking Bad
Jeff Daniels – The Newsroom
Jon Hamm – Mad Men
Woody Harrelson – True Detective
Matthew McConaughey – True Detective
Kevin Spacey – House of Cards

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Lizzy Caplan – Masters of Sex
Claire Danes – Homeland
Michelle Dockery – Downton Abbey
Julianne Margulies – The Good Wife
Kerry Washington – Scandal
Robin Wright – House of Cards

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Louis C.K. – Louie
Don Cheadle – House of Lies
Ricky Gervais – Derek
Matt LeBlanc – Episodes
William H. Macy – Shameless
Jim Parsons – The Big Bang Theory

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Lena Dunham – Girls
Edie Falco – Nurse Jackie
Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Veep
Melissa McCarthy – Mike & Molly
Amy Poehler – Parks and Recreation
Taylor Schilling – Orange Is the New Black

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Jim Carter – Downton Abbey
Josh Charles – The Good Wife
Peter Dinklage – Game of Thrones
Mandy Patinkin – Homeland
Aaron Paul – Breaking Bad
Jon Voight – Ray Donovan

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Christine Baranski – The Good Wife
Joanne Froggatt – Downton Abbey
Anna Gunn – Breaking Bad
Lena Headey – Game of Thrones
Christina Hendricks – Mad Men
Maggie Smith – Downton Abbey

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Fred Armisen – Portlandia
Andre Braugher – Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Ty Burrell – Modern Family
Adam Driver – Girls
Jesse Tyler Ferguson – Modern Family
Tony Hale – Veep

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Mayim Bialik – The Big Bang Theory
Julie Bowen – Modern Family
Anna Chlumsky – Veep
Allison Janney – Mom
Kate McKinnon – Saturday Night Live
Kate Mulgrew – Orange Is the New Black

Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss – “The Children” (Game of Thrones)
Vince Gilligan – “Felina” (Breaking Bad)
Nic Pizzolatto – “The Secret Fate of All Life” (True Detective)
Moira Walley-Beckett – “Ozymandias” (Breaking Bad)
Beau Willimon – “Chapter 14” (House of Cards)

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
Alec Berg – “Optimal Tip-to-Tip Efficiency” (Silicon Valley)
Simon Blackwell, Tony Roche, and Armando Iannucci – “Special Relationship” (Veep)
Louis C.K. – “So Did the Fat Lady” (Louie)
David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik – “Episode 305” (Episodes)
Liz Friedman and Jenji Kohan – “I Wasn’t Ready” (Orange Is the New Black)

The post 2014 Primetime Emmy Nominations appeared first on TVHackr.

As such, TVHackr has taken it upon ourselves to put together our 2014 Emmy Dream Ballot, a collection of what we deem to be the best television aired in the Primetime Emmy eligibility window of June 1, 2013 – May 31, 2014. Each selection is based on the recently released Emmy ballots, with six nominees per series and acting category and five per writing category. A (potential) seventh nominee is indicated in series categories due to the implementation of the 2% rule, while the focus of this article are the two series categories, 12 acting categories, and two writing categories. A show’s absence, whether it be your personal favorite or a perennial awards contender, isn’t necessarily indicative of my opinion on its quality; the more television that premieres, the more one has to make choices about what to watch and what to leave behind, so certain bigger shows might just be victims of us not being able to watch everything.

The 2014 Emmy nominations are set for release Thursday, July 10th, with the ceremony to be held Monday, August 25th.

Outstanding Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire
Da Vinci’s Demons
Magic City
Masters of Sex
Sleepy Hollow
Vikings
7th nominee: Orphan Black
Winner: Boardwalk Empire

Outstanding Comedy Series
Episodes
Looking
The Neighbors
Orange Is the New Black
Shameless
Veep
7th nominee: Wilfred
Winner: Veep

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Steve Buscemi – Boardwalk Empire
Travis Fimmel – Vikings
Joel Kinnaman – The Killing
Jeffrey Dean Morgan – Magic City
Tom Riley – Da Vinci’s Demons
Michael Sheen – Masters of Sex
Winner: Travis Fimmel – Vikings

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
James Corden – The Wrong Mans
Jonathan Groff – Looking
Matt LeBlanc – Episodes
Chris O’Dowd – Family Tree
David Walton – About a Boy
Elijah Wood – Wilfred
Winner: James Corden – The Wrong Mans

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Lizzy Caplan – Masters of Sex
Claire Danes – Homeland
Mireille Enos – The Killing
Vera Farmiga – Bates Motel
Tatiana Maslany – Orphan Black
Janet Montgomery – Salem
Winner: Tatiana Maslany – Orphan Black

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Edie Falco – Nurse Jackie
Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Veep
Wendi McLendon-Covey – The Goldbergs
Laurie Metcalf – Getting On
Emmy Rossum – Shameless
Taylor Schilling – Orange is the New Black
Winner: Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Veep

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Elliot Cowan – Da Vinci’s Demons
Jordan Gavaris – Orphan Black
Stephen Graham – Boardwalk Empire
Danny Huston – Magic City
Peter Sarsgaard – The Killing
Michael Kenneth Williams – Boardwalk Empire
Winner: Peter Sarsgaard – The Killing

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Kevin Dunn – Veep
Jason Gann – Wilfred
Troy Gentile – The Goldbergs
Tony Hale – Veep
Simon Templeman – The Neighbors
Jeremy Allen White – Shameless
Winner: Jason Gann – Wilfred

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Megan Follows – Reign
Annet Mahendru – The Americans
Gretchen Mol – Boardwalk Empire
Madeline Stowe – Revenge
Katheryn Winnick – Vikings
Bellamy Young – Scandal
Winner: Megan Follows – Reign

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Anna Chlumsky – Veep
Kate Mulgrew – Orange is the New Black
Niecy Nash – Getting On
Toks Olagundoye – The Neighbors
Kathleen Rose Perkins – Episodes
Merritt Wever – Nurse Jackie
Winner: Kathleen Rose Perkins – Episodes

Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series
Terrence Winter and Howard Korder – “Farewell Daddy Blues” (Boardwalk Empire)
Alex Gansa and Meredith Steihm – “The Star” (Homeland)
Graeme Mason – “Nature Under Constraint and Vexed” (Orphan Black)
Sam Shaw and Michelle Ashford – “Catherine” (Masters of Sex)
Michael Hirst – “Blood Eagle” (Vikings)
Winner: Terrence Winter and Howard Korder – “Farewell Daddy Blues” (Boardwalk Empire)

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer – “Nightshift” (Getting On)
Andrew Haigh – “Looking For the Future” (Looking)
Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger – “Challoweenukah” (The Neighbors)
John Wells – “Iron City” (Shameless)
Simon Blackwell and Tony Roche – “Special Relationship” (Veep)
Winner: Andrew Haigh – “Looking For the Future” (Looking)

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Paul Adelstein – Scandal
Beau Bridges – Masters of Sex
Brian Geraghty – Boardwalk Empire
Lou Gossett, Jr. – Boardwalk Empire
John Noble – Sleepy Hollow
Shaun Toub – Homeland
Winner: Beau Bridges – Masters of Sex

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Brad Garrett – The Crazy Ones
Tony Hale – About a Boy
Rob Lowe – Californication
Christopher Meloni – Veep
Russell Tovey – Looking
Zach Woods – Playing House
Winner: Zach Woods – Playing House

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Patricia Arquette – Boardwalk Empire
Annaleigh Ashford – Masters of Sex
Allison Janney – Masters of Sex
Lisa Kudrow – Scandal
Julianne Nicholson – Masters of Sex
Cynthia Stevenson – Scandal
Winner: Allison Janney – Masters of Sex

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Uzo Aduba – Orange Is the New Black
Emily Bergl – Shameless
Joan Cusack – Shameless
Natasha Lyonne – Orange Is the New Black
Taryn Manning – Orange Is the New Black
Julie White – Nurse Jackie
Winner: Uzo Aduba – Orange Is the New Black

The post 2014 Dream Emmy Ballot appeared first on TVHackr.

Otherwise, the wealth was pretty well-spread, with Veep, Breaking Bad, The Colbert Report, Homeland, and Modern Family picking up two awards each. Though the latter was shut out in the acting races for the first time since its debut, it managed to win Outstanding Comedy Series for the fourth consecutive year, tying All in the Family, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and Cheers in the process. Meanwhile, Breaking Bad was awarded Outstanding Drama Series for the first time, defeating the likes of Netflix hopeful House of Cards and last year’s winner Homeland.

Among the series to pick up a single award during the telecast were Political Animals, American Horror Story: Asylum, The Hour, The Big C: hereafter, Dancing with the Stars, Saturday Night Live, The Big Bang Theory, Boardwalk Empire, The Newsroom, Nurse Jackie, and The Voice.

What did you think of the Emmys this year? Which win was the most surprising? Should Breaking Bad and Modern Family have won their respective series categories?

Outstanding Drama Series
Breaking Bad ***WINNER***
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
Homeland
House of Cards
Mad Men 

Outstanding Comedy Series
30 Rock
The Big Bang Theory
Girls
Louie
Modern Family ***WINNER***
Veep

Outstanding Miniseries or Movie
American Horror Story: Asylum
Behind the Candelabra ***WINNER***
The Bible
Phil Spector
Political Animals
Top of the Lake

Outstanding Variety Series
The Colbert Report ***WINNER***
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Real Time with Bill Maher
Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
The Amazing Race
Dancing with the Stars
Project Runway
So You Think You Can Dance
Top Chef
The Voice ***WINNER***

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama
Hugh Bonneville – Downton Abbey
Bryan Cranston – Breaking Bad
Jeff Daniels – The Newsroom ***WINNER***
Jon Hamm – Mad Men
Damian Lewis – Homeland
Kevin Spacey – House of Cards

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama
Connie Britton – Nashville
Claire Danes – Homeland ***WINNER***
Michelle Dockery – Downton Abbey
 Vera Farmiga – Bates Motel
Elisabeth Moss – Mad Men
Kerry Washington – Scandal
Robin Wright – House of Cards

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama
Bobby Cannavale – Boardwalk Empire ***WINNER***
Jonathan Banks – Breaking Bad
Aaron Paul – Breaking Bad
Jim Carter – Downton Abbey
Peter Dinklage – Game of Thrones
Mandy Patinkin – Homeland

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama
Anna Gunn – Breaking Bad ***WINNER***
Maggie Smith – Downton Abbey
Emilia Clarke – Game of Thrones
Morena Baccarin – Homeland
Christina Hendricks – Mad Men
Christine Baranski – The Good Wife

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy
Alec Baldwin – 30 Rock
Jason Bateman – Arrested Development
Louis C.K. – Louie
Don Cheadle – House of Lies
Matt LeBlanc – Episodes
Jim Parsons – The Big Bang Theory ***WINNER***

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy
Laura Dern – Enlightened
Lena Dunham – Girls
Edie Falco – Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey – 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Veep ***WINNER***
Amy Poehler – Parks and Recreation

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy
Adam Driver – Girls
Jesse Tyler Ferguson – Modern Family
Ed O’Neill – Modern Family
Ty Burrell – Modern Family
Bill Hader – Saturday Night Live
Tony Hale – Veep ***WINNER***

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Jane Krakowski – 30 Rock
Jane Lynch – Glee
Sofia Vergara – Modern Family
Julie Bowen – Modern Family
Merritt Wever – Nurse Jackie ***WINNER***
Mayim Biyalik – The Big Bang Theory
Anna Chlumsky – Veep

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
Benedict Cumberbatch – Parade’s End
Matt Damon – Behind the Candelabra
Michael Douglas – Behind the Candelabra ***WINNER***
Toby Jones – The Girl
Al Pacino – Phil Spector

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Jessica Lange – American Horror Story: Asylum
Laura Linney – The Big C: hereafter ***WINNER***
Helen Mirren – Phil Spector
Elisabeth Moss – Top of the Lake
Sigourney Weaver – Political Animals

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
Scott Bakula – Behind the Candelabra
James Cromwell – American Horror Story: Asylum ***WINNER***
John Benjamin Hickey – The Big C: hereafter
Peter Mullan – Top of the Lake
Zachary Quinto – American Horror Story: Asylum

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Ellen Burstyn – Political Animals ***WINNER***
Sarah Paulson – American Horror Story: Asylum
Charlotte Rampling – Restless
Imelda Staunton – The Girl
Alfre Woodard – Steel Magnolias

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Breaking Bad – “Dead Freight”
Breaking Bad – “Say My Name”
Downton Abbey – “Episode 4”
Game of Thrones – “The Rains of Castamere”
Homeland – “Q&A” ***WINNER***

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
30 Rock – “Hogcock!”
30 Rock – “Last Lunch” ***WINNER***
Episodes – “Episode Nine”
Louie – “Daddy’s Girlfriend, Part I”
The Office – “Finale”

Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special
Behind the Candelabra
The Hour ***WINNER***
Parade’s End
Phil Spector
Top of the Lake

Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
The Colbert Report ***WINNER***
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Portlandia
Real Time with Bill Maher
Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire – “Margate Sands”
Breaking Bad – “Gliding All Over”
Downton Abbey – “Episode Four”
Homeland – “Q&A”
House of Cards – “Chapter 1” ***WINNER***

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
30 Rock – “Hogcock!”/”Last Lunch”
Glee – “Diva”
Girls – “On All Fours”
Louie – “New Year’s Eve”
Modern Family – “Arrested” ***WINNER***

Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special
Behind the Candelabra ***WINNER***
The Girl
Phil Spector
Ring of Fire
Top of the Lake

Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series
The Colbert Report
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Late Show with David Letterman
Portlandia
Saturday Night Live ***WINNER***

Outstanding Choreography
Derek Hough & Allison Holker – Dancing with the Stars
Derek Hough – Dancing with the Stars ***WINNER***
Warren Carlyle – Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel
Sonya Tayeh – So You Think You Can Dance
Mandy Moore – So You Think You Can Dance
Napoleon & Tabitha D’umo – So You Think You Can Dance
Travis Wall – So You Think You Can Dance

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The 2013 Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards took place on Sunday at the Nokia Theatre, Los Angeles, California. It was a big day for Dan Bucatinsky, as the Scandal star won the Emmy for the category of ‘Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series’. Among the other nominees for this category was Michael J. Fox for “The Good Wife”, Robert Morse for “Mad Men”, Nathan Lane for “The Good Wife”, Rupert Friend for “Homeland” and Harry Hamlin for “Mad Men”. Bucatinsky was enthralled to receive his first Emmy, which, in fact was Scandal’s first Emmy as well! Bucatinsky has also been nominated previously as the Executive Producer of “Web Therapy” and “Who Do You Think You Are?”

On the other hand, Carry Preston bagged the Emmy for her performance on “The Good Wife” as she won the award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. Among the other nominees for the female category were Jane Fonda for HBO’s “The Newsroom”, Linda Cardellini for “Mad Men”, Joan Cusack for “Shameless”, Margo Martindale for “The Americans” and Diana Rigg for “Game of Thrones.”

Carry was equally overwhelmed as this was the first time she was nominated for an Emmy and indeed, her first win! Preston’s character is a recurring one on “The Good Wife” and along with that she is also seen on “Person of Interest” and is a regular on HBO’s “True Blood”. She will be soon returning to “The Good Wife” and will start afresh with the new season of “The Following”. Congratulations to both the artists!

The post Emmy Awards 2013: Dan Bucatinsky and Carrie Preston honored appeared first on TVHackr.

The 2013 Primetime Emmys will air Sunday, September 22nd at 8:00 on CBS. You can check out a full list of nominees here.

What do you think about the nominations this year? Which series will most likely walk away with the most awards? Is there a particularly surprising nominee that you weren’t expecting to see?

Outstanding Drama Series
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
Homeland
House of Cards
Mad Men 

Outstanding Comedy Series
30 Rock
The Big Bang Theory
Girls
Louie
Modern Family
Veep

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama
Hugh Bonneville – Downton Abbey
Bryan Cranston – Breaking Bad
Jeff Daniels – The Newsroom
Jon Hamm – Mad Men
Damian Lewis – Homeland
Kevin Spacey – House of Cards

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama
Connie Britton – Nashville
Claire Danes – Homeland
Michelle Dockery – Downton Abbey
Vera Farmiga – Bates Motel
Elisabeth Moss – Mad Men
Kerry Washington – Scandal
Robin Wright – House of Cards

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama
Bobby Cannavale – Boardwalk Empire
Jonathan Banks – Breaking Bad
Aaron Paul – Breaking Bad
Jim Carter – Downton Abbey
Peter Dinklage – Game of Thrones
Mandy Patinkin – Homeland

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama
Anna Gunn – Breaking Bad
Maggie Smith – Downton Abbey
Emilia Clarke – Game of Thrones
Morena Baccarin – Homeland
Christina Hendricks – Mad Men
Christine Baranski – The Good Wife

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy
Alec Baldwin – 30 Rock
Jason Bateman – Arrested Development
Louis C.K. – Louie
Don Cheadle – House of Lies
Matt LeBlanc – Episodes
Jim Parsons – The Big Bang Theory

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy
Laura Dern – Enlightened
Lena Dunham – Girls
Edie Falco – Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey – 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Veep
Amy Poehler – Parks and Recreation

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy
Adam Driver – Girls
Jesse Tyler Ferguson – Modern Family
Ed O’Neill – Modern Family
Ty Burrell – Modern Family
Bill Hader – Saturday Night Live
Tony Hale – Veep

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Jane Krakowski – 30 Rock
Jane Lynch – Glee
Sofia Vergara – Modern Family
Julie Bowen – Modern Family
Merritt Wever – Nurse Jackie
Mayim Biyalik – The Big Bang Theory
Anna Chlumsky – Veep

The post 2013 Primetime Emmy Award Nominations Announced appeared first on TVHackr.

A few caveats, though. I don’t (read: physically/mentally can’t) watch every worthy show on television, so the exclusions you’ll see aren’t indicative of my attitude toward a certain show. More than likely, I simply don’t have/haven’t had the chance to watch and didn’t feel comfortable in putting them on my “dream ballot”, but I feel like I watch enough of the big shows to be able to write a piece like this. The nominees have been constructed using the Emmy ballots that were recently released; you may quibble about category placement, but I’m merely going by how everything was submitted rather than my view on the tone (comedy vs. drama) or depth (lead vs. supporting) of the show or performance. I mainly focused on the major categories (series, lead/supporting acting), as my directing knowledge isn’t great, there might not be much interest in smaller categories, and I haven’t watched enough movies/miniseries to fill out entire categories of nominees.

The eligibility period of the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards is June 1st, 2012 – May 31st, 2013.

Outstanding Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire
Homeland
Justified
Rectify
Spartacus: War of the Damned
 Treme
Why: Boardwalk Empire continued its upward trajectory by outdoing its second season, which had bested the much-hyped first season, with its third season, thanks to a powerhouse villain, notable tension in the closing stretch of the season that saw a weakened Nucky for the first time, and a self-assured nature to its storytelling, as the disparate storylines gelled quicker than they had before. Homeland threw out the rule book on narrative television during its most recent season, resulting in an incredibly enthralling game of cat-and-mouse between Carrie and Brody, but the second half of the season became slightly convoluted and, while still very entertaining, only righted itself with a moving finale. Justified‘s strategy of having multiple big bads and several smaller arcs was an interesting change in execution and discounting the sometimes too twisty mystery, brought everything together in the exciting-yet-impressively-claustrophobic final episodes of the season.

Rectify‘s deliberate lack of pace might have been initially jarring, but once you understood its rhythms, there was nothing as eloquent and powerful on television, especially the longer you spent learning about the man Daniel Holden was and where his mind was at now. While the final season of Spartacus beautifully recovered from a shaky beginning to culminate in one of the most emotionally satisfying series finales in recent years, putting its own spin on the Spartacus legend while remaining true to the source material and calling back to the beginning of the series when necessary, Treme passionately took on the issue of art vs. commerce and the conflicting goals that drive its supporting cast of musicians and ended on a thoughtful finale that could have tied to series together quite well.

Outstanding Comedy Series
Archer 
Don’t Trust the B—- in Apt. 23
Enlightened
The Thick of It
Veep
Wilfred
Why: The fourth season of Archer might not have reached the same heights it did in season three, particularly due to (intentionally) low stakes cases and a couple of early season duds, but the show was still, pound for pound, the funniest thing on television this past season and added in some interesting character moments to the dense, sharp writing and brisk pace. During its short life, Don’t Trust the B— in Apt. 23 was able to blend absurd and darker moments with a tender core centered on belonging, all the while weaving in and out of an American Dad!-ish cartoon-y mode that fit the world it built exactly. Meditative and melancholy, Enlightened gained in plot momentum this season while never sacrificing the probing eye it kept on its character’s psyches, which resulted in a focused season that explored loneliness, consequences, and what it means to be altruistic.

As devastatingly cynical and blissfully verbose as ever, the final season of The Thick of It rained hell down upon Malcolm Tucker and Nicola Murray and showed just how strong the British political machine is and will continue to be by spitting out even the most entrenched and savvy of bureaucrats. Veep took a leap forward from its insular (but still very funny) first season by allowing Selina to actively shoot for political respectability and highlighting that, even though she might not have what it takes to continue advancing in her career, there are several factors working against her bid for legitimacy. Wilfred continued to mix a surreal mystery with ramifications for the main character’s mental health with silly (and often black) comedy built on the dynamic between Wilfred and Ryan to remain a sometimes puzzling, sometimes frustrating, often rewarding watch that pushes the boundaries of the comedic form.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Damien Lewis – Homeland
Liam McIntyre – Spartacus: War of the Damned
Timothy Olyphant – Justified
Clarke Peters – Treme
Matthew Rhys – The Americans
Aden Young – Rectify
Why: He might have gotten a bit too bug-eyed intense during the second half of the season, but nobody on television in 2012-2013 was better than Damien Lewis was during the first four episodes of Homeland‘s second season when his Nicholas Brody was tortured over where to pledge his allegiance. McIntyre grew into his role as the famous slave leader even more during the final season of Spartacus and mixed the character’s inherent nobility with a menacing edge to create not only an interesting character but an interesting leader and a fine centerpiece for the action-drama. While Olyphant’s wisecracking Kentucky lawman was faced with intense personal challenges that showcased another side this season, including a threat to his unborn child and the death of the father he never had a good relationship with, Peters played out a cancer arc with the type of quiet dignity he’s exuded since the first episode, and Rhys’ portrayal of a KGB agent with an unstable marriage and growing affinity for American culture resulted in breathtaking exchanges with co-star Keri Russell and an affecting relationship with an FBI secretary. Young’s performance, meanwhile, was a haunting and textured look at a man experiencing life outside prison walls for the first time as an adult and said more without much dialogue than many are able to with full pages of monologues.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Khandi Alexander – Treme
Glenn Close – Damages
Claire Danes – Homeland
Tatiana Maslany – Orphan Black
Emmy Rossum – Shameless
Keri Russell – The Americans
Why: Although Alexander isn’t really a lead and Danes disappeared for much of the second half of Homeland’s season, they both bravely brought it when they were given the material to do so, whether it be the former’s raw and gutsy handling of the aftermath of her sexual assault or the latter letting both her disorder and her complicated feelings for Brody nearly bring her into the type of hole that nearly swallowed her up last season. Close was as good as ever on the final season of Damages with the court case against her protégé showing just how cunning Patty could be and the final episode shattering the mystique around the character and revealing the sad, isolated woman who pushed away all those who dared get close to her and threw herself into becoming the biggest and best in her profession.

Rossum continued to mine fertile emotional ground with her portrayal of Fiona Gallagher, whether it be her initial exuberance and unrestrained ambition after attaining her GED or her devastation at the crumbling of her relationship with Jimmy and reliving the traumatic past that Frank put her through. Meanwhile, Maslany and Russell excel at portraying multiple characters within their shows’ universes, Maslany sometime several times in a scene, and manage to make each one of them finely drawn and distinct. Russell, in particular, only grew stronger during the closing run of her show, as her icy KGB agent had her marriage tested and her freedom threatened.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Bobby Cannavale – Boardwalk Empire
Noah Emmerich – The Americans
Walton Goggins – Justified
Todd Lasance – Spartacus: War of the Damned
Simon Merrells – Spartacus: War of the Damned
Mandy Patinkin – Homeland
Why: Cannavale’s performance might have been too big for some, but his magnetism, presence, and complex psychology overcome any criticism, as he became the best foe that Nucky Thompson faced in the three seasons of the HBO Prohibition-era drama. Emmerich’s quiet intensity and gradual unraveling following the death of his partner showed a man that had become too wrapped up in his job and put the idea of vengeance ahead of practicality and the criminal justice system. Goggins and Lasance both oozed menacing charisma in their respective roles as men looking to become what they deem themselves destined to be, the former running into a brick wall in his backroom dealing and empire building and the latter having to fight off threats from within his own camp to get to the top of the food chain. While Patinkin’s grizzled CIA veteran provided a calming, intelligent balance to the heightened drama in other aspects of the show, Merrells provided plenty of fireworks on the final season of the Starz production as his Roman Senator became drunk on his own power and was forced, to his chagrin, out of his comfort zone while in battle with Spartacus.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Rose Byrne – Damages
Joelle Carter – Justified
Holliday Grainger – The Borgias
Laura Haddock – Da Vinci’s Demons
Kelly MacDonald – Boardwalk Empire
Abigail Spencer – Rectify
Why: The theme of the Outstanding Supporting Actress – Drama category seems to be “women who are unsatisfied with their current situation and looking for a way to better their lives.” Byrne was always a strong part of the Damages cast, but it was during season five that she did her best work, often matching Close step for step and highlighting both her character’s desire for a normal life and inability to get out of the tangled web she had woven for herself. Carter also did her best work of the past season thanks to a tragically romantic arc that underlined the Bonnie-and-Clyde-ness of her relationship with her fiancée and just how much they were in danger of never making it out of Harlan alive. Grainger and Haddock play characters with similar names (Lucrezia vs. Lucretia) and similar aspirations, with the former offering a fiercely dynamic and impressively defiant portrayal of a daughter fed up with living within a political machine and the latter giving weight to what could been a thankless role as a Roman spy, thanks to the vulnerability she brought to the blackmailed lover of Leonardo da Vinci. MacDonald might not have been as involved in the main storyline as she could have been, but her character’s fight for women’s health allowed her to show the chinks in both her own armor and her relationship with Nucky to strong results, while Spencer’s headstrong turn as a sister looking to protect her brother from all those who plot against him was the source of much of the energy (and oddly, a comforting presence) in slowburner Rectify‘s first half.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Peter Capaldi – The Thick of It
Don Cheadle – House of Lies
Matt LeBlanc – Episodes
Rob Lowe – Parks and Recreation
Jeremy Sisto – Suburgatory
Elijah Wood – Wilfred
Why: Capaldi’s final go-around as prime minister’s enforcer Malcolm Tucker had unexpected weary poignance, as the once-mighty figure in British government saw an end that was heartbreaking and fitting with the show’s themes of just how tough this kind of work can be on someone. Cheadle’s suave and unethical management consultant might seem to be all pretty words and money talk, but this season, his cage was rattled multiple times (shifting corporate politics, his relationship with his son) and the actor responded well in wringing sympathy out of someone who should be smarmy and unlikable. LeBlanc’s version of himself on the Showtime satire is a funhouse mirror version of the actor’s public image and the issues that fellow actors deal with, while Lowe, though not a lead by any means, managed to become the funniest part of his ensemble through an arc that centered on vulnerability for the normally picture perfect governmental official. Elsewhere, Wood and Sisto tend to be the straightmen in their respective ensembles, but the former manages to keep the show grounded and rooted in some sort of reality with his character’s mental illness and desire for a new life and the latter delivered on a season’s worth of tension during a finale that featured an explosive fight with his girlfriend.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Laura Dern – Enlightened
Edie Falco – Nurse Jackie
Sutton Foster – Bunheads
Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Veep
Amy Poehler – Parks and Recreation
Krysten Ritter – Don’t Trust the B—- in Apt. 23
Why: While Poehler’s idealistic and warm portrayal of small-town bureaucrat Leslie Knope remained quite enjoyable last season, with her marriage to Ben an self-reflection of her first year in public office, the Lead Actress category is dominated by fundamentally broken women looking to figure themselves out. Dern’s polarizing turn as corporate whistleblower Amy Jellicoe may have had flourishes of awkward moments and evangelizing, but they were supported by a lonely, unfulfilled inner core of a woman who wanted to atone for her past life. Falco’s character basked in the unexpected glow of happiness for the first time this season, only for the bottom to drop out and her best work to come forward, as we got to see just how deep Jackie’s self-loathing and fear of her own emotions ran. Foster danced, sang, mentored, loved, quipped, and went toe-to-toe with the indomitable Kelly Bishop, all the while (charmingly) searching for herself in a little coastal town.

Louis-Dreyfus gained even more confidence in spewing out the acidic dialogue from Armando Iannucci, keeping her Selina Meyer the reluctant heroine in the Washington satire now that she finally earned the facetime with those who held her back from power last season. Ritter’s performance as the sociopath you can’t help but be drawn to (and want to party with) was always in danger of going too dark, but the show always walked itself back just before it fell over the line and Ritter continued to add just enough of an emotional core to keep her character on the good side.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Jason Gann – Wilfred
Justin Kirk – Weeds
D.J. Qualls – Legit
Simon Templemann – The Neighbors
James Van Der Beek – Don’t Trust the B—- in Apt. 23
Luke Wilson – Enlightened
Why: Gann’s performance as the manipulative, foul-mouthed title character of Wilfred is the absurd comedic center of the show, whether it be his relationship with Bear or the latest strings he pulls in Ryan’s quest to figure out just who Wilfred actually is. Kirk has deserved to be recognized for every season of Weeds, but it’s this scene from the penultimate episode of the series, built on eight seasons of character development and things unsaid, that showed just how lost his character had become. While Qualls went away a bit in the latter half of Legit‘s first season, his turn as Billy, a man with muscular dystrophy, was as unflinching, unsentimental, and downright soulful as one could have hoped for.

Templemann’s grandiose alien leader provided The Neighbors with a bumbling curmudgeon laced with a theatrical edge and a highlight of the season in his friendship with Amber, the daughter of his neighbors. On opposite ends of the spectrum are Van Der Beek portraying an exaggerated version of himself, fame hungry and vapid without ever being unlikable, and Wilson, a revelation in his standalone episode of Enlightened that took him to rehab and the depths of his understanding of addiction and relationship with his ex-wife.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Carly Chaikin – Suburgatory
Anna Chlumsky – Veep
Toks Olagundoye – The Neighbors
Kaitlin Olson – It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Merritt Wever – Nurse Jackie
Casey Wilson – Happy Endings
Why: Chaikin’s dead-panned suburban mean girl has been the highlight of every Suburgatory episode she’s been featured in and this season, the character had impressively subtle depth added (her studying Judaism, her relationship with George, her continued pain over the divorce) in addition to her scene stealing line delivery. Chlumsky’s purpose on Veep is to be the rock in the middle of the Vice Presidential hurricane that Selina Meyer elicits, but her character’s shifting allegiance helped provide the actress with plenty of opportunities to hone her reaction skills and demonstrate just how at-the-end-of-rope she was. Olagundoye managed to be the main attraction to The Neighbors even when the show hadn’t put it all together, thanks to her repressed-yet-eager alien mother blossoming with exposure to life on Earth, while Wever’s sprightly character gained in professional confidence like never before while still acting as the source of lightness in a show centered on a dark subject matter. Elsewhere, Olson and Wilson are two of the best physical comedians on television whose commitment to the joke and willingness to go as far as they need to for a laugh remained as impressive as ever.

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