It is impossible to deny that we are currently experiencing a golden age in television. Viewers can choose from a ridiculous amount of high quality programs, and tv shows seem to be taking over from films as the dominating medium of popular culture. Shows like Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad and Mad Men have been thrilling audiences for years, and recent hits such as True Detective, House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black are continuing the standard into the foreseeable future.
The nominations for the 66th Primetime Emmys were released today, and it recognises a stunning list of programs and artists. No awards body ever gets their nominees 100% right, but this year’s Emmy nominations are pretty darn good. The Drama categories look set to be as competitive as ever, with Breaking Bad looking like a safe bet for its final season, despite strong competition from HBO’s two hit series True Detective and Game of Thrones. Thrones in particular has seen its popularity continue to skyrocket with each new season. Surely it will be awarded the top prize one day? Also great to see Peter Dinklage and Lena Headey nominated for their stellar performances on the show.
Netflix is also another big winner in these nominations. The on-demand network’s flagship series House of Cards is nominated for Best Series (Drama), and its stars Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright have been nominated for Best Actor (Drama) and Best Actress (Drama) respectively. Netflix’s recent hit Orange Is the New Black also scored twelve nominations (the most of any comedy series) including Best Series (Comedy), which it should win if justice prevails. Star Taylor Schilling was nominated for Best Actress (Comedy), and Natasha Lyonne, Uzo Aduba and Laverne Cox were all nominated for Best Guest Actress (Drama). It is incredibly important to point out that the Emmys have made history by nominating Laverne Cox for her touching performance on the show; she is the first transgender person ever nominated for an Emmy! Well done to Laverne and bravo to the Emmys for recognising the work of this groundbreaking actress.
Take a look at all the nominees below:
BEST SERIES (DRAMA)
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
House of Cards
Mad Men
True Detective
BEST ACTOR (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)
BEST ACTRESS (DRAMA SERIES)
Lizzy Caplan (Masters of Sex)
Claire Danes (Homeland)
Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey)
Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife)
Kerry Washington (Scandal)
Robin Wright (House of Cards)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (DRAMA SERIES)
Jim Carter (Downtown Abbey)
Josh Charles (The Good Wife)
Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones)
Mandy Patinkin (Homeland)
Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad)
Jon Voight (Ray Donovan)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS (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)
BEST GUEST ACTOR (DRAMA SERIES)
Dylan Baker (The Good Wife)
Beau Bridges (Masters of Sex)
Reg E. Cathey (House of Cards)
Paul Giamatti (Downton Abbey)
Robert Morse (Mad Men)
Joe Morton (Scandal)
BEST GUEST ACTRESS (DRAMA SERIES)
Kate Burton (Scandal)
Jane Fonda (The Newsroom)
Allison Janney (Masters of Sex)
Kate Mara (House of Cards)
Margo Martindale (The Americans)
Diana Rigg (Game of Thrones)
BEST SERIES (COMEDY)
The Big Bang Theory
Louie
Modern Family
Orange Is the New Black
Silicon Valley
Veep
BEST ACTOR (COMEDY SERIES)
Don Cheadle (House of Lies)
Louis C.K. (Louie)
Ricky Gervais (Derek)
Matt LeBlanc (Episodes)
William H. Macy (Shameless)
Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)
BEST ACTRESS (COMEDY SERIES)
Lena Dunham (Girls)
Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)
Melissa McCarthy (Mike and Molly)
Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)
Taylor Schilling (Orange Is the New Black)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (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)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS (COMEDY SERIES)
Mayim Bialik (The Big Bang Theory)
Julie Bowen (Modern Family)
Allison Janney (Mom)
Kate Mulgrew (Orange Is the New Black)
Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live)
Anna Chlumsky (Veep)
BEST GUEST ACTOR (COMEDY SERIES)
Steve Buscemi (Portlandia)
Louis C.K. (Saturday Night Live)
Gary Cole (Veep)
Jimmy Fallon (Saturday Night Live)
Nathan Lane (Modern Family)
Bob Newhart (The Big Bang Theory)
BEST GUEST ACTRESS (COMEDY SERIES)
Uzo Aduba (Orange Is the New Black)
Laverne Cox (Orange Is the New Black)
Joan Cusack (Shameless)
Tina Fey (Saturday Night Live)
Natasha Lyonne (Orange Is the New Black)
Melissa McCarthy (Saturday Night Live)
BEST TV MINI-SERIES
American Horror Story: Coven
Bonnie and Clyde
Fargo
Luther
Treme
The White Queen
BEST TV MOVIE
Killing Kennedy
Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight
The Normal Heart
The Trip to Bountiful
Sherlock: His Last Vow
BEST ACTOR (TV MOVIE OR MINI-SERIES)
Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock: His Last Vow)
Idris Elba (Luther)
Chiwetel Ejiofor (Dancing on the Edge)
Martin Freeman (Fargo)
Mark Ruffalo (The Normal Heart)
Billy Bob Thornton (Fargo)
BEST ACTRESS (TV MOVIE OR MINI-SERIES)
Helena Bonham Carter (Burton and Taylor)
Minnie Driver (Return to Zero)
Jessica Lange (American Horror Story: Coven)
Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story: Coven)
Cicely Tyson (The Trip to Bountiful)
Kristen Wiig (Spoils of Babylon)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (TV MOVIE OR MINI-SERIES)
Matt Bomer (The Normal Heart)
Martin Freeman (Sherlock: His Last Vow)
Colin Hanks (Fargo)
Joe Mantello (The Normal Heart)
Alfred Molina (Return to Zero)
Jim Parsons (The Normal Heart)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS (TV MOVIE OR MINI-SERIES)
Kathy Bates (American Horror Story: Coven)
Angela Bassett (American Horror Story: Coven)
Ellen Burstyn (Flowers in the Attic)
Frances Conroy (American Horror Story: Coven)
Julia Roberts (The Normal Heart)
Allison Tolman (Fargo)
BEST VARIETY
The Colbert Report
The Daily Show
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Real Time With Bill Maher
Saturday Night Live
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
BEST REALITY COMPETITION PROGRAM
The Amazing Race
Dancing With the Stars
Project Runway
So You Think You Can Dance
Top Chef
The Voice
BEST HOST FOR A REALITY OR REALITY COMPETITION PROGRAM
Tom Bergeron (Dancing With the Stars)
Anthony Bourdain (The Taste)
Cat Deeley (So You Think You Can Dance)
Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum (Project Runway)
Jane Lynch (Hollywood Game Night)
Betty White (Betty White’s Off Their Rockers)
BEST SHORT-FORMAT LIVE-ACTION ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM
Between Two Ferns With Zach Galifianakis: President Barack Obama (FunnyOrDie.com)
Children’s Hospital (Adult Swim)
Parks and Rec in Europe (NBC.com)
The Soup: True Detective (E!)
Super Bowl XLVIII Halftime Show Starring Bruno Mars (Fox)
The 66th Primetime Emmy Awards will take place on August 25th, 2014.
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