The current time of Peak TV offers voters the opportunity to spread the love when it comes to Emmy nominations. Or they can rubber stamp repeat nominees. This year they did both.
Anthony Anderson, Lauren Graham and Television Academy chairman and CEO Bruce Rosenblum announced select nominees for the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards during a live broadcast Thursday from Hollywood.
“Game of Thrones” again tallied the most nominations with 23. Limited series “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” received 22 nominations, and “Fargo” earned 18 nominations.
Yes, “The People v. O.J. Simpson” is a newcomer, but it’s really no surprise it garnered so many nominations. It comes from Emmy-loved creator Ryan Murphy and boasts an all-star cast, the most glittering of whom I would not have nominated.
No one deserves a nomination more than Sarah Paulson for her work as Marcia Clark in “People v. O.J.” She also was nominated for “American Horror Story: Hotel,” which she shot at the same time.
Two young actors could easily fill the supporting actor spots taken by David Schwimmer and John Travolta of “People v. O.J.” Where is the love for Connor Jessup? His searing performance as troubled teen Taylor Blaine in “American Crime” brought me to tears nearly every week. Joey Pollari deserved a nomination as closeted teen Eric Tanner.
I’m ecstatic about Lili Taylor‘s nomination for playing Taylor’s protective mother Anne Blaine in “American Crime.” I’m also pleased to see “The Americans” and its stars, Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell, score nominations.
Thomas Middleditch from “Silicon Valley” and Louie Anderson from “Baskets” also are welcome nominees. And I cheer Lily Tomlin’s nod for “Grace And Frankie.” But where is Samantha Bee, who certainly deserved notice for her hilariously insightful “Full Frontal?”
Constance Zimmer earned a well-deserved nod for “UnReal,” but the series was snubbed in the drama category. Also missing from drama series or the drama acting categories: “Outlander.”
The lead drama actress category had some rubber-stamping. I’m happy about Tatiana Maslany’s second nomination for playing—as listed on the Emmy web site—Sarah, Alison, Cosima, Helena, Rachel, M.K. and Krystal in “Orphan Black.” Snubbing both Eva Green for “Penny Dreadful” and Vera Farmiga for “Bates Motel” was just wrong, however.
I could go on, but I would rather hear from you. What and who do you think deserved nominations but were snubbed? What nominations are you happy to see? Feel free to sound off in the comments.
The Emmys will air live beginning at 6 p.m. CT Sept. 18 on ABC. Jimmy Kimmel will host.
68th Emmy nominations
Find all the Emmy nominations at emmys.com.
Drama
Outstanding Drama
- “The Americans,” FX
- “Better Call Saul,” AMC
- “Downton Abbey,” PBS
- “Game of Thrones,” HBO
- “Homeland,” Showtime
- “House of Cards,” Netflix
- “Mr Robot,” USA
Lead Actress
- Taraji P. Henson as Cookie Lyon, “Empire”
- Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison, “Homeland”
- Robin Wright as Claire Underwood, “House of Cards”
- Viola Davis as Annalise Keating, “How To Get Away With Murder”
- Tatiana Maslany as Sarah, Alison, Cosima, Helena, Rachel, M.K., Krystal, “Orphan Black”
- Keri Russell as Elizabeth Jennings, “The Americans”
Lead Actor
- Bob Odenkirk as Jimmy McGill, “Better Call Saul”
- Kyle Chandler as John Rayburn, “Bloodline”
- Kevin Spacey as Francis Underwood, “House of Cards”
- Rami Malek as Elliot, “Mr. Robot”
- Liev Schreiber as Ray Donovan, “Ray Donovan”
- Matthew Rhys as Philip Jennings, “The Americans”
Supporting Actor
- Jonathan Banks as Mike Ehrmantraut, “Better Call Saul”
- Ben Mendelsohn as Danny Rayburn, “Bloodline”
- Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, “Game Of Thrones”
- Kit Harington as Jon Snow, “Game Of Thrones”
- Michael Kelly as Doug Stamper, “House of Cards”
- Jon Voight as Mickey Donovan, “Ray Donovan”
Supporting Actress
- Dame Maggie Smith as Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham, “Downton Abbey”
- Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister, “Game Of Thrones”
- Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen, “Game Of Thrones”
- Maisie Williams as Arya Stark, “Game Of Thrones”
- Maura Tierney as Helen Solloway, “The Affair”
- Constance Zimmer as Quinn King, “UnReal”
Comedy
Outstanding Comedy
- “black-ish,” ABC
- “Master of None,” Netflix
- “Modern Family,” ABC
- “Silicon Valley,” HBO
- “Transparent,” Amazon
- “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” Netflix
- “Veep,” HBO
Lead Actor
- Anthony Anderson as Andre Johnson, “black-ish”
- Aziz Ansari as Dev, “Master Of None”
- William H. Macy as Frank Gallagher, “Shameless”
- Thomas Middleditch as Richard, “Silicon Valley”
- Will Forte as Phil Miller, “The Last Man On Earth”
- Jeffrey Tambor as Maura Pfefferman, “Transparent”
Lead Actress
- Tracee Ellis Ross as Rainbow Johnson, “black-ish”
- Laurie Metcalf as Dr. Jenna James, “Getting On”
- Lily Tomlin as Frankie, “Grace And Frankie”
- Amy Schumer as Amy, “Inside Amy Schumer”
- Ellie Kemper as Kimmy Schmidt, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Selina Meyer, “Veep”
Supporting Actor
- Louie Anderson as Christine Baskets, “Baskets”
- Andre Braugher as Captain Ray Holt, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine’
- Keegan-Michael Key as various characters, “Key & Peele”
- Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy, “Modern Family”
- Tituss Burgess as Titus Andromedon, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
- Tony Hale as Gary Walsh, “Veep”
- Matt Walsh as Mike McLintock, “Veep”
Supporting Actress
- Niecy Nash as Didi Ortley, “Getting On”
- Allison Janney as Bonnie, “Mom”
- Kate McKinnon as various characters, “Saturday Night Live”
- Judith Light as Shelly Pfefferman, “Transparent”
- Gaby Hoffmann as Ali Pfefferman, “Transparent”
- Anna Chlumsky as Amy Brookheimer, “Veep”
Limited Series or Movie
TV Movie
- “A Very Murray Christmas,” Netflix
- “All the Way,” HBO
- “Confirmation,” HBO
- “Luther,” BBC America
- “Sherlock: The Abominable Bride,” PBS
Limited Series
- “American Crime,” ABC
- “Fargo,” FX
- “The Night Manager,” AMC
- “The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story,” FX
- “Roots,” History
Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
- Bryan Cranston as Lyndon B. Johnson, “All The Way”
- Idris Elba as DCI John Luther, “Luther”
- Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes, “Sherlock: The Abominable Bride (Masterpiece)”
- Tom Hiddleston as Jonathan Pine, “The Night Manager”
- Courtney B. Vance as Johnnie Cochran, “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”
- Cuba Gooding, Jr. as O.J. Simpson, “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”
Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
- Felicity Huffman as Leslie Graham, “American Crime”
- Lili Taylor as Anne Blaine, “American Crime”
- Kerry Washington as Anita Hill, “Confirmation”
- Kirsten Dunst as Peggy Blumquist, “Fargo”
- Audra McDonald as Billie Holiday, “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill”
- Sarah Paulson as Marcia Clark, “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”
Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
- Melissa Leo, “All The Way”
- Regina King, “American Crime”
- Sarah Paulson, “American Horror Story: Hotel”
- Kathy Bates, “American Horror Story: Hotel”
- Jean Smart, “Fargo”
- Olivia Colman, “The Night Manager”
Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
- Jesse Plemons, “Fargo”
- Bokeem Woodbine, “Fargo”
- Hugh Laurie, “The Night Manager”
- Sterling K. Brown, “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”
- David Schwimmer, “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”
- John Travolta, “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”
Variety Talk Series
- “Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee,” Crackle
- “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC
- “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” HBO
- “The Late Late Show with James Corden,” CBS
- “Real Time With Bill Maher,” HBO
- “The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon,” NBC