On Thursday Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly) and Joshua Jackson (Fringe) announced the nominees for the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards. HBO’s miniseries Mildred Pierce was the most recognized program scoring 21 nominations total; Mad Men (19), Boardwalk Empire (18), Modern Family (17), and Game of Thrones (13) were not too far behind.  Let us begin with the drama categories, as is tradition. Outstanding drama series include Mad Men, Dexter, The Good Wife, HBO newcomers Boardwalk Empire and Game of Thrones, and Friday Night Lights finally gets recognized in its fifth and final season. Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Michael C. Hall, (Dexter),  Hugh Laurie (House), Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire), Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights), and Timothy Olyphant (Justified) all received Outstanding actor in a drama nominations. Game of Thrones‘ Peter Dinklage (Tyrion “The Imp” Lannister) stands tall above the competition for Outstanding supporting actor in a drama amongst Josh Charles (The Good Wife), Alan Cumming (The Good Wife), Walton Goggins (Justified), John Slattery (Mad Men), and Andre Braugher (Men of a Certain Age). The following are contending for Outstanding actress in a drama: Kathy Bates (Harry’s Law), Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights), Mireille Enos (The Killing), Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: SVU), Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife), and Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men). Lastly, the Outstanding supporting actress in a drama bunch includes Kelly Macdonald (Boardwalk Empire), Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife), Christine Baranski (The Good Wife), Margo Martindale (Justified), Michelle Forbes (The Killing), and Christina Hendricks (Mad Men).

Next let us move onto the comedy categories. Modern Family, 30 Rock, The Office, and at long last Parks and Recreation and The Big Bang Theory all received nominations for Outstanding comedy. Alec Baldwin (30 Rock), Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory), Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory), Matt LeBlanc (Episodes), Louis C.K. (Louie), and Steve Carell (The Office) were handed Outstanding actor in a comedy nominations. After departing The Office, it’s surely Michael Scott’s time to shine. The Outstanding supporting actor in a comedy category is dominated Modern Family actors: Eric Stonestreet, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ty Burrell, Ed O’Neill, Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men), and Chris Colfer (Glee). Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) and Martha Plimpton (Raising Hope) headline the Outstanding actress in a comedy category which also includes Tina Fey (30 Rock), Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie), Laura Linney (The Big C), and Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly). The Outstanding supporting actress in a comedy bunch includes Modern Family‘s Julie Bowen and Sofia Vergara, Jane Lynch (Glee), Jane Krakowski (30 Rock), Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live), and the talented Betty White (Hot In Cleveland). Notable guest actors and actresses in comedies include Zach Galifianakis, Justin Timberlake, and Tina Fey for their SNL hosting duties, Glee‘s Kristin Chenoweth, Dot-Marie Jones, and Gwyneth Paltrow, and Raising Hope‘s Cloris Leachman.

And now it’s time to talk snubs. Community and Fringe were not recognized in the slightest. The comedy will eventually receive a nod, as Parks and Rec had to wait a few years too; as for the sci-fi drama, John Noble will always be recognized in my heart as a phenomenal actor and season 2’s “Peter” a brilliantly written episode. Speaking of Parks and Rec, where’s the recognition for Nick Offerman? The man who plays Ron freakin’ Swanson deserves Emmy love; he’s bound to receive it soon. And why The Walking Dead didn’t receive a top nod for Outstanding drama is beyond me; the zombie show managed to pick up nods for special visual effects and sound editing for the spectacularly creepy pilot “Days Gone By.”

The 63nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Jane Lynch, airs live Sunday, September 18 on FOX at 8PM.  Look after the break to see the nominees in list form. Continue reading 2011 Emmy nominations: Mad Men, Boardwalk Empire, Modern Family, Game of Thrones score big →