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 In a highly competitive year with no shortage of new shows
and diverse faces on the small screen, premium cable channel HBO
extended its long reign atop all networks, with 126 nominations.
Its popular medieval fantasy "Game of Thrones" scored an
astonishing 24 nods but faces another tough year to win a top
award.
"Mad Men," which chronicled the advertising world and shifts in
American society during the 1960s through its main character,
Don Draper, ended its eight-year run this year and is likely to
be a favorite to win its fifth award for outstanding drama
series, the top Emmy.
Jon Hamm earned his eighth nomination for his dark portrayal of
Draper, but has never won. He will vie for best actor in a drama
against Kevin Spacey, who plays the diabolical politician Frank
Underwood in "House of Cards."
AMC will no doubt be lobbying hard for "Mad Men" and Hamm to
replicate last year's farewell wins for its drama "Breaking Bad"
and star Bryan Cranston. Meanwhile, the "Breaking Bad" prequel,
"Better Call Saul," grabbed seven nominations, including best
drama.
"Transparent" is the top new series among nominees, after having
won critical acclaim and Golden Globes for its comical and human
portrayal of a family patriarch who transitions to life as a
woman. The role is played by Jeffrey Tambor, who will be a
favorite to win best actor in a comedy series.
"Transparent" put Amazon Inc on the television map last year and
helped the online retailer earn 12 nominations, its first ever.
With uncanny timing, the comedy also plugged into one of the big
civil rights themes of modern-day America, the rights of
transgender persons.
Netflix Inc, the online streaming service that has paved the way
for digital platforms, garnered 34 nominations, including seven
for the new quirky comedy "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" and four
for "Orange Is The New Black," competing this year for best
drama instead of comedy.
A NOD TO DIVERSITY
While it was a good year for actors of color in the acting
categories, Fox's new popular hip-hop series "Empire" did not
earn a best drama nomination, one of the biggest snubs of the
2015 Emmys.
"Empire" lead Taraji P. Henson will compete against Viola Davis
of "How To Get Away With Murder" for best drama actress. It was
the first time two African-American women had been nominated in
that category, said Cynthia Littleton, managing editor of
television at trade publication Variety.
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"None have ever won, so this could be the year that changes," she
said.
The diversity among 2015 Emmy nominees contrasted with the much
criticized year for the film industry after no actors of color
received Oscar nominations.
"The faces you're seeing (on television) are much more reflective of
our diversity in our country today than 10 years ago, so as an
industry, we've made some strides," said Bruce Rosenblum, Television
Academy chairman and CEO.
In the best actress comedy category, Julia Louis-Dreyfus is up for
her fourth straight Emmy win for her portrayal as the hapless
president in HBO's "Veep."
"As President, my staff and I are too busy doing the people's
business to watch television," Louis-Dreyfus said after "Veep"
earned nine nominations. "Nonetheless, we are thrilled to be a part
of this celebration of creativity. (Go Jon Hamm!).”
Newcomers seemed to fare well, with over half of nominees in the
lead acting categories being either first-time nominees or from new
series.
Emerging comedian Amy Schumer was nominated for her first acting
Emmy for her raunchy "Inside Amy Schumer," and veteran Lily Tomlin
earned her 22nd nod, this time for playing a New Age septuagenarian
in new Netflix comedy "Grace and Frankie."
Among the leading comic men, Will Forte was nominated for new
apocalypse comedy "The Last Man on Earth," and Anthony Anderson
received his first nomination as the father in African-American
cultural identity comedy "Black-ish."
Thursday's nominations confirmed the narrowing chasm between the
stalwart network broadcasters and the digital newcomers. ABC took 42
nods, NBC and CBS 41 each and Fox 35, just one ahead of Netflix.
The Emmys will be presented in a ceremony hosted by comic actor Andy
Samberg in Los Angeles on Sept. 20 and broadcast live on the Fox TV
network.
(Editing by Lisa Von Ahn, Bernard Orr)
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