LOS ANGELES — A refreshing wave of first-time nominees and a 40 percent turnover from last year highlight the 2007-08 prime-time Emmy Awards nominations.
“Mad Men” and “Damages” broke through to become the first basic-cable dramas nominated for best series.
HBO’s “The Wire,” one of the most critically acclaimed series in years, was snubbed. Also missing from the list announced Thursday morning: “Friday Night Lights,” “Ugly Betty,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Desperate Housewives.”
Basic cable made a strong showing in the best drama category, where ABC’s “Boston Legal” and “Lost,” and Fox’s “House” face FX’s “Damages,” Showtime’s “Dexter” and AMC’s “Mad Men.”
Cable edged out the broadcast networks in several categories, although HBO was excluded from the outstanding drama category for the first time in a decade. On the comedy side, Tina Fey’s “30 Rock” broke a record by scoring 17 nominations.
“Mad Men,” the precisely dramatized picture of 1960 advertising, snared an impressive 16 nominations. Jon Hamm, slick and mysterious as ad man Don Draper, scored a lead actor nomination. “Damages,” the tense FX legal thriller, scored seven. Glenn Close, the conniving lawyer at the center of the story, nailed a best actress nomination. Both “Mad Men” and “Damages” were first-timers in the drama series category.
“Dexter,” the horrifically chilling Showtime drama about a cop/serial killer, is another first-time nominee.
In a sign of the times, the broadcast networks were nearly shut out of the miniseries category. HBO’s “John Adams” ruled the field with 23 nominations. Phylicia Rashad scored a deserved nod for her depiction of Lena Younger in ABC’s adaptation of “A Raisin in the Sun” (a role she played on Broadway). Otherwise, Showtime, HBO and PBS ruled the list for lead actress in a miniseries. HBO ruled the outstanding mini series actor category, where no other networks were nominated.
Even the made-for-TV movie category, created and once ruled by the commercial broadcast networks, was dominated by HBO (“Bernard and Doris,” “Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale” and “Recount”). ABC’s “A Raisin in the Sun” and Lifetime’s “The Memory Keeper’s Daughter” also made the list.
The 60th annual Emmy Awards will air Sept. 21 on ABC.
Joanne Ostrow: 303-954-1830 or jostrow@denverpost.com
