Cable channel HBO is still leader of the pack in garnering Emmy nominations. But network TV took back some prestige yesterday thanks in large part to the renaissance of drama at ABC.
Desperate Housewives, the dark comedy about love and lies on Wisteria Lane, and Lost, the daring drama about life among the survivors of a plane crash, were among the series that topped the list of nominees for the 57th annual Primetime Emmy Awards announced yesterday in Los Angeles.
"The big story in TV this year was the resurgence of network drama at ABC with Desperate Housewives and Lost," said Tom O'Neil, author of The Emmys, the definitive book on the history of the awards. "The nominations are a response to the way that those two series broke through and stole the show this year."
Desperate Housewives received 15 nominations, including outstanding comedy series. Three of its stars were also nominated as outstanding lead actress in a comedy series: Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross and Teri Hatcher.
(Even though it is an hour-long melodrama - as opposed to a half-hour sitcom - the producers had the option of entering it as a comedy instead of drama just as David E. Kelley did with the Fox series Ally McBeal in 1997.)
O'Neil's explanation for the show's other two stars, Eva Longoria and Nicolette Sheridan, being snubbed: "Both of those actresses played rather loose ladies, and I think it was a case of voters making them pay for the onscreen sins of their characters."
NBC's durable gay comedy Will & Grace matched Desperate Housewives in the comedy category with 15 nominations, including one each for lead actor Eric McCormack and supporting actress Megan Mullally.
Everybody Loves Raymond, the popular family sitcom that left the CBS airwaves in May after nine seasons, received 13 nominations, including outstanding comedy series. All five regular members of its cast were also nominated: Ray Romano (lead actor), Patricia Heaton (lead actress), Brad Garrett and Peter Boyle (supporting actors), and Doris Roberts (supporting actress).
Lost picked up 12 nominations for ABC, including that of outstanding drama series. While none of the cast was nominated in the leading actor or actress categories, Terry O'Quinn and Naveen Andrews were nominated in supporting roles.
