Primetime Emmy Awards

On September 16, when I'm trying to figure out where I can run at a conference in Florida, you will be watching the gala affair that is the Emmy Awards.

For those of us who love television, the Emmy's mark that much looked for and much detested time of the year. That's because we have our favourite shows that we think should be awarded, but we see them get run over by bigger, longer running shows or be pushed aside to make up for not awarding someone else the year before. The nomination is a long, drawn out process that is not enlightened by those who watch a lot of tv... us.

So what I'm going to do is give you a list of nominees and then see about creating a poll so that you can pick your favourites.

Maybe next year, we can have an actual poll with results and people who win things. But for now, it will be pure tv nerdly fun.

Best Comedy Series
30 Rock
Entourage
The Office
Two and a Half Men
Ugly Betty

Best Drama Series
Boston Legal
Grey's Anatomy
Heroes
House
Sopranos

Lead Actor in a Comedy
Alec Baldwin - Jack Donaghy in 30 Rock
Ricky Gervais - Andy Millman in Extras
Tony Shaloub - Adrian Monk in Monk
Steve Carell - Michael Scott in The Office
Charlie Sheen - Charlie Harper in Two and a Half Men

Lead Actor in a Drama
Kiefer Sutherland - Jack Bauer in 24
James Spader - Alan Shore in Boston Legal
Hugh Laurie - Dr. Gregory House in House
Denis Leary - Tommy Gavin in Rescue Me
James Gandolfini - Tony Soprano in The Sopranos

Lead Actress in a Comedy
Tina Fey - Liz Lemon in 30 Rock
Felicity Huffman - Lynette Scavo in Desperate Housewives
Julia Louis Dreyfuss - Christine Campbell in The New Adventures of Old Christine
America Ferrera - Betty Suarez in Ugly Betty
Mary Louise Parker - Nancy Botwin in Weeds

Lead Actress in a Drama
Sally Field - Nora Walker in Brothers and Sisters
Mariska Hargitay - Detective Olivia Benson - Law & Order: SVU
Kyra Sedgwick - Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson in The Closer
Minnie Driver - Dahlia Malloy in The Riches
Edie Falco - Carmelo Soprano in The Sopranos

Supporting Actor in a Comedy
Jeremy Piven - Ari Gold in Entourage
Kevin Dillon - Johnny Drama in Entourage
Neil Patrick Harris - Barney Stinson of How I Met Your Mother
Rainn Wilson - Dwight Shrute in The Office
Joh Cryer - Alan Harper in Two and a Half Men

Supporting Actor in a Drama
William Shatner - Denny Crane in Boston Legal
T.R. Knight - George O'Malley in Grey's Anatomy
Masi Oka - Hiro Nakamura in Heroes
Terry O'Quinn - John Locke in Lost
Michael Emerson - Ben in Lost
Michael Imperioli - Christopher Moltisanti in The Sopranos

Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Jaime Pressly - Joy Turner in My Name Is Earl
Jenna Fischer - Pam Beesly in The Office
Conchata Ferrell - Berta in Two and a Half Men
Vanessa Williams - Wilhelmina Slater in Ugly Betty
Elizabeth Perkins - Celia Hodes in Weeds

Supporting Actress in a Drama
Rachel Griffiths - Sarah Whedon in Brothers and Sisters
Sandra Oh - Christina Yang in Grey's Anatomy
Chandra Wilson - Dr. Bailey in Grey's Anatomy
Katherine Heigl - Izzie Stevens in Grey's Anatomy
Lorraine Bracco - Dr. Jennifer Melfi in The Sopranos
Aida Turturro - Janice Soprano in The Sopranos

Of course, in anything where you have to pick a best, someone gets left out. Michael C. Hall's Dexter Morgan in the serial killer drama, Dexter, should definitely have gotten a nod. I haven't quite enjoyed an actor making me like the "bad" guy, who is really a good guy, but still a serial killer, as much as I've liked what Michael C. Hall is doing with the Dexter character.

While Ugly Betty is funny, I can't believe that it got the nod versus How I Met Your Mother. I mean, season two got off to a really weird start with Marshall and Lily split, but I am sure I laughed harder at HIMYM than I did at Ugly Betty. It should have been in the drama category.

Rescue Me should have gotten a nom for best drama. It's good to see Denis Leary's Tommy Gavin in the best actor for a drama category.

Even though Everybody Hates Chris wasn't as funny in the 2nd season, I'm surprised that Tichina Arnold or Terry Crewes, who play the mom and dad of Chris, weren't nominated in the supporting actress and actor category in comedy. As the show goes on, these two characters have gotten better - which means funnier.

Why in the HELL is there no nominations for Friday Night Lights???? Every frakkin' person on that show deserves a nom. If I had to choose ONE person, I couldn't. Connie Britton as the coach's wife, Tami Taylor, stands out in a reprisal of her role from the movie is particularly noteworthy, but so is Zach Gilford's Matt Saracen and Kyle Chandler's Coach Eric Taylor. I particularly love the character of Buddy Garrity played by Brad Leland just because he incites the most emotion. This show held my attention, made me tune in in real time as opposed to watching it Saturday from my DVR.

Speaking of "frak", BSG did get a nom in the writing category for the Occupation/Precipice episodes (the opening episodes of season three), but there really should have been some kind of nomination for the last two shows, Crossroads 1 & Crossroads 2. I admit that season three had a few missteps, but Crossroads 1&2 really did a good job of reinvigorating my interest in the story the writers were telling.

Masi Oka is my favourite. He made me enjoy Heroes, a show that was not as well written as it could have been. He was a definite favourite from that show, even though the writers wanted us to like other characters as well, but I'm not sure if he should win over Lost's Terry O'Quinn or Michael Emerson.

So, what about you? Do you have a character or show that you thought was exceptional last season that deserved a nomination? What about actors? Who should NOT be on the list? Don't be shy, leave your comments. Good healthy debates are more than welcome.

Tomorrow, my Emmy predictions in the main categories and why we should care about the best writing in a comedy or drama series.