SAG Awards TV Nominations: Predictable, But Right

Analysis: "Modern Family" leads SAG Award nominations, and Edie Falco ties a record

The Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for television were pretty predictable — but that's to be expected when there's so much consensus about where to find the best acting on television.

Getty ImagesGive the SAG Awards points for loyalty, especially to Edie Falco. With her two nominations Wednesday — for female comedy actor and for acting ensemble on "Nurse Jackie" — she now has 19 total SAG nominations. She is tied with David Hyde Pierce for the most nominations ever.

SAG was also loyal to "30 Rock." Though "Modern Family" leads with the most nominations of any show — four in all — "30 Rock" scored three nominations, the most of any other comedy. It's a good way to recognize the series, which ends its spectacular seven-season run next month.

"Modern Family," last year's winner for best comedy ensemble, scored nominations this time for best ensemble, as well as male acting nods for Ty Burrell and Eric Stonestreet and a female acting nomination for Sofia Vergara.

"30 Rock" earned nods for ensemble, Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey.

Among dramas, last year's winner for best drama ensemble, "Boardwalk Empire," scored three nominations. "Breaking Bad," "Downton Abbey" "Homeland" and the HBO movie "Game Change" also scored three nominations.

SAG loves "Boardwalk" lead Steve Buscemi and "Breaking Bad" lead Bryan Cranston — both actor's actors with seven all-time nominations each. Both men are nominated for outstanding male actor in a drama, and both of their shows are nominated for best drama ensemble.

Buscemi and "Boardwalk" won the categories last year. (The ensemble win came even before the scenery-chewing Bobby Cannavale joined the "Boardwalk" cast. This year he's also nodded as part of the "Nurse Jackie" ensemble.)

If "Breaking Bad" doesn't win, Cranston has another route to a SAG Award: He is also nominated on the film side this year as part of the "Argo" ensemble.

It may seem surprising that "Mad Men" yielded just two nominations — for lead Jon Hamm and dramatic ensemble. But besides Hamm, it's hard to choose one actor on the show over another. The show is a true ensemble, and that was especially the case this past season.

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