Plenty of new blood -- including "True Blood" -- enlivened the 62nd Primetime Emmy Nominations, announced on Thursday morning by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Newcomer "Glee" led all series with 19 nods, while HBO led all networks with 101, including best drama for its popular vampire series and the most-nominated show, miniseries "The Pacific," with 24 nods.
Conan O’Brien drew some blood of his own, getting a measure of revenge after NBC pushed him out of “The Tonight Show” in favor of Jay Leno. O’Brien’s seven months on “Tonight” earned four nominations, including Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series; Leno was blanked.
"True Blood" was just one of the first-time nominees in the marquee category of Outstanding Drama Series, whose other competitors are "Breaking Bad," "Dexter," "The Good Wife," "Lost" and the incumbent, "Mad Men."
In the comedy series category, newcomers "Glee," "Modern Family" and "Nurse Jackie" will square off against perennials "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "The Office" and reigning champ "30 Rock." The NBC show-within-a-show has had a lock on the category for three years running, but against the buzz behind "Glee" and "Modern Family," "30 Rock" is a long shot to win a fourth Emmy.
"This is great news," said "30 Rock" star/creator Tina Fey in a statement. "We're grateful and excited. Especially since today is the fifth anniversary of the day NBC forgot to cancel us."
The HBO miniseries "The Pacific" was the most-nominated show, with 24 nods, followed by "Glee's" 19 and "Mad Men" with 17.
"Temple Grandin," "30 Rock" and "You Don't Know Jack" each received 15 noms, while "Modern Family" received 14 and "Saturday Night Live," the 82nd Academy Awards and the season's biggest finale, "Lost," received a dozen each.
You wouldn’t exactly call it a case of “out with the old, in with the new," but after three years of predictability, the slate of nominees is an odd blend of Emmy stalwarts and intriguing fresh faces. Many of the top nominations this year went to shows that weren’t yet on the air the last time the awards were handed out.
And among the high-profile shows that recently completed their final seasons, the TV Academy bestowed parting gifts mainly upon “Lost,” while ignoring the record-tying 20-year run of “Law & Order” and giving mostly technical kudos to “24.”
One-third of the nominees in the two marquee categories, Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Comedy Series, went to new shows: “Glee,” “Modern Family” and “Nurse Jackie” on the comedy side, “The Good Wife” among the dramas.
The newcomers edged out a few past nominees, including “Big Love,” “House” and “Weeds.”
And for every appearance of the usual suspects – Outstanding Reality - Competition Program had the exact same slate of nominees for the fourth year in a row, while Betty White's guest turn helped nudge “Saturday Night Live” past "ER" to become the most-nominated show in history – another category benefited from first-time nominees sliding in between the vets: first-timers Lea Michele and Matthew Morrison from “Glee” alongside Tina Fey (16 nominations and seven wins) and Alec Baldwin (10 noms, two wins).
