The Daily Beast: "2010 Emmys: Who Will Win This Year?"

With the 2010 Emmy Awards less than a week away, it's time to take a look at this year's front-runners and weigh the major races that are already underway.

Over at The Daily Beast, you can read my latest feature, "2010 Emmys: Who Will Win This Year?" in which I take a look (via a visual gallery) at who will win the top spots this year and who should be taking home those statuettes come August 29th.

Do you agree with my assessments? Think Julianna Margulies is a lock? Or do you think that I'm wrong and Aaron Paul won't get overlooked for a Best Supporting Actor award? Head to the comments section to discuss and debate and post your take on the major categories.

The 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards will air live coast to coast on Sunday, August 29th on NBC.

The Daily Beast: "Why Modern Family Should Win an Emmy Over Glee"

While several of the categories in this year's Primetime Emmy Awards look to be fierce, one of the most hotly anticipated is the Best Comedy category, which will see fellow freshman series Modern Family and Glee compete for the top prize.

Over at The Daily Beast, you can read my latest feature, "Why Modern Family Should Win an Emmy Over Glee," in which I discuss, well, just that, taking a look at whether Glee should be competing in the category, whether it's even a comedy, and whether the FOX musical-comedy stands a chance at winning the Emmy later this month.

I also speak to Modern Family co-creator Steve Levitan about the comedy series and whether he's written an acceptance speech or not. (Hint: he hasn't.)

Which show are you rooting for? And what's your take on Glee's status as a comedy? Discuss.

Channel Surfing: HBO Renews Tim, Prison Break's Chris Vance Targets Dexter, The Good Wife, 90210's Gay Character Revealed, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

Sometimes the networks taketh and sometimes they give back. Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that HBO has had a change of heart about animated comedy The Life and Times of Tim, which it cancelled two months ago. The pay cabler has now reversed its position on the cult hit, ordering a third season of Tim, with ten episodes slated to air sometime next year. Media Rights Capital, the production company behind the project (along with Good Humor TV), attempted to shop Tim to other networks--including Comedy Central, Adult Swim, and TBS--but no buyer materialized... and now the project has headed back to HBO. [Editor: I'm relieved as I was really upset when I heard earlier this year that the series wasn't going to get picked up.] (Deadline)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Chris Vance (Prison Break) has been cast in a multiple-episode story arc on Season Five of Showtime's Dexter. Vance--most recently seen in FOX's short-lived drama series Mental and on Burn Notice--will play Cole, described as "a meticulous, physically fit, well-spoken personal aide to a famous businessman," and is set to appear in at least three installments of the serial killer drama. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Deadline has an interview with The Good Wife creators Robert and Michelle King about their Emmy nominated CBS drama series, which will compete with several cable-based series in the Best Drama category. "It’s hard not to look at cable with envy at times, for sure," said Michelle King when asked if she wishes The Good Wife were on cable rather than broadcast television. "The tradeoff is we get to tell more stories and usually have a bigger budget, so it probably evens out." And don't call the show a procedural. "We prefer to be seen as a hybrid," said Robert King. "It’s a polite way of saying we want to have our cake and eat it, too. Mind you, we don’t hate procedurals. There’s nothing better when you’re sick in bed at home than taking in a Law & Order marathon. We’re not trying to run away from that, but we work to stuff the procedural aspect so tightly bound into a script that there’s a lot of room left to show the impact on our characters. We don’t feel hampered by the label, but we hope people can get past it and any angst they may have over it." (Deadline)

SPOILER! Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello has confirmed just which one of the boys of 90210 will come out this season on the CW teen soap. Actor Trevor Donovan--who plays Teddy--revealed that he'll be playing the famous zip code's gay character. “I read all your tweets and know you are all curious about the ‘gay’ character this season," said Donovan via Twitter. "Let me say, gay or straight, relationships are relationships. Everyone goes through the same kind of troubles and joys. A gay storyline will have an added issue of dealing with judgment from others. Acceptance, by family, friends, society, and self is just one of the concerns the character will be going through. It is a part of life, and it should be portrayed. I was told, and am confident, [that] the storyline will be written very well and the change in the character will be organic, NOT overnight. It’s going to be a great season 3. I look forward to chatting with you all as we progress.” Ausiello, for his part, confirmed that Donovan's Teddy is gay. Thus, the speculation can now end. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

FlashForward's Michael Ealy--who will next be seen on CBS' The Good Wife--has been cast as one of the leads on USA's buddy cop pilot Common Law, where he will play LAPD officer Travis Marks, described as "charismatic, casually attired, and unshaven—the polar opposite of his police partner, Wes Mitchell," who, unlike Wes, is "a freewheeling, impulsive maverick, not to mention an avid womanizer who is extremely successful with the ladies." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Among the presenters at this year's Primetime Emmy Awards: January Jones, Ricky Gervais, Julianna Margulies, Matthew Morrison, Sofia Vergara, and John Krasinski. (Hollywood Reporter)

Spike has renewed Deadliest Warrior for a third season, with ten episodes on tap for Summer 2011. (Variety)

Looks like you've gotten there. TBS has ordered an additional 90 episodes of comedy Are We There Yet? The series, which debuted on June 2nd, will wrap up its initial ten-episode order this summer and then return with a massive reorder. (Hollywood Reporter)

David Madden has been named the successor to outbound Fox Television Studios president Emiliano Calemzuk, who is departing the studio to become the CEO of Shine Group Americas. Madden, meanwhile, has been promoted to the position of president and will report to Dana Walden and Gary Newman. [Editor: congratulations, Dave!] (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: HBO's Miraculous Year Lands Lee Pace, Team Darlton Talk Lost, Friday Night Lights, and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

According to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello, HBO's drama pilot Miraculous Year, from executive producer Kathryn Bigelow just got even more miraculous. The project, which is described as "an examination of a New York family as seen through the eyes of a charismatic, self-destructive Broadway composer," just signed a slew of stars to round out its cast, including former Pushing Daisies star Lee Pace, Linus Roache (Law & Order), and Stark Sands (Generation Kill)... who will join the already high-wattage cast of Eddie Redmayne, Hope Davis, Frank Langella, and Patti LuPone. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

E! Online's Megan Masters spoke to former Lost showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse about the ABC drama's Emmy nominations now that the series has wrapped up its six-season run... and why they chose to break their radio silence. "Every year after the finale we've always gone into radio silence just because we're pretty sick of ourselves, so we can't even imagine what everybody else thinks of us," said Lindelof. "And we've always broken our radio silence at Comic-Con, and this year we're obviously not going to Comic-Con because it's about promoting something to come. The idea of looking back on the show is not something we were particularly interested in, looking back at ourselves. But around a week ago, Carlton and I had both been on vacation and received an email from someone at ABC asking [if we would] be willing to do some press. And that was our first contact with each other where it was like, alright, of course. If the show gets recognized, it feels totally appropriate for us to express out feelings about how awesome that is. There's no reason to not talk about Lost ever again, it's just not in our DNA. Had the show not been nominated for anything, I'm sure Carlton and I would have emerged at some appropriate time over the summer to talk about—" "To begin begging for work at Starbucks," Cuse cut him off, laughing. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Elsewhere, Deadline's Nellie Andreeva also caught up with Team Darlton to discuss the 12 Emmy nominations that Lost racked up yesterday and on the divisive series finale. "I do feel we spent so much time talking about how we were gonna end the show (we started getting questions about that right after the pilot) so the fact that we ended it on our own terms makes us feel absolutely no regrets," said Lindelof. "We acknowledge that it was always a polarizing show that created many theories and made fans passionate about it. It wouldn’t be Lost if everyone loved the finale, but we’re pretty pleased." (Deadline)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello caught up with Friday Night Lights's Connie Britton, who received an Emmy nomination alongside her co-star Kyle Chandler yesterday and who thought that "there must be some mistake." (Aw.) Asked whether she had received an interesting phone calls after the nomination, Britton replied, "I just had a really fun phone call with our executive producer Sarah Aubrey. She works with Peter Berg and has been involved with Friday Night Lights since the movie, and is arguably one of the most passionate people ever about this show. She was like, 'I was doing Pilates and I just unabashedly started jumping up and down!' It’s just exciting. We’re about to wrap the show—we’re two weeks away from wrapping the show—and it’s been really melancholy. I’m just feeling it. I’m feeling it approaching—the end is near. So this just feels like such an unexpected surprise and present." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Remember the rumor floating about the other day that the star of Vicky Cristina Barcelona would be dropping by Glee as a rock star who befriends Artie? Apparently, there's no truth to that story whatsoever, according to Los Angeles Times's Maria Elena Fernandez. A 20th Century Fox Television spokesperson has denied reports that Javier Bardem--and Snoop Dogg--would be appearing on FOX's Glee next season. (Los Angeles Times' Show Tracker)

With Steve Carell set to leave NBC's The Office at the end of next season, one of the show's producers has her sights on his replacement. Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello talks to co-executive producer Mindy Kaling about her pick to take over as the boss in Scranton. "I’d love to see Rainn Wilson in that position,” said Kaling. “Dwight has become so nuanced — you actually care about him now. I think if [we did a good job laying the groundwork] this coming season, he would be a fantastic boss... But that’s my dream. It certainly hasn’t been approved by people that are more powerful than me and who make those kinds of decisions." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

ABC has announced premiere dates for all of its new and returning fall series (except, that is, for Body of Proof and Secret Millionaire):

September 20th:
Dancing with the Stars
Castle

September 21st:
Detroit 1-8-7

September 22nd:
The Middle
Better With You (formerly known as Better Together)
Modern Family
Cougar Town
The Whole Truth

September 23rd:
My Generation
Grey's Anatomy
Private Practice

September 24th:
20/20

September 26th:
America's Funniest Home Videos
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Desperate Housewives
Brothers & Sisters

September 28th:
No Ordinary Family
Dancing with the Stars Results Show

You'll notice that while ABC did change the the title of one of its series, that series isn't Cougar Town, which will keep its title going into its sophomore season after all. (via press release)

Comedy Central has ordered a script for multi-camera comedy Brothers From Another Mother, which will feature comedians Ralphie May and Lavell Crawford as long-time friends who discover that, despite their racial differences, they are actually brothers when their father dies and leaves them his barbeque business. (Hollywood Reporter)

Lewis fans, take heart: ITV has ordered a fifth season of Lewis, comprised of four episodes. (Broadcast)

File under litigious: Hayden Christensen is using USA, claiming that the network stole his idea about a concierge doctor who makes house calls to his wealthy patients and turned it into its dramedy series Royal Pains, now in its second season. Christesen and his brother Tove filed the lawsuit in New York District Court. "The brothers allegedly brought the idea for a concierge doctor show titled Housecall to USA and met with Alex Pepiol, who at the time was manager of original scripted series programing at the network," writes The Hollywood Reporter's Eriq Gardner. "They say they also sent him materials including a treatment, character biographies and show ideas." (Hollywood Reporter)

Season Four of reality series LA Ink will kick off on TLC on Wednesday, August 11th at 10 pm ET/PT. (via press release)

Stay tuned.

Emmy Nominations Unveiled: Love for Friday Night Lights, Modern Family, Mad Men, Lost, True Blood, and More

It's that time of year again: Emmy nominations.

Modern Family's Sofia Vergara and Community's Joel McHale were on hand bright and early this morning to announce the Primetime Emmy Award nominations. (I stayed home to watch E! Online's stream of the press conference rather than drive over there bleary-eyed and unable to conceal my frustration about overlooked performances and series in person.)

While Vergara ultimately walked away with a nomination for supporting actress for Modern Family (as did most of her co-stars, in fact), McHale was sadly shut out of the nominations, as was Community, a real slap in the face (along with that for Parks and Recreation) considering that Community and Parks were both streets ahead of The Office and 30 Rock this season. Grr.

So which series did the best overall? HBO's The Pacific walked away with an impressive 24 nominations, followed closely by FOX's Glee at 19 nods, AMC's Mad Men at 17, and 15 nominations apiece for Temple Grandin, 30 Rock, and You Don't Know Jack. Critical darling Modern Family earned 14 nominations, while Lost scored 12.

While it's unlikely to change FX's decision about keeping the series around, Damages walked away with several key nominations including Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama (Glenn Close), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama (Martin Short), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama (Rose Byrne), Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama (Ted Danson), and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama (Lily Tomlin).

Perhaps seeing the final season as a way of addressing past snubs, the TV Academy issued nominations to Matthew Fox, Terry O'Quinn, and Michael Emerson for Lost. (About time.) And, yes, Elizabeth Mitchell even got in on the action, scoring a nomination for guest actress in a drama series for her role as Juliet Burke in the series finale.

So what do I think about the nominations? A list of nominees and reactions for each of the major category can be found below, while you can download the full list of nominees here.

Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
62nd Primetime Emmy Award Nominations

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory • CBS • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television
Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper

Curb Your Enthusiasm • HBO • HBO Entertainment
Larry David as Himself

Glee • FOX • A Ryan Murphy TV Production in association with 20th Century Fox TV
Matthew Morrison as Will Schuester

Monk • USA • Universal Cable Productions in association with Mandeville Films and ABC Studios
Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk

The Office • NBC • Deedle-Dee Productions and Reveille LLC in association with Universal Media Studios
Steve Carell as Michael Scott

30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studio
Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy

This was a fairly predictable category, though I have to yawn again at the inclusion of Tony Shalhoub over such other contenders as Parks and Recreations' Nick Offerman in this category, which tends to feature the same actors over and over again. Fortunately, Matthew Morrison edged out a certain actor from CBS' Two and a Half Men and the Academy realized that we're all tired of Entourage. As for who will win, I'd like to see Larry David walk away with the statuette next month for Curb Your Enthusiasm, really.

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Breaking Bad • AMC • Sony Pictures Television
Bryan Cranston as Walter White

Dexter • Showtime • Showtime Presents, John Goldwyn Productions, The Colleton Company, Clyde Phillips Productions
Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan

Friday Night Lights • DirecTV • Imagine Entertainment in association with Universal Media Studios and Film 44
Kyle Chandler as Eric Taylor

House • FOX • Universal Media Studios in association with Heel and Toe Films, Shore Z Productions and Bad Hat Harry Productions
Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House

Lost • ABC • Grass Skirts Productions, LLC in association with ABC Network and Studios
Matthew Fox as Jack Shephard

Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Jon Hamm as Don Draper

Now this is a very tough category. I'm extremely pleased to see that the Academy opted to shine a light on the compelling work of Friday Night Lights's Kyle Chandler, whose performance as Eric Taylor is the stuff of legends. (Was Chandler not born to play this role?) But he faces some stiff competition from Matthew Fox, Jon Hamm, Hugh Laurie, Bryan Cranston, and Michael C. Hall. This is going to be a very tight race among some supremely talented actors. I don't even dare to hazard a guess here, though I would love it if Chandler did the nearly impossible and walked away the winner. (Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose!)

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie
A Dog Year • HBO • Duopoly in association with HBO Films
Jeff Bridges as Jon Katz

The Prisoner • AMC • AMC, ITV Productions and Granada
Ian McKellen as Two

The Special Relationship • HBO • A Rainmark and Kennedy/Marshall Production in association with HBO Films
Michael Sheen as Tony Blair

The Special Relationship • HBO • A Rainmark and Kennedy/Marshall Production in association with HBO Films
Dennis Quaid as Bill Clinton

You Don't Know Jack • HBO • Bee Holder, Cine Mosaic and Levinson/Fontana Productions in association with HBO Films
Al Pacino as Dr. Jack Kevorkian

While I'd love Sheen to be recognized for his role in The Special Relationship, particularly after playing British PM Tony Blair with such incisive nuance for the third time (after The Deal and The Queen), I'd say that Pacino's turn as Jack Kevorkian is the showier role here. Point to Pacino, I think.

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
Glee • FOX • A Ryan Murphy TV Production in association with 20th Century Fox TV
Lea Michele as Rachel Berry

The New Adventures Of Old Christine • CBS • Kari's Logo Here in association with Warner Bros. Television
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Christine Campbell

Nurse Jackie • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Lionsgate Television, Jackson Group Entertainment, Madison Grain Elevator, Inc. & Delong Lumber; A Caryn Mandabach Production
Edie Falco as Jackie Peyton

Parks And Recreation • NBC • Produced by Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios
Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope

30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studio
Tina Fey as Liz Lemon

United States Of Tara • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Dreamworks Television
Toni Collette as Tara Gregson

Don't get me started on the inclusion of Lea Michele here for Glee. I don't consider the series a comedy on really any level (other than the participation of Jane Lynch), nor do I buy Michele as the "lead actress" of anything other than an ensemble player of a middling musical dramedy. My hope is that Amy Poehler walks away the winner here as Parks and Recreation is the funniest comedy on television right now and was unjustly shut out of the nominations. Should Poehler not get the win, I'd also be ecstatic if Edie Falco took home the win for the darkly funny Nurse Jackie. (Ordinarily, I'd be rooting for Tina Fey but this season of 30 Rock was not the show's best or sharpest.)

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
The Closer • TNT • The Shephard/Robin Company, in association with Warner Bros. Television
Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson

Damages • FX Networks • Sony Pictures Television, FX Productions and KZK Productions
Glenn Close as Patty Hewes

Friday Night Lights • DirecTV • Imagine Entertainment in association with Universal Media Studios and Film 44
Connie Britton as Tami Taylor

The Good Wife • CBS • CBS Productions
Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit • NBC • Wolf Films in association with Universal Media Studios
Mariska Hargitay as Det. Olivia Benson

Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television
January Jones as Betty Draper

I am happy to see that someone is recognizing the work that January Jones is doing on Mad Men; for some reason critics and audiences are far too prone to writing off her performance for some reason but her work in Season Three of Mad Men was provocative and powerful, even as Betty Draper became more and more unlikable. I'm thrilled to see Connie Britton listed here for Friday Night Lights as she is more than deserving of a nomination for her stunning turn once again as Tami Taylor. And it's no surprise that Julianna Margulies landed herself a nom for the freshman season of The Good Wife, one of the few breakout hits of the past season, nor that Glenn Close is here for Damages. While I'd love all three women to share the award, that's just not going to happen. If I was a betting man, I'd bet on Margulies for The Good Wife. Though I'd love to hear Britton's acceptance speech, if I'm being heartfelt.

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Capturing Mary • HBO • A talkbackTHAMES Production in association with the BBC and HBO Films
Maggie Smith as Mary Gilbert

Georgia O'Keeffe • Lifetime • Sony Pictures Television for Lifetime Television
Joan Allen as Georgia O’Keeffe

Return To Cranford (Masterpiece) • PBS • BBC/WGBH in association with Chestermead
Dame Judi Dench as Miss Matty

The Special Relationship • HBO • A Rainmark and Kennedy/Marshall Production in association with HBO Films
Hope Davis as Hillary Clinton

Temple Grandin • HBO • A Ruby Films, Gerson Saines Production in association with HBO Films
Claire Danes as Temple Grandin

Two words: Claire Danes. Her performance in Temple Grandin was nothing less than stellar and she not only imbued her turn with heart, strength, and passion, but she also perfectly captured the cadence and rhythm of Grandin herself. (Which I can say, having met and spent time with Temple.) It's a brave and bravura performance that I hope nets the former My So-Called Life star an Emmy Award next month, if there's any justice.

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Glee • FOX • A Ryan Murphy TV Production in association with 20th Century Fox TV
Chris Colfer as Kurt Hummel

How I Met Your Mother • CBS • Twentieth Century Fox Television
Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson

Modern Family • ABC • Twentieth Century Fox Television
Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell

Modern Family • ABC • Twentieth Century Fox Television
Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker

Modern Family • ABC • Twentieth Century Fox Television
Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy

Two And A Half Men • CBS • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc., The Tannenbaum Company in association with Warner Bros. Television
Jon Cryer as Alan Harper

Of the Glee nominations, I'm happy to see Chris Colfer and Jane Lynch represented as they are the only things that kept me watching Glee through its first season. Save Ed O'Neill (wrongly overlooked here), the entire male cast of Modern Family earned themselves nominations. While they are all tops at their game, I actually hope that the Academy gives the win to Eric Stonestreet for his hysterical and heartfelt performance as Cameron. I'm hoping Stonestreet walks away the winner here. (Come on, Eric!)

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Breaking Bad • AMC • Sony Pictures Television
Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman

Damages • FX Networks • Sony Pictures Television, FX Productions and KZK Productions
Martin Short as Leonard Winstone

Lost • ABC • Grass Skirts Productions, LLC in association with ABC Network and Studios
Terry O'Quinn as John Locke

Lost • ABC • Grass Skirts Productions, LLC in association with ABC Network and Studios
Michael Emerson as Ben Linus

Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television
John Slattery as Roger Sterling

Men Of A Certain Age • TNT • TNT Original Productions
Andre Braugher as Owen

I'm extremely chuffed to see O'Quinn and Emerson nominated here together for their stunning work on Lost. One can't help but feel that the nod isn't just for the final season of Lost but their collective work over the years on the ABC drama series, which wrapped its run in May. Likewise, Short gave a nuanced and compelling turn on Damages, playing against type and yet not becoming a walking creepshow like Darryl Hammond the season before. And it's always gratifying to see Aaron Paul nominated here for his performance as Jessie Pinkman on AMC's Breaking Bad and John Slattery for his work on Mad Men. Tough category to call but I'm going to give this to Paul.

(Still crushed, however, that Fringe's John Noble failed to get a nomination here for his staggering work as Walter Bishop this season.)

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Emma (Masterpiece) • PBS • A co-production of BBC Productions and WGBH Boston
Michael Gambon as Mr. Woodhouse

Hamlet (Great Performances) • PBS • production of Illuminations and Royal
Shakespeare Company for BBC in association with Thirteen for WNET.org and NHK
Patrick Stewart as Ghost / Claudius

Return To Cranford (Masterpiece) • PBS • BBC/WGBH in association with Chestermead
Jonathan Pryce as Mr. Buxton

Temple Grandin • HBO • A Ruby Films, Gerson Saines Production in association with HBO Films
David Strathairn as Dr. Carlock

You Don't Know Jack • HBO • Bee Holder, Cine Mosaic and Levinson/Fontana Productions in association with HBO Films
John Goodman as Neal Nicol

Would love to see Gambon take this one home for Emma as he was absolutely perfect as Mr. Woodhouse. Having said that, I also think that Patrick Stewart may walk away for his turn in Great Performances' Hamlet. Hmmm...

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Glee • FOX • A Ryan Murphy TV Production in association with 20th Century Fox TV
Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester

Modern Family • ABC • Twentieth Century Fox Television
Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy

Modern Family • ABC • Twentieth Century Fox Television
Sofia Vergara as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett

Saturday Night Live • NBC • SNL Studios in association with NBC Studios and Broadway Video
Kristen Wiig as Various Characters

30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studio
Jane Krakowski as Jenna Maroney

Two And A Half Men • CBS • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc., The Tannenbaum Company in association with Warner Bros. Television
Holland Taylor as Evelyn Harper

I would be amazed if anyone other than Jane Lynch won here. She's the only real reason, as far as I am concerned, that Glee was even able to sneak into the comedy category. You can engrave that statuette now as far as I'm concerned.

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Burn Notice • USA • FOX Television Studios in association with Fuse Entertainment
Sharon Gless as Madeline Westen

Damages • FX Networks • Sony Pictures Television, FX Productions and KZK Productions
Rose Byrne as Ellen Parsons

The Good Wife • CBS • CBS Productions
Archie Panjabi as Kalinda Sharma

The Good Wife • CBS • CBS Productions
Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart

Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Christina Hendricks as Joan Harris

Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson

So many worthy actresses competing here. Personally, I'd love for Rose Byrne or Christina Hendricks to win here. Normally, I think Elisabeth Moss is tops but she had a much quieter role this past season on Mad Men while Hendricks' Joan Harris (nee Holloway) and Byrne's Ellen Parsons seized their respective seasons by the throat and never let go. Dare I say that I'm rooting for Hendricks here?

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Alice • Syfy • A Reunion Pictures and Studio Eight Production in association with RHI Entertainment
Kathy Bates as Queen of Hearts

Temple Grandin • HBO • A Ruby Films, Gerson Saines Production in association with HBO Films
Julia Ormond as Eustacia (Temple's Mom)

Temple Grandin • HBO • A Ruby Films, Gerson Saines Production in association with HBO Films
Catherine O'Hara as Aunt Ann

You Don't Know Jack • HBO • Bee Holder, Cine Mosaic and Levinson/Fontana Productions in association with HBO Films
Brenda Vaccaro as Margo Janus

You Don't Know Jack • HBO • Bee Holder, Cine Mosaic and Levinson/Fontana Productions in association with HBO Films
Susan Sarandon as Janet Good

I'd love this to go to Catherine O'Hara. I love when comedic actors go against the grain and turn in dramatic and moving performances. Ormand was also absolutely amazing in HBO's Temple Grandin but there was such a subtlety and dignity to O'Hara's Ann in the biopic that I hope she's recognized... and starts working more and more in the dramatic arena.

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series
Glee • Wheels • FOX • A Ryan Murphy TV Production in association with 20th Century Fox TV
Mike O'Malley as Burt Hummel

Glee • Dream On • FOX • A Ryan Murphy TV Production in association with 20th Century Fox TV
Neil Patrick Harris as Bryan Ryan

Modern Family • Travels With Scout • ABC • Twentieth Century Fox Television
Fred Willard as Frank Dunphy

Nurse Jackie • Chicken Soup • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Lionsgate Television, Jackson Group Entertainment, Madison Grain Elevator, Inc. & Delong Lumber; A Caryn Mandabach Production
Eli Wallach as Bernard Zimberg

30 Rock • Emmanuelle Goes To Dinosaur Land • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studio
Jon Hamm as Dr. Drew Baird

30 Rock • Into The Crevasse • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in
association with Universal Media Studio
Will Arnett as Devin Banks

While I'm loath to root for Glee, I'd love to see Mike O'Malley win for his turn as Kurt's surprisingly supportive father Burt.

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series
The Closer • Make Over • TNT • The Shephard/Robin Company, in association with Warner Bros. Television
Beau Bridges as Detective George Andrews

Damages • The Next One's Gonna Go In Your Throat • FX Networks • Sony Pictures Television, FX Productions and KZK Productions
Ted Danson as Arthur Frobisher

Dexter • Road Kill • Showtime • Showtime Presents, John Goldwyn Productions, The Colleton Company, Clyde Phillips Productions
John Lithgow as Arthur Mitchell

The Good Wife • Fleas • CBS • CBS Productions
Alan Cumming as Eli Gold
The Good Wife • Bad • CBS • CBS Productions
Dylan Baker as Colin Sweeney

Mad Men • Shut The Door. Have A Seat. • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Robert Morse as Bertram Cooper

24 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM • FOX • Imagine Television and 20th Century Fox TV in association w/ Teakwood Lane Productions
Gregory Itzin as President Charles Logan

Let's be honest: is there any way that John Lithgow won't win for his turn as Trinity on Showtime's Dexter? Granted, there's no way that this was a "guest" role but he's in the category and he is almost certain to walk away with the statue next month. Would be shocked if it played out any other way.

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory • The Maternal Congruence • CBS • Chuck Lorre
Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television
Christine Baranski as Beverly Hofstadter

Desperate Housewives • The Chase • ABC • ABC Studios
Kathryn Joosten as Karen McCluskey

Glee • The Rhodes Not Taken • FOX • A Ryan Murphy TV Production in association with 20th Century Fox TV
Kristin Chenoweth as April Rhodes

Saturday Night Live • Host: Tina Fey • NBC • SNL Studios in association with NBC Studios and Broadway Video
Tina Fey as Host

Saturday Night Live • Host: Betty White • NBC • SNL Studios in association with NBC Studios and Broadway Video
Betty White as Host

30 Rock • The Moms • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studio
Elaine Stritch as Colleen Donaghy

Two And A Half Men • 818-JKLPUZO • CBS • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc., The Tannenbaum Company in association with Warner Bros. Television
Jane Lynch as Dr. Linda Freeman

Cough, Betty White, cough. Is there anything this woman can't do?

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series
Big Love • The Might And The Strong • HBO • Anima Sola Productions and Playtone in association with HBO Entertainment
Mary Kay Place as Adaleen Grant

Big Love • End Of Days • HBO • Anima Sola Productions and Playtone in association with HBO Entertainment
Sissy Spacek as Marilyn Densham

The Cleaner • Does Everybody Have A Drink? • A&E • CBS Paramount Television in association with Once A Frog Productions for A&E Network
Shirley Jones as Lola Zellman

Damages • Your Secrets Are Safe • FX Networks • Sony Pictures Television, FX Productions and KZK Productions
Lily Tomlin as Marilyn Tobin

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit • Bedtime • NBC • Wolf Films in association with Universal Media Studios
Ann-Margret as Rita Wills

Lost • The End • ABC • Grass Skirts Productions, LLC in association with ABC Network and Studios
Elizabeth Mitchell as Juliet Burke

I'm beyond thrilled to see Elizabeth Mitchell in this category for her role as Juliet on Lost in the series finale and it really comes down to her and Sissy Spacek for Big Love. For me, anyway. I'd love it to be one of them, though Tomlin also gave a stirring and vicious performance as Marilyn Tobin this past season on Damages. Hmmm...

Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition Program
The Amazing Race • CBS • World Race Productions Inc.
Phil Keoghan as Host

American Idol • FOX • FremantleMedia N.A., Inc. & 19TV Ltd.
Ryan Seacrest as Host

Dancing With The Stars • ABC • BBC Worldwide Productions
Tom Bergeron as Host

Project Runway • Lifetime • The Weinstein Company, Miramax Films, Bunim-Murray Productions and Full Picture
Heidi Klum as Host

Survivor • CBS • SEG Inc.
Jeff Probst as Host

I'm going for Phil Keoghan all the way for The Amazing Race. Hands down the classiest reality show host and he displays more emotion in one eyebrow lift than many actors do in their entire frames.

Outstanding Comedy Series
Curb Your Enthusiasm • HBO • HBO Entertainment

Glee • FOX • A Ryan Murphy TV Production in association with 20th Century Fox TV

Modern Family • ABC • Twentieth Century Fox Television

Nurse Jackie • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Lionsgate Television, Jackson Group Entertainment, Madison Grain Elevator, Inc. & Delong Lumber; A Caryn Mandabach Production

The Office • NBC • Deedle-Dee Productions and Reveille LLC in association with Universal Media Studios

30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studio

I have to say that I'm really, really irritated that both Parks and Recreation and Community were shut out of this category while The Office, which suffered through its worst season to date, and 30 Rock, which had a middling one, once again landed spots here. While the Glee nod is not surprising, it also took away a spot from a genuine--and actually funny all the way through--comedy like the two named. I am extremely happy, however, that Modern Family and Nurse Jackie earned nominations here... while HBO's Entourage did not. If there's any justice in the entire world (and Hollywood), Modern Family will be crowned the winner for outstanding comedy. I'm keeping my fingers very tightly crossed.

Outstanding Drama Series
Breaking Bad • AMC • Sony Pictures Television

Dexter • Showtime • Showtime Presents, John Goldwyn Productions, The Colleton Company, Clyde Phillips Productions

The Good Wife • CBS • CBS Productions

Lost • ABC • Grass Skirts Productions, LLC in association with ABC Network and Studios

Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television

True Blood • HBO • Your Face Goes Here Entertainment in association with HBO Entertainment

Five very strong series, each with their own bands of devoted viewers, likely going to the mats for their favorite. Breaking Bad delivered some majorly stunning surprises this season, as did Showtime's Dexter, which ended in a literal bloodbath. As for ABC's Lost, I'm one of the few who didn't think that Season Five of Lost was its strongest season... and I would have liked to have seen FX's Justified earn a spot here. (Also missing: Sons of Anarchy.)I'm pleasantly surprised to see HBO's True Blood here (taking the spot for Big Love, I would imagine) but I did think that the second season of the vampire drama transcended its roots to deliver a season that combined the seductive quality of the supernatural with something profound and powerful.

Having said that, my vote goes to Mad Men for its entirely superlative season, which in true Matthew Weiner fashion, changed up the rules of its game, ending relationships and altering the underlying foundation of the series in more ways than one. I'm once again rooting for the period drama to grab that prize.

Outstanding Miniseries
The Pacific • HBO • Playtone and Dreamworks in association with HBO
Miniseries

Return To Cranford (Masterpiece) • PBS • BBC/WGBH in association with Chestermead

Outstanding Made For Television Movie
Endgame (Masterpiece) • PBS • Channel 4, Target Entertainment Group and
Masterpiece present A Daybreak Pictures Production

Georgia O'Keeffe • Lifetime • Sony Pictures Television for Lifetime Television

Moonshot • HISTORY • Produced by Dangerous Films LTD for History

The Special Relationship • HBO • A Rainmark and Kennedy/Marshall Production in association with HBO Films

Temple Grandin • HBO • A Ruby Films, Gerson Saines Production in association with HBO Films

You Don't Know Jack • HBO • Bee Holder, Cine Mosaic and Levinson/Fontana Productions in association with HBO Films

The Pacific may have more ardent supporters, but I'd actually like Temple Grandin to win here. Sometimes it's the smaller films that are just as important as the big-budget miniseries.

What did you think of the nominations? Who earned their nods? Who got wrongly shut out? Who do you think will win? Head to the comments section to discuss.

The Primetime Emmy Awards will be televised live coast-to-coast on Sunday, August 29th on NBC.

Channel Surfing: Tamsin Greig Lands Episodes, Steve Carell Looks to Leave The Office, History Casts The Kennedys, and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

Cast changes are afoot at Showtime's upcoming Matt LeBlanc-led comedy Episodes, with Thomas Haden Church pulling out of the project due to a scheduling conflict with a film and Claire Forlani being recast after the recent table read earlier this week. But with Forlani out, Showtime has had the luck of landing British actress Tamsin Greig (Black Books, Green Wing, Love Soup) to replace her. [Editor: I think Greig is a much better fit and is a comedy genius. Showtime is beyond lucky to have nabbed her. Grieg's Black Books character, Fran Katzenjammer, remains a perennial favorite.] Greig will step into Forlani's role, as the female half of a husband-and-wife writing team whose British series is adapted for American television... and ruined in the process. Showtime has ordered seven episodes of the series, which is created by David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik, who executive produce alongside Jimmy Mulville. (Variety)

Steve Carell has announced his intention to leave The Office after one more season. Speaking to BBC Radio 2's Steve Wright, Carell said that his contract with the Universal Media Studios-produced comedy goes "through next year" and then went on to say, "I think it will probably be my last year." NBC isn't commenting though it's thought likely that The Office wouldn't continue without Carell on board as Michael Scott. [Editor: in fact, it's the perfect opportunity to wrap up the series.] "This could be a negotiating ploy, but honestly, I don't think so in this case," an unnamed insider told E! Online's Megan Masters. (Office Tally via E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

History Channel has unveiled the cast for its upcoming eight-hour controversial miniseries The Kennedys, which will star Greg Kinnear, Katie Holmes (as Jacqueline Kennedy, no less!), Barry Pepper, and Tom Wilkinson. Project, which will air in 2011, is executive produced by Joel Surnow, Jonathan Koch, and Steve Michaels, with Steve Kronish writing and Jon Cassar directing. The mini will dramatize the "the personal relationships between the Kennedy clan -- including John's and Bobby's tumultuous relationship with their father," according to Variety's Michael Schneider. (Variety)

Ricky Gervais will once again host NBC's Golden Globes telecast, the network has announced. Despite the fact that the 68th Annual Golden Globes don't air until next January, NBC took the unusual step of announcing that Gervais would return... nine months ahead of broadcast. "I can't believe they invited me back after awful things I said," said Gervais in a statement. "Let's see how far I can go this time." NBC's Paul Telegdy, meanwhile, compared Gervais to an unstoppable force of nature. "As viewers discovered with our last awards telecast, Ricky's surprising and unpredictable humor is a great fit for the Globes which will continue as a live event across the nation," said Telegdy. "He's a true force of nature with a wicked sense of humor who always keeps everyone on their toes waiting for the unexpected."(Hollywood Reporter)

SPOILER! Don't expect any sense of closure for Katherine Heigl's character on ABC's Grey's Anatomy, according to series creator Shonda Rhimes. "It’s going to linger," Rhimes told Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. "And I actually feel good about it lingering because [it means] Alex is left with unfinished business. And that’s going to be very interesting for his character." Meanwhile, Rhimes isn't spilling about the game-changing season finale for Greys. "The events of the finale itself change the game," she told Ausiello. "Whether anyone lives or anyone dies is not really necessarily the point of it." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Jimmy Fallon is said to be at the top of the list for potential hosts for this year's Primetime Emmy Awards, a group that's also said to include Jerry Seinfeld and duo Tina Fey and Steve Carell. NBC will announce the host officially, but it's widely thought that Fallon, who hosts the Peacock's Late Night franchise, will announce the host next week. (Variety)

ABC has ordered six episodes of US adaptation of Russian game show The Six, in which contestants must work together in order to solve logic-based puzzles in under a minute. Project, from Merv Griffin Entertainment, will be hosted by Vernon Kay and production will get underway this summer. (Hollywood Reporter)

HBO has signed a three-year overall deal with Entourage creator/executive producer Doug Ellin, under which he will develop new projects for the pay cabler and remain aboard Entourage for its seventh and eighth seasons. Ellin already has two projects in development at HBO: a political comedy about a man working for a former US president after he leaves office (written by Ben Schwerin) and a female-skewing project with Ally Musika. (Variety)

Spike has ordered a pilot presentation for comedy Kings By Night, which will revolve around three men who start a casino in their workplace at night. Project, written by Ben and Dan Newmark and directed by Richie Keen, will be produced by FremantleMedia. (Deadline.com)

ABC Studios has signed a two-year overall deal with former Better Off Ted writers Kat Likkel and John Hoberg, under which they will develop new projects for the studio and join the writing staff of a new or existing series. (Variety)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello has a first look image of Jack Bauer from the series finale of FOX's 24, which is set to air May 24th. The photo depicts a backpack-clad Jack Bauer raising his gun at... who knows, really? (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Additionally, Ausiello also has a first look image of the Smallville season finale, airing May 14th, which features a rain-slicked showdown between Clark and Zod. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Comcast and General Electric are optimistic that the NBC Universal deal will be closed by the end of the calendar year. (Variety)

Dr. Drew Pinsky and Howard Lapides are launching their own shingle, Dr. Drew Productions, which will be based in Los Angeles and focus on developing "high-quality reality television projects." (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)

E! has ordered six episodes of documentary What's Eating You?, which will take a look at both common and extreme examples of eating disorders and air this fall on the cabler. (Examples are said to include ""a woman who eats a roll of toilet paper dipped in pickle juice every night before bed; another who lives in seclusion and feels compelled to eat twigs, pencil erasers and super-glue; and an aspiring model whose body is so starved that she physically smells because her body literally is eating itself alive.") (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

Salary negotiations are set to get underway for four cast members on CBS' NCIS, including Michael Weatherly, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, and Sean Murray, each of whom are looking to increase their episodic paycheck before the series returns in the fall for its eighth season. "The real question is how much CBS is willing to pay the four stars moving forward: Deadline.com is reporting that the company dangled low-ball offers, which stalled negotiations," writes Entertainment Weekly's Lynette Rice. "Representatives for CBS declined to comment." (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

The cast of The Real Housewives of New Jersey will be answering fans questions during a live premiere party that will be hosted by Andy Cohen and will be streamed on Bravotv.com and Ustream.tv. (TVGuide.com)

TLC has ordered a fourth season of L.A. Ink. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Why John Noble of FOX's "Fringe" Deserves an Emmy

While Emmy nominations are a long way off, I'd like to draw attention to the stunning performance of Fringe's John Noble. (Yes, it's a long way off but keep it under your hats, Emmy voters.)

FOX thriller Fringe is a series that I always watch on Thursday nights (so as not to be spoiled) but, as I was out on Thursday evening, I've only now caught up. Last week's absolutely sensational installment of Fringe ("Grey Matters") offered up not only an advancement of the series' overarching mythology plot but also placed the focus squarely on John Noble's Walter Bishop.

Throughout my coverage of Fringe's outstanding second season, I've often drawn attention to Noble's nuanced and compelling portrayal of Walter Bishop in his chief roles as mad scientist, drug-addled theorist, culinary devotee, father, and, well, father substitute and it pains me that he's gone overlooked for an award nomination as long as he has.

Over the course of the last two seasons, Noble has given a bravura performance as Walter, alternating between periods of madness, loss, and keening pain. This week's episode allowed him to come face to face with the cause of his memory loss and forced him to come to terms with the possible path of his own destruction and that of the entire planet.

Motivated by the loss of his child, Walter opened a door between the worlds and kidnapped an alternate universe Peter and brought him back from the other side to our world, where he raised him as his own. Whereas before Walter was moved by loss, he is now crippled by fear: fear that he will lose Peter all over again, either by someone's hand or by dint of Peter learning the horrible fact of what was done to him.

Was it a father's love? Or the horrific hubris of a man used to playing god? Thanks to Noble's deeply moving performance, it's both. There's a somber sadness to Walter, a man obsessed with culinary cravings who both lives in the past and is determined to forget it. This week's episode got to the root of those memory losses, introducing a plot in which the knowledge of how Walter moved between the worlds was literally cut out of his brain and forcibly implanted within the brain tissue of three unsuspecting civilians, each of whom went insane.

That we learn that the man responsible for literally ripping out the memories from Walter's head is none other than his former partner William Bell (Leonard Nimoy) is all the more shocking. Did Walter willingly submit to the procedure in order to safeguard an invasion from "over there"? Or did Bell betray his partner and force him to undergo the surgery?

It's unclear. But what we do know is that much of what Walter has suffered--his madness, his memory loss, the loss of seventeen years of his life--is all down to that one fateful decision, a choice that now affects the lives of everyone in his world.

Noble brings this onus to life vividly--the drooping of his body, the sadness of his eyes, the fear in his stuttering words--that the Atlas-like weight of his burden is clearly felt. (Look at the scene where he admits to unsuccessfully searching for a cure for his madness.) It's in the smallest of nuance that Noble imbues Walter with a tremendous sense of being a tragic figure in the most Shakespearean of terms. His fatal flaw was that he disregarded the natural order of things, played God, wreaked untold havoc in order to restore his son. A son that he could very well lose once the truth is revealed. And, lest we forget, the truth always comes out in the end.

This week's episode moved the possibility of revelation along quite nicely. The heartbreak with which Walter saw an image representing Peter's coffin (after a shot of custard) was powerfully affecting as was the transformation of Walter once the disparate parts of his brain were finally reconnected. In those moments, we saw not the fragile shell of a man that Walter is now, but a shadow of his former self: arrogant, forceful, and domineering. A man willing to do the unthinkable, to break the laws of the universe, to make a Faustian bargain that will inevitably undo everything he strove to create.

"Grey Matters" demonstrated Noble's fantastic range and his penchant for making Walter tantalizing flawed. There are few actors that could pull off the subtle transformation and the compelling mix of emotions that Noble conveys each and every week, much less make it as gut-wrenching as Noble does on Fringe each and every week.

Fringe returns with new episodes on Thursday, January 14th at 9 pm ET/PT on FOX.

Emmys: The Morning After (The Morning After)

No, it's not quite the morning after the Emmys but I spent yesterday recovering from a bit too much overindulgence the night before and still wanted to get in my thoughts about this year's Emmy awards before the door for such discussion slams shut.

Emmy host is a rather thankless job and we've seen, thanks to last year, just how much the show can go off the rails in the hands of less-than-qualified hosts. However, I thought that Neil Patrick Harris did a legendary job and infused the proceedings with wit, sparkle, and humor and kept things running smoothly. (Did we really only run over by a few minutes? Fantastic.)

I spent the evening carousing at two post-Emmy bashes, HBO's luxe red-hewed affair at the Pacific Design Center and AMC's latenight after-after-party at Chateau Marmont. Both fetes were absolutely, ridiculously fun and the stars were out in full-force for both events, with this gleeful partier catching glimpses of Jon Hamm, Glenn Close, Ricky Gervais, Chloe Sevigny, Kristin Bauer, Anna Camp, Maria Bello, Christina Hendricks, Daniel Dae Kim, Kevin Connolly, John Slattery, Grace Zabriski, Douglas Smith, Shirley MacLaine, Jemaine Clement, Bret McKenzie, Kristen Schaal, Anne Heche, Aaron Paul, Rose Byrne... and the list goes on and on. (That's just off the top of my head.)

I had a lovely time sitting with Top Chef judge Gail Simmons and her husband at the HBO event and discussing professional chefs, sci-fi TV, and a host of other topics and I got to catch up with Inbetweeners creator Iain Morris and his girlfriend, there to support Flight of the Conchords, for which Morris had written two episodes with writing partner Damon Beesley, and co-creator James Bobin, whom I interviewed recently for The Daily Beast, and ran into at the AMC party with Jemaine Clement. I also caught up with the always delightful Anna Camp of HBO's True Blood, who introduced me to her fiancé Michael Mosley, who will be a series regular on Scrubs this season.

And, at the AMC bash, I got to congratulate Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner--who was holding his two Emmys--on his two wins and he very kindly and graciously thanked me for the piece I did on him and Mad Men for The Daily Beast recently, saying that it was a pleasure to be interviewed by someone who genuinely loves the series. (Aw!)

So what did I think of the awards themselves? Let's discuss. (The full list of award winners can be found here.)

I'll admit that I watched the awards ceremony via an East Coast feed while I was getting ready but that it seemed to be moving at a pretty even speed and Harris provided a charming host throughout the evening, looking quite dashing in a white tuxedo and managing to make me roar with laughter during his Dr. Horrible-style takeover of the airwaves, buffering and all. (The fact that I was watching the Primetime Emmys on a computer made this gag even more hysterical and meta.)

As for the awards themselves, they were more or less pretty predictable, though there were some nice surprises spread throughout the evening. I was thrilled to see Kristin Chenoweth take home an Outstanding Supporting Actress statuette for her role as Olive Snook on Pushing Daisies , a bittersweet posthumous (for the series, not Cheno) acknowledgment of the whimsical series. (By the same token, however, I'd have much rather seen Tina Fey take home the prize for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy to match Alec Baldwin's win for Jack Donaghy, rather than United States of Tara's Toni Colette.)

I was thrilled that Little Dorrit and Grey Gardens took home some prizes in the movies and mini-series categories; both were excellent examples of how classy, upscale longform can still work on television and I was extremely chuffed that BBC/PBS mini Little Dorrit took home the top mini-series prize and writing for Andrew Davies. (If you haven't seen Davies' Little Dorrit, get thee to a video store--or Netflix--straightaway.) And, despite many critics saying that the movies/mini-series section of the ceremony dragged on for far too long, I loved Jessica Lange's acceptance speech and Ken Howard's Kanye West allusion. Unexpected, that.

I love The Amazing Race but I was really hoping that the addictive and slick Top Chef would take home the gold for Bravo this year. It's such a fantastic format and, as much as I adore TAR, I am ready to see it sit out from the reality competition category for one year at least.

Michael Emerson and Cherry Jones were about as professional as can be and I loved Cherry's promise that she was going to plonk down her Emmy on the craft services table at the 24 set in Chatsworth the next day. Likewise, I kind of assumed that Glenn Close and Bryan Cranston would take home statuettes but I'll admit that I was pulling for Mad Men's Elisabeth Moss and Jon Hamm to take home those prizes respectively instead, especially for Mad Men's incredible second season. (I was thrilled for Kater Gordon and Matt Weiner to win for writing the awe-inspiring "Meditations in an Emergency" episode of Mad Men.)

But I'm extremely pleased by 30 Rock and Mad Men's continued win this year for Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Drama Series respectively. If Big Love couldn't have won for the truly outstanding third season they had, then I'm exceptionally happy that Mad Men took home the prize. In an era of reality television dominating the airwaves, it's comforting to see so many fantastic drama series making their marks and I think we're truly blessed to have complex series like Mad Men, Big Love, Lost, and Damages on the air today.

What did you think of the awards? How did Neil Patrick Harris do? Were you happy with the winners? And, if not, who would you have awarded the top prizes to? Discuss.

Daily Beast: "HBO's Troubadours Take Flight"

Another quick bit of indulgent self-promotion on Emmy day.

Please be sure to check out my latest piece for The Daily Beast, entitled "HBO's Troubadours Take Flight," featuring a one-on-one interview with Flight of the Conchords co-creator James Bobin.

It's the latest installment of an Emmy story package at The Daily Beast and features a Q&A with James Bobin about the possibility of a third season, musical influences, Jemaine Clement's nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, working with Michel Gondry, and much more.

You can read the piece in full here. Be sure to read the whole intro for Flight of the Conchords and then click on the gallery to read the Q&A.

The Daily Beast: "The Magic of Mad Men"

Another quick bit of indulgent self-promotion this morning.

Please be sure to check out my latest piece for The Daily Beast, entitled "The Magic of Mad Men," featuring a one-on-one interview with Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner.

It's the latest installment of an Emmy story package at The Daily Beast and features a Q&A with Matthew Weiner. The period drama is up for thirteen nominations this year, including Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor (Jon Hamm), Outstanding Lead Actress (Elisabeth Moss), Outstanding Supporting Actor (John Slattery), and Outstanding Writing, among others.

You can read the piece in full here. Be sure to read the whole intro for Mad Men and then click on the gallery to read the Q&A.

The Daily Beast: "Damages' Stylish Mind Game"

Quick bit of indulgent self-promotion this morning.

Please be sure to check out my first piece for The Daily Beast, entitled "Damages' Stylish Mind Game."

It's the first installment of an Emmy story package at The Daily Beast and features a Q&A with Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler, and Daniel Zelman, the creators/executive producers of FX's legal thriller Damages, which is up for seven nominations this year, including Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Glenn Close), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (William Hurt), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Rose Byrne), Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (Ted Danson), Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Todd A. Kessler), and Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series (Julie Tucker and Ross Meyerson).

You can read the piece in full here. Be sure to read the whole intro for Damages and then click on the gallery to read the Q&A.

Channel Surfing: Syfy Soups Up for "Alphas," Chandra Wilson to Visit "Private Practice," Abdul to Leave "Idol," and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

Cabler Syfy has ordered a 90-minute pilot for Zak Penn and Michael Karnow's action-adventure drama Alphas, which had been previously set up at ABC two season ago under the name Section 8. Project, from BermanBraun Television and Universal Cable Studios, follows a team of agents who "possess hyper-developed neurological abilities" (read: superpowers). "What we loved about this idea is that it played into a new way of approaching the superhero genre: the idea of ordinary people who have one slightly extraordinary feature about them and are singularly not so special but together can do extraordinary things was very attractive," said Syfy EVP of original programming Mark Stern. Section 8, which had a six-episode order from ABC, left the network post-writers' strike over creative differences before winding up at Syfy, which ordered it to pilot from the three projects in had in development. (Hollywood Reporter)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Grey's Anatomy's Chandra Wilson will appear in spin-off series Private Practice next season. "The Grey’s Anatomy Emmy nominee will cross over to sister show Private Practice early into Season Six (Episode Three, specifically) when Bailey visits Oceanside Wellness," writes Ausiello. "I’m told the crackling chemistry between Bailey and Sam (Taye Diggs) that was on display during previous crossovers will once again get some play during this latest visit." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

FOX has confirmed that Paula Abdul will NOT be returning to music competition series American Idol next season. Abdul announced her decision via Twitter yesterday, a statement that the network later confirmed, along with FremantleMedia North America, and 19 Entertainment. "With sadness in my heart, I've decided not to return to #IDOL," wrote Abdul, who then continued by saying, "I'll miss nurturing all the new talent, but most of all ... being a part of a show that I helped from day 1 become an international phenomenon." In an official statement, FOX, Fremantle, and 19 Entertainment said: "Paula Abdul has been an important part of the 'American Idol' family over the last eight seasons and we are saddened that she has decided not to return to the show. While Paula will not be continuing with us, she's a tremendous talent and we wish her the best." (Variety)

New York Magazine's Logan Hill has a fantastic interview with Mad Men star Christina Hendricks, who clarifies our obsession with the period drama. "Drinking and smoking and having sex with other people’s wives and all those things—they are bad, bad behaviors,” said Hendricks. "But it’s all done with fabulous clothes and lighting and excellent music, and that makes for a really sexy show. Being bad is sexy." (New York Magazine)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that D.B. Sweeney (Crash) has been cast in a six-episode story arc next season on CBS' Criminal Minds. "He’s playing a U.S. Marshal who’s brought in to help with a big [case] that arcs through the first part of the season," executive producer Ed Bernero told Ausiello. "He’s a contemporary of our team and knows several members of our team really well." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

The remake fever isn't abating any time soon at the CW, according to network boss Dawn Ostroff, who told reporters at yesterday's TCA session that the netlet is looking at other potential remake possibilities. "I don't know if we'd do Party of Five," said Ostroff, "but there are other shows we're looking at that we would possibly think about." Meanwhile, Gossip Girl spin-off Lily might be dead but that doesn't mean that the CW will stop trying to find a potential spin-off from Gossip Girl. "If Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage would be open to it, of course we'd be open to it," said Ostroff. "There is a spinoff actually of the book series which is called 'The It Girl,' and we've explored that with them. It's been harder to find how you make that a world that's well-rounded enough for us, because it takes place at a boarding school, and it's very insular." And, oh, Body Politic is definitely dead. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Rescue Me co-creator Peter Tolan has teamed with Michael Wimer to launch and as-yet-untitled production company that will be based at Sony Pictures Television and operate under a three-year overall deal. "It's important to establish this company right out of the gate, so that would mean tempering my cable instincts and coming up with something that would bring more people into the tent," said Tolan. "I'm never going to take that darker, cynical side out of myself, but I'm going to make the shows a little bit more welcoming." (Hollywood Reporter)

NBC will offer a primetime preview special that will highlight offerings from the Peacock this fall and will air on all of NBC Universal's portfolio of channels, including NBC, Syfy, Bravo, and USA, as well as being offered online at NBC.com. Series such as Community, The Jay Leno Show, Trauma, Mercy, The Biggest Loser, Heroes, Southland, and the channel's Thursday night comedies are among those getting the promotional treatment. (Hollywood Reporter)

ABC has confirmed that production on long-running daytime soap All My Children is moving from New York to Los Angeles. The former studio that housed All My Children will not be given to One Life to Live and both series will begin broadcasting in high-definition in early 2010. (Variety)

Ann Gillespie has signed on to reprise her role as Jackie Taylor-Silver next season on 90210, where she will appear in a multiple-episode story arc that has her attempting to reconcile with daughters Kelly (Jennie Garth) and Silver (Jessica Stroup). Her first appearance is slated to air in October. (TVGuide.com)

The N--about to be rebranded as TeenNick--has optioned Deborah Gregory's novel series "Catwalk," about four friends at Manhattan's Fashion International High School. Gregory will adapt her series with Without a Trace scribe Jacob Epstein. (Hollywood Reporter)

More changes afoot for the Emmy Awards, this time affecting just who is eligible to judge this year's categories, a move that prohibits full-time employees from voting in any category for which the network they work for are nominated. It's a move that is likely to frustrate pay cabler HBO, which is nominated for 99 Emmy Awards in most of the major categories; move would then bar their employees from voting in any of those categories. (Variety's Awards Central)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Grant Show Open to "Melrose" Return, Ehle Plays "Game of Thrones," Third Season of "Inbetweeners" on Tap, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

Grant Show, set to star on CBS comedy Accidentally on Purpose this fall, has said that he's open to appearing on the CW's revival of Melrose Place. "We've been talking, but nothing solid," Show says. "I'm not opposed to it... They haven't come up with the writing for me yet. I'm not sure they're even going to need me this year — maybe next year." Should Show close a deal to return to the series, he'll join original stars Josie Bissett, Thomas Calabro, Laura Leighton, and Daphne Zuniga as those who have turned up on Melrose 2.0. (TVGuide.com)

Jennifer Ehle (Possession) has joined the cast for the HBO fantasy drama pilot Game of Thrones, where she will play Catelyn Stark, the wife of Sean Bean's Ned Stark. Ehle's character was originally promised to Ned's older brother who was killed before they could marry; she then "fulfilled her duty by marrying Ned and securing the alliance between their two houses." Ehle joins a cast that includes Bean, Mark Addy, Peter Dinklage, Jack Gleeson, Kit Harrington, and Harry Lloyd. In other casting news, Swoosie Kurtz (Pushing Daisies) has joined the cast of Lifetime's comedy series Rita Rocks in a recurring capacity, where she will play the mother of Nicole Sullivan's character, and Brenda Vaccaro (Nip/Tuck) has will star in HBO Film's Jack Kevorkian biopic You Don't Know Jack, directed by Barry Levinson. (Hollywood Reporter)

E4 has announced that it has recommissioned comedy series The Inbetweeners for a third season. The Bwark-produced comedy created by Iain Morris and Damon Beesley, stars Simon Bird, James Buckley, Blake Harrison, and Joe Thomas. It has already aired two seasons on Channel 4 digital sibling E4 and is set to air Stateside this fall on BBC America. According to E4 head Angela Jain, The Inbetweeners had "some of the most beautifully crafted puerile and funny jokes ever seen on British television but also moments of crushing heartbreak, which are all testament to the brilliance of the writing and acting." [Editor: I totally agree! Congrats, Iain and Damon!] (Broadcast)

FOX has announced that American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi will be returning to the reality competition series next season following the conclusion of her contract negotiation. "Kara's spitfire personality and sharp musical sensibility infused American Idol with a new energy last year," said FOX president of alternative Mike Darnell. "She clearly has a keen eye for talent -- spotting Adam Lambert's superstar quality early on last season -- and her performance on the Season Eight finale was one of the most memorable in recent Idol history." (Hollywood Reporter)

Slight changes afoot at Bravo, which announced that it had changed timeslots and launch dates for its returning programs Flipping Out and The Rachel Zoe Project. Flipping Out will now air Tuesdays at 10 pm ET/PT beginning August 18th, while The Rachel Zoe Project will air Mondays at 10 pm ET/PT beginning August 24th. (Futon Critic)

As expected, Greg Meidel has been named president of Twentieth TV, following Bob Cook's decision to leave the position. Meidel, who will continue to oversee MyNetworkTV, will assume oversight of Twentieth TV's programming and distribution. (Variety)

At yesterday's TCA session for CBS, entertainment topper Nina Tassler hit back at outbound NBC Entertainment chairman Ben Silverman. Asked to comment about his departure from NBC, Tassler declined to comment, saying rather cheekily, "I’m really just a D-girl," referring sarcastically to an off-hand remark Silverman made of her early on during his tenture at NBC. Touché! (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

TruTV has ordered seven episodes of unscripted series Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura, in which the former Minnesota governor will "investigate controversial plots and schemes that have been circulating in the news for many years and have piqued the public's interest." Project, from A. Smith and Co., will launch later this year. (Variety)

Bashar Rahal (War, Inc.) has been cast a multiple-episode story arc in Day Eight of 24, where he will play a general from the Islamic Republic of Kamistan who is enmeshed in a conspiracy involving President Hassan (Anil Kapoor). (Hollywood Reporter)

E! has ordered eight episodes of unscripted half-hour spoof series Reality Hell, in which actors attempt to persuade a person that he or she is appearing on a new reality series. Series, which launches August 16th, is executive produced by Peter M. Cohen. (Variety)

WE has ordered six episodes of two new series, a one-hour unscripted series Girl Meets Gown, in which brides look for their dream wedding dress; and Jilted, in which "women give their boyfriends ultimatums." Both will launch next year. The cabler also renewed The Locator, Little Miss Perfect, and High School Confidential, all of which will return to the schedule in 2010. (Variety)

More than 100 showrunners and executive producers have formally signed a protest against the changes planned for the Emmy telecast by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, which seeks to exclude several categories from the live telecast next month. "We, the undersigned showrunners and executive producers of television's current line-up of programs, oppose the Academy of Television Arts and Science's decision to remove writing awards from the live telecast," said the protesters in a prepared statement. "This decision conveys a fundamental understatement of the importance of writers in the creation of television programming and a symbolic attack on the primacy of writing in our industry. We implore ATAS to restore these awards to their rightful place in the live telecast of the 2009 Emmy Awards." (via press release)

Meanwhile, the Emmy telecast producer Don Mischer said at a TCA panel yesterday that the TV Academy could become irrelevant, unless they make certain changes. "We are trying to keep the Emmys alive as a major television event," said Mischer. "It may come to that... The writing is on the wall, and every other award show knows it." Among the changes necessary for the awards show to stay alive, Misher said, was presenting series that mainstream viewers can recognize and not featuring narrow series that have niche appeal. We're going to have to connect the show to the big picture of television," said Mischer. "Its high points and memorable moments... We want to maintain a major profile. This is broadcasting, not netcasting." (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: NBC Targets "Persons Unknown," Team Darlton "Shocked" By Nomination, Davies Has Ideas for Fourth Season of "Torchwood," and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

NBC has acquired Fox Television Studio's international co-production Persons Unknown, written and executive produced by Chris McQuarrie (Valkyrie). Series, which stars Jason Wiles (Zodiac), Chadwick Boseman (Lincoln Heights), Daisy Betts (Out of the Blue), Tina Holmes (Six Feet Under), and Alan Ruck (Drive), revolves around a group of strangers who are seemingly kidnapped and taken to a deserted ghost town from which they cannot leave and where they are watched by omnipresent security cameras. McQuarrie is executive producing with Remi Aubuchon and Heather McQuarrie. No US launch date was announced for Persons Unknown, which has already produced thirteen installments with Italy's RAI and Mexico's Televisa. (Variety)

Lost's Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse were surprised by the ABC drama series getting an outstanding drama series Emmy nod yesterday following this past season's heavily serialized time-travel story. "We are very happy, and we are kind of shocked," Cuse told TVGuide.com. "Doing the time travel-heavy genre, we did not have any expectations that we would get nominated." Especially considering that their fellow nominees in the category hail mostly from cable. "The idea that we made it into the mix with the limitations of broadcast is pretty exciting to us," said Lindelof. "Dexter, Big Love, Breaking Bad," added Cuse, "Those are shows we think are really well done." (TVGuide.com)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan talks with Torchwood: Children of Earth writer/executive producer Russell T. Davies about the groundbreaking five-episode event run (airing next week in the US). Of the possibility for a fourth season, Davies said, "I've got vague ideas. I know where to start. I know where the lead characters are. [...] But then, when the call comes, I shall be there. When Torchwood calls, you jump. Whether it is this format, whether they want a new format, whether they want the old format [I don't know]. I'll take on anything and make it work." (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

John Goodman will star in FOX comedy pilot The Station, about a group of subpar CIA agents at a secret South American outpost where their mission is to install a new dictator. Goodman will play Ted Gannon, the head of the CIA's Altamara Station. Already on board the 20th Century Fox Television and Red Hour production: Justin Bartha, Whitney Cummings, Rob Huebel, and Julio Oscar Mechoso. David Wain (Role Models) has been attached to direct the pilot. (Variety)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello congratulates How I Met Your Mother executive producer Craig Thomas about the comedy series' Emmy nomination yesterday and gets some scoop about Season Five of Mother. "For a long time the mother was in this big vast ocean of New York City; she could be anyone," said Thomas. "And we ended the season with Ted teaching at Columbia University -- literally in the same room as the mother. So that has added a great suspense element in the writing. We've gotten some great material out of that, including a whole story that plays almost like a horror movie. Suspenseful ominous music is playing and at any point Ted can round a corner and run into the mother. It's been a really nice engine for writing the season so far." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

E! Online's Jennifer Goodwin caught up with 30 Rock star Jack McBrayer, who landed a first-time nomination for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series and said that Tina Fey and the 30 Rock writers place their emphasis on the characters' dynamics, which for McBrayer's Kenneth is his relationship with Alec Baldwin's Jack Donaghy. "I could not be more honored to work with him," said McBrayer of Baldwin. "I swear to God. [Laughs.] First season we were all scared to death of him. But the second season, he was a little more relaxed, therefore we were more relaxed. This season was a breeze; I'm so looking forward to season four. He's so generous. He hosted Saturday Night Live back in February, and he had this idea to bring me up during his opening monologue. My parents were in town, and it was just a perfect storm of 'I can't believe this is my life right now.'" (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Sarah Carter (Shark) has landed a series regular role on CBS' CSI: NY, where she will play "a new clean-up tech who aspires to someday work in the crime lab. We'll find out later in the season that she's hiding a secret." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files,

John de Mol's Talpa Productions is said to be close to a deal to acquire reality shingle Bunim/Murray Prods., in deal said to be worth approximately $50-70 million. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

TV Academy Shines Emmy Love on "Big Love," "30 Rock," "Mad Men," "Lost," "Damages"

I have to say that I'm pleasantly surprised this early morning in Los Angeles.

The Emmy nominees were announced this morning and I have to commend them for showering such love onto diverse and unique series such as Big Love, Mad Men, 30 Rock, Breaking Bad, Little Dorrit, Flight of the Conchords, , and Damages, even though Battlestar Galactica failed to garner a single nomination in the major categories.

Hell, one of the talented troika of female leads on AMC's Mad Men--Elisabeth Moss--even landed a nomination, as did the entire main cast of 30 Rock! So, something's right in Hollywood for a change.

Meanwhile, FOX's Family Guy snagged the first outstanding comedy series nomination for an animated series... in fifty years. (Not since The Flintstones has an animated comedy scored a nomination.) Something which sadly The Simpsons was never able to achieve in its heyday.

So which series and actors landed Emmy nominations? Let's talk about the major categories. (The full list of nominations can be found here.)

Outstanding Drama Series:
Big Love (HBO)
Breaking Bad (FX)
Dexter (Showtime)
House (FOX)
Lost (ABC)
Mad Men (AMC)

I have to say that I'm actually quite pleased overall with the selection here, which shows some love for quirky cable dramas like Big Love, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, and Dexter while also lauding network hits like Lost and House. I'm not surprised by the inclusion of Lost and the sensational Mad Men but if I'm being totally honest, I'd love to see Big Love, which is coming off of a mind-blowingly sensational third season, walk away with the top prize here.

Outstanding Comedy Series:
Entourage (HBO)
Family Guy (FOX)
Flight Of The Conchords (HBO)
How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
The Office (NBC)
30 Rock (NBC)
Weeds (Showtime)

Loving the inclusion of Flight of the Conchords, despite a somewhat subpar second season compared to the strength of its freshman year, but I'm glad to see that the quirky Kiwi comedy won over Emmy voters not just here but also in the lead actor in a comedy category as well. And kudos to the cast and crew of How I Met Your Mother for snagging a nom in the highly competitive category here. Ultimately, I'm hoping--and it's rather likely--that 30 Rock once again walks off with the statuette here. It really is, hands-down, the very best comedy on television today.

Outstanding Miniseries:
Generation Kill (HBO)
Little Dorrit (PBS)

Generation Kill might have the HBO imprimatur but I'm rooting for the lush and emotionally resonant Little Dorrit to win here. Would love to see a Dickens adaptation win the mini-series prize and the cast and crew of this PBS/BBC production were absolutely top-notch.

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series:
Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Jemaine Clement - Flight Of The Conchords (HBO)
Tony Shalhoub - Monk (USA)
Steve Carell - The Office (NBC)
Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock (NBC)
Charlie Sheen - Two And A Half Men (CBS)

I'm blown away by the fact that Jemaine Clement managed to get a nomination here and I almost want Clement to win, just so I can watch what would be a fairly surreal and hysterical acceptance speech. Just... wow. Never would have imagined this. Love that Jim Parsons got nominated and his reaction on the nomination telecast this morning was priceless. The rest of the category is pretty predictable (cough, Tony Shalhoub, cough) but I'm once again putting my money on 30 Rock's incomparable Alec Baldwin. It's what Jack Donaghy would do, after all.

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series:
Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad (AMC)
Michael C. Hall - Dexter (Showtime)
Hugh Laurie - House (FOX)
Gabriel Byrne - In Treatment (HBO)
Jon Hamm - Mad Men (AMC)
Simon Baker - The Mentalist (CBS)

As much as I love Bryan Cranston, I have to say that I want Jon Hamm to bring home the win with every iota of my being. His smoldering performance as Don Draper in Season Two of Mad Men was powerful, provocative, and heartbreaking and he anchored the show with a nuanced masculinity and dynamic charisma. As for the others, Laurie and Byrne were expected, but Simon Baker for The Mentalist? Really? Over Bill Paxton for Big Love? Or anyone from Battlestar Galactica? Grr.

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series:
Julia Louis-Dreyfus - The New Adventures Of Old Christine (CBS)
Christina Applegate - Samantha Who? (ABC)
Sarah Silverman - The Sarah Silverman Program (Comedy Central)
Tina Fey - 30 Rock (NBC)
Toni Collette - United States Of Tara (Showtime)
Mary-Louise Parker - Weeds (Showtime)

Two words: Tina Fey. Need I say more?

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series:
Sally Field - Brothers & Sisters (ABC)
Kyra Sedgwick - The Closer (TNT)
Glenn Close - Damages (FX)
Mariska Hargitay - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC)
Elisabeth Moss - Mad Men (AMC)
Holly Hunter - Saving Grace (TNT)

Thank you, Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, for--finally!--acknowledging the incredible performance of Mad Men's Elisabeth Moss; her turn as Peggy Olsen this past season was an understated thing of beauty, haunting for her sorrow, inspiring for her strength of character. That fellow femmes January Jones and Christina Hendricks should be overlooked once again is shameful but I do have to credit them for at least shining a much-deserved spotlight on Moss here. Personally, I'd love for her to win. Or for Glenn Close to get the prize for her fearless portrayal of Patty Hewes on FX's Damages, a character who is a seething mess of complexity and anger.

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series:
Kevin Dillon - Entourage (HBO)
Neil Patrick Harris - How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
Rainn Wilson - The Office (NBC)
Tracy Morgan - 30 Rock (NBC)
Jack McBrayer - 30 Rock (NBC)
Jon Cryer - Two And A Half Men (CBS)

I'm loving the support for NBC's 30 Rock here, with Morgan and McBrayer landed nominations for their roles as Tracy and Kenneth. Wish they could both win, but thinking they'll split the vote, so I'm giving the ubiquitous Neil Patrick Harris the edge here. A very tough category this year and one I'll be watching extremely closely.

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series:
William Shatner - Boston Legal (ABC)
Christian Clemenson - Boston Legal (ABC)
Aaron Paul - Breaking Bad (AMC)
William Hurt - Damages (FX)
Michael Emerson - Lost (ABC)
Jon Slattery - Mad Men (AMC)

Tough, tough category here again. I think the Emmy voters tipped their hat a little bit with two nominations for Boston Legal here (would you *really* say that Shatner is supporting?) but I do love the inclusion of Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul (who should be nominated as well for his vastly different turn on Big Love, just for comparison's sake), Michael Emerson, and Jon Slattery, as well as William Hurt. Would love to see Ben Linus take home the win.

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series:
Kristin Chenoweth - Pushing Daisies (ABC)
Amy Poehler - Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Kristin Wiig - Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Jane Krakowski - 30 Rock (NBC)
Vanessa Williams - Ugly Betty (ABC)
Elizabeth Perkins - Weeds (Showtime)

Jane Krakowski doesn't get nearly as much recognition as she should for her role as Jenna on 30 Rock, so I am thrilled to see her get the nomination as I am for someone to remember the beauty and bittersweet sparkle of Pushing Daisies and give Cheno a nod as well. As for who will win, I'm not sure at all but I'd love it to be one of these two. Or one of the SNL team.

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series:
Rose Byrne - Damages (FX)
Sandra Oh - Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
Chandra Wilson - Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
Dianne Wiest - In Treatment (HBO)
Hope Davis - In Treatment (HBO)
Cherry Jones - 24 (FOX)

I'm thinking one of the Grey's Anatomy ladies will win this category (though no Katherine Heigl?) but nice to see Byrne get some Emmy love as well.

Outstanding Reality – Competition Program:
The Amazing Race (CBS)
American Idol (FOX)
Dancing With The Stars (ABC)
Project Runway (Bravo)
Top Chef (Bravo)

As much as I love The Amazing Race, I think it's about time the Academy recognized the genius of culinary competition series Top Chef.

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series:
30 Rock - "Reunion" (NBC): Matt Hubbard
30 Rock - Apollo, Apollo" (NBC): Robert Carlock
30 Rock - "Mamma Mia" (NBC): Ron Weiner
30 Rock - "Kidney Now! (NBC): Jack Burditt, Robert Carlock
Flight Of The Conchords - "Prime Minister" (HBO): James Bobin, Jemaine Clement, Bret McKenzie

30 Rock has a near monopoly on the comedy writing awards this year and I can't say that I'm surprised. Glad that Conchords got a single nomination here, maybe it will be enough to get the boys back in the writers room for a third go-around (and maybe some more strenuous work on the music this time around), but it's 30 Rock's category to lose. Of the four, I'd love to see "Apollo, Apollo" win for Robert Carlock. I loved that episode.

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series:
Lost - "The Incident" (ABC): Carlton Cuse, Damon Lindelof
Mad Men - "A Night To Remember" (AMC): Robin Veith, Matthew Weiner
Mad Men - "Six Month Leave" (AMC): Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton, Matthew Weiner
Mad Men - "The Jet Set" (AMC): Matthew Weiner
Mad Men - "Meditations In An Emergency" (AMC): Kater Gordon, Matthew Weiner

Hmm, something tells me that Mad Men is going to win this category. I thought that Cuse and Lindelof's work on Lost's "The Incident" was great but I don't think it will be enough to defeat a one-two (sorry, make that four) punch from the Mad Men writing staff. Which one, however? Not sure. They are all so profoundly beautiful, but I'll go with "Meditations in An Emergency" in a pinch.

So there you have it. Who are you rooting for to walk away with the top prize? Who got snubbed? And who do you wish the Academy would award the Emmy to? Discuss.

The 61st Primetime Emmy Awards will be telecast on September 20th on CBS.

Channel Surfing: Mystery Man in Black from "Lost" Talks, FX Aims for Hit with "Archer," "Harper's Island" Doomed, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

TVGuide.com talks to Lost's Titus Welliver, who played the mysterious man in black seen in the fifth season finale (that many of us are referring to as Esau). "The way that I interpreted it, on a biblical level, is that it's a sort of Cain-and-Abel scenario," said Welliver of the showdown between Jacob and his character. "So by destroying Jacob, what does that prove — that [the man in black] can ultimately have power over the island? Do the castaways become solely his playthings? And why was it so important that he find the loophole to be able to kill Jacob? That moved me in the direction of thinking that if he needs this loophole, there's a greater power than the two of them that they're answering to." (TVGuide.com)

FX has ordered six episodes of animated comedy Archer (working title), about the eccentric employees of an international spy agency, from writer/executive producer Adam Reed. Project, which will launch this fall and be paired with It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, features the voices of Jon Benjamin, Jessica Walter, Chris Parnell, Aisha Tyler, and Judy Greer. Says Variety's Michael Schneider, "Benjamin plays Sterling Archer, a suave spy who goes by the code name Duchess. Walter plays his mother, while Tyler is his ex-girlfriend, Agent Lana Kane. Greer plays his secretary; Parnell is the spy agency’s comptroller." (Variety)

Entertainment Weekly's Lynette Rice is reporting that there's no hope for CBS' Harper's Island, citing unnamed insiders who "insist" that there won't be a second season of the serialized slasher series. CBS, meanwhile, wouldn't comment officially on the likelihood of a cancellation. Series was originally intended to be an ongoing franchise where each season would introduce a new killer and a new batch of victims. (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

Steven Weber (Brothers & Sisters) and newcomer Ben Schnetzer are in talks to come aboard ABC midseason drama series Happy Town, where they would respectively replace Dean Winters and John Patrick Amedori, who appeared in the original pilot. (Which I reviewed here.) Weber will play John Haplin, scion of the town's founding family who is distraught after the kidnapping years earlier of his daughter by the mysterious "Magic Man." Schnetzer will play John Haplin's son who is himself enmeshed in a star-crossed romance with a girl from the wrong side of the tracks. (Hollywood Reporter)

Modern Family director Jason Winer has signed a new multi-year overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television, under which he will remain on board ABC's single-camera comedy Modern Family as a director and co-executive producer. He'll direct six additional installments from the series' initial thirteen-episode commitment as well as develop new series for the studio with his writing partner Ryan Raddatz. (Variety)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan talks to Torchwood: Children of Earth star John Barrowman about the event season of the Doctor Who spin-off series. "I say this with my hand on my heart: If I were only asked to be Captain Jack for the next 10 years, I would do it," said Barrowman. "I'm definitely up for [Season] 4, 5, 6, whatever. For as long as they want to do it, I'm there." (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Former Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Smallville scribe Drew Z. Greenberg has joined the writing staff of Syfy's Battlestar Galactica prequel series Caprica, according to showrunner Jane Espenson. (Twitter)

Ryan Seacrest has signed a new contract that will pay out $15 million a year for the next three years that will keep him on board as host of FOX's American Idol through 2012 and make him exclusive to 19 Entertainment/CKX. Simon Cowell is already in the midst of renegotiating his own contract and Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, and Kara DioGuardi are all said to be "expected to ink new deals to return next year." (Variety)

Taryn Manning will guest star in the third episode of the CW's Melrose Place, where she will play a singer whose latest music video is directed by Jonah (Michael Rady). (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Los Angeles Times' Liesl Bradner profiles ubiquitous actor Patrick Fischler, who has appeared on the small screen this past year on such high-profile series as Lost, Mad Men, and Southland. "After Mad Men I got a lot of 'How dare you speak to Don Draper like that?'" Fischler said. "People -- mainly women -- were mad at me that I told Don off. I took it as a compliment." (Los Angeles Times)

Showtime has ordered six episodes of half-hour variety series Live Nude Comedy, described as a "mix of stand-up comedy and modern-day burlesque." Project, from Salient Media and The Collective and executive producers Gary Binkow and Michael Green, is hosted by Shannon Elizabeth and will launch on Thursday at midnight ET/PT on the pay cabler. Format will include an audience-participation sketch with Elizabeth, followed by two comedians and two dancers. (Variety)

E! Online's Watch with Kristin is reporting that Michelle Trachtenberg will fulfill her guest turn on the CW's Gossip Girl this fall, despite NBC shifting her midseason medical drama series Mercy to the fall. "Our sources tell us that Michelle Trachtenberg won't miss a beat of Gossip Girl," wrote Team Watch with Kristin. "She's doing everything she was expected to do as of last spring, and Georgina's episodes are good!" (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

HBO and Cinemax have joined Comcast's TV Everywhere initiative, allowing the cable operator to stream its series, movies, and other premium content to 5000 subscribers in the Philadelphia area in a pilot program to start in several weeks' times. The pay cablers join TNT, TBS, and Starz in the test program, which if it is successful, will be made available to Comcast subscribers around the country at no additional cost. (Hollywood Reporter)

It's official (finally!): CBS has announced that Neil Patrick Harris will host the 61st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, to be broadcast live on September 20th. (Variety's Emmy Central)

Cabler VH1 has ordered four episodes of concert series Live and Loud Fridays from Live Nation. Series, which will feature rock performances from venues around the country, will launch this week with Poison and Def Leppard. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: "Robin Hood" Slain by BBC, Hulu Plans September Launch in UK, Neil Patrick Harris to Host Emmys, and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing. Hollywood seems more or less shut down already for the Fourth of July weekend, so just a few headlines this morning.

The Beeb has confirmed that it will not be bringing back drama series Robin Hood for a fourth season. The series, which starred Jonas Armstrong in the title role, saw its viewership decline to roughly four million viewers during its third (and now final) season (compared to the 8.6 million who tuned in for the series premiere in 2006). For his part, Armstrong had made it clear that the third season would be his last, stating, "It's been a great thrill, a great ride, but you can't play one part forever." (BBC News)

Hulu has announced plans to launch a UK-based online video service in September and has indicated that it is close to reaching content deals with local broadcasters after offering them equity stakes in the service as well as a share of advertising revenues. Rumors are swirling that Hulu has already approached ITV about a possible stake but that has yet to be confirmed. Service would feature more that 3000 hours of US programming as well as local-grown fare but, due to rights issues, some programs--such as The Simpsons and Heroes--would be unavailable as those rights are tied up elsewhere. (Variety)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that CBS and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has reached a deal with How I Met Your Mother's Neil Patrick Harris to host the 61st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in September, citing multiple sources. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan takes a look at the metamorphosis on Tuesday of cabler Sci Fi to Syfy and talks to Syfy president Dave Howe about the change, the channel's brand, and its future. "When people understand the rationale, they do get it," Howe told Ryan. "You can’t have a brand called 'Sport' or 'Drama' or 'News.' It’s just not a brand name." "The issue that we’ve always had with Sci Fi is that it only communicates three things: Space, aliens and the future," Howe said later. "That’s the default perception, and that’s a barrier to entry for people who we know like [reality fare such as] Ghost Hunters and Destination Truth..." (The Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Access Hollywood is reporting that Rumer Willis will guest star next season on the CW's 90210, where she will play Gia, a student at West Beverly who works on the school paper, the Blaze News, and is described as "a punky cute lesbian who isn’t afraid to speak her mind." Willis will appear in at least one episode of the series next season. (Access Hollywood)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Christian Slater Gets "Forgotten," Emerson Says No Happy Ending for "Lost," Piper Perabo Engages in "Covert Affairs," and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

Christian Slater (My Own Worst Enemy) is in talks to topline ABC drama series The Forgotten, from Warner Bros. Television and executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer. If the deal closes, Slater would replace Rupert Penry-Jones, who appeared in the original pilot episode as a former cop whose daughter was kidnapped and went missing. Another role--that played in the pilot by Reiko Aylesworth--is also being recast. The series is set to launch Tuesday, September 22nd at 10 pm. (Hollywood Reporter)

Don't look for the series finale of Lost to feature a happy ending, according to series regular Michael Emerson. "I don't think Lost will have a happy ending," Emerson told Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. "It's the end and I think we are going to start seeing more casualties. I would put money on major characters being killed. I believe it will be a sad ending to the show -- or at least bittersweet. I think it will definitely be a series finale for grownups." And Emerson is still trying to make sense of this season's finale. "I killed Jacob... maybe... probably," mused Emerson. "It isn't like we haven't seen plenty of other people be killed and somehow come back. And what does it mean if I did kill him? I Who the hell was he anyway? Obviously, Ben wanted a father. So much of our show is about bad fathers. It is one of our biggest themes. And Jacob disappointed in those final moments. And maybe Jacob made it easy for him. Maybe that was all meant to happen. Is it all ordained? Maybe. And for that matter, can Jacob even be killed? Stay tuned is my response." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Piper Perabo (Law & Order: Criminal Intent) has been cast as the lead in USA's espionage drama pilot Covert Affairs, which has yet to receive a firm greenlight from the cabler (though a pilot order is expected in the next few weeks). Perabo will play Annie Walker, a CIA trainee who joins the agency while still recovering from a relationship with an ex-boyfriend who is of special interest to her spymasters. The search is on to cast male lead Auggie Anderson, a blind tech expert. Project, written by Matt Corman and Chris Ord, comes from Universal Cable Prods. Perabo last year starred in ABC drama pilot The Prince of Motor City. (Hollywood Reporter)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan raves about BBC America's upcoming Torchwood: Children of Earth and talks with series creator Russell T. Davies about what viewers should expect from the five-episode third season "event" and promises more to come in the next few days. (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Hilary Duff is joining the cast of CW's Gossip Girl next season in a multiple-episode story arc, where she will play Olivia, an incognito movie star who enrolls at NYU in order to live a simpler life and becomes Vanessa's roommate... and gets romantically entangled with Dan Humphrey. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin, Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) is said to be in talks with CBS and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences to host the 61st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in September. (Variety)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan is reporting that there will be not one but two Farscape panels at San Diego Comic-Con later this month. The first, scheduled for Friday, July 24th at 10:15 am, will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the series and will feature creator Rockne O'Bannon, executive producer Brian Henson, and stars Ben Browder and Claudia Black. The second will focus on the Farscape series of comic books. (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Meanwhile, A&E Home Entertainment yesterday announced that they are releasing the entire series of Farscape as a repackaged "series megaset" featuring all four seasons of the series in November. (via press release)

ABC is developing reality competition series The Fast and the Funniest, which follows stand-up comedians as they travel around the country completing various tasks and performing at stops along the way. Series is described as a cross between "Last Comic Standing and The Amazing Race." Casting is underway on the series, which hails from Keep Calm Prods. and executive producers Page Hurwitz and Javier Winnik. (Variety)

Four pilots--ABC's Solving Charlie, This Little Piggy, and Romantically Challenged and CBS' House Rules--remain in contention for midseason slots on their respective schedules after cast options were extended on the pilots. Options on Alyssa Milano, Kyle Bornheimer, and Kelly Stables on Romantically Challenged have been extended; on Solving Charlie, Jimmy Wolk, Dakota Goyo, Brad Henke, and Dania Ramirez have stayed on; on This Little Piggy, only options on Andrea Parker and Rebecca Creskoff have been extended; and on House Rules, most of cast will remain on board, including Zoe McLellan, Eion Bailey, Kristin Bauer, Tawny Cypress, Anna Chlumsky, and Denzel Whitaker. (Hollywood Reporter)

Rocky Carroll will appear in both NCIS and upcoming spin-off NCIS: Los Angeles next season as NCIS director Leon Vance. Carroll is set to appear in at least six episodes of NCIS: Los Angeles' initial thirteen-episode commitment and remains a series regular on NCIS. (TVGuide.com)

NBC will air its two-episode docuseries The Wanted, which centers on "an elite team with intelligence, unconventional warfare and investigative journalism backgrounds as they hunt suspects such as Mullah Krekar, the founder of terrorist organization Ansar Al Islam," on Monday, July 20th and Monday, June 27th at 10 pm ET/PT. (Variety)

Seminal 1990s dramedy Ally McBeal is finally coming to DVD, according to Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch, who writes that both the first season and the entire series are available for pre-order at Amazon. (Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch)

Discovery Channel has given out a series order to unscripted series The Colony, in which ten strangers will spend two months inside an abandoned warehouse complex without electricity, running water, or contact with the outside world and must build a functioning society following a fictional major catastrophe. Series, from Thom Beers Original Productions, is set to launch Tuesday, July 21st at 10 pm. (Broadcasting & Cable)

Stay tuned.

Reality Bites: The 60th Annual Emmy Awards

You do not cut off Patty Hewes in the middle of an acceptance speech.

Come to think of it, you probably shouldn't be cutting off Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner, Tina Fey, Bryan Cranston, and the aforementioned Glenn Close, period.

But that's just what they did on last night's tedious Emmy telecast, focusing instead on the inane chatter among the five nominated reality series hosts and a plethora of pointless and unfunny filler material.

Sure, the 60th Annual Emmy Awards wasn't as big a fiasco as last year's circular stage debacle, though this year came close with the ridiculous time-waste that was the show's opening twelve minutes or so, cheap-looking on-screen graphics for each category, fruitless use of familiar sets, and awkward "repartee" between presenters and our so-called "hosts."

The few high points for me? Ricky Gervais, for one, whose painfully funny (not to mention cringe-worthy) reminiscing of his in absentia win last year for Extras was absolutely spot-on and brilliant; Tommy Smothers finally getting his writing award from Steve Martin; Kathy Griffin forcing the audience to stand up for Don Rickles; Tina and Amy; Colbert and Stewart's prunes vs. plums debate.

And, oh, yes: some actual love for series like 30 Rock, Mad Men, and Damages, all of which prove that television series don't need to be dumbed-down cookie-cutter programs and that there is a place for smart, compelling, and sophisticated programming on American television.

That 30 Rock (which, incidentally, is releasing its sophomore season on DVD on October 7th) managed to take home awards for writing, best actor in a comedy (Alec Baldwin!), best actress in a comedy (Tina Fey!), and best comedy made my evening (despite the uneven pacing and sub par hosting), as did the best drama award for Mad Men and its writing award for series creator Matthew Weiner and Glenn Close and Zeljko Ivanek (yay!) winning for Damages.

But let's face it: the rest of the awards ceremony was pretty awful. You don't waste time at the beginning by dragging out Oprah to make an introduction and then leave five reality hosts filling precious airtime with unfunny nonsense to then later cut off your actual A-list award winners. Who seriously thought that Cranston would win for AMC's Breaking Bad? I was pretty damn surprised, so I would have liked to have let the man actually finish his acceptance speech... instead of watch Jimmy Kimmel take ten minutes to announce the winner of the new best reality host category. (Yawn.) The less said about Josh Groban's musical montage the better.

But then again, maybe what scared the producers of the Emmys was the fear that network television (save, say, 30 Rock) is completely irrelevant to the Emmy awards any more, given that cable television (and not even HBO at that!) has usurped its position as the home for forward-thinking drama. And, no matter how many reality television hosts you serve up as window dressing (really, the best bit was to have Tom Bergeron and William Shatner strip Heidi Klum?), that's the real issue here?

We might be experiencing, to quote the inimitable Tina Fey, a "turkey-burger economy" right now, but I am thankful to Fey, Weiner, and all of the talented actors, writers, and producers out there who continue to create meaningful, challenging, and stimulating work that not only entertains us but also makes us think. I feel vindicated that series like 30 Rock, Mad Men, and Damages took home some statuettes rather than see some other series (I won't name names here) walk away with the top prizes.

But what did you think? Were you happy with the winners? Saddened by those who went home empty-handed? Bored by the entire proceedings? Talk back.

Channel Surfing: "90210," Ashley Jensen, Trailer for "Merlin" Unveiled, NBC Shakeup, and More

Good morning and welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing. Like many of you out there, I'm bummed that my three-day weekend sailed by far too quickly... but am also thrilled that the fall TV season is finally upon us.

Digital Spy has a roughly 90-second trailer up for Merlin, which airs on BBC One and on NBC this winter and stars Colin Morgan, Anthony Stewart Head, Michelle Ryan, Richard Wilson, Katie McGrath, Bradley James, Angel Coulby, and Santiago Cabrera. (Digital Spy)

90210 mania is upon us with mere hours to go before the launch of 90210 2.0, as it were. EW.com has some behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with Jennie Garth and Shannen Doherty from their recent cover shoot. (Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch)

Shannen Doherty, meanwhile, sat down with the Los Angeles Times for a brief interview, in which she said that the sudden goodwill being directed towards her from the public "definitely feels good" and "also feels scary." (Los Angeles Times)

While most Americans know her best from her turn as Christina on Ugly Betty, Ashley Jensen won me over much earlier with her winning performance as Maggie Jacobs on HBO/BBC's Extras. She's up for an Emmy in the supporting actress (mini-series or movie) category and talks about the nomination, Extras, and what happens to Christina on Ugly Betty. (USA Today)

Nikki Finke claims that NBC wants to fire second-in-command Teri Weinberg and "hopes that Ben Silverman quits very soon." She says that Marc Graboff and Katherine Pope will take up the reins at the network. Silverman's contract is up in December, but he's said to be looking to secure a way out before then. (Deadline Hollywood Daily)

PBS has launched 40 half-hour episodes of kids program Sid the Science Kid from Henson's Creature Shop, which will produce the series via its new Digital Puppetry Studio, which uses a puppet motion-capture technology and applies it to CGI-derived characters and environments. (Hollywood Reporter)

MTV is launching a global HD service on September 15th. (Variety)

Stay tuned.