I love television, but I’m not one of those people who sets my alarm to wake up ugly early to watch or listen to the nominee announcement show. I might be obsessed with certain shows, but I have to draw the line somewhere. Perhaps if I were a professional blogger, I’d make that commitment. Alas, I have an 8:30-5:30 job and like to sleep.

There were 43 pages of Emmy nominations to sift through, so grab a latte and hang tight for a long read. I will address the major categories…and a few minor ones.

I always debate (with myself, of course) whether to post predictions about who I WANT to win vs. who I think WILL win. I’m going with my heart this year, and rooting for my favorites.

Let’s get started.

DRAMA SERIES
Boston Legal
Grey’s Anatomy
Heroes
House
The Sopranos

The most outrageous snub in this category, by far, is Lost. It is maddening that Boston Legal is there.  And let’s be honest, Grey’s Anatomy is an entertaining primetime soap, and last season the off-set drama was far more interesting than the onscreen storylines.

Frankly, even though I loved The Sopranos, I am kind of relieved that this was the last season. It will be one less series that Lost has to contend with next year.

My vote goes to Heroes, the best new show of 2007 by a landslide.

COMEDY SERIES
Entourage
The Office
30 Rock
Ugly Betty
Two and Half Men

With the exception of the last one, what a great category! I really like 30 Rock, but The Office is consistently brilliant and gets my vote every year.

ACTOR, DRAMA SERIES
Denis Leary, Rescue Me
Hugh Laurie, House
James Spader, Boston Legal
Kiefer Sutherland, 24
James Gandolfini, The Sopranos

You’re telling me that freaking James Spader is a better actor than Matthew Fox? Did the people with voting abilities not watch Lost this season, especially the second half? This is the one that makes me insane. And for crying out loud, where is Michael C. Hall’s nomination for Dexter? Is there a more charming and chilling character out there (besides Ben on Lost)?

The obvious vote here would be for Gandolfini, and although this wasn’t the strongest season of The Sopranos, he will probably win.  For me, it’s a toss up between Leary and Laurie.

SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA SERIES
William Shatner, Boston Legal
Michael Emerson, Lost
Terry O’Quinn, Lost
Michael Imperioli, The Sopranos
T.R. Knight, Grey’s Anatomy
Masi Oka, Heroes

With the exception of The Shat, this might be the best set yet. To me, it’s Emerson in a slam dunk. He saved the first half of Lost, and continues to be one of the creepiest characters on the small screen. If the voters lean on pure sentiment, then Imperioli gets the win. I love Heroes and Hiro, but it’s not his time. Yet.

ACTRESS, DRAMA SERIES
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer
Sally Field, Brothers and Sisters
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: SVU
Edie Falco, The Sopranos
Minnie Driver, The Riches
Patricia Arquette, Medium

I am very happy for Minnie Driver, because she nails it on The Riches. And Sally Field is fantastic in Brothers and Sisters. But I’m giving this one to Edie Falco for those first few episodes while Tony was in a coma. Unbelievable acting.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA SERIES
Rachel Griffiths, Brothers and Sisters
Sandra Oh, Grey’s Anatomy
Chandra Wilson, Grey’s Anatomy
Katherine Heigl, Grey’s Anatomy
Aida Turturro, The Sopranos
Lorraine Bracco, The Sopranos

Seriously? Turturro and Bracco made very brief and uneventful appearances during the final season of The Sopranos. I would have loved to see Elizabeth Mitchell’s name there instead, as she was the most compelling new character on Lost and my favorite supporting actress by a mile. So I’ll root for Wilson, because Dr. Bailey is the best part of Grey’s. Griffiths deserves to be the dark horse candidate to beat the Grey’s and Sopranos ladies.

ACTRESS, COMEDY SERIES
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine
Felicity Huffman, Desperate Housewives
Mary Louise Parker, Weeds

I have a feeling that Ferrera will win (to complete her awards trifeca; she’s already won the Golden Globe and SAG Award), but I’m all for Tina Fey and Mary Louise Parker. I love Felicity Huffman, and she was the only reason I watched Desperate Housewives, but I abandoned that show early last season.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY SERIES
Conchata Ferrell, Two and a Half Men
Jenna Fischer, The Office
Holland Taylor, Two and a Half Men
Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty
Jaime Pressly, My Name is Earl
Elizabeth Perkins, Weeds

I’m sorry, but this one belongs to Jenna Fischer. I heart Pam Beesley. The end.
 
ACTOR, COMEDY SERIES
Tony Shalhoub, Monk
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Ricky Gervais, Extras
Steve Carell, The Office
Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men

We get it, Emmy committee. You love Tony Shalhoub. Yes, he’s great, but no, we’re not watching. In addition, here are a few things I don’t understand about Charlie Sheen.

1. He the highest paid sitcom star on the air.
2. His off-camera crazytown behavior (see: 9/11 conspiracy theories, divorce details about threatening kids, porn, prostitution, gambling and drugs) has not affected his popularity one iota. Why is it that the media crucifies so many other celebrities for less egregious offenses?!

I’m on the Steve Carell bandwagon, although Alec Baldwin is 30 Rock. Unlike the disgustingly untouchable Sheen, however, the voters may be distracted by Baldwin’s recently publicized personal issues with his daughter.

SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY SERIES
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Jeremy Piven, Entourage
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Kevin Dillon, Entourage
Rainn Wilson, The Office

I love Piven, but it might be Wilson’s turn. Doogie is the dark horse candidate to win this category.

REALITY SHOW – COMPETITION
Amazing Race
American Idol
Dancing With the Stars
Project Runway
Top Chef

Bravo, Bravo. I’m all for Top Chef or Project Runway.

REALITY SHOW
Antiques Roadshow
The Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List
Penn & Teller: Bull–

Again, I’m going with Bravo. Yeah, yeah, Extreme Makeover is touching and makes me cry. But Kathy Griffin makes me cry with laughter. Which I prefer.

WRITING, DRAMA SERIES
Battlestar Galactica: “Occupation/Precipice”
Lost: “Through The Looking Glass”
The Sopranos: “Kennedy And Heidi”
The Sopranos: “The Second Coming”
The Sopranos: “Made In America”

A very tough category indeed. Although the script for The Sopranos episode called “Kennedy and Heidi” was borderline genius, I have to side with Lost once again.

INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE, VARIETY OR MUSIC PROGRAM
Ellen DeGeneres, “79th Annual Academy Awards”
Stephen Colbert, “The Colbert Report”
Jon Stewart, “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart”
David Letterman, “Late Show With David Letterman”
Tony Bennett, “Tony Bennett: An American Classic”

Look, I know people who swear by Colbert and Stewart. But I’m with Ellen all the way to the podium.

WRITING, COMEDY SERIES
Extras, “Daniel Radcliffe”
The Office, “Gay Witch Hunt”
The Office, “The Negotiation”
30 Rock, “Tracy Does Conan,”
30 Rock, “Jack-Tor” 

These nominees rule. They all deserve it. If you haven’t seen Harry Potter’s dirty little appearance on Extras, run out right now and rent it. Classic. But, and this should be no surprise, my vote is for the “Gay Witch Hunt” episode of The Office. No other show, sitcom or otherwise, has the capability to make you equally and simultaneously amused and uncomfortable.

RANDOM CATEGORIES

My beloved and prematurely canceled Deadwood garnered Cinematography, Costume, Hairstyling and Sound Mixing nominations.  Why couldn’t the voters show Ian McShane & co. the same love that The Sopranos earned?

Ever since Six Feet Under, I’ve been intrigued by clever opening titles. So I was very excited to see that Dexter

You just know that in the Original Music and Lyrics category, Justin Timberlake’s Digital Short ‘Dick in a Box’ is going to win. Even though both of the Scrubs songs were awesome, there hasn’t been a more catchy song/skit from SNL in YEARS.

SNUBS THAT STING

Hello, Friday Night Lights anyone? Why it was not nominated for Best Drama baffles my mind. But the lack of recognition for Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton is just sad. They are the best couple on television, with chemistry that leaps out and off of the screen.

Um, Lost. You know how I feel about that one. I just don’t get it. There isn’t a better produced, filmed or written show on network television.

———————-

Phew. Thanks for sticking with me. I’m sure that after I let some of these nominations settle in my clouded brain, I’ll have more vitriol for the undeserving and outrage for the underappreciated.

was nominated for both Main Title Design and Original Main Title Theme Music.

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While I wait for Lost tonight, I thought I’d babble on about various topics.

CELL PHONE

I got a new one…a serious upgrade from my sorry little flip-phone (which was so 2004). I am a smidge geeky, so 24/7 access to email and the Internet is kind of exciting. It’s the black Motorola Q (Verizon), and it’s my new baby.

I definitely need to add some ringtones, and I’m on a search for The Office theme. Do any of you know where I can find it?

HEROES vs. LOST

I truly believe that the freshman year of Heroes might be the best first season of any show on television that I’ve ever watched from start to finish.  Of course Lost is the love of my pop culture life, and they win for Best Pilot Episode Ever, but the entire season of Heroes has been stellar. I don’t actually yell at the TV, or feel confused and/or frustrated each week when I watch that show.  As much as I enjoy obsessing over Lost, I find Heroes to be a refreshing and quite satisfying change of pace.

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Here are the Top 12 Reasons I Heart Heroes, in no particular order:

 

1. The catchphrases. “Save the Cheerleader, Save the World” and “Are You On the List?” are not cheesy to me; then again, I am a network executive’s dream demographic and am sucked in by that kind of promotion.

2. The ‘wow’ moments. This inaugural season reminds me of Lost’s freshman year.

3. I met Milo (a.k.a. Peter Petrelli). He was unbelievably nice.

4. Peter Petrelli’s hair. It has never distracted me, unlike most devotees.

       

5. Claire’s indestructibility. Last week when she emerged from her house as a veritable charcoal briquette and then morphed back into Cheerleader Claire before our very eyes, my jaw was on the floor.

       

6. Sylar and those eyebrows. Creepy good. An awesome TeleVillain.

       

7. Greg Grunberg (a.k.a. Matt Parkman). From Felicity to Alias to this. The man is golden, and I will continue to follow his yellow brick road of a career.

       

8. Beaming Beeman, the official Blog of Director/Producer Greg Beeman. 

9. Jack Coleman (a.k.a. Mr. Bennet/HRG). When I was younger I used to watch him as the very blonde Steven Carrington on Dynasty…which ended 19 years ago. What a triumphant, welcome return to the small screen.

 
      

10. The mythology and the mystery. This show is as strong as The X-Files and Lost when it comes to those two categories; each episode is ripe for conspiracy theories and rampant speculation. There are clues, answers and Easter Eggs throughout. I love it.

 

11. Suresh. He’s pretty, he’s smart, and he’s a scientist. Ergo, I like him.

      

 

12. The symbol. Much like the Dharma logo that appears in almost every episode of Lost, the Heroes symbol (which is one half of a double DNA helix) shows up on Isaac’s paintings, on Jessica’s back, on Hiro’s sword, on The Haitian’s necklace, etc. 

      

 

FYI: Did you know that Radioactive Man Ted Sprague (Matthew John Armstrong) is married to Mrs. Bennet (Ashley Crow) in real life?! And, both actors also appeared on the now defunct series American Dreams…as did Milo Ventimiglia. For a time, they weren’t the only Armstrong and Crow duo (Lance and Sheryl)… 

      

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I just returned from a weekend in Vegas for a Bachelorette Party.  I am operating on very little sleep and have to fumigate my wardrobe, but it was worth it. Aside from the usual bride-to-be debauchery, there were a few star sightings…

 

At Tao last night (which I highly recommend if you can get in and have dancing/drinking endurance), we ran into M. Night Shyamalan (director of The Sixth Sense, Signs, etc.)…again. He was also at Body English on Friday night.    

 

But the real highlight for me was meeting Milo Ventimiglia (a.k.a. Peter Petrelli from Heroes)! What an unassuming, sweet guy. I shook his hand and continued to geek out about it for the rest of the evening.  

 

Last night (well, early this morning really) there was also a strange appearance by P. Diddy’s Making the Band 3 girl group Danity Kane, who got up on stage, lip synced their song ‘Show Stopper’ and then danced on stage for a while to other hits by other artists.

 

So now I’m off to catch some zzz’s. Thanks for the good times, TS/RM/SZ/ME/LC!

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[Last August, I compiled a list of Favorite Television Characters Ever. Since that time I have modified it only slightly, and have decided to elaborate.]

 

Believe it or not, my world does not revolve entirely around a bunch of strangers with daddy and guilt issues who crashed onto a mysterious island. Lost isn’t even the first show I’ve been obsessed with (for years, I lived and breathed all things X-Files). I have a tendency to dive into a fair number of shows and discuss them with such fervor that friends and family tend to look at me askew and wonder privately if I have a life. Thankfully, I am also surrounded by people who speak the same language; who animatedly overanalyze and speculate about water-cooler shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Lost and The Office with me at length.

 

That being said, I’m going to break down exactly what I love about my favorite characters and personalities on television. Because although I do have a life, I also maintain a lifelong fascination and virtual relationship with a select group of primarily fictitious characters.

 

Before any of you fanatics jump all over my back about glaring omissions, keep in mind that I don’t actually have time to watch all popular shows and fan favorites like 24, Battlestar Galactica, CSI or Gilmore Girls.

And yes, I’m aware a large number of my selections are from two camps: JJ Abrams and HBO.
 

So here is my updated list, with photos. Alphabetically, of course…

 

DR. MIRANDA BAILEY (CHANDRA WILSON), GREY’S ANATOMY

What’s not to love? She’s the boss but also the soul of the show.

 

CLAIRE BENNET (HAYDEN PANETTIERE), HEROES

I can’t quite figure out why she’s my favorite Hero, but I look forward to her story each week. Perhaps it’s because we’re watching the demise of her innocence as she is exposed to the darker world of her fellow friends with power.

 

DR. TEMPERANCE “BONES” BRENNAN (EMILY DESCHANEL), BONES

For me, Bones has been the perfect replacement for my beloved Scully; all business but with serious chemistry simmering just beneath the surface between her and her partner (David Boreanz, who is a sexier version of Mulder).

 

SHERIFF SETH BULLOCK (TIMOTHY OLYPHANT), DEADWOOD

He is so visibly conflicted and twitchy. That seething mustache snarl alone makes my day.

 

SYDNEY BRISTOW (JENNIFER GARNER), ALIAS

The ass-kicking + the outfits + the tech talk = Hot. 

 

CAROL BURNETT, THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW

A hero of mine since childhood, I would run to the mirror after each episode to attempt to mimic her facial expressions.

 

ELAINE BENES (JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS), SEINFELD

On top of the infamous dancing and that hair, she was the real star of the show.

 

CALAMITY JANE (ROBIN WEIGERT), DEADWOOD

No one else can slur words with such fortitude. I’m not sure I’ve ever loved a TV drunk so much.

 

ANGELA CHASE (CLAIRE DANES), MY SO-CALLED LIFE

No other show or actress captured and epitomized the awkward teenage years better.

 

CLAIRE FISHER (LAUREN AMBROSE), SIX FEET UNDER

Complicated and moody. The perfect undertaker’s daughter.

 

MARSHALL FLINKMAN (KEVIN WEISMAN), ALIAS

Every show should have a resident geek who comes to the rescue with such heart and loyalty.  

 

TOBIAS FÜNKE (DAVID CROSS), ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT

Two words: never nude.

 

HENRY GALE/BEN LINUS (MICHAEL EMERSON), LOST

Creepy, surprising, and spectacularly acted.

 

TOMMY GAVIN (DENIS LEARY), RESCUE ME

What a mess of a man. Leary fits and fills the role like no other.

 

ARI GOLD (JEREMY PIVEN), ENTOURAGE

Perhaps it is because Piven embodies (to those of us outside of the industry) my perception of a real Hollywood agent. Or perhaps it is because no one chews up and spits out the scenery better or with more energy than Piven.

 

JIM HALPERT (JOHN KRASINSKI), THE OFFICE

An obvious choice, but I’m on his bandwagon. I only wish I were as capable of clever office pranks and lingering glances that speak volumes.

 

JOHN LOCKE (TERRY O’QUINN), LOST

An enigma. I love that I have no idea what his real story is, nor the direction he’ll take us next on the show. In my opinion, he is the most important character on the show, and the key to all answers on the island and beyond.

 

DEXTER MORGAN (MICHAEL C. HALL), DEXTER

There are no characters currently on television quite like Dexter, a blood splatter analyst-by-day/vigilante-murderer-by-night. You will find yourself entirely enthralled and entertained by Hall; he is miles away from David on Six Feet Under, which is an impressive feat.    

 

DETECTIVE FRANK PEMBLETON (ANDRE BRAUGHER), HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET

Just a great character played by an amazing actor. Powerful and mesmerizing.

 

ALICE PIESZECKI (LEISHA HAILEY), THE L WORD

She’s a writer, she’s sarcastic, and the only character I have ever liked or related to in any way during all four seasons of this frustrating show.

 

JO POLNIACZEK (NANCY MCKEON), THE FACTS OF LIFE

Besides the fact that her character shares my first name, she was also a tomboy, which made her the very first person on television that I ever related to on any level.

 

FELICITY PORTER (KERI RUSSELL), FELICITY

Oh how I long for the days of dormitory misadventures and melodrama with Felicity and her friends. For the record, I was on Team Noel from day one. Oh, and I liked the short hair.

 

VERN SCHILLINGER (JK SIMMONS), OZ

The most memorably menacing and vile character in recent television history. A complete monster, Simmons just nails it as the walking embodiment of evil.

 

AGENT DANA SCULLY (GILLIAN ANDERSON), THE X-FILES

Easily my favorite of all time. What can I say; I have a thing for scientists.  

 

DR. JACK SHEPHARD (MATTHEW FOX), LOST

He wasn’t on my list until the beginning of Season 3. His intensity is quite palpable and convincing.

 

 

DETECTIVE ANDY SIPOWICZ (DENNIS FRANZ), NYPD BLUE

It’s as if we were watching a vat of water boil over with great fury. Fantastic.

 

CARMELA SOPRANO (EDIE FALCO), THE SOPRANOS

A long-suffering wife no longer, she owns every scene and is phenomenal.

 

AL SWEARENGEN (IAN MCSHANE), DEADWOOD

The eyes, the swagger, the language. One of my favorite shows of all time, and we only got three seasons. Very disappointing.  

 

KEVIN WALKER (MATTHEW RHYS), BROTHERS & SISTERS

The industry can pat itself on the back as much as they want for the inclusion of gay and lesbian characters on popular shows, but never before has a show featured such a positive, everyday gay lead character like Kevin Walker. He is not a stereotype in any way, and it is refreshing to see his relationships explored in the same light as his television siblings’.

 

NORA WALKER (SALLY FIELD), BROTHERS & SISTERS

She is giving an Emmy-worthy performance as the matriarch in this criminally underrated series about family. I love all scenes between her and Calista Flockhart. The most welcome return to television in years.

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Here are my predictions for tomorrow’s Golden Globes, in the major Movies and Television categories. Glaring omissions include Deadwood, Matthew Fox and Michael Emerson (Lost), and Matt Damon (who deserved to be nominated far more than Mark Wahlberg in The Departed).

 

MOVIES

 

BEST PICTURE – DRAMA

Babel

Bobby

The Departed (will win)

Little Children (should win)

The Queen

 

BEST PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY

Borat

The Devil Wears Prada

Dreamgirls (will win)

Little Miss Sunshine (should win)

Thank You For Smoking

 

BEST ACTRESS – DRAMA

Penélope Cruz – Volver

Judi Dench – Notes On A Scandal

Maggie Gyllenhaal – sherrybaby

Helen Mirren – The Queen (will win)

Kate Winslet – Little Children (should win)

 

BEST ACTRESS – COMEDY

Annette Bening – Running With Scissors (should win)

Toni Collette – Little Miss Sunshine

Beyoncé Knowles – Dreamgirls

Meryl Streep – The Devil Wears Prada (will win)

Renée Zellweger – Miss Potter

 

BEST ACTOR – DRAMA

Leonardo DiCaprio – Blood Diamond

Leonardo DiCaprio – The Departed (should win)

Peter O’Toole – Venus

Will Smith – The Pursuit of Happyness

Forest Whitaker – The Last King of Scotland (will win)

 

BEST ACTOR – COMEDY

Sacha Cohen – Borat (dark horse to steal category)

Johnny Depp – Pirates of The Caribbean 2 (will win)

Aaron Eckhart – Thank You for Smoking (should win)

Chiwetel Ejiofor – Kinky Boots

Will Ferrell – Stranger Than Fiction

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Adriana Barraza – Babel

Cate Blanchett – Notes On a Scandal

Emily Blunt – The Devil Wears Prada

Jennifer Hudson – Dreamgirls (will win & should win)

Rinko Kikuchi – Babel

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Ben Affleck – Hollywoodland (dark horse to steal category)

Eddie Murphy – Dreamgirls (should win)

Jack Nicholson – The Departed (will win)

Brad Pitt – Babel

Mark Wahlberg – The Departed

 

BEST ANIMATED FILM

Cars (will win & should win)

Happy Feet

Monster House

 

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Apocalypto

Letters From Iwo Jima (will win)

The Lives Of Others

Pan’s Labyrinth

Volver (should win)

 

BEST DIRECTOR

Clint Eastwood – Flags Of Our Fathers

Clint Eastwood – Letters from Iwo Jima (will win)

Stephen Frears – The Queen

Alejandro Iñárritu – Babel

Martin Scorsese – The Departed (should win)

 

BEST SCREENPLAY

Babel

The Departed (will win)

Little Children (should win)

Notes On A Scandal

The Queen

 

TELEVISION

 

BEST TV SERIES – DRAMA

24

Big Love

Grey’s Anatomy

Heroes (will win & deserves it)

Lost (should win)

 

BEST TV SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY

Desperate Housewives

Entourage

The Office (will win & should win)

Ugly Betty
Weeds

 

BEST ACTRESS – DRAMA

Patricia Arquette – Medium

Edie Falco – The Sopranos (will win & should win)

Evangeline Lilly – Lost

Ellen Pompeo – Grey’s Anatomy (seriously?! yikes)

Kyra Sedgwick – The Closer (dark horse to steal category)

 

BEST ACTOR – DRAMA

Patrick Dempsey – Grey’s Anatomy

Michael C. Hall – Dexter (should win)

Hugh Laurie – House

Bill Paxton – Big Love

Kiefer Sutherland – 24 (will win)

 

BEST ACTRESS – MUSICAL OR COMEDY

Marcia Cross – Desperate Housewives

America Ferrera – Ugly Betty (will win)

Felicity Huffman – Desperate Housewives

Julia Louis-Dreyfus – The New Adventures of Old Christine

Mary-Louise Parker – Weeds (should win)

 

BEST ACTOR – MUSICAL OR COMEDY

Alec Baldwin – 30 Rock (dark horse to steal category)

Zach Braff – Scrubs

Steve Carell – The Office (will win & should win)

Jason Lee – My Name Is Earl

Tony Shalhoub – Monk (no one watches; he shouldn’t keep winning)

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – TV OR MINI SERIES

Emily Blunt – Gideon’s Daughter

Toni Collette – Tsunami

Katherine Heigl – Grey’s Anatomy (will win & should win for Denny’s death episode)

Sarah Paulson – Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

Elizabeth Perkins – Weeds

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – TV OR MINI SERIES

Thomas Haden Church – Broken Trail

Jeremy Irons – Elizabeth I

Justin Kirk – Weeds

Masi Oka – Heroes (will win & should win)

Jeremy Piven – Entourage

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