Cable TV’s Primetime Emmy Surprise
by Ann Murray-Yavar | July 17, 2008 at 7:28 AM | General

Cable TV was a big winner at this morning’s Primetime Emmy nominations, with a majority of the Best Drama nods going to cable shows like Mad Men, (which ultimately received a whopping 16 nominations), Damages and Dexter. Other major wins included John Adams, which received 23 total noms, 30 Rock with 17 bids. Stranger wins included Kathy Griffin’s My Life on the D List nominations for Outstanding Reality Show program, and George Carlin’s posthumous bid for the Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special. The awards will be handed out September 21 on ABC. Other prominent nominations after the jump, but a full list HERE.
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
30 Rock
Tina Fey as Liz Lemon
Samantha Who?
Christina Applegate as Samantha Newly
The New Adventures Of Old Christine
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Christine Campbell
Ugly Betty
America Ferrera as Betty Suarez
Weeds
Mary-Louise Parker as Nancy Botwin
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
30 Rock
Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy
Monk
Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk
Pushing Daisies
Lee Pace as Ned
The Office
Steve Carell as Michael Scott
Two And A Half Men
Charlie Sheen as Charlie Harper
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Boston Legal
James Spader as Alan Shore
Breaking Bad
Bryan Cranston as Walt White
Dexter
Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan
House
Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House
In Treatment
Gabriel Byrne as Paul
Mad Men
Jon Hamm as Don Draper
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Brothers & Sisters
Sally Field as Nora Holden-Walker
Damages
Glenn Close as Patty Hewes
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson
Saving Grace
Holly Hunter as Grace Hanadarko
The Closer
Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson
Outstanding Reality-competition Program
American Idol
Dancing With the Stars
Project Runway
The Amazing Race
Top Chef
Outstanding Reality Program
Antique’s Roadshow
Dirty Jobs
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Intervention
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D List
Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series
Late Show With David Letterman
Real Time With Bill Maher
Saturday Night Live
The Colbert Report
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
Outstanding Drama Series
Dexter
Lost
Mad Men
Damages
Boston Legal
