pe canapea

It's that time of year again, the time of speculation and high expectations for all TV nerds out there. The Emmy nominations have been announced today, and reactions are already flowing in. 

You can find the complete list of nominations here. Here's my take on the nominations for the main categories in the drama race, keeping in mind that, although I watch a lot of TV series (and I mean a lot!), I don't watch them all.

• Boardwalk Empire
• The Good Wife
• Mad Men
• Friday Night Lights
• Dexter
• Game of Thrones

I am thrilled for the two ones I watch from this list - "Dexter" and "Game of Thrones", especially for "Game of Thrones", whose first season just ended and was a total and unexpected blast! I've been hooked on it since the first minutes of the show and this recognition is well deserved. "House"'s seventh season was not very good, so I didn't expect a nomination to go that way, but I am sad that "True Blood" hasn't been nominated so far. I think it's time for this show to be noticed by award givers, but maybe there were too many HBO series already in the mix.

• Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson ("Mad Men")
• Connie Britton as Tami Taylor ("Friday Night Lights")
• Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson ("Law & Order: Special Victims Unit")
• Mireille Enos as Sarah Linden ("The Killing")
• Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick ("The Good Wife")
• Kathy Bates as Harriet 'Harry' Korn ("Harry's Law")

Although I don't watch any if these shows, I'm rooting for Julianna Margulies, who's been a favorite of mine ever since the "ER" days. She's a great actress and deserves a win. I hate it that Emily Deschanel has never been nominated for her performance in "Bones", where she absolutely shines as brilliant but socially-challenged Temperance Brennan. From the other shows I watch, only "True Blood"'s Anna Paquin would have been a possibility, but she's always been a long-shot, although her role is so diverse ans so well played.

• Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thompson ("Boardwalk Empire")
• Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan ("Dexter")
• Kyle Chandler as Coach Eric Taylor ("Friday Night Lights")
• Jon Hamm as Don Draper ("Mad Men")
• Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House ("House")
• Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens ("Justified")

I am so excited about Michael C. Hall and Hugh Laurie! Hall is always incredible as Dexter Morgan, our beloved serial killer, and Hugh Laurie deserved a nomination this year for an outstanding interpretation of House, who went through a lot this last season. Although the Huddy almost killed "House"'s season 7 for me, it also brought so much for the character, and Laurie gave an impressive performance. I'm bored of seeing "Mad Men" in all these lists, because I hated the show and stopped watching it after two or three episodes. I love Timothy Olyphant and, although I don't watch "Justified", he is a very good actor. I wish Simon Baker would receive a well deserved nomination again, his performance as "The Mentalist"'s funny/bored/tea-addict Jane is amazing. Stephen Moyer is also doing an impressive job in "True Blood" and I hate it that sci-fi series are often forgotten. But most of all I am pissed that Sean Bean's performance in "Game of Thrones" was not recognized, he is one of the best actors alive and he played magnificently in the series' first season. It's even more annoying because Eddard Stark died, so Bean won't be returning for season two.

• Kelly Macdonald as Margaret Schroeder ("Boardwalk Empire")
• Christina Hendricks as Joan Harris ("Mad Men")
• Michelle Forbes as Mitch Larsen ("The Killing")
• Archie Panjabi as Kalinda Sharma ("The Good Wife")
• Margo Martindale as Mags Bennett ("Justified")
• Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart ("The Good Wife")

I love Christine Baranski and will be rooting for her in this category. I don't watch "The Good Wife" (yet) - or any of the other shows, for that matter -, but she is an amazing actress. Jennifer Carpenter is amazing as Dexter's tough, yet so vulnerable sister, but this season she was not very visible. This year could have been Lisa Edelstein's last chance of being nominated for her role as Lisa Cuddy, but her performance didn't convince the voters, which is too bad, because, although the Huddy didn't work, both she and Laurie were impressive.

• John Slattery as Roger Sterling ("Mad Men")
• Andre Braugher as Owen ("Men of a Certain Age")
• Walton Goggins as Boyd Crowder ("Justified")
• Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister ("Game of Thrones")
• Josh Charles as Will Gardner ("The Good Wife")
• Alan Cumming as Eli Gold ("The Good Wife")

It is amazing to see Peter Dinklage being nominated for his role in "Game of Thrones", although I'm sad he's the only cast member recognized. But when you're creating a character that everyone loves to hate with such a passion as people hate Tyrion Lannister, then it's hard not to get nominated for an Emmy. What is not understandable about this list is why Denis O'Hare ("True Blood") is missing from it. I will state again that taking sci-fi shows out of the equation just because of the genre is just wrong, but forgetting Denis O'Hare is unforgivable.

• Alfre Woodard as Ruby Jean Reynolds ("True Blood")
• Randee Heller as Miss Blankenship ("Mad Men")
• Cara Buono as Faye Miller ("Mad Men")
• Joan Cusack as Sheila Jackson ("Shameless")
• Julia Stiles as Lumen Pierce ("Dexter")
• Mary McDonnell as Capt. Sharon Raydor ("The Closer")
• Loretta Devine as Adele Webber ("Grey's Anatomy")

It's great to see that at least one cast member of "True Blood" got a nomination at this year's Emmys, even if it's only for Outstanding Guest Actress. But my excitement is turned towards seeing Julia Stiles' name on this list. I loved her on "Dexter" and I wish Lumen would have stayed on, she was a great addition to the show and the dynamics between her and Dexter were so entertaining.