2012 Emmy Awards

Comedy Series

"The Big Bang Theory" (CBS)

"Curb Your Enthusiasm" (HBO)

"Girls" (HBO)

"Modern Family" (ABC)

"30 Rock" (NBC)

"Veep" (HBO)

My Choice - Modern Family

A perfect cast paired with funny comedy that comes at your fast I have rarely seen an assembled cast that is so universally likable and even lovable. This is the family I secretly wish I was a part of. If anything has 'normalized' the gay relationship on TV it's the NORMAL love between Cam and Mitchell.

Actress - Comedy

Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie.

Tina Fey, 30 Rock.

Laura Linney, The Big C.

Mellisa McCarthy, Mike & Molly.

Martha Plimpton, Raising Hope.

Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation.

My Choice - Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)

This is the perfect combination of comedienne and a role that allows all her skills to shine. We all know a Leslie Knope in our real lives - someone who cannot be brought down because she has no concept of what it means to fail, which she does, hilariously, each and every week.

Actor - Comedy

Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock.

Matt LeBlanc, Episodes.

JimParsons, The Big Bang Theory.

Steve Carell, The Office

Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory.

Louis CK, Louie

My Choice - Louie C.K. (Louie)

It's never easy to make a comedy series based on a stand-up's act but Louie finds tha justt being himself could be the funniest thing of all. I admire how he rarely needs another actor to get the laughs. He knows who he is and how to make his silence funny. That is genius.

Supporting Actor - Comedy 

Ed O'Neill as Jay Pritchett in "Modern Family"

Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell Pritchett in "Modern Family"

Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy in "Modern Family"

Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker in "Modern Family"

Max Greenfield as Schmidt in "New Girl"

Bill Hader as various characters in "Saturday Night Live"

My Choice - Ed O'Neil  (Modern Family)

I have a soft spot for Al Bundy because O'Neil has one of the best comic deliveries for an actor that never worked as a stand-up comic. I also love Ed's smile. He smiles like a man who knows he is working on the best show on television and can't believe his amazing good luck. That gives his Jay Prichart the wisdom of a man with

Supporting Actress - Comedy 

Mayim Bialik as Amy Farrah Fowler in "The Big Bang Theory"

Kathryn Joosten as Karen McCluskey in "Desperate Housewives"

Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy in "Modern Family"

Sofia Vergara as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett in "Modern Family"

Merritt Wever as Zoey Barkow in "Nurse Jackie"

Kristen Wiig as various characters in "Saturday Night Live"

My Choice - Merritt Wever  (Nurse Jackie)

Zoe is love. Love is Zoe. Merritt's characterization is who I want to be my nurse and bestest friend. I say 'bestest' because that is what Zoe would say. As magnificent as any woman has any right to be.

Drama Series

"Boardwalk Empire" (HBO)

"Breaking Bad" (AMC)

"Downton Abbey" (PBS)

"Game of Thrones" (HBO)

"Homeland" (Showtime)

"Mad Men" (AMC)

My Choice - Boardwalk Empire (Though Homeland is a close, close second)

I admire Boardwalk Empire for the disipline and courage it took to create a series with NO happy endings. So many of the best character actors alive took roles in this series and totally committed to the project. I watched both seasons at one shot so for several weeks I was immersed in all things Boardwalk Empire. From the sets to the costumes to the performances this was a fully realized world that I enjoyed spending my time in. Good on Steve Buchemi for giving his all to the project. I look forward to the new season this fall. After the death of a popular character, I realize I know NOTHING about the direction this series will take and that is a gift to me.

Lead Actress- Drama

Glenn Close as Patty Hewes in "Damages"

Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Crawley in "Downton Abbey"

Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick in "The Good Wife"

Kathy Bates as Harriet Korn in "Harry's Law"

Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison in "Homeland"

Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson in "Mad Men"

My Choice - Claire Daines - (Homeland)

Her frightening mental breakdown in the middle of a terrorist investigation was riveting and terrifying to watch - almost as terrifying as the premise of Homeland. The line between genius and madness has never been finer and Daines proves she as good an actress as we all knew she could be. Better yet, this curve ball came in the middle of one of the best written and acted shows that I couldn't save up. I was thrilled to watch each episode as it came out.

Lead Actor - Drama 

Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thompson in "Boardwalk Empire"

Bryan Cranston as Walter White in "Breaking Bad"

Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan in "Dexter"

Hugh Bonneville as Robert, Earl of Grantham in "Downton Abbey"

Damian Lewis as Nicholas Brody in "Homeland"

Jon Hamm as Don Draper in "Mad Men"

My Choice - Damian Lewis - (Homeland)

Lewis was the lead in the terrifically underatted series 'Life'.  Here he plays a US soldier who returns to America after 8 years as a prisoner of the Taliban. Is he a sleeper agent or will he prevent the greatest attack on our soil since 9/11? The great thing about Lewis' performance is that you never really know what the truth is. He is magnetic to watch.

Supporting Actress - Drama

Anna Gunn as Skyler White in "Breaking Bad"

Maggie Smith as Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham in "Downton Abbey"

Joanne Froggatt as Anna in "Downton Abbey"

Archie Panjabi as Kalinda Sharma in "The Good Wife"

Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart in "The Good Wife"

Christina Hendricks as Joan Holloway Harris in "Mad Men"

My choice - Christina Baranski (The Good Wife)

I love when she does comedy on shows like 'The Big Bang Theory'. When she smiles I see the wheels turning in her mind. She's a powerful woman who doesn't need to prove it everyday. She is one of the secret weapons that makes The Good Wife one of the most interesting dramas on Television.

Supporting Actor - Drama

Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman in "Breaking Bad"

Giancarlo Esposito as Gustavo 'Gus' Fring in "Breaking Bad"

Brendan Coyle as John Bates in "Downton Abbey"

Jim Carter as Mr. Carson in "Downton Abbey"

Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister in "Game of Thrones"

Jared Harris as Lane Pryce "Mad Men"

My Choice - Peter Dinklage - (Game of Thrones)

Magnetic to watch. He commanded each and every scene he was in. You could have just made the whole series about him and it might have been even better than it was.

Mini-Series or Movie

"American Horror Story" (FX)

"Game Change" (HBO)

"Hatfields & McCoys" (History)

"Hemingway & Gellhorn" (HBO)

"Luther" (BBC America)

"Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia" (PBS)

My Choice - Game Change 

It's not fair to make these two genres compete. Sherlock and Luther really deserve some kind of award. Both were terrifically satifying shows that do more in less than ten episodes than any other series do in YEARS worth of content.

Best Actress - Mini-Series or Movie

Connie Britton as Vivien Harmon in "American Horror Story"

Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin in "Game Change"

Nicole Kidman as Martha Gellhorn in "Hemingway & Gellhorn"

Ashley Judd as Rebecca Winstone in "Missing"

Emma Thompson as She in "The Song of Lunch"

 My choice - Julliane Moore (Game Change)

No brainer. Julianne was terrific as Sarah Palin. She mimics all of Palin's quirks in a performance that is NEVER a characature. She also had excellent, well researched source material to work from.

Lead Actor Mini-Series or Movie

Woody Harrelson as Steve Schmidt in "Game Change"

Kevin Costner as 'Devil' Anse Hatfield in "Hatfields & McCoys"

Bill Paxton as Randall McCoy in "Hatfields & McCoys"

Clive Owen as Ernest Hemingway in "Hemingway & Gellhorn"

Idris Elba as John Luther in "Luther"

Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes in "Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia"

My Choice -  Indris Elba  (Luther)

This was a tough catagory. Benedict Cumberbatch was equally as entertaining as Sherlock and brought fresh quirks to one of the best known characters in all of fiction. Elba, however, brought up the performances of everyone around him with his role so that tipped the scales for me.

What? No JUSTIFIED? No Timothy Oliphant? NO FUCKIN' WALTON GOGINS!!! SCANDAL!!!!