HBO’s ‘The Sopranos’ Leads Emmy Series Nominations
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – HBO’s mobster saga “The Sopranos” led the field of prime-time series announced on Thursday as contenders for U.S. television’s highest honors, with 20 Emmy nominations, including a nod for best drama.
“Sopranos,” rubbed out by “The West Wing” in three previous Emmy Award matchups, will compete again with the NBC political drama and two other nominees from last year — Fox espionage thriller “24” and TV’s highest-rated drama, CBS’ “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.”
Also joining this year’s roster of best-drama contenders is first-time challenger “Joan of Arcadia,” the CBS show about a teen-age girl who talks with God.
“I think it’s a healthy surprise and it’s good for the industry,” said Dick Askin, chairman of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, of the rookie show’s nomination.
The nomination of “West Wing,” starring Martin Sheen as fictional U.S. President Bartlet, puts the show in the running for re-election to a record fifth term as best dramatic series. The only other prime-time show in Emmy history to claim five best series victories was the long-running comedy “Frasier,” which bowed off NBC last season.
HBO’s popular but newly departed “Sex and the City” was the most nominated sitcom, gaining recognition in 11 categories, including best comedy series.
Fox’s offbeat family sitcom “Arrested Development,” a low-rated but critically favored freshman show, also snagged a best-comedy nomination, breaking into an otherwise familiar pack of returning Emmy contenders.
The other nominees were NBC’s “Will & Grace,” HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and last year’s champ, CBS’ “Everybody Loves Raymond,” headed into a ninth and final season.
While “Sopranos” clinched the most nominations of any series, the most nominated program overall with 21 nods was the HBO miniseries “Angels in America,” which starred Al Pacino.
Nominated as best made-for-TV movie, and in six other categories, was “The Reagans,” which CBS gave to sister cable channel Showtime after an outcry from conservatives who complained it cast the late president in an unfair light.
NEW FACES
The acting nominations contained a few surprises, including first-time nods for some familiar faces and a nomination for an actor who died.
The late John Ritter gained posthumous recognition for his role as a harried family man in ABC’s comedy “8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter.” Other comic acting nominees went to Kelsey Grammer for his title role on “Frasier,” Matt LeBlanc for playing Joey on NBC’s last season of “Friends,” Larry David for playing himself on “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and last year’s winner, Tony Shalhoub, for “Monk.”
Nominated for best actor in a drama were “Sopranos” heavy James Gandolfini, who won last year; Sheen for “West Wing;” James Spader for departing ABC legal hour “The Practice;” Kiefer Sutherland as a government agent in “24,” and Anthony LaPaglia for “Without a Trace.”
Dramatic best actress contenders were multiple winner Edie Falco as a mob wife in “The Sopranos;” Allison Janney as the White House press secretary on “The West Wing;” Jennifer Garner as the alluring spy on ABC’s “Alias,” and two first-time nominees — Mariska Hargitay on NBC’s “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and Amber Tamblyn for “Joan of Arcadia.”
Comedy actress nods went to Bonnie Hunt for ABC’s now-canceled “Life with Bonnie,” Sarah Jessica Parker for “Sex and the City,” Jane Kaczmarek for quirky Fox sitcom “Malcolm in the Middle,” Jennifer Aniston for “Friends” and Patricia Heaton for “Raymond.”
The 56th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Garry Shandling, will be broadcast live on ABC from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sept. 19.
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