BREAKING NEWS: Emmy Noms Announced

I know what you're thinking, "But PTR, you don't cover the Emmys.  You have a long-standing boycott of these predictable TV awards."  And while you are absolutely correct, I am officially ending the boycott this year.  Why, you ask?  Because the reason for the boycott has been broken.  Long-time readers will remember that I stopped covering the awards because of their continued egregious snub of Friday Night Lights.  And while the show still didn't get a best drama nod, its two stars Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton finally got best actor/actress nominations!!  I know, I couldn't believe it either.  In fact, I re-read the story just to be sure.  Overall, Glee received the most nominations with 19 followed by Mad Men with 17.  HBO led the pack with 101 total nods.  New series The Good Wife and Modern Men also received nominations.  To see the complete list of the main nominees, keep reading after the jump.

2008 Emmy Noms: 'Damages' Makes History

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Last year, we swore off the Emmys.

This year, we might have to reconsider.

The best of television is now on cable - basic cable, that is - and the 60th Annual Primetime Emmy Nominations concur.

PTR Fave Damages made history this morning as one of the first basic cable programs to garner a nomination for best drama series. Additionally, our faves of Glenn Close (Damages), Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer) and Holly Hunter (Saving Grace) all earned nods in the best actress category.

True, there are still snubs. PTR Fave Annabeth Gish of Brotherhood still has not been recognized for her brilliant performance as Eileen Caffee nor has Kathryn Morris of Cold Case. Then again, this is the Emmys, so we can't completely avoid the snubbage.

But can I honestly say I'm sorry Desperate Housewives isn't included for the 9 zillionth time, or that HBO isn't dominating every single category? No. Better still, am I sorry that the best actress category doesn't actually just look like the cast of DH, or is stacked with every actor on HBO? Again, no. And, much as I wish Kathryn Morris would get her due, do I think the procedurals are churning out their best work these days? No ... except, perhaps, for Law Order: SVU's Mariska Hargitay, who is once again nominated this year.

Give credit to Katherine Heigl (Grey's Anatomy) for having the chutzpah to speak up and actually take herself out of contention this year because she didn't feel the material she was given to work with was anywhere near a nomination-worthy performance.

With this year's noms, consider the networks put on notice that their overkill on lame-arse reality series and beat-until-dead procedural formulas are not nearly as interesting as they once were.

Says Close: "I think [cable's] changed the landscape of television ... [and while] I don't believe in comparison among artists, given the amazing number of talented people in this profession, to be included with a distinguished group of people is a huge honor."

Amen Glenn.

Cable is where it's at.

And finally, this year is a set of Emmy nominations I can get behind.

The Emmy Awards ceremony will be held Sept. 21 and broadcast on ABC. Other Emmy honors, including those for technical achievement and guest actors and actresses in series, will be given at the creative arts ceremony on Sept. 13.


Nominees (bold indicates a PTR Fave):

Outstanding Drama Series:
Boston Legal
Damages
Dexter
House
Lost
Mad Men

Outstanding Comedy Series
30 Rock
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
The Office
Two And A Half Men

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters
Glenn Close, Damages
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Holly Hunter, Saving Grace
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Candice Bergen, Boston Legal
Rachel Griffiths, Brothers & Sisters
Chandra Wilson, Grey's Anatomy
Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy
Dianne Wiest, In Treatment

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
James Spader, Boston Legal
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Hugh Laurie, House
Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment
Jon Hamm, Mad Men

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
William Shatner, Boston Legal
Ted Danson, Damages
Zeljko Ivanek, Damages
Michael Emerson, Lost
John Slattery, Mad Men

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Tony Shalhoub, Monk
Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies
Steve Carell, The Office
Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Jeremy Piven, Entourage
Kevin Dillion, Entourage
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Rainn Wilson, The Office
Jon Cryer, Two And A Half Men

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
Tiny Fey, 30 Rock
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures Of Old Christine
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Kristin Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies
Jean Smart, Samantha Who?
Amy Poehler, Saturday Night Live
Holland Taylor, Two And A Half Men
Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty


Sources: AP; Emmys.tv

Emmy Noms: 'Friday Night' Slights

I promised myself and the TV gods that I would swear off the Emmys forever if TV's best show, Friday Night Lights, didn't receive nominations for Best Drama and Best Actor and Actress. Well it's Thursday, nominations are out, and guess what?? The Academy didn't nominate the show in any of the aforementioned categories, so I am officially done with these awards. As TV Guide's Matt Roush pointed out months ago, this year's nominations would serve as the litmus test for their future importance. Lights won a Peabody - considered the Pulitzer of broadcast - and yet, didn't receive nominations in any of the biggest categories. How can that be??? How can Kyle Chandler (who's turning out the best work in television) not get an acting nom? Or Connie Britton?? It blows my mind. Anyway, now that the awards have been exposed for the sham that they are, I can move on and not dwell on all of the deserving actors, actresses and shows that never get a nod. Here's a rundown of this year's nominations:

Outstanding Comedy Series
30 Rock · NBC
Entourage · HBO
The Office · NBC
Two And A Half Men · CBS
Ugly Betty · ABC

Outstanding Drama Series
Boston Legal · ABC
Grey's Anatomy · ABC
Heroes · NBC
House · Fox
The Sopranos · HBO

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock
Ricky Gervais - Extras
Tony Shalhoub - Monk
Steve Carell - The Office
Charlie Shean - Two And A Half Men

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Kiefer Sutherland - 24
James Spader - Boston Legal
Hugh Lurie - House
Denis Leary - Rescue Me
James Gandolfini - The Sopranos

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
Tina Fey - 30 Rock
Felicity Huffman - Desperate Housewives
Julia Louis- Dreyfus - The New Adventures Of Old Christine
America Ferrera - Ugly Betty
Mary-Louise Parker - Weeds

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Sally Field - Brothers & Sisters
Mariska Hargitay - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Patricia Arquette - Medium
Kyra Sedgwick - The Closer
Minnie Driver - The Riches
Edie Falco - The Sopranos

Click on over to The Futon Critic for more nominations. The 59th Primetime Emmy Awards air September 16th on Fox.

PTR's 2007 Ultimate Emmy Ballot

Wouldn't it be awesome if we, the fans, ruled the world of television awards (not just The People's Choice Awards)? Our favorites wouldn't be forsaken time after time and the less worthy wouldn't continue to dominate the nominations just because they're Emmy voters' faves. Alas, we are not. So, this should be another unfair Emmy season as we've come to expect. Tomorrow, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences will announce its 2007 Emmy nominations at 8:40 a.m. (EST) with the help of Jon Cryer and Kyra Sedgwick. But before we get to the real nominations, let's have some fun with our own Emmy ballot. Here's a look at who/what would get nominations if I ruled The Academy.

PTR's Ultimate Emmy Ballot: Best Actor in a Comedy
Zach Braff Scrubs
Jason Lee My Name is Earl
Steve Carell The Office
James Roday Psych
Donald Faison Scrubs

Newcomer James Roday makes my list this year after a hilarious first season of USA Network's latest hit. He and Dule Hill are the reason this show works as well as it does. In fact, Psych wouldn't be as funny as it is without Roday's "psychic moments" and excellent delivery. Braff is one of my faves, Carell is always funny, Lee brings a nice blend of comedy and heart to his role, and Faison completes Braff as TV's best buddy duo. Once again, Scrubs' John C. McGinley is way overdue for a nod in the best supporting category, so I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for him as well.


PTR's Ultimate Emmy Ballot: Best Actress in a Comedy
Jaime Pressly My Name is Earl
Lauren Graham Gilmore Girls
Sarah Chalke Scrubs
Jordana Spiro My Boys
America Ferrera Ugly Betty

Pressly will probably enter in the supporting category, but I wouldn't mind seeing her in this one. She's the funniest part of Earl, and no one does white trash as well as she. Meanwhile, Graham is long overdue and this is her last chance for Girls. How much you wanna bet The Academy still doesn't nominate her?? Chalke is delightful as the OCD, neurotic Eliot and Spiro is the adorable new kid on the block whose blend of delivery and emotion give her TBS comedy its extra charm. Ferrera is perfect as Betty.

PTR's Ultimate Emmy Ballot: Best Actor in a Drama
Kyle Chandler Friday Night Lights
Jason Dohring Veronica Mars
Christopher Meloni Law & Order: SVU
Corey Reynolds The Closer
Matthew Fox Lost

No one was as good as Chandler this season. He was truly amazing week after week as the caring, conflicted, fired up, subdued, kind, perfect and flawed coach of the Dillon Panthers and husband and father at home. He deserved a standing ovation at the end of each outing, so I can only hope that The Academy will give him the recognition he deserves. Dohring continued with his intense, emotional portrayal of Logan, Meloni heated things up in the interrogation room and at home, Reynolds is the heart of The Closer and Fox once again brought his A-game to Lost (even when the writers didn't).

PTR's Ultimate Emmy Ballot: Best Actress in a Drama
Kristen Bell Veronica Mars
Kathryn Morris Cold Case
Kyra Sedgwick The Closer
Connie Britton Friday Night Lights
Jacqueline McKenzie The 4400

I included McKenzie this year because she blew me away last season in "Gone" (parts 1 and 2) and "Blink." The former dealt with the disappearance of Diana's adopted daughter. McKenzie was absolutely flawless as the distressed mother who would rather die than go on without her daughter. In the latter, Diana and Tom accidentally end up under the influence of a new drug called blink (manufactured from a 4400's ability). The effects of the drug cause its taker to hallucinate and see someone with whom they had unfinished business. For Diana, that meant an old fiance who cheated on her days before their pending nuptials. She was once again flawless in this one as Diana came to terms with the scars of her past and how they affect her future. Sedgwick and Bell are always amazing, Britton blew me away as the wonderful Tami Taylor, and Morris took her nuanced performance of the beautifully flawed Lilly Rush to new heights this season. Lost's Elizabeth Mitchell (Juliet) should get a best supporting nod.

PTR's Ultimate Emmy Ballot: Best Comedy
Scrubs
My Name is Earl
The Office
My Boys
Ugly Betty

When is Scrubs finally going to break through and get a nom? It's just getting to be ridiculous at this point. In addition to being hilarious, this show has heart and excellent storytelling and it brings something different to the television sitcom table. Meanwhile, Earl's second season wasn't as funny as its first, but it was still a strong year for the comedy. The Office continued with its off-brand of humor, while new kids Betty and My Boys burst onto the scene with plenty of laughs and originality to restore our faith in the television sitcom.

PTR's Ultimate Emmy Ballot: Best Drama
Friday Night Lights
Veronica Mars
The Closer
Cold Case
Lost

I debated over whether to include Lost this year, but in the end, it wound up on my list. After all, the first half of the season was terrible, but the second half was classic Lost. And when this show returns to its classic self, it embodies everything that makes television so good. Case enjoyed its best season ever and should be rewarded for its heart wrenching drama and beautiful storytelling, Veronica may have lost some of its charm, but the show was still amazing, The Closer is powerful, and then there's TV's best drama - Friday Night Lights. If this show and its amazing leads don't get noms, then I'm so over the Emmys. TV doesn't get any better than Lights.

So, there are my picks for some of the Emmy categories. Do you agree? Disagree? Who/what would you include on your lists? Drop me a comment with your ultimate ballot. And don't forget that the real Emmy nominations will be out tomorrow! I'll have my reaction on each category tomorrow afternoon here at PTR.

Emmys Honor '24,' 'Office' But Aren't Feeling 'Grey!' Plus TV on DVD Monday

Even though the nomination process may have disappointed many, the awards show did not. Host Conan O'Brien kept things rolling all night with a funny gag involving Bob Newhart and plenty of "NBC in the ratings crapper" jokes, including a brilliant musical number to "Trouble" from Broadway's The Music Man. The speeches were good, the winners were (sometimes) surprising and the night was overall, enjoyable. It's more than you can say about most awards shows. Here is a breakdown of the night's best and worst. And you can check out a full list of the night's winners HERE courtesy of Yahoo! TV.

Best Acceptance Speech: Greg Garcia for writing in a comedy. The My Name is Earl creator decided to name the people that he isn't thanking for his win. They included a middle school teacher who told him he wasn't funny and a former boss who kept him busy doing mundane tasks when he was a PA. The speech was hilarious, much like the scribe's hit NBC comedy, and it added something different to the acceptance speech mix.

Best Joke: "Yeah, we weren't really invited." Those were the words from Lost character Hurley during the night's opening bit involving Conan trying to get to the awards show. The joke, of course, is the fact that the brilliant drama was snubbed in the best drama category this year after winning last year.

Biggest Relief: For the most part, the Academy didn't do the cliche thing and give all of the departing shows wins in their respective categories. Megan Mullally did win for Will & Grace when the award should have gone to Earl's Jaime Pressly, but overall, the trend was avoided.

Biggest Surprise: This is a tie between Mariska Hargitay winning for best actress in a drama and Grey's Anatomy not winning for best drama (in fact, the show went home empty-handed). Both were pleasant surprises for me, but definitely surprises. I thought that Kyra Sedgwick had her category all sewn up, but Mariska's good year continued when her name was called from the podium. She gave a very emotion-filled speech and she looked fabulous! Even though I may be a bit biased when it comes to Grey's, I can objectively say that it's not the best drama on television, so I was glad to see 24 win instead.

Biggest Bummer: The Office winning best comedy over Scrubs. Nothing against the workplace comedy (and it wasn't like I wasn't expecting it to win), but I had a small glimmer of hope that this would be Scrubs' year. No such luck as its fellow NBC comedy walked away victorious.

Best Dressed: Overall, everyone looked pretty fabulous last night. I was very impressed! Here are my top 3 of the night:

Grey's Anatomy's Katherine Heigl

Lost's Evangeline Lilly

Prison Break's Wentworth Miller

There were plenty of PTR favorites in attendance last night between the show and the after parties. Here is a look at what they were wearing on television's biggest night:

The 4400's Jacqueline McKenzie at an after party. She looks gorgeous!! And I seriously covet her shoes.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series winner Mariska Hargitay (L&O: SVU) arrives for the show last night. She's rockin' those post-baby curves and her hair looks fabulous!

Scrubs' Sarah Chalke arrives for the awards show. She also looked fabulous, and this dress works well on her.

And finally, you guys voted for your favorites last week in PTR's Emmy polls. Well, the results are in, and it seems, many of you aren't so happy with last night's show results. Here's how you voted:

Reality Competition:
You wanted Survivor (40%)
BUT, The Amazing Race once again took this category

Best Actor in a Comedy:
You wanted Steve Carell (45%)
BUT, Tony Shalhoub won again

Best Actress in a Comedy:
You wanted Jane Kaczmarek (50%)
BUT, Julia Louis-Dreyfus won

Best Actor in a Drama:
You wanted Denis Leary (86%)
BUT, Kiefer Sutherland finally won

Best Actress in a Drama:
You wanted Kyra Sedgwick (43%)
BUT, Mariska Hargitay finally won

Best Comedy:
You wanted Scrubs (60%)
BUT, its fellow NBC sitcom The Office took the category

Best Drama:
You wanted House (50%)
BUT, 24 took the award

So overall, an entertaining show with a mixed bag of winners and nominations. One thing is certain, The 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards are in the record book. Maybe now we can begin hoping that this new system tweaks itself before the nomination process next season.


QUICK CUTS

*And finally, it's TV on DVD Monday! Look for the second season of ABC's hit Desperate Housewives to land on store shelves tomorrow along with Arrested Development (season 3), Nip/Tuck (season 3), South Park (season 8), Survivor: Palau and Will & Grace (season 5). For a full list of tomorrow's releases, click on over to tvshowsondvd.com.

To get more of today's biggest TV news and headlines, visit the TV News section at PassTheRemote.Net.

That's all for today. Be sure to scroll down and check out PTR's initial thoughts on last night's season finale of The 4400, and then come back tomorrow for my complete review on the fantastic season and shocking finale. Plus, The Closer, Vanished and all the latest television news!


To get more television coverage, including the network's new fall schedules and a complete archive of the best of Pass the Remote with a photo gallery featuring pictures from the set of Veronica Mars, click on over to PassTheRemote.net.

EMMY WEEK: Best Drama Ballot! Plus '4400' Finale Preview and 'Mars' Fans' Charity Efforts are Outta this World

BEST

Drama

We are down to the last category before the big show this weekend. So far, you guys have cast your votes for your favorite reality-competition shows, actors, actresses and comedy series, but it all comes down to your favorite dramas. Dramas are everywhere on your television and they come in many different forms: crime shows, law dramas, character-driven, soapy, procedural and even a hybrid of both drama and comedy. With all that drama, many of our favorites are bound to get left off the ballot. And the five that did make the ballot, are sure to keep it a tight race. Don't forget to make your pick in PTR's Emmy poll below.

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
Grey's Anatomy
House
The Sopranos
24
The West Wing

What Will Win: Momentum, buzz and the "it" factor say this is an easy win for Grey's Anatomy, and I agree. I think this show will walk away with the statue, and ABC will have that extra push it needs going into the season with a new timeslot up against CBS' ratings juggernaut CSI. Even though I'm not a Grey's fan, this show has certainly struck a cord with the right people, which should secure its win.

What Should Win: With TV's best drama (Veronica Mars) and second best drama (Lost) absent from this category, it makes the "should win" column seem a little fruitless. Nevertheless, we must forge on with the most deserving winner of this bunch. And there are plenty of deserving winners in this category, but House sticks out the most for me. It's the better medical drama with plenty of character minus the sudsy Grey's storylines. Plus, as far as I'm concerned, the Academy owes it to House after snubbing lead actor Hugh Laurie this year.

And now it's your turn to decide which drama you would like to see take the statue Sunday night. Please vote for your favorite below in the PTR Emmy Poll. And be sure to vote in all of the previous PTR Emmy polls as well. Yesterday's best comedy category can be found HERE, the drama acting categories can be found HERE, the comedy acting categories are HERE, and Monday's reality show poll is HERE. The 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards air live this Sunday, August 28th on NBC.

Which drama gets your vote?
	Grey's Anatomy
	House
	The Sopranos
	24
	The West Wing
Free polls from Pollhost.com

FRIDAY FUN: SUMMER STYLE 'The 4400' Will Leave You Hanging!
Another fantastic season of USA Network’s The 4400 is about to come to an end. Is it just me, or does this show get better with age? I LOVED it when it premiered two years ago as a “limited series,” and I jumped for joy when USA decided to turn it into a weekly summer series. I wasn’t sure how the writers were going to sustain the quality, but they surprised me with the “Freak of the Week” format last season. I LOVED getting to know different 4400s and learning about their abilities (P.S. How fun must it be to write for this show and invent abilities?). I assumed that this format would carry through to this current season, but they surprised me again with a brand-new season-long arc. And after each season, I say to myself, “This was the best season ever!” There aren’t too many shows where I say the same. So this Sunday around 10 p.m., I will be sitting on my couch once again proclaiming that this season was the best ever! And this time, it will be right because this is the first season where I have been truly bummed to see the show end until next summer. But before the downer, there is a very exciting hour of television before us.


Executive producer Ira Steven Behr told Sci Fi Wire to expect some cliffhangers that will have a major impact next season when the third season wraps up this Sunday. “I think, because there will be some major chess moves made, I think we will be able to tell some interesting character-based [stories] with people we have not met yet, because there's going to be such an upheaval that we're going to want to hear and meet new people,” he explains. Star Jacqueline McKenzie (Diana Skouris) writes on her official Web site that the finale is "bigger than Ben Hur" and "an amazing script." One of the season-ending cliffhangers revolves around McKenzie's character, NTAC agent Diana Skouris. STOP READING NOW IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED!! Diana and Ben (a.k.a. my new fave TV couple) have been trying to figure out this whole relationship thing, especially since Diana's sister April (Natasha Gregson Wagner) was originally dating Ben (Brennan Elliot). Well, things are about to take a more serious turn Sunday night, according to actor Brennan Elliot who plays the lovable Ben. "I've got a job to do in Spain, and she takes off with me," the actor explains to Marilyn Beck and Jenel Smith regarding his photographer character and Diana. "It's a bit of a cliffhanger." So, will Diana be back? That answer will have to wait until next season (END SPOILER). What will happen now that war between the 4400 and Ryland's promicin-taking army is inevitable? We'll have to tune in Sunday night at 9 p.m. (EST) on USA network to see how it unfolds.

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*And finally, fans of UPN's Veronica Mars just might be the most charitable group of fans in the history of television. As of August 22nd, the collective group "Cloud Watchers" has donated more than 400 season 1 DVD sets to local libraries across the country (see map to right). All 50 states and 100 top Nielsen markets are represented in the drive that PayPal donations and sales of fan-made VM-themed merchandise funded. The retail value of all the donations is just under $25,000 according to the group's press release. "By donating to public libraries, fans have been able to support a worthy cause while also introducing their favorite show to anyone with a library card," the group writes in the release. The campaign even caught the attention of the show's creator/executive producer Rob Thomas, who sent the group a message thanking them for their hard work. "That's all incredibly cool. Thanks so much for the tireless support. We REALLY appreciate it," he wrote. And the group isn't done with its push. They have set their sights on reaching a total of 500 donated sets by October 3rd, the date of Veronica Mars' 3rd season premiere on the new CW. To learn how you can help, click HERE.

To get more of today's biggest TV news and headlines, visit the TV News section at PassTheRemote.Net.

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in Monday for PTR's Emmy Blowout Edition! I'll have all the winners, your votes and the best (and worst!) Emmy fashions. And since I don't want to short change The 4400's season finale, be sure to come back Tuesday for all the details from this Sunday's big episode. Plus, all the latest television news!



To get more television coverage, including the network's new fall schedules and a complete archive of the best of Pass the Remote with a photo gallery featuring pictures from the set of Veronica Mars, click on over to PassTheRemote.net.

EMMY WEEK: Best Comedy Ballot! Plus New Season Scoop and More Guest Star News

BEST

Comedy

Well, Emmy week is winding down and we only have two huge categories left before the big show this weekend. Today, we're going to take a look at the nominees in the best comedy category. After PTR makes our picks, be sure to vote for your favorite in today's Emmy poll. I'll reveal your winners in PTR's Emmy blowout edition on Monday.

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
Arrested Development
Curb Your Enthusiasm
The Office
Scrubs
Two And A Half Men

What Will Win: This has been The Office's year in all facets of the television world. It has all the buzz, critical acclaim and recognition that NBC could have hoped for, so I wouldn't be surprised to see it also get the Emmy Sunday night. Arrested and Enthusiasm could rain on The Office's parade, but I'm still giving the edge to the workplace comedy.

What Should Win: Scrubs, which has been plugging along for 5 seasons with little to no recognition. I don't expect things to be different this year, but Scrubs is certainly television's most deserving comedy for its hilarious antics, stellar cast and emotional undertones. I'll keep my fingers crossed, but I won't be holding my breath.

And now it's your turn to decide which comedy you would like to see take the statue Sunday night. Please vote for your favorite below in the PTR Emmy Poll. And be sure to vote in all of the previous PTR Emmy polls as well. Yesterday's drama categories can be found HERE, the comedy categories are HERE, and Monday's reality show poll is HERE. The 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards air live this Sunday, August 28th on NBC.

Which comedy gets your vote?
	Arrested Development
	Curb Your Enthusiasm
	The Office
	Scrubs
	Two and a Half Men
Free polls from Pollhost.com

New Season Scoop
As promised, PTR will continue to bring you new season scoop on your favorite shows as their premiere dates grow closer. Today, I have juicy info on two PTR favorites as well as some premiere scoop on a Fox favorite. WARNING: the following information is laced with SPOILERS, so proceed with caution. As usual, all information is subject to change.

You guys are loving him on The 4400 as Diana's photographer boyfriend, but Brennan Elliot will be popping up on another PTR favorite. Or rather, popping back up because the hunky actor will reprise his role as Lilly Rush's motorcycle riding former flame on Cold Case (screencap courtesy Kathryn Morris Online). I know I've told you this before, but the new scoop comes directly from Elliot. "I'm slated to do six of them this season," he tells Marilyn Beck and Jenel Smith. Six episodes! When we last left our favorite Cold detective, she was warming up to not-victim Joseph, so what will happen when Ray rolls back into town? We'll have to tune in to know for sure. Either way, it seems that Elliot will be getting lots of lovin' from two primetime crime drama leading ladies! Look for Elliot to begin his 6-episode stint with the third episode. And speaking of episode order, the crime drama has changed it around a bit since the last time I brought you season 4 scoop. The latest schedule looks like this (courtesy TVGuide.com):

9/25 - "Rampage" *Season Premiere*
10/2 - "War at Home"
10/9 - "Sandhogs" *Ray Reappears*
10/16 - "Baby Blues"

*click HERE for episode descriptions from a previous post

I've also learned that the tentative 5th episode of the season, "Saving Sammy," revolves around the 2003 case of a couple found dead in their car. They had a daughter and an autistic son. Joseph plays a part in this one because of his work as a youth counselor. A special thanks to orison at Look Again for this information.

Moving along to Veronica Mars and some casting scoop. Actress Laura San Giacomo will reunite with her former Just Shoot Me costar Enrico Colantoni during the upcoming season. She'll play a woman who hires Keith's private investigator firm to find out if her husband is cheating on her according to TVGuide.com's Mike Ausiello. Series creator Rob Thomas tells the scoop master that Giacomo will appear in "several episodes" and that her character and Keith "hit it off." Ausiello is also reporting that famed heiress Patty Hearst will make an appearance in an upcoming episode. She'll play the granddaughter of the founder of Hearst College who goes missing the night before an important vote affecting the university. And thanks to DuckyXDale, I have some episode titles for the first few episodes of the season (the folks at VM are the title masters!):

3.01: "Welcome Wagon"
3.02: "My Big Fat Greek Week"
3.03: "Friday Night Sleights"
3.04: "Charlie Don't Surf"

Veronica Mars premieres October 3rd on the new CW network. And finally, when Bones kicks off its second season next week, expect a shocking turn of events in the case of Bones' mother. Something happens that changes her search for her wayward father and it leads to an emotional ending. Bones returns Wednesday, August 30th on Fox. And be sure to stay tuned to PTR for plenty of new season scoop, thoughts on the new shows and much more! Tomorrow, I'll bring you some scoop on the season finale of The 4400!


QUICK CUTS

*NBC's ER is lining up some big name guest stars for its upcoming season. Look for Forest Whitaker to take over for Andre Braugher. Braugher had to back out of his guest stint after taking a role in the next Fantastic Four film. Busy Phillips will appear in at least 4 episodes as a devout-Christian intern. ER kicks off its 13th season September 21st on NBC. In other guest star news, recording artist John Mayer will make an appearance in the season premiere of CBS' CSI. He'll perform two songs from his new album, Continuum, in the 2-part 7th season opener (click HERE for episode info, but be warned the link contains spoilers). CSI rolls out its new season September 21st on CBS.

*And finally, CBS is adding 6 more series to its list of shows it will stream on its broadband channel INNERTUBE. How I Met Your Mother, Shark, The Unit, The Class, The New Adventures of Old Christine and Smith will join previously announced Jericho, NCIS, Survivor, Numb3rs and all three CSIs next month. Episodes of these shows will be available for free on CBS' online broadband channel the morning after they air on the network.


To get more of today's biggest TV news and headlines, visit the TV News section at PassTheRemote.Net.

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for the final day of Emmy week with my picks for best drama. Plus, a 4400 season finale preview and all the latest television news!


To get more television coverage, including the network's new fall schedules and a complete archive of the best of Pass the Remote with a photo gallery featuring pictures from the set of Veronica Mars, click on over to PassTheRemote.net.

EMMY WEEK: Best Acting in a Drama Ballots! Plus More '4400,' 'Survivor' Draws Along Lines and Pick Your Faves

BEST ACTING

IN A DRAMA

Rolling right along now with the acting in a drama series categories. As we all know, the drama has been flourishing as of late and it has allowed a lot of excellent actors to really show us their chops. Of course, this makes the decision even more difficult and it makes the list of oversights even longer than usual (Kristen Bell, Hugh Laurie, Kathryn Morris, etc). Here are PTR's predictions and picks for acting in the drama categories. Don't forget to vote for your favorites in PTR's Emmy polls.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Christopher Meloni — Law & Order: SVU
Denis Leary — Rescue Me
Peter Krause — Six Feet Under
Kiefer Sutherland — 24
Martin Sheen — The West Wing

Who Will Win: This is one of the toughest categories to call because it pits over-due Kiefer Sutherland and first-time nominee and deserving winner Denis Leary against each other. And then there's possible spoiler Martin Sheen as well. Leary is just so strong, so my money is on him walking away with the statue Sunday night.

Who Should Win: Leary. His emotionally troubled Tommy is just too good of a performance to ignore. Hopefully, the Academy will recognize his brilliant work this year after ignoring his performance last year.

And now it's your turn to decide which actor you would like to see take the statue Sunday night. Please vote for your favorite below in the PTR Emmy Poll.

Which actor do you want to win the drama category?
	Christopher Meloni (L&O: SVU)
	Denis Leary (Rescue Me)
	Peter Krause (Six Feet Under)
	Kiefer Sutherland (24)
	Martin Sheen (The West Wing)
Free polls from Pollhost.com

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Kyra Sedgwick — The Closer
Geena Davis — Commander In Chief
Mariska Hargitay — Law & Order: SVU
Frances Conroy — Six Feet Under
Allison Janney — The West Wing

Who Will Win: This is another tough category because there are a lot of probable outcomes. The Academy loves to give Janney awards and this was her last season on The West Wing. Davis would have been a favorite had her show not drastically fallen off the quality map, and she could still win this category. But, I think this one belongs to Sedgwick. Her show burst onto the scene in a big way and the Academy loves to reward film actors.

Who Should Win: Sedgwick for her incredible performance. She makes you forget that you're watching the girl from Hearts and Souls because she is Brenda Leigh Johnson. She brings emotion, humor, sadness and depth to a character that could have faded into the crime drama background.

And now it's your turn to decide which actress you would like to see take the statue Sunday night. Please vote for your favorite below in the PTR Emmy Poll. And be sure to check back all week for your chance to pick your favorites in all the major categories including your favorite comedies and dramas! The 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards air live this Sunday, August 28th on NBC. To vote in yesterday's comedy categories, click HERE. For Monday's reality show poll, click HERE.

Which actress do you want to win the drama category?
	Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer)
	Geena Davis (Commander In Chief)
	Mariska Hargitay (L&O: SVU)
	Frances Conroy (Six Feet Under)
	Allison Janney (The West Wing)
Free polls from Pollhost.com

QUICK CUTS

*USA network is bringing back The 4400 for another season. The news confirms the message from star Jacqueline McKenzie in her MySpace.com account over the weekend and reported here at PTR earlier this week. The fourth season will contain 13 original episodes. Shooting will begin next year with a summer 2007 premiere.

*CBS is releasing the identities of the next group of castaways for the upcoming 13th season of Survivor. This season features a brand new twist as well as a hold-over from last season. When the 13th edition kicks off next month, expect the 20 contestants to be divided along ethnic lines into four groups: African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic and White. The groups will merge later on in the show. And look for the return of Exile Island, which one contestant will be banished to each week with the opportunity to find the Immunity Idol. The 20 castaways this time around include a professional volleyball player from Marina Del Ray, CA; heavy metal guitarist from New York; an actress from Los Angeles; a performance artist/rollergirl from Chico, CA; and a pre-med student from Fayetteville, NC. Survivor: Cook Islands premieres September 14th on CBS.

*And finally, unhappy with this year's crop of Emmy nominees? Wish more of your favorites were on the list? Well, Media Village feels your pain. The site has set up its own set of awards and you get to be the judge. Click on over to MediaVillage.com to vote for your favorites for comedy and drama series, acting and reality competition series. All votes must be in by September 5th. And while you're there, be sure to cast a vote for Kristen Bell and Lauren Graham!

To get more of today's biggest TV news and headlines, visit the TV News section at PassTheRemote.Net.

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow as Emmy week rolls on with PTR's picks and predictions for Best Comedy. Plus, all the latest television news!

EMMY WEEK: Best Acting in a Comedy Ballots! Plus 'The Closer,' Guest Star Round Up and Fox Ratings

Yesterday, it was reality shows and today we're going to look at the actors and actresses up for an Emmy Award in the comedy categories. PTR makes its picks for who will win and who should win, but this year, it truly is anyone's game. Don't forget that you guys have a chance to voice your opinions as well. So, be sure to vote in PTR's Emmy polls for whom you think should win in each of today's categories.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Larry David — Curb Your Enthusiasm
Kevin James — The King Of Queens
Tony Shalhoub — Monk
Steve Carell — The Office
Charlie Sheen — Two and a Half Men

Who Will Win: Will it be perennial favorite Tony Shalhoub or the thrice nominated Larry David? This one is hard to call, but Tony Shalhoub seems to win only in the odd years (2003, 2005), so it seems, the "odds" are for him. And what about dark-horse Steve Carell whose workplace comedy has turned into the sleeper-hit of the year? I'm putting my money on Shalhoub, despite the "evens" being against him.

Who Should Win: Carell for his special breed of comedy that he brings to the Michael Scott character. Through him and the entire cast, The Office has gone from critic fodder to critic buzz in one season.

And now it's your turn to decide which comedic actor you would like to see take the statue Sunday night. Please vote for your favorite below in the PTR Emmy Poll.

Which actor do you want to win Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series?
	Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
	Kevin James (The King of Queens)
	Tony Shalhoub (Monk)
	Steve Carell (The Office)
	Charlie Sheen (Two and a Half Men)
Free polls from Pollhost.com

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Lisa Kudrow — The Comeback
Jane Kaczmarek — Malcolm in the Middle
Julia Louis-Dreyfus — The New Adventures of Old Christine
Stockard Channing — Out of Practice
Debra Messing — Will & Grace

Who Will Win: Hollywood loves a good success story, so I'm picking Julia Louis-Dreyfus and her Seinfeld - curse - breaking turn in CBS' The New Adventures of Old Christine. This show has given her a chance to shine on her own, and she has done so with great success. I can't imagine the Academy not rewarding her.

Who Should Win: Tough to call with the genre's most deserving actress left out (Gilmore Girls' Lauren Graham), but in her absence, I'll go with Jane Kaczmarek. She is quickly inching toward Susan Lucci territory with her 6 nominations and no wins since 2000. Maybe her 7th will be the charm. Let's hope so since Malcolm just ended its 6-season run.

And now it's your turn to decide which comedic actress you would like to see take the statue Sunday night. Please vote for your favorite below in the PTR Emmy Poll. And be sure to check back all week for your chance to pick your favorites in all the major categories including best actor/actress in a drama and best comedy and drama! The 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards air live this Sunday, August 28th on NBC. To vote in yesterday's reality show poll, click HERE.

Which actress do you want to win Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series?
	Lisa Kudrow (The Comeback)
	Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle)
	Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Old Christine)
	Stockard Channing (Out of Practice)
	Debra Messing (Will & Grace)
Free polls from Pollhost.com

'The Closer' Gets Caught in Traffic
They always say that it's the little things that matter, and when it comes to The Closer, that couldn't be more accurate. It is the little things that separate this show from its crime drama siblings. Of course, they also say not to sweat the small stuff, a concept that has obviously never graced Brenda Leigh Johnson's ears, which is precisely what makes the little things so much fun. You know, leaving your coffee (that you just waited in an entirely too long line
to get) on the roof of your police vehicle as you back out while talking on your cell phone about a triple homicide that they need you at stat is a bad day in and of itself. But, backing into a complete jackass and then accidentally stomping on your own phone only makes matters worse. And the crowning glory of your entire day has to be when an overzealous captain from Traffic comes knocking on your office door and tells you that you were involved in a hit and run. I don't know about you, but it makes my worst days seem pretty tame! Of course, none of this would have been the pure comic gold that it was had it not been for the way that Brenda dealt with it. She really couldn't be bothered due to her time consuming case (and the fact that she felt that she did nothing wrong), and that just made Capt. Traffic even angrier. It was awesome! The case was interesting this week as well. I knew the second that Brenda arrived on the scene and found the mattresses, money and lack of drugs that the house was being used for illegal immigrants, but the tragic story behind all of the people who perished in the back of that truck was an unwelcome surprise. Loved Sanchez's tip in the interrogation room! And what about Brenda's Traffic issues? She took care of them the best way she knew how -- gave the captain an award!


QUICK CUTS

*Your favorite shows have lined up some big name guest stars for their upcoming season premieres. Look for actress Kathleen Quinlan to guest star on House's September 5th premiere on Fox (click HERE for all the details of the season opener, but be warned that the link contains SPOILERS). Actor Blair Underwood will pop up on the September 18th season premiere of CBS' The New Adventures of Old Christine as Ritchie's new teacher (click HERE for all the episode details, but be warned that the link contains SPOILERS). Sofia Milos will return to CBS' CSI: Miami for that show's fifth season premiere on September 18th, reprising her role as Yelina Salas (click HERE for the details, but be warned that the link contains SPOILERS). And finally, April Bowlby is now a series regular on CBS' Two and Half Men where she plays Kandi (click HERE for details on the September 18th season premiere, but be warned that the link contains SPOILERS).

*And finally, Fox opened up its season to good numbers last night. The second season premiere of Prison Break was on task with its average last year and it was good enough to win the 8 p.m. hour. Fox's new thriller Vanished opened up decently as well, winning the 9 p.m. hour in total viewers and holding onto most of lead-in Prison Break's audience. You can catch new episodes of both shows Monday nights on Fox.

To get more of today's biggest TV news and headlines, visit the TV News section at PassTheRemote.Net.

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow as Emmy week continues with PTR's predictions for whom will/should win the best acting in a drama categories! Plus, all the latest television news.


To get more television coverage, including the network's new fall schedules and a complete archive of the best of Pass the Remote with a photo gallery featuring pictures from the set of Veronica Mars, click on over to PassTheRemote.net.

EMMY WEEK: Reality Show Ballot! Plus 'The 4400,' 'Sunshine' Actress Turns 'Grey' and 'Veronica' Heads to DVD

I know that this year's Emmy nominations make about as much sense as the decision to cancel Everwood in favor of 7th Heaven, but despite the craziness, these awards are still television's biggest night. All this week, I'm going to tackle the almost impossible task of predicting which of your favorite shows and stars will walk away with that little gold statue on Sunday night, but PTR isn't the only one having a say. This year, you guys are going to have a chance to tell me which shows and stars you want to win in each of the major categories. Today, we take a look at the reality show competition award.

OUTSTANDING REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM
The Amazing Race
American Idol
Dancing With The Stars
Project Runway
Survivor

Who Will Win: Could this finally be the year The Amazing Race gets dethroned? The show did have a weaker moment this past year when it experimented with that family edition, but it is still television's most emotional, heart pounding and triumphant reality show. This show may be down, but I wouldn't count it out. I'm predicting another TAR win.

Who Should Win: The Amazing Race for all the reasons listed above. This show, even at its weakest moment, is still the best, hands down! Plus, it has something that the others don't - Phil Keoghan!

And now it's your turn to decide which show you would like to see take the statue Sunday night. Please vote for your favorite below in the PTR Emmy Poll. And be sure to check back all week for your chance to pick your favorites in all the major categories including best actor/actress in a comedy/drama and best comedy and drama! The 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards air live this Sunday, August 28th on NBC.

Which Reality-Competition do you want to win the Emmy?
	The Amazing Race
	American Idol
	Dancing with the Stars
	Project Runway
	Survivor
Free polls from Pollhost.com

'The 4400' Explores the War at Home
How tough was that scene last night between Diana and April? My heart was hurting for April and smiling for Diana. What a tremendously difficult situation, and one that makes the statement, "You can't help who you love" sound both true and trite. The thing is, Ben and Diana would have wound up together eventually, but unfortunately, April got hurt in the process. If I were April, I would have been most upset at the fact that my sister was carrying on a relationship with my ex behind my back. Diana knew how badly April was hurting and how she was waiting by the phone, and yet, she couldn't muster up the courage to tell her the truth. BUT she was tormented by what she was doing to her sister, so like April, I can't hate Diana. Of course, I happen to LOVE her with Ben, so I might be a little biased. And speaking of the wonderful Ben, it seems that he has moved past smitten and straight on to full-fledged love. This boy has it bad, and he's not alone. Play- it- Safe- Diana is fully submerged as well, despite her best efforts. And didn't you just love the way she suddenly realized that she loved him and couldn't enjoy it, causing her to remark how "pathetic" that made her? Of course, my favorite scene of the night was on the beach. Diana was so torn between what she felt was the right thing to do (break up with Ben) and what she wanted to do (never break up with Ben), and I was losing it because I thought she was going to do it. I loved Ben's admission that they were meant for each other even without Maia's prediction. And speaking of Maia, her scene in her bedroom with Diana was the second best of the night. I loved the way she was giving her mom advice on what to do with April ("Maybe if you tell her about my prediction...").


Elsewhere, things are heating up between Jordan and Dennis. Is anyone else completely torn over whom we should be rooting for in this pending war? I was going with Jordan and his band of 4400s because Dennis has always been on the wrong side (and he has Isabelle with him) and the 4400 seem to get picked on for no reason, but at the end, I was in Dennis' camp. I'm just not sure that Jordan is acting in everyone's best interest. How does starting a war and giving away promicin help anything? Things are looking grim for next week's big finale and I'm at the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens! REMINDER: Don't forget to join actors Joel Gretsch (Agent Tom Baldwin) and Patrick Flueger (Shawn) tonight at 9 p.m. for a BuddyTV chat. Click HERE to find out how you can join in and ask the pair your burning questions! And don't forget to stop by The 4400's official site for character blogs, inside info, quizzes and much more!

Premiering Tonight!!!
After a very long hiatus, it's back along with some of your favorite shows!

-Prison Break (8 p.m. Fox) kicks off its 2nd season on the run! I've seen the premiere, and rest assured, this show does not skip a beat outside the prison walls. Expect the usual edge-of-your-seat antics and plenty of surprises.

-Vanished (9 p.m. Fox) debuts with plenty of mystery, intrigue and surprises of its own. To read PTR's full review on this new thriller, click HERE.


QUICK CUTS

*USA network's The 4400 should be back for a fourth season according to star Jacqueline McKenzie. She sent a message over the weekend to her friends at MySpace.com saying, "JUST HAD WORD *DARE I BREATHE?* THAT WE'VE BEEN PICKED UP FOR ANOTHER SEASON!!! FINGERS CROSSED THIS NEWS IS ABSOLUTELY SET IN STONE AND WE'LL BE BACK SHOOTING SEASON 4!!!" Executive producer Ira Steven Behr also told SCI FI Wire last week that he "expects" a renewal for the show. "I would say that there is a very good chance that we will come back, and hopefully we will hear sooner than we heard last season, which was not until the end of September, [when] we did get the thumbs up," he explains. The network has not confirmed the pick up yet. The 4400 ends its 3rd season with a cliffhanger according to Behr, this Sunday on USA network.

*Actress Abigail Beslin will guest star on ABC's Grey's Anatomy. No word yet on what role the Little Miss Sunshine actress will play, but the rumor mill has her pegged as Izzie's (Katherine Heigl) daughter. ABC has not decided on an airdate for the episode, entitled "Sometimes a Fantasy," but it will be one of the first 3 episodes of the show's upcoming third season. Grey's Anatomy premieres September 21st on ABC.

*And finally, it's TV on DVD Monday! The biggest DVD news of the summer is, VERONICA MARS SEASON 2 LANDS ON STORE SHELVES TOMORROW!!! So, run, not walk, to your nearest DVD retailer and pick up a copy of this first rate show's second fantastic season before the third one premieres in October. Also on shelves tomorrow, Conviction (complete series), House (season 2), Invasion (complete series) and Threshold (complete series). To see a list of all of tomorrow's releases, visit tvshowsondvd.com.

To get more of today's biggest TV news and headlines, visit the TV News section at PassTheRemote.Net.

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow as Emmy week continues with PTR's picks for the best actor/actress in a comedy series. Plus, The Closer all the latest television news!


To get more television coverage, including the network's new fall schedules and a complete archive of the best of Pass the Remote with a photo gallery featuring pictures from the set of Veronica Mars, click on over to PassTheRemote.net.

Emmy Nominations Reaction! Plus New Shows Premiere and A Classic Returns

Well, there were certainly a few surprises this morning when the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences announced its 2006 Emmy nominations. Where were the Housewives, Emmy favorite James Spader, the excellent Hugh Laurie, Lost, any of my picks for best actress in a drama (with the exception of Kyra Sedgwick), Lauren Graham, Kristen Bell, Zach Braff, Everwood and a million other oversights?? Yes, today's announcement was all about who didn't get a nom, rather than who did. It seems that ABC's Grey's Anatomy not only overtook its lead-in Desperate Housewives in the ratings, but it also overtook it and fellow network sibling Lost in the nominations. Overall, Fox's 24 walked away with the most nominations with 12, followed by Anatomy with 11 and the now departed Will & Grace with 10. Newcomers My Name is Earl (5 nominations), How I Met Your Mother (2 nominations), The Closer (1 nomination) and Prison Break (1 nomination) all fared well. Even though neither Desperate Housewives nor Lost landed nominations in the big categories, both managed to collect 7 and 9 nominations, respectively. Meanwhile, comedies Two and a Half Men (7 nominations), The Office (5 nominations), Curb Your Enthusiasm (5 nominations), Arrested Development (4 nominations) and Scrubs (1 nomination) didn't walk away empty handed either. Perennial Emmy favorites The Sopranos (7 nominations), The West Wing (6 nominations) and The Amazing Race (5 nominations) cleaned up as well. On the network side, HBO once again topped the others with 95 total nominations, while ABC came out on top in the major networks with 64. CBS (47 noms), NBC (46 noms), Fox (41 noms) and The WB (4 noms) weren't far behind.

How did PassTheRemote.net favorites fare?
Not too well. Everwood, Veronica Mars and Cold Case wound up empty handed, while others were more fortunate. Scrubs ended up with 1 nom, The Amazing Race got 5 and Lost made out the best with 9. It seems that despite the system change to a panel vote over a member-wide vote, many things stayed the same.


Biggest Snubs
Wow! There are so many, I'm not sure where to begin. Lauren Graham, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Morris, Tichina Arnold, Sarah Chalke, Jenna Fischer, Jennifer Garner, Emily Van Camp, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, John C. McGinley, Tom Amandes, Zach Braff, Jason Lee, Ethan Suplee, John Krasinski, Treat Williams, Marcia Cross, Veronica Mars, Everwood, Lost, Cold Case, My Name is Earl and Everybody Hates Chris.


Skin Crawling Nominations
Sometimes I think the nominations go to the most popular shows instead of those with the most quality. You guys know that I'm not the biggest fan of Grey's Anatomy, so this is going to sound biased, but how can it get a nom for best drama over Lost? And why does Two and a Half Men fare better than My Name is Earl or Everybody Hates Chris, which were both shut out of the best comedy category? It also seems that the Academy loves to reward film stars who turn to television. Witness Alfre Woodard's nom for best supporting actress in a drama comedy. Now, I'm not saying that she is undeserving, but her character was sorely underdeveloped and the storyline outrageous, so how can one even accurately judge her work? And how about Geena Davis, whose Commander In Chief seemed to be on top of the world until new direction sent it crashing down into the cancellation abyss. Again, Davis' work was fine, but the second half of the season had her adverting one disaster after another with little else going on. And hasn't Allison Janney won enough statues for her role as CJ Cregg? It sure would have been nice to see Kristen Bell or Kathryn Morris in that slot instead. Perhaps the biggest skin crawling nomination is the set of 10 that the Academy bestowed on the not-funny Will & Grace. And why nominate every cast member except Eric McCormack?


Shocking Inclusions
As I have stated before, the shock was more in who wasn't included than who was, so there weren't a lot of "shockers" this year. King of Queens' Kevin James' first nomination was a nice surprise as was Law & Order: SVU's Christopher Meloni, and I jumped for Joy when I heard My Name is Earl's Jaime Pressly get a nod for best supporting actress in a comedy. Even though I'm not a Grey's fan, I did smile when I saw Sandra Oh and Chandra Wilson listed in the best supporting category. Both actresses turn in excellent performances. Perhaps the biggest surprise was seeing both Scrubs and The Office included in the best comedy category because both shows have failed to garner the respect they deserve.

Overall, it was an interesting morning. While there were plenty of great picks, there just seem to be so many just as deserving that are still missing. Will Lauren Graham and John C. McGinley ever break though?? I guess this is a question we'll have to wait until next year to ask again. Maybe then the answer will be yes. To see a list of all of this year's nominations, click HERE.


QUICK CUTS

*TV TONIGHT/THIS WEEKEND: CBS rolls out another season of Big Brother (8 p.m.), but this time the contestants are all made up of former "all-stars." Viewer-votes and producer-picks decided the 12 HouseGuests, but you'll have to tune in tonight to see who made the cut on Big Brother: All-Stars. On Friday, USA network rolls out the 5th season of Monk (9 p.m.), followed by the premiere of its latest detective comedy Psych (10 -11:30 p.m.). And finally, Showtime premieres its latest offering, Brotherhood, Sunday night at 10 p.m. Haven't heard about Brotherhood? Here's an excerpt from the official description (click on the banner in the side bar for more):

Amidst the weathered row houses and rust-barnacled tugboats framing the port city of Providence, Rhode Island, lies an Irish-American neighborhood known as “The Hill.” There, the old-world ways of street justice and loyalty still permeate through the tough blue-collar neighborhood. It is where the familial bonds of the Caffee brothers are constantly teetering above a moral abyss, something akin to the classic sibling fable of Cain and Abel.

It is this tradition that the new SHOWTIME original series, BROTHERHOOD follows. BROTHERHOOD tells the story of two brothers who sometimes share a twisted sense of moral compromise — both with their own skewed, idealistic visions of what makes the American dream. They live the lie that noble ends can sometimes only be accomplished through dubious means.

Tommy Caffee (JASON CLARKE) is a family man whose ambition and street smarts help him navigate the back-room dealings and underhanded tactics of Providence politics. He is a local politician out to protect “The Hill” and its interests by any means necessary. Tommy's complicated family and professional lives turn upside-down with the return of his gangster brother Mike (JASON ISAACS), who has come back to the neighborhood to regain control of its underworld activities.

*And finally, NBC will air the original pilot episode of the 80s hit Miami Vice later this month. The move is designed to drum up promotion for its corporate sibling's big screen remake of the classic show. During the retro broadcast, the network will include footage from the film starring Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx, who will also host the event. The series starred Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas and first aired in September of 1984. Look for the original pilot to air July 22nd on NBC and the movie to hit theaters July 28th.

To get more of today's biggest TV news and headlines, visit the TV News section at PassTheRemote.Net.

That's all for today. I'm off tomorrow due to last minute travel plans, but be sure to tune in on Monday. I'll be looking back a our first classic Everwood episode in the premiere of that show's Flashback Edition! Plus, all the latest television news!



To get more television coverage, including the network's new fall schedules and a complete archive of the best of Pass the Remote with a photo gallery featuring pictures from the set of Veronica Mars, click on over to PassTheRemote.net.