USA: Top Emmy nominations for "Sopranos," "Ugly Betty" and "Entourage"

Mob saga "The Sopranos" led the field of Emmy Award contenders for best television series on Thursday (July 19) in its much-ballyhooed last season on HBO, claiming a total of 15 nominations, including a bid for best drama. But a pack of newcomers and younger-skewing shows broke into the Emmy pack this year, especially on the comedy front, where freshman programs "Ugly Betty," and "30 Rock" and HBO's hip Hollywood satire "Entourage" gained best-series nominations. "The Sopranos," which won the Emmy for best drama in 2004 and ended its six-season run last month with a famously ambiguous blackout, was the sentimental favorite and could make Emmy history as the first drama to win the top prize after ending its prime-time run. It will compete for U.S. television's highest honors against three other veteran shows and a new hit from NBC, the superhuman thriller "Heroes." Rounding out the roster of best-drama candidates are two hit medical dramas nominated last year -- "Grey's Anatomy" from ABC and "House" from Fox -- as well as ABC's courtroom hour "Boston Legal." Workplace shows dominated the contest for best comedy series, with last year's winner, "The Office," joining fellow NBC sitcom "30 Rock" and ABC's "Ugly Betty." Bawdy CBS hit "Two and a Half Men" and "Entourage" rounded out the comedy category. "Ugly Betty," about a perky office assistant at a high-fashion magazine, earned a total of 11 nominations, making it the most recognized comedy series this year. Joining Gandolfini in the race for best actor in a drama were last year's winner Kiefer Sutherland for Fox espionage thriller "24," James Spader for "Boston Legal," Denis Leary from the FX firehouse hit "Rescue Me" and Hugh Laurie for "House." Finally, the nominees for best actor in a comedy were Alec Baldwin for "30 Rock," Steve Carell in "The Office," Ricky Gervais for HBO's "Extras," Charlie Sheen for "Two and a Half Men" and three-time winner Tony Shalhoub for "Monk" on the USA Network. The 59th annual Primetime Emmy Awards will be broadcast live from Los Angeles on Sept. 16.

ITN Source | July 25, 2007

Tags:. .annual. .actor. .rescue. .legal. .honors