Mad Men Gets 16 Emmy Nominations, Breaking Bad Gets 4
For their freshman seasons, Mad Men and Breaking Bad have amassed a total of 20 Emmy Award nominations, making AMC the most nominated basic cable network this year. AMC General Manager and Executive Vice President Charlie Collier said, "This is a milestone moment for AMC. To be considered among the best on television by the Television Academy of Arts and Sciences for the network's original series, Mad Men and Breaking Bad, is a truly distinct honor."
Vying to be the first basic cable program ever to win for best series, Mad Men is up for 16 awards including Outstanding Drama Series where it will compete against Boston Legal, Damages, Dexter, House and Lost. Show creator Matthew Weiner is nominated for outstanding writing for a drama series for two episodes, "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" and "The Wheel."
Jon Hamm received a nod for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (along with Bryan Cranston of AMC's Breaking Bad; click here for more info). The rest of the contenders in this category are Gabriel Byrne for In Treatment, Michael C. Hall for Dexter, Hugh Laurie for House and 2007 winner James Spader for Boston Legal.
Not to be outdone, John Slattery was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series. The competition? Ted Danson and Zeljko Ivanek of Damages, Michael Emerson of Lost and William Shatner of Boston Legal. And Robert Morse garnered a nomination for outstanding guest actor in a drama series. He'll be up against Stanley Tucci in ER, Glynn Turman in In Treatment, Robin Williams in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Oliver Platt in Nip/Tuck.
The show is also up for Emmys for Outstanding Art Direction for a Single-camera Series, Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series, Outstanding Cinematography for a One-hour Series, Outstanding Costumes for a Series, Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, Outstanding Hairstyling for a Single-camera Series, Outstanding Main Title Design, Outstanding Makeup for a Single-camera Series (non-prosthetic), Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Miniseries, Movie or a Special.
AMC's Collier went on to say, "We congratulate all the Mad Men nominees, including Matthew Weiner, Jon Hamm and John Slattery. The dedicated production team and the truly spectacular cast of actors on Mad Men have crafted a remarkable, unique work."
Breaking Bad, for its part, is up for four Emmys total: Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Outstanding Single-camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series, Outstanding Cinematography for a One Hour Series.
The 60th annual Emmy awards ceremony will air on Sunday, September 21.
AMC 2008 EMMY NOMINATIONS
Outstanding Art Direction for a Single-Camera Series
Mad Men • Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (Pilot) • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Bob Shaw, Production Designer
Henry Dunn, Art Director
Rena DeAngelo, Set Decorator
Mad Men • Shoot • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Dan Bishop, Production Designer
Christopher Brown, Art Director
Amy Wells, Set Decorator
Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series
Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Kim Miscia, Casting Director (Pilot)
Beth Bowling, Casting Director (Pilot)
Laura Schiff, Casting Director (Series)
Carrie Audino, Casting Director (Series)
Outstanding Cinematography for a One-Hour Series
Breaking Bad • Pilot • AMC • High Bridge Productions, Inc. and Gran Via Productions in association with Sony Pictures Television
John Toll, A.S.C., Director of Photography
Mad Men • Smoke Gets In Your Eyes • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Phil Abraham, Director of Photography
Outstanding Costumes for a Series
Mad Men • Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (Pilot) • AMC • Lionsgate Television
John A. Dunn, Costume Designer
Lisa Padovani, Assistant Costume Designer
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
Breaking Bad • Pilot • AMC • High Bridge Productions, Inc. and Gran Via Productions in association with Sony Pictures Television
Vince Gilligan, Director
Mad Men • Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (Pilot) • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Alan Taylor, Director
Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series
Breaking Bad • Pilot • AMC • High Bridge Productions, Inc. and Gran Via Productions in association with Sony Pictures Television
Lynne Willingham, A.C.E., Editor
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series
Mad Men • Shoot • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Gloria Pasqua Casny, Department Head Hairstylist
Lucia Mace, Key Hairstylist
Anthony Wilson, Additional Hairstylist
Barbara Cantu, Additional Hairstylist
Outstanding Main Title Design
Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Mark Gardner, Designer/Director
Steve Fuller, Designer/Director
Cara McKenney, Main Title Producer
Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic)
Mad Men • The Hobo Code • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Debbie Zoller, Department Head Makeup Artist
Ron Pipes, Key Makeup Artist
Suzanne Diaz, Additional Makeup Artist
Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Miniseries, Movie Or A Special
Mad Men • Nixon Vs. Kennedy • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Debbie Zoller, Department Head Makeup Artist
Joel Harlow, Special Makeup Effects Artist
Brian Penikas, Additional Special Makeup Effects Artist
Jake Garber, Additional Special Makeup Effects Artist
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Breaking Bad • AMC • High Bridge Productions, Inc. and Gran Via Productions in association with Sony Pictures Television
Bryan Cranston as Walt White
Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Jon Hamm as Don Draper
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television
John Slattery as Roger Sterling
Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series
Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Robert Morse as Bertram Cooper
Outstanding Drama Series
Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Producers TBD
Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series
Mad Men • Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (Pilot) • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Matthew Weiner, Written By
Mad Men • The Wheel • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Matthew Weiner, Written By
Robin Veith, Written By
Is anyone really surprised at all the nominations Mad Men has received? The only real surprise will be if Mad Men doesn't win in every category.
Amen to that! And I'm glad for all those noms and all that but I just think that some of the women on the show could have been nominated as well--come on--Glenn Close and Holly Hunter are better actresses than Christina or January or Elisabeth or--- let's just say any of the gals on this show!? Not in my opinion!
The number of nominations is not a surprise at all. I'm not much of an Emmy viewer, but I'm very interested to see how Mad Men does.
However it is surprising that none of the female cast was nominated, especially Christina Hendricks, who did an excellent job with a tough character.
The Wheel was one of the best episodes written for television since All in the Family.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of suffering the strangest kind of pleasurable second hand smoke from my television set. In an odd moment of the summer when nothing new or compelling was on, we chanced upon the Mad Men marathon intro, when six characters were sitting ona couch dishing about their favorite moments. I thought for two seconds and realized I must give this one a try.
I have long been a fan of television marathons especially for a series with a continuing story line. However, I was totally unprepared for the quality and expertise, the physical, psychological, sociological and historical accuracy of Mad Men.
I grew up in the 50's, these men and women were like memories re-appearing on a Kodak Carousel, the brylcreem hair, the skirts, the afternoon scotch and all that smoke. (Hope these actors have health insurance.) Should I be ashamed to say this was a period when men were men and women were women, despite the changes about to come. In capturing this moment of history and creating along the way some grand tragic figures and compelling narratives not too far from Thomas Hardy, the creative teamwork seems to have garnered new ground as a kind of Television Art History. In choosing a detached mode of camera style, an unapologetic cast of characters and a consistently elegant and unsentimental approach to its subject matter, we are witnessing a maturity seldon found in this idiot box. Kudos all around, especially to the judicous use of the music of the times. Encore!