HBO Batters Broadcasters

The New York Times > Arts > Television > The Emmys: "HBO received more nominations this year than CBS, ABC and Fox combined. CBS dropped to 44 nominations from 59, and Fox to 31 from 37. ABC stayed at 33. HBO's command over the Emmys was apparent in many categories, like writing for a drama series, where it took all five nominations (four for episodes of "The Sopranos"), directing in a comedy series and best supporting actor in a movie or mini-series, where it took four of the five nominations.

In another ominous sign for broadcast networks, many of their nominations were for shows either now off the air, like "Friends" and "Frasier" on NBC, or shows expected to be entering their final seasons, like CBS's "Everybody Loves Raymond" and NBC's "West Wing." Few new network shows received any attention. The only first-year series with more than one nomination were Fox's "Arrested Development" with 7, NBC's "Apprentice" with 4 and CBS's "Joan of Arcadia" and "Two and Half Men" with three each.

Despite a steep decline in its ratings this year, NBC's "West Wing" remained the most nominated network series, taking in 12. Among other series with multiple nominations were HBO's "Sex and the City" and the newest HBO drama, "Deadwood," with 11; CBS's "Everybody Loves Raymond," NBC's "Frasier" and "Will & Grace" with 9 each; and HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm," ABC's "Alias" and Fox's "24" with 8 each. ("Six Feet Under," which just started a new season in June, had no new episodes in the eligibility period.)

There were some other surprises. NBC's "Tonight" show was significantly snubbed, being all but shut out. It took no nominations in the categories of best variety show or best writing for those shows, even though its main competitors, CBS's "Late Show With David Letterman," NBC's "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" and Comedy Central's "Daily Show With Jon Stewart," were all nominated in both categories. "Tonight" received just two nominations in all, fewer than "Chappell's Show" on Comedy Central, which had three. "