30 Rock with 22 nominations, 99 nods for HBO … big numbers for them at this morning’s 2009 Emmy Awards nominations announcement, but those weren’t the biggest surprises when Grey’s Anatomy star Chandra Wilson and The Big Bang Theory‘s Jim Parsons read the list of Emmy contenders.

Among the surprise snubs:
– No Best Drama nod for 24
– No Best Actor in a Drama nod for Kiefer Sutherland (what?!)
– No Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy nod for Jeremy Piven, who won the award last year. Guess people are still really ticked off about that whole mercury poisoning business
– A near shut-out for buzzworthy HBO drama True Blood, which got nominations for title design, casting and art direction … and that’s it

Now, among the surprise, mostly happy surprises, nominees:
– Family Guy and Flight of the Conchords for Best Comedy
– Big Love and Breaking Bad for Best Drama
– Sarah Silverman for Best Actress in a Comedy for The Sarah Silverman Show
– Jemaine Clement for Best Actor in a Comedy for Flight of the Conchords
– Elisabeth Moss for Best Actress in a Drama for Mad Men (so deserved)
– Aaron Paul for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama for Breaking Bad (ditto)
– And Jack McBrayer, one of the most delightful guys on TV, for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy for 30 Rock

And the nominations that really sum up this year’s contenders: in the Best Writing – Comedy category, four out of five nods went to 30 Rock, while Mad Men snagged four out of five nominations for Best Writing in a Drama.

With some of TV’s more popular – with viewers, not just with critics – shows earning some Emmy nomination recognition this year, it’s clear that the Emmy folk are trying to make sure the telecast fares better than last year’s show, which was the lowest-rated in Emmy history. Having Neil Patrick Harris as host (he’s also a Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy nominee for How I Met Your Mother – yay) is another step towards that, so here’s hoping that the Sept. 20 Emmy telecast will be one worth watching.

So, were your faves nominated? Are you bummed about 24, Kiefer or Piven’s snubs? Anyone or any show you think didn’t deserve the nomination(s) they got? And does NPH as host have you looking forward to the 61st annual Emmys show on Sept. 20?

And now, the rest of the nominees (the complete complete list, including technical awards, is available at Emmys.org)…

Outstanding Comedy Series
30 Rock
Entourage
Family Guy
Flight of the Conchords
How I Met Your Mother
The Office
Weeds

Outstanding Drama Series
Big Love
Breaking Bad
Damages
Dexter
House
Lost
Mad Men

…Read more

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• Filed in Award shows
• Tags: 24, 30 Rock, Aaron Paul, Big Love, Elisabeth Moss, Emmy nominations, Flight of the Conchords, Jack McBrayer, Jemaine Clement, Kiefer Sutherland, Mad Men, Neil Patrick Harris, Sarah Silverman

31. Tina Fey
Funniest female on TV. I say ever, and yes, that means funnier than Lucy.

32. Special guest stars
Some people hate them, and some shows (Will & Grace, for instance) rely on them far too often. On the other hand … Alan Alda as Jack Donaghy’s dad on 30 Rock? Scott Bakula as Chuck’s dad on Chuck? Sammy Davis Jr. planting a kiss on Archie Bunker on All in the Family? Pretty much every episode of The Simpsons? A well-cast guest star can be a treat. On the other hand, sometimes they are just weird.

33. Ethan Suplee
Jason Lee and Emmy winner Jaime Pressly get all the props, but I’m still watching My Name Is Earl solely for Suplee, whose portrayal of Earl’s dimwitted brother (who occasionally pops up with a pithy observation) is sometimes over-the-top hilarious and sometimes just really sweet. I interviewed Suplee earlier in the show’s run, and he said part of the inspiration for his performance of the child-like Randy comes from simply observing his stepchildren. Really sweet indeed.

34. Jim and Pam
As with most TV couples, the road to coupledom was the best part for this Office duo, but I love how Pam has become more confident now that she’s the future Mrs. Halpert.

35. Kenneth the Page
He’s just a sweet small-town boy who loves TV, played by Jack McBrayer, a sweet, and hilarious, small-town guy who loves TV. And another of my fave interviews.

36. Reno 911!
The show that always goes there, “there” being an increasingly weirder, less politically correct and hilarious place. That’s a good thing, as is Lt. Jim Dangle’s (Thomas Lennon) short-shorts uniform, a piece of TV wardrobe that’s every bit as cool as Fonzie’s jacket, Chandler Bing’s sweater vests and June Cleaver’s pearls.

37. The Office
This season has been the show’s weakest … not as many of those watercooler moments as in seasons past. But it can still surprise with a great Michael moment, a clever prank on Dwight or some Creed weirdness. And big ups to Ed Helms, whose Andy was at first super annoying, but who has emerged – especially after his pitiful engagement to frosty Angela – to be a lovable geek.

38. Ace of Cakes
There is just something soothing about watching people make fantastic cakes, even during those Food Network Challenges when the bakers are so obviously stressed out. Maybe that’s the main appeal of the Charm City Cakes crew, from Duff (and his trademark laugh) and super-organized office manager Mary Alice to Jeff, the talented baker/designer who may be the most laidback person in the history of TV.

39. Lifetime movies
There are few things in a girl’s life better than a weekend marathon of made-for-TV movies starring Tori Spelling, Kellie Martin, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, Judith Light, Meredith Baxter or anyone from the cast of Charmed. All-time best Lifetime movie title, by the way: Mother, May I Sleep With Danger?

40. The Wire
Dukie, McNulty (McNutty, as my friend Jeff calls him), Omar and his Honey Nut Cheerios … despite where he was headed when last we saw him in the series finale, I’d like to believe that Dukie ends up graduating from high school and landing a computer job. Heartbreaking show, but so worth it. The Wire: The Complete Series DVD box set is a must own, or at least, a must to Netflix.

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• Filed in I Love TV!
• Tags: 30 Rock, Ace of Cakes, Alan Alda, Charmed, Chuck, Ed Helms, Ethan Suplee, Jack McBrayer, Jaime Pressly, Jason Lee, Kenneth the Page, Lifetime, My Name Is Earl, Reno 911!, Scott Bakula, The Office, The Wire, Thomas Lennon, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, Tina Fey, Tori Spelling