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