And the Emmy Award goes to . . .

The 64th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will air on ABC on Sunday, September 23 - with Jimmy Kimmel as the host - and today the nominations were announced. Below is a list of the major categories with my hopeful predictions in pink and, of course, I'll be sure to check back in after the telecast with a review.

COMEDY SERIES
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Girls (I'm disappointed that Parks and Recreation didn't receive a nomination - and although Modern Family was still enjoyable to watch, its third season wasn't its best - so I'm giving this award to someone new this year. I've not seen Girls, but I've heard good things about it)
30 Rock
Veep
Modern Family
The Big Bang Theory

LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Lena Dunham, Girls
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation (tough category, but I adore Amy)
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly

LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Louis C.K., Louie
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory (she's come a long way since a Very Special Blossom)
Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie (I'm so happy that she was nominated)
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Kathryn Joosten, Desperate Housewives (the late actress's storyline was much more dramatic than comedic this year, but it's nice that her performance was recognized)

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Ed O'Neill, Modern Family (I could name a few outstanding actors from Parks and Recreation and Nurse Jackie who deserved nominations, but since that didn't happen, I'm going with Mr. O'Neill, who makes me laugh out loud quite often)
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live
Max Greenfield, New Girl

DRAMA SERIES
Boardwalk Empire
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey (so last year Downton Abbey was considered a Miniseries, but now it's a Drama Series, while American Horror Story - which is returning for a second season - is a Miniseries instead of a Drama Series. I think both shows should be in this category)
Mad Men
Homeland
Game of Thrones

LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men (give the Emmy to Peggy, dammit! However, I do wish Revenge's Madeleine Stowe had received a nomination)
Kathy Bates, Harry's Law
Claire Danes, Homeland
Glenn Close, Damages

LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Damian Lewis, Homeland

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife
Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men (give the Emmy to Joan, dammit!)
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bad
Brendan Coyle, Downton Abbey
Jim Carter, Downton Abbey
Jared Harris, Mad Men (the poor guy hung himself on his office door - he deserves an Emmy!)
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones

MINISERIES OR MADE FOR TELEVISION MOVIE
Game Change
American Horror Story (I have a feeling Game Change will win, but I loved this series)
Hemingway & Gellhorn
Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia (Masterpiece)
Luther
Hatfields & McCoys

LEAD ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR A MOVIE
Julianne Moore, Game Change
Connie Britton, American Horror Story
Nicole Kidman, Hemingway & Gellhorn
Emma Thompson, The Song of Lunch (Masterpiece)
Ashley Judd, Missing (what the hell is she doing in this category? Her canceled show wasn't a miniseries or a movie. The same could be said for Ms. Britton - but at least her successful series is more of an anthology than a continuing drama)

LEAD ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR A MOVIE
Woody Harrelson, Game Change
Clive Owen, Hemingway & Gellhorn
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia (Masterpiece)
Idris Elba, Luther
Kevin Costner, Hatfields & McCoys
Bill Paxton, Hatfields & McCoys

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Sarah Paulson, Game Change
Frances Conroy, American Horror Story
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story (the best performance of the season)
Judy Davis, Page Eight (Masterpiece)
Mare Winningham, Hatfields & McCoys

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Ed Harris, Game Change
Denis O'Hare, American Horror Story
David Strathairn, Hemingway & Gellhorn
Martin Freeman, Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia (Masterpiece)
Tom Berenger, Hatfields & McCoys

VARIETY SERIES
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
The Colbert Report
Real Time With Bill Maher
Saturday Night Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM
So You Think You Can Dance
The Amazing Race
Dancing With the Stars
Top Chef (no American Idol? Ouch! That must hurt)
Project Runway
The Voice

HOST FOR A REALITY OR REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM
Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance
Phil Keoghan, The Amazing Race
Ryan Seacrest, American Idol
Betty White, Betty White's Off Their Rockers (I've never seen watched this show, but I'm sure Betty is a terrific host)
Tom Bergeron, Dancing With the Stars

VARIETY SPECIAL
Mel Brooks And Dick Cavett Together Again
Tony Bennett: Duets II (Great Performances)
The Kennedy Center Honors
Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute To America's Golden Girl
Kathy Griffin: Tired Hooker

REALITY PROGRAM
Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution
Antiques Roadshow
Who Do You Think You Are?
Undercover Boss
MythBusters
Shark Tank

WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
Louie
Girls
Parks and Recreation (it was nominated twice in this category)
Community

WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
Downton Abbey
Mad Men (it was nominated three times in this category)
Homeland

WRITING FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE OR A DRAMATIC SPECIAL
Game Change
Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia (Masterpiece)
The Hour
Luther
Hatfields & McCoys

WRITING FOR A VARIETY SERIES
Portlandia (it's nice to see someone new in this category)
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
The Colbert Report
Real Time with Bill Maher
Saturday Night Live

WRITING FOR A VARIETY SPECIAL
65th Annual Tony Awards
The Kennedy Center Honors
84th Annual Academy Awards
Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute To America's Golden Girl
Louis C.K. Live At The Beacon Theatre

DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Girls
New Girl
Louie
Modern Family

DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
Boardwalk Empire
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Mad Men
Homeland

DIRECTING FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE OR A DRAMATIC SPECIAL
Game Change
Hemingway & Gellhorn
Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia (Masterpiece)
Hatfields & McCoys
Luther

DIRECTING FOR A VARIETY SERIES
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
Portlandia
The Colbert Report
Saturday Night Live
Late Show With David Letterman

DIRECTING FOR A VARIETY SPECIAL
65th Annual Tony Awards
The 54th Annual Grammy Awards
New York City Ballet George Balanchine's The Nutcracker (Live From Lincoln Center)
84th Annual Academy Awards
Louis C.K. Live At The Beacon Theatre

GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Kathy Bates, Two and a Half Men
Maya Rudolph, Saturday Night Live
Elizabeth Banks, 30 Rock
Dot-Marie Jones, Glee
Melissa McCarthy, Saturday Night Live
Margaret Cho, 30 Rock

GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Michael J. Fox, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Bobby Cannavale, Nurse Jackie
Jimmy Fallon, Saturday Night Live
Will Arnett, 30 Rock
Greg Kinnear, Modern Family
Jon Hamm, 30 Rock

GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Joan Cusack, Shameless
Uma Thurman, Smash (I must admit that I'm surprised that out of all the fine actors on this series, Ms. Thurman is the only one who received a nomination. She was okay but not Emmy-worthy)
Julia Ormond, Mad Men
Loretta Devin, Grey's Anatomy
Jean Smart, Harry's Law
Martha Plimpton, The Good Wife

GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Mark Margolis, Breaking Bad
Jeremy Davies, Justifed
Jason Ritter, Parenthood
Ben Feldman, Mad Men
Dylan Baker, The Good Wife
Michael J. Fox, The Good Wife