ABC/RANDY HOLMES, ABC/ART STREIBERHear that? It's the sound of a big ol' nail being hammered into the coffin of network TV.
As if things weren't already in a very sad state this season at the "big four," with ratings way down and cancellations piling up, the Golden Globes voters sent out a very clear message this morning to our good friends ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC:
Cable is killing you. (And P.S.: Your new shows kinda suck.)
Not a single new broadcast series received a Globe nomination today, and Lost, Desperate Housewives and Pushing Daisies were completely shut out of all categories--surprising, given DH's much-buzzed-about creative resurgence, Daisies' much-deserved critical praise and Lost's mind-blowingly good fourth season.
Four out of the five Best Drama nominations went to cable (Dexter, Mad Men, In Treatment and True Blood), with only Fox's House squeaking in. (Keep reading for exclusive reaction from House boss Katie Jacobs and other TV faves.)
And though The Office and 30 Rock secured much-deserved nods for Best Comedy, the other three went to cable: Californication, Entourage and Weeds.
Still, they did give the network guys some love: Meredith Grey's new bisexual BFF on Grey's Anatomy, Melissa George, got a Globe nomination! Oh, wait...
Turns out that nod to Melissa George is for HBO's In Treatment, which received the most nominations of any series this morning (five), while Grey's Anatomy reeled in—give us just one minute to add this up here…carry the one and you get—um, zero nominations. Yes, Grey's Anatomy was completely snubbed in all categories.
Are you surprised?
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has always loved new blood, and clearly felt that other cable contenders like True Blood, Mad Men and In Treatment were more deserving this year than the new network hopefuls. And can you blame them? These shows are good.
Though it goes without saying: Gary Unmarried was totally robbed!
(Yeah, we can't say that with a straight face, either.)
Dexter finally received its very first nomination this morning for Best Drama, along with a repeat nod for Michael C. Hall, and big boss Clyde Phillips tells me: "Given the competition, this is really a tremendous honor. And for Michael C. Hall to be nominated once again is simply poetic justice, as he's the most generous and talented actor I've ever worked with."
Still, hands down the most jaw-dropping surprise of the morning has to be Kevin Connolly getting his very first nomination for Entourage…in the lead actor category! You gotta hand it to the guy for having some serious cojones, because his wickedly smart move to take himself out of the running against costars Kevin Dillon and Jeremy Piven in the supporting group paid off big-time. He shut out the likes of Lee Pace and Jason Lee, who appear in nearly every scene.
Showtime's Weeds also received nods for Best Comedy and Best Actress in a Comedy for its ultrarisky, series-altering season south of the border. "I'm so thrilled to be nominated," Mary-Louise Parker tells us, "and especially thrilled for the show and for [executive producer] Jenji (Kohan) because we all felt like it was our best season."
Meanwhile, House executive producer Katie Jacobs gives us this exclusive reaction: "It feels wonderful, so wonderful to be in the company we're in! I love True Blood and In Treatment. It's great to be the only broadcast series in the company of terrific cable series like that."
Hugh Laurie says of his nod for Best Actor: "I am thrilled. Nine feet tall and thrilled."
As for Neil Patrick Harris, he was as awesome as ever, saying, "I'm deeply honored and excited by the nomination. And, call me crazy, but I'd like to think I have a real shot at taking home—wait, Piven's not in this category, is he? Crap." I love him.
Do you agree with the Globes voters? Did all these cable series deserve to yoink spots from network TV this year? Or should Lost, Grey's, Housewives and Daisies have gotten at least a little love? Duke it out in the comments below!
And note to the HFPA: Where the bejeezus were Rainn Wilson, Jenna Fischer and John Krasinski?! And how about Damages?
You can see the complete list of Globe nominations here.
—Additional reporting by Jennifer Godwin