Emmy Nominations 2014: Who Is Missing and Who Stole Their Nominations?

Aside from reviewing movies, I will also offer my commentary on other media and entertainment. Here is who was left out of the Emmy nominations, and who took their place instead.

Lead Actor in a Drama Series
I, along with everyone else, expect this to be a close race between Bryan Cranston and Matthew McConaughey, fresh off an Oscar win.  I do not imagine Jeff Daniels will pull off another upset.  James Spader carries his show and he's devilishly good, but does not score a nomination.

Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Thank goodness Juliana Margulies broke back into this category after a stellar season.  Unexpected was Lizzy Caplan, sneaking into a very crowded category for a performance that is allegedly worthy.  However, I would have expected (preferred) to see Elisabeth Moss return with her dance to "My Way" or Tatiana Maslany, who is getting all the buzz on the internet.  It was excusable to overlook Maslany once, but two years in a row just tells us that the Emmys might be out of touch.

Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Ricky Gervais managed to fill Jason Bateman's spot for Netflix, who scored 31 nominations (more than double its nominations last year, and more than perennial stalwart AMC).  William H. Macy successfully made the transition from Drama to Comedy for the same show.  Andy Samberg fails to convert his Golden Globe win into a nomination here.

Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Taylor Schilling scores a nomination here as she should.  No big surprises here.  Perhaps Amy Poehler will finally win her much-deserved Emmy, riding a win at the Golden Globes and a brilliant finale.

Outstanding Comedy Series
Silicon Valley is a big surprise in this category, stealing a spot from Golden Globe winners Girls and this year's Brooklyn Nine Nine.  And of course Parks and Recreation is often unjustly left out.  Modern Family is going for five in a row, repeating the feat that only Frasier has achieved.

Outstanding Drama Series
Downton Abbey managed to somehow keep its spot in a rather nothing-special season, a far cry from its brilliant first season.   Instead I was hoping for, praying for, and really believed The Good Wife would break back into the category for the Big Four networks after a long campaign.  Game of Thrones leads the way with 19 nominations, but in the end, it will come down to Breaking Bad's final season and newcomer True Detective, which bravely chose to enter into the Drama category instead of miniseries, where it surely would have dominated.  

Other Notables

• As usual, Survivor is inexplicably left out of the Reality Competition category. Jeff Probst, the only host on reality television that isn't just reading a teleprompter or cue cards, somehow loses out to the likes of Betty White's Off Their Rockers.
• Emmy voters pass on Emilia Clarke in favor of her costar Lena Headey in the Supporting Actress in a Drama category, rightfully so.
• Modern Family does not steal all of the Supporting spots with only three nominations, notably leaving two-time winner Eric Stonestreet out.  Though his replacements deadpan Andre Braugher and SNL alum Fred Armisen are worthy.  On the other side, Kate McKinnon picks up the SNL slack with a nomination; she is in almost every sketch.  
• Orange is the New Black scores three guest acting nominations.  They will likely fight it out.  If they split Emmy voters, an SNL host could sneak a win.  
• Miniseries and Movie are split into two categories, so Fargo does not have to compete with The Normal Heart.  Consequently, no one is forgotten.    
• The new Tonight Show gets a nomination and actually stands a serious chance against favorites The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.  But in the future, the variety category needs to be split up to allow room for brilliant shows like Key & Peele, Inside Amy Schumer, Conan, and Portlandia.  Because really Real Time and SNL do not belong in the same category.

I will post my predictions as we get closer to awards night!