This year’s Emmy Awards ceremony is expected to be really frenzied,
as “Mad Men’s” nutty, affair-loving advertising executives are said to turn the
Emmys upside down when the most popular U.S.
television honors are granted on Sunday.
The AMC network’s show has received noteworthy critical
acclaim, especially for its historical genuineness and visual style, thus being
the overpowering favorite to win this year’s Emmy prize for best drama series.
If “Mad Men” triumphs, it will become the first series from
a cable network other than HBO to be awarded with the prominent best drama
prize, opening the door to a new era for the 6-decade-old Emmy competition and
even for prime-time television.
HBO continues to play, nevertheless, a significant role in
the Emmy industry, as its biographical sketch, “John Adams,” is on the brink of
outshining or at least equaling a record 11 wins for a miniseries, which also
belongs to a 2003 HBO production, “Angels in America,” an adaptation of the
eponymous Pulitzer Prize-winning play.
In the meantime, sitcoms are still taking over broadcast
television, as NBC’s comedy-within-a-comedy “30 Rock,” last year’s best comedy
series winner created by Tina Fey, is expected to claim the title for the
second year in a row.
Other potential winners are the CBS hit “Two and a Half
Men,” NBC’s “The Office,” and HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Entourage.”
“Mad Men” is this season’s second most nominated series with
16 nominations, behind only “30 Rock,” which managed to collect 17 noms.
Passing on to FX cable network, Glenn Close, a five-time
Academy Award nominee, is expected to win the prize for best actress in a drama
for her lead role in “Damages,” just like her co-star, “Cheers” old hand Ted
Danson, in the battle for best supporting dramatic actor.
The ceremony will be hosted by all five nominees for the new
Emmy category of best reality show host - Tom Bergeron from “Dancing with the
Stars,” Heidi Klum from “Project Runway,” “Deal or No Deal’s” Howie Mandel,
Jeff Probst of “Survivor” and Ryan Seacrest of “American Idol.”
