Emmy nominations: 'Game of Thrones' leads the way; 'Empire' isn't quite shut out

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The Prime-Time Emmy nominations are out, and there's some immediate controversy because "Empire" isn't nomiated for best drama.

Immediate, completely ridiculous controvery, that is.

There are reasons to admire and respect what "Empire" did on Fox in its first season. It's an hourlong drama with a primarily Africa-American cast that quickly became a hit, which is unheard of. It's a show that defied expectations by debuting with a big audience and growing week to week during its 12-episode run.

It's a decent soap opera. Not a great soap opera, but it was entertaining. And "Empire" star Taraji P. Henson was nominated for outstanding lead actress in a drama.

But, c'mon, to complain that it wasn't nominated for outstanding drama series is ridiculous. Which of the nominees should it replace — "Better Call Saul." "Downton Abbey." "Game of Thrones." "Homeland." "House of Cards." "Mad Men" or "Orange is the New Black"?

Each of those shows is sooooo much better than "Empire."

If you want to complain about the outstanding drama nominees, complain that "The Good Wife" wasn't nominated. It certainly belongs on that list.

HBO's "Game of Thrones" led the way with a total of 24 nominations. "American Horror Story" got 19, and "House of Cards," "Mad Men" and "Transparent" each got 11 nominations.

"Empire" got three, including one for Taraji P. Henson as outstanding lead actress in a drama.

Andy Samberg ("Brooklyn Nine-Nine") will host this years Emmys, which are scheduled to air Sunday, Sept. 20, on Fox.

Here are the nominees in major categories:

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES

"Louie"

"Modern Family"

"Parks and Recreation"

"Silicon Valley"

"Transparent"

"Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"

"Veep"

REALITY-COMPETITION SERIES

"The Amazing Race"

"Dancing With The Stars"

"Project Runway"

"So You Think You Can Dance"

"Top Chef"

"The Voice"

VARIETY SERIES

"The Colbert Report"

"The Daily Show With Jon Stewart"

"Jimmy Kimmel Live"

"Last Week Tonight With John Oliver"

"Late Show With David Letterman"

"The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon"

LIMITED SERIES

"American Crime"

"American Horror Story: Freak Show"

"The Honorable Woman"

"Olive Kitteridge"

"Wolf Hall"

VARIETY SKETCH SERIES

"Drunk History"

"Inside Amy Schumer"

"Key & Peele"

"Portlandia"

"Saturday Night Live"

TELEVISION MOVIE

"Agatha Christie's Poirot: Curtain, Poirot's Last Case"

"Bessie"

"Grace of Monaco"

"Hello Ladies: The Movie"

"Killing Jesus"

"Nightingale"

LEAD ACTOR, DRAMA

Bob Odenkirk, "Better Call Saul"

Kyle Chandler, "Bloodline"

Kevin Spacey, "House of Cards"

Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"

Jeff Daniels, "The Newsroom"

Liev Schreiber, "Ray Donovan"

LEAD ACTRESS, DRAMA

Taraji P. Henson, "Empire"

Claire Danes, "Homeland"

Viola Davis, "How to Get Away with Murder"

Tatiana Maslany, "Orphan Black"

Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men"

Robin Wright, "House of Cards"

LEAD ACTOR, COMEDY

Anthony Anderson, "black-ish"

Matt LeBlanc, "Episodes"

Don Cheadle, "House of Lies"

Will Forte, "The Last Man On Earth"

Louis C.K., "Louie"

William H. Macy, "Shameless"

Jeffrey Tambor, "Transparent"

LEAD ACTRESS, COMEDY

Lisa Kudrow, "The Comeback"

Lily Tomlin, "Grace And Frankie"

Amy Schumer, "Inside Amy Schumer"

Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"

Amy Poehler, "Parks And Recreation"

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep"

SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA

Jonathan Banks, "Better Call Saul"

Ben Mendelsohn, "Bloodline"

Jim Carter, "Downton Abbey"

Peter Dinklage, "Game Of Thrones"

Alan Cumming, "The Good Wife"

Michael Kelly, "House Of Cards"

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA

Joanne Froggatt, "Downton Abbey"

Lena Headey, "Game Of Thrones"

Emilia Clarke, "Game Of Thrones"

Christine Baranski, "The Good Wife"

Christina Hendricks, "Man Men"

Uzo Aduba, "Orange Is The New Black"

GUEST ACTOR, DRAMA

Alan Alda, "The Blacklist"

Michael J. Fox, "The Good Wife"

F. Murray Abraham, "Homeland"

Reg E. Cathey, "House of Cards"

Beau Bridges, "Masters Of Sex"

Pablo Schreiber, "Orange Is The New Black"

GUEST ACTRESS, DRAMA

Margo Martindale, "The Americans"

Diana Rigg, "Game of Thrones"

Rachel Brosnahan, "House Of Cards"

Cicely Tyson, "How To Get Away With Murder"

Allison Janney, "Masters Of Sex"

Khandi Alexander, "Scandal"

SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY

Andre Braugher, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine"

Adam Driver, "Girls"

Keegan-Michael Key, "Key & Peele"

Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"

Tituss Burgess, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"

Tony Hale, "Veep"

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY

Mayim Bialik, "The Big Bang Theory"

Niecy Nash, "Getting On"

Julie Bowen, "Modern Family"

Allison Janney, "Mom"

Kate McKinnon "Saturday Night Live"

Gaby Hoffmann, "Transparent"

Jane Krakowski, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"

Anna Chlumsky, "Veep"

GUEST ACTOR, COMEDY

Mel Brooks, "The Comedians"

Paul Giamatti, "Inside Amy Schumer"

Bill Hader, "Saturday Night Live"

Louis C.K., "Saturday Night Live"

Bradley Whitford, "Transparent"

Jon Hamm, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"

GUEST ACTRESS, COMEDY

Christine Baranski, "The Big Bang Theory"

Gaby Hoffmann, "Girls"

Pamela Adlon, "Louie"

Elizabeth Banks, "Modern Family"

Joan Cusack, "Shameless"

Tina Fey, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"

LEAD ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

Timothy Hutton, "American Crime"

Ricky Gervais, "Derek Special"

Adrien Brody, "Houdini"

David Oyelowo, "Nightingale"

Richard Jenkins, "Olive Kitteridge"

Mark Rylance, "Wolf Hall"

LEAD ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

Felicity Huffman, "American Crime"

Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story"

Queen Latifah, "Bessie"

Maggie Gyllenhaal, "The Honorable Woman"

Frances McDormand, "Olive Kitteridge"

Emma Thompson, "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street"