Sitting on the stage at the Television Critics Association press tour in Beverly Hills were some of the most powerful showrunners (TV lingo for the people in charge of running a series) to ABC's biggest hits. They represented "Brothers & Sisters," "Grey's Anatomy," "Ugly Betty," "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives." What they didn't represent, however, were particularly great shows - at least compared to the rising quality of dramas that are emerging from basic cable networks like TBS and especially AMC. Only one of those mentioned, "Lost," was nominated last week for a best series Emmy. Some saw "Grey's" or "Betty" not getting top nominations a slight to those shows. I don't think so. Instead, the shows that are making waves of late are risky dramas like "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad" or the ones attracting top Hollywood acting talent like FX's "Damages." There's a tectonic shift happening right now where the truly outstanding programs are pulling away even more from the big five broadcast networks like ABC and NBC. They're coming out of basic cable. The Emmy nominations last week reflected that. "Mad Men" and "Damages" made Emmy history by being the first basic cable series to be nominated in a best series category. With "The Sopranos," HBO spearheaded a trend of pay cable networks producing groundbreaking series that would overshadow anything the broadcast networks had to offer. Then basic cable net FX wanted to make its mark with outstanding original programming by producing the gritty and audacious cop drama "The Shield" in 2002. FX has had great success pushing the envelope (though not always creatively) with shows such as "Nip/Tuck," "Rescue Me" and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." Meanwhile, "Damages" has attracted top Oscar-caliber performers with the latest additions of William Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden. Most importantly, FX's brave new programming got tongues wagging. Since then, basic cable networks have been introducing more original ideas to television. USA may be churning out what essentially are procedural police dramas, but at least the network's trying to focus on quirky and unique characters with "Monk," "Psych" and "In Plain Sight." TNT also is trying by forging dramas with strong female characters like "The Closer" and "Saving Grace" (though, again, not always successfully). Cable networks can afford to take more risks and stir the television pot. Like their pay-cable counterparts, basic cable networks don't need 15 million viewers like NBC or CBS does to make a bona fide hit. They can do well with 3 or 4 million. Finally, after a reputation of always honoring the traditional and safe, the Emmy voters are starting to look beyond the normal broadcasters. Daring shows are starting to emerge from the most unlikely places, and it just might be the fire that ignites everyone else to do better. I sure hope so. If that happens, it will be the viewers who win.