TV Feature: The 10 Biggest Emmy Snubs of 2011

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5. “Sons of Anarchy”

Sons of Anarchy
Photo credit: FX

I’m always thrown off when there’s as massive a disconnect between voting bodies as the one between the Golden Globes and the Emmys on this program. Katey Sagal was not only nominated but WON for Best Actress in a Dramatic Series at the Golden Globes earlier this year. And she can’t even get an Emmy nod? The fact is that the Emmys have been slow to recognize what FX is doing creatively. I think that’s finally starting to turn around this year with the multiple nods for “Justified” and “Louie,” but they ignored “The Shield,” “Nip/Tuck,” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” for years. And “Sons of Anarchy” is one of their most beloved and critically-acclaimed programs. Hopefully, “Justified” kicked open the door and the bikers can follow next year.

4. “Fringe”

Fringe
Photo credit: FOX

The most anger in the Twitterverse the morning of nominations seemed to center around the dismissal of “Fringe.” While I had been telling people that I thought that the love for John Noble would finally be too much for Emmy voters to ignore, that’s the ONLY place I thought the show might actually peek through and we need to remember how incredibly crowded Best Supporting Actor was this year. Those of you that thought that “Fringe” might get a Best Drama nod need to talk to your older siblings who cried every year that “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” was ignored. Even “Battlestar Galactica” was regularly shut out. The fact is that with only a few exceptions (“The X-Files,” “Game of Thrones”), Emmy voters and genre shows don’t mix. Every year we hope that the someone will knock down that double standard and it should have been John Noble. Maybe next year.

3. “Southland”

Southland
Photo credit: TNT

Emmy voters recognized the ensembles of “Boardwalk Empire,” “Mad Men,” “Justified,” and “The Good Wife,” but they missed one of the best casts on television. TNT clearly didn’t play to voters this year (with this and the odd Sedgwick shut-out) but Michael Cudlitz and Regina King both deserved nominations (and I would have been happy with Shawn Hatosy or Ben McKenzie being recognized as well). I think the “Southland” shut-out is purely a case of not enough voters having seen the program, especially in its increasingly-superior TNT incarnation. While voters made some good choices this year, they pretty much picked candidates who had been championed by critics during the voting period and there’s not enough love for “Southland” in the critical community. At least not as much as the show deserves.

2. “The Walking Dead”

The Walking Dead
Photo credit: AMC

Was it because it was only six episodes long? Or because of its genre? Or the fact that it was based on a graphic novel? All of the above? Whatever reason that “The Walking Dead” was left out of multiple categories, it is simply ludicrous to not nominate Frank Darabont for Best Director for the pilot of this amazing program. The premiere was arguably the most riveting single program of 2010 and it’s because of the unbelievably accomplished direction from the great Darabont. It’s great that the voters recognized the work of Martin Scorsese (for the premiere of “Boardwalk Empire”), Neil Jordan (“The Borgias”), and Tim Van Patten (“Game of Thrones”), but couldn’t the second “Boardwalk” nod have gone to Darabont? Imagine that list of nominees — Scorsese vs. Jordan vs. Darabont.

1. “Community”

Community
Photo credit: NBC

It’s hard to even talk about this snub without getting angry. Dan Harmon’s incredible show should have been a multiple nominee including writing, Joel McHale, Alison Brie, Danny Pudi, and Best Comedy. Hell, it should have been a strong contender to WIN in some of those categories, much less even be nominated. There’s a part of me that wonders if they didn’t decide that one of the Thursday night NBC shows had to go. They couldn’t nominate all four and “Community” drew the short straw. Never mind that it had a stronger season that “The Office” or “30 Rock.” I honestly thought that McHale couldn’t be ignored this year (and never imagined that anyone in their right mind would think that Johnny Galecki on “The Big Bang Theory” is better than Joel) and so this snub hurts the most because it was the most surprising. Next year. It’s got to be next year. Right? Right?!?!

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com