SAG TV nominations spread the wealth

Three nods for "30 Rock," "Boston Legal," "Mad Men," "The Closer" and "John Adams."

By Daniel Fienberg Friday, Dec 19, 2008 3:47 AM

Tina Fey

Credit: Heidi Gutman/NBC

While "Doubt" dominated the movie nominations for the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, voters on the TV side gave three nominations apiece to five different programs.

Announced Thursday (Dec. 18) morning, the SAG Award TV nods include three nominations for "30 Rock," "Boston Legal," "Mad Men," "The Closer" and the HBO miniseries "John Adams."

"The Closer," "Mad Men" and "Boston Legal" are all nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama series, along with "House" and "Dexter."

The Comedy Ensemble nominations went to "30 Rock," "The Office," "Desperate Housewives," "Entourage" and "Weeds."

Inside Analysis

With a strike vote looming, the Screen Actors Guild needed to make some exciting nominations to distract the public's attention. Instead, SAG nominated the exact same shows and actors they've been nominating for years.

Monotony, thy name is SAG.

For more SAG nomination analysis, check The Fien Print.

Not surprisingly, the shows up for the ensemble prizes filled the individual acting categories as well. In fact, the only series nominated for an ensemble prize not to get at least one individual nod appears to be "Desperate Housewives."

"Boston Legal" stars William Shatner and James Spader are up for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series along with Jon Hamm of "Mad Men," Hugh Laurie of "House" and Michael C. Hall of "Dexter."

"The Closer" lead Kyra Sedgwick is up for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series, joined by Elisabeth Moss ("Mad Men"), Holly Hunter ("Saving Grace"), Sally Field ("Brothers & Sisters") and Mariska Hargitay ("Law & Order: Special Victims Unit").

On the comedy side "30 Rock" leading man Alec Baldwin will go against Steve Carell of "The Office," David Duchovny of "Californication," Tony Shalhoub of "Monk" and, because there are no supporting categories, Jeremy Piven of "Entourage."

Tina Fey of "30 Rock" will face off against Christina Applegate ("Samathan Who?"), America Ferrera ("Ugly Betty"), Mary-Louise Parker ("Weeds") and Tracey Ullman of "Tracey Ullman's State of the Union."

All three "John Adams" nominations came in the acting categories for TV movie or miniseries, with nods going to Paul Giamatti, Tom Wilkinson and Laura Linney.

Perhaps the most interesting and unique SAG Awards category is Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series, which will pit "The Closer" against "Friday Night Lights," "Heroes," "Prison Break" and "The Unit."

In terms of total network nominations, HBO received the most with nine, followed by ABC and NBC with eight nods apiece.

The 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will be simulcast live nationally on TNT and TBS on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2009 at 8 p.m. ET/PT from the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center.

Daniel Fienberg
Executive Editor

A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.