Once more providing a peek into a strange, alternate universe where the preferences of professional reviewers actually matter, and people pay serious attention to them while breathing neon and eating daydreams, the second annual Critics' Choice Television Awards were announced today. And as proof of just how delightfully topsy-turvy they are, Community is the most-nominated show of the year—a sentence that, sadly, you will likely only read in connection to this gala mounted by the Broadcast Television Journalists Association, until the day when The A.V. Club comment boards finally pony up to rent a hall and stage their own awards show. (Radissons are surprisingly affordable, by the way.)
Community's nods for Best Comedy Series, Best Actor (Joel McHale), Best Supporting Actor (both Danny Pudi and Jim Rash), and Best Supporting Actress (Alison Brie and Gillian Jacobs) certainly couldn't have come at a better time for the even-more-beleaguered-than-usual show, unless they came at a time when it was renewed for a full season with Dan Harmon still in charge, and also the government had just instituted a decree of "free pizza for everyone." But at least in its darkest hour, as always, it confirms that the people who take TV perhaps way too seriously recognize Community's worth, even if they are often alone. So, so alone. And not that the network will appreciate it, necessarily, but its strong showing also went a long way toward helping NBC become the most-nominated overall, a feat it achieved thanks also primarily to nods for the similarly fiercely protected Parks And Recreation—including recognition for Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, and guest turns from Kathryn Hahn and Paul Rudd.
As with last year, there were also mainstays that don't diverge greatly from the Emmys or other courts of critical and public opinion: Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Game Of Thrones, Downton Abbey, Homeland, The Good Wife, and Modern Family are all well represented, as is American Horror Story (which counts as a "miniseries" now, apparently). The complete shutout of 30 Rock is somewhat surprising, given that—like the inclusion of The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons—we just assumed "Alec Baldwin" and "Tina Fey" came pre-printed on every ballot. We'd say it's possible that the show's midseason debut contributed to its being snubbed, but the inclusion of nominations for Girls and Veep (representing the freshman class alongside New Girl) sort of discredits that theory, so maybe—like Baldwin himself—they're just over it.
Anyway, also like last year, there are plenty of other cult favorites that it’s always nice to see nominated somewhere—Louie, Archer, Happy Endings, Justified, etc.—plus other critic-pleasing things (Check out the Wire mini-reunion in the Best Actor In a Movie/Miniseries category!), even if these only exist in some amber-colored mirror world where everyone acknowledges the awesomeness of Fringe's John Noble. Here's the complete list through the looking glass.
BEST DRAMA SERIES
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Game Of Thrones
The Good Wife
Homeland
Mad Men
BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Kelsey Grammer, Boss
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Charlie Hunnam, Sons Of Anarchy
Damian Lewis, Homeland
Timothy Olyphant, Justified
BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Claire Danes, Homeland
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Emmy Rossum, Shameless
Katey Sagal, Sons Of Anarchy
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Peter Dinklage, Game Of Thrones
Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bad
Neal McDonough, Justified
John Noble, Fringe
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
John Slattery, Mad Men
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men
Regina King, Southland
Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire
Maggie Siff, Sons Of Anarchy
BEST GUEST PERFORMANCE IN A DRAMA SERIES
Dylan Baker, Damages
Jere Burns, Justified
Loretta Devine, Grey’s Anatomy
Lucy Liu, Southland
Carrie Preston, The Good Wife
Chloe Webb, Shameless
BEST COMEDY SERIES
The Big Bang Theory
Community
Girls
Modern Family
New Girl
Parks And Recreation
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Don Cheadle, House Of Lies
Louis C.K., Louie
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Garret Dillahunt, Raising Hope
Joel McHale, Community
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Lena Dunham, Girls
Julia Louis Dreyfus, Veep
Martha Plimpton, Raising Hope
Amy Poehler, Parks And Recreation
Ashley Rickards, Awkward
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Max Greenfield, New Girl
Nick Offerman, Parks And Recreation
Danny Pudi, Community
Jim Rash, Community
Damon Wayans Jr.. Happy Endings
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Alison Brie, Community
Cheryl Hines, Suburgatory
Gillian Jacobs, Community
Eden Sher, The Middle
Casey Wilson, Happy Endings
BEST GUEST PERFORMER IN A COMEDY SERIES
Becky Ann Baker, Girls
Bobby Cannavale, Modern Family
Kathryn Hahn, Parks And Recreation
Justin Long, New Girl
Paul Rudd, Parks And Recreation
Peter Scolari, Girls
BEST ANIMATED SERIES
Archer
Adventure Time
Bob’s Burgers
Family Guy
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
BEST REALITY SERIES
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations
Hoarders
Sister Wives
Kitchen Nightmares
Pawn Stars
Undercover Boss
BEST REALITY SERIES - COMPETITION
The Pitch
Shark Tank
So You Think You Can Dance
The Voice
Chopped
The Amazing Race
BEST REALITY SHOW HOST
Tom Bergeron, Dancing With The Stars
Nick Cannon, America’s Got Talent
Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance
Phil Keoghan, The Amazing Race
RuPaul, RuPaul’s Drag Race
BEST TALK SHOW
Conan
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
The View
BEST MOVIE/MINISERIES
American Horror Story
Luther
Sherlock
Page Eight
The Hour
Game Change
BEST ACTOR IN A MOVIE/MINISERIES
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock
Bill Nighy, Page Eight
Woody Harrelson, Game Change
Idris Elba, Luther
Dominic West, The Hour
Kevin Costner, Hatfields & McCoys
BEST ACTRESS IN A MOVIE/MINISERIES
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story
Gillian Anderson, Great Expectations
Julianne Moore, Game Change
Patricia Clarkson, Five
Lara Pulver, Sherlock
Emily Watson, Appropriate Adult