Emmys won’t combine telefilm actor categories

Don’t say Kevin Costner doesn’t spur change! The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced late Thursday that it will not combine lead and supporting acting categories in the TV movies and miniseries field for this year’s nominations.

(Translation: the telecast isn’t getting any shorter.)

The move marks a reversal of its decision in March 2012 to consolidate the lead and supporting acting categories from four to two categories: Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries and Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie or Miniseries.

What a difference a year makes.

FULL COVERAGE: Emmys

The U-turn, according to ATAS, was brought on by the recent hard-to-ignore increase in television movies and miniseries -- which have demonstrated their prowess, particularly in ratings. One need only look back to last year’s impetuous success of last year’s Emmy-winning “Hatfields & McCoys” and even the classification of FX’s “American Horror Story” as an example of a shifting tide--one that History’s “The Bible” seems to have carried on, along with other eligible titles such as USA’s “Political Animals,” National Geographic’s “Killing Lincoln,” Sundance Channel’s “Top of the Lake,” HBO’s “Parade’s End,” -- to name just a few.

But, hey, who needs a streamlined telecast? Come Sept. 22, viewers will watch announcements for lead actor, lead actress, supporting actor and supporting actress in the TV movie/miniseries department when the awards are broadcast on CBS.

Emmy nominations will be announced July 18.

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