Golden Globe nominations 2015: ‘Fargo’ leads; ‘Affair,’ ‘Virgin’ surprise

FX’s acclaimed “Fargo” got the most Golden Globe TV nominations on Thursday, but the voters also had a few surprises up their sleeves.

Showtime’s critically praised but little-seen “The Affair” — which tells the story of an extramarital relationship from different viewpoints — picked up a drama nod in light of its first season, which aired this fall.

And “Jane the Virgin,” the CW’s freshman series about a young woman who becomes pregnant via a botched artificial insemination, got a surprise thumbs-up in the comedy category. That was the category won last year by Fox’s police spoof “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” which did not appear on the list this time around.

GOLDEN GLOBES 2015: Top nominees | List | Snubs/Surprises | Reactions | Announcement | Full coverage

“This is what I’ve been dreaming about since I was 15 years old,” said Gina Rodriguez, star of “Jane the Virgin,” who also received an acting nomination. “For it to come and to come so soon and for a network that has never had a Golden Globe nomination, and here I am as a Latina lead. This is a beautiful thing.”

Another first-time nominee was Amazon’s “Transparent,” about a man in late middle age who opens up to his family about his transgender status. Star Jeffrey Tambor also earned a nod in the lead actor category.

“Fargo” wound up with five nominations. Overall, HBO led the Globes’ TV pack with 15 nominations. Showtime was second with nine.

Much of HBO’s strength came from the miniseries and movie category, where it often has multiple shows. This year was no exception, with nods for the premium network’s adaptation of the AIDS drama “The Normal Heart,” the first season of the crime drama “True Detective” and the miniseries about the private life of a small-town schoolteacher, “Olive Kitteridge.”

The Globes have traditionally helped wheel a spotlight to shows that could use more attention. Last year, for example, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s” victory brought more attention to the show as it was struggling in the ratings.

This time around a prime beneficiary was “The Affair,” which drew not even 1 million viewers in its original telecasts this year. Its three nods included a nomination for British actress Ruth Wilson, who plays the female protagonist.

“I didn’t expect it at all,” Wilson said about the nominations. “It’s just brilliant that the show has been recognized in this way.... I get to play three different versions of the same person. I thought it was a major challenge in that way and very exciting.”

Other series with multiple nominations included CBS’ “The Good Wife” and Netflix’s “House of Cards” and “Orange Is the New Black.” Each drew three nominations apiece.

No nomination list would be complete without a few major snubs, of course, and the Globes did not disappoint in that arena.

AMC’s ad-industry period drama “Mad Men” — one of the most acclaimed series in TV history — was shut out of the Globes this time around.

It was also not a standout year for the broadcast networks.

“The Good Wife,” “Jane the Virgin” and “Downton Abbey” were the only broadcast shows among the top contenders. Fox, after its triumph with “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” last season, was cast aside entirely. Emmy favorite “Modern Family” on ABC, and one of television’s most popular comedies, “The Big Bang Theory,” also were ignored.

New series that failed to garner any Globes love included ABC’s much-praised comedy “black-ish.”

And Shonda Rhimes’ new hit, “How to Get Away With Murder,” was shut out of the drama list, although star Viola Davis did draw a nod in the dramatic actress category.

Staff writer Yvonne Villareal contributed to this story

Twitter: @scottcollinsLAT