Emmy nominations preview: Will Netflix, film stars shake things up?

By Yvonne Villarreal

July 18, 2013 12 AM PT

Could “House of Cards” and “Arrested Development” help Netflix shake up the Emmys? Might Twitter buzz be enough to fuel Kerry Washington to a lead actress in a drama nomination? Will the last seasons of “The Office” or “30 Rock” be recognized in the comedy category or go off into the sunset unnoticed?

We’ll soon find out.

The Primetime Emmy nominations will be announced at the bleary-eyed hour of 5:30 a.m. PDT Thursday. You can watch them live on Show Tracker, The Envelope and latimes.com. For those who cherish their zzz’s, go back to sleep and check in with Show Tracker later in the morning for all your Emmy needs. Everyone else, let’s share some coffee.

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“Breaking Bad’s” Aaron Paul will be doing the announcing all on his own at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre in North Hollywood -- we can only hope magnets are involved. He was supposed to be joined by “House of Cards” actress Kate Mara, but her flight out of Santa Fe, where she was on location, had a “mechanical malfunction and was unable to take off,” according to a statement released this morning.

Among the potential story lines is the likelihood that the top-tier movie talent that’s been drawn to TV will walk away with major nominations.

Film stars Kevin Spacey, Jane Fonda, Jeff Daniels, Shirley MacLaine, Holly Hunter, Al Pacino, Helen Mirren, Michael Douglas, Matt Damon and Kevin Bacon, as well as respected filmmakers David Fincher, Steven Soderbergh and Jane Campion are just some of the cinema-tilted talent in line to get the early morning wake-up call Thursday.

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“Consider it the golden age of blurred lines,” said Robert Thompson, a professor of television and popular culture at Syracuse University. “TV can no longer be overlooked. It’s where things are happening.”

Drama series contenders this year include “Homeland,” “Downton Abbey,” “Boardwalk Empire,” “Breaking Bad,” “Game of Thrones,” “Mad Men” and “House of Cards,” while among the comedy series hopefuls are “Modern Family,” “The Big Bang Theory,” “30 Rock,” “Veep,” “Girls,” “Arrested Development” and “Louie.”

Potential nominees in the TV movie/miniseries category include “Behind the Candelabra,” “Top of the Lake,” “American Horror Story: Asylum,” “Political Animals,” “Parade’s End” and “The Bible.”

The Emmy Awards will be handed out on Sept. 22 and will air live on CBS. Neil Patrick Harris will host.

ALSO:

Emmys 2013: Contender video interviews

Emmys 2013: Predicting comedy’s surprises, snubs and winners

Emmys 2013: Predicting drama’s surprises, snubs and winners

Emmys 2013: Predicting movie/miniseries category and its snubs

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