Slow blog news day

Sorry for the lack of posting today, folks, but I have two columns to write, plus prep work for tonight's "How I Met Your Mother"/Emmy Q&A thing in NYC, which I'll write up either late tonight or tomorrow morning. I was noodling around this morning with a quick review of "Charlie Wilson's War" (which I finally saw on DVD), if for no other reason than to be able to say something nice about an Aaron Sorkin project. If anybody cares, I'll try to finish it up tomorrow.

In the meantime, the Television Critics Association Awards nominees were announced today. Because the nominees and winners are obviously voted on by the entire membership, and because, contrary to reputation, we are not a hivemind, these aren't necessarily all the nominees I would have chosen, nor will the winners match up to my ballot, which I'm still dwelling on. For those who care -- and who would like to make a persuasive argument for a winner in any given category (hint: you don't need to bother preaching to the choir with a certain show set in west Baltimore) -- the full nominees list is after the jump (and if you're wondering, the Heritage Award is a sort of career achievement award for shows, instead of people):

PROGRAM OF THE YEAR

"John Adams" (HBO)
"Lost" (ABC)
"Mad Men" (AMC)
"Ken Burns' The War" (PBS)
"The Wire" (HBO)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY

"30 Rock" (NBC)
"The Colbert Report" (Comedy Central)
"The Daily Show" (Comedy Central)
"Flight of the Conchords" (HBO)
"The Office" (NBC)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA

"Damages" (FX)
"Friday Night Lights" (NBC)
"Lost" (ABC)
"Mad Men" (AMC)
"The Wire" (HBO)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT MOVIES, MINI-SERIES AND SPECIALS

"John Adams" (HBO)
"Masterpiece: Cranford" (PBS)
"Masterpiece: Jane Austen Collection" (PBS)
"Ken Burns' The War" (PBS)
"A Raisin in the Sun" (ABC)

OUTSTANDING NEW PROGRAM

"Breaking Bad" (AMC)
"Damages" (FX)
"Flight of the Conchords" (HBO)
"Mad Men" (AMC)
"Pushing Daisies" (ABC)

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY

Christina Applegate ("Samantha Who?")
Alec Baldwin ("30 Rock")
Stephen Colbert ("The Colbert Report")
Tina Fey ("30 Rock")
Ray Wise ("Reaper")

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA

Connie Britton ("Friday Night Lights")
Glenn Close ("Damages")
Paul Giamatti ("John Adams")
Jon Hamm ("Mad Men")
David Simon ("The Wire")

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING

"Curious George" (PBS)
"High School Musical 2" (The Disney Channel)
"Hannah Montana" (Disney Channel)
"Word Girl" (PBS)
"Yo Gabba Gabba" (Nickelodeon)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN NEWS AND INFORMATION

"Alive Day Memories" (HBO)
"This American Life" (Showtime)
"Frontline" (PBS)
"Nimrod Nation" (Sundance Channel)
"Ken Burns' The War" (PBS)

HERITAGE AWARD

"M*A*S*H" (CBS)
"Roots" (ABC)
"Saturday Night Live" (NBC)
"Sesame Street" (PBS)
"The Wire" (HBO)

CAREER ACHIEVEMENT

James Garner
Lorne Michaels
Bill Moyers
William Shatner
Mike Wallace