While the Emmys had a breath of fresh air this year, they still got a lot wrong. A lot. So, here is a list of contenders that had legitimate shots at being nominated, but were snubbed. The most egregious if you will.
Michael Sheen | Masters of Sex | Lead Actor in a Drama Series
It’s hard to really appreciate Sheen’s performance in Masters without seeing how he is in real life. He’s freaking hilarious. Other than that, he gave a phenomenal performance. It’s hard to argue more than that.
Tatiana Maslany | Orphan Black | Lead Actress in a Drama Series
8, 9, 17 characters. I’m really losing count. Maslany is phenomenal as the so called “clone club.” She is able to differentiate between each character so well that it truly feels like we’re dealing with someone different each time.
Emmy Rossum | Shameless | Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
She gave one of the best performances in a drama series for the last three years and gave one of the best performances in a comedy series this year. She has given one of the best performances on television since episode one and has yet to be recognized for it. What does she have to do to get a nomination? Flash her tits? Wait, she does that anyway.
Bellamy Young | Scandal | Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
I don’t really watch Scandal, but from what I have watched Young has been handed some difficult material, but handles it all with grace. She even turned on of the most frustrating characters into an empathetic one.
Dean Norris | Breaking Bad | Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
He’s deserved a nomination since season 3 of the show. He turned what could have been the stereotypical tough guy cop character into a deep and complex man. His work on this season was particularly impressive. Looks like Hank is going to the big mineral mine in the sky without an Emmy in his hands.
Elisabeth Moss | Mad Men | Lead Actress in a Drama Series
She danced with Jon Hamm… if that doesn’t warrant an Emmy, then I don’t know what does. Elizabeth Moss has done consistently great work on the show, but this season she had a particularly heartbreaking and uplifting season. The growth of Peggy had been so impressive. It’s just terrible that she’s not going to be rewarded for it.
Carrie Preston | The Good Wife | Guest Actress in a Drama Series
“That bear just called me a dirty Jew!” That line should have gotten her the nomination alone. Carrie Preston was last year’s champ in this category for good reason. Her character is out of this world, but her performance grounds it in something so joyously tasteful. It just makes no sense.
Director Rian Johnson | Breaking Bad (episode “Ozymandias”) | Directing for a Drama Series
Seriously. Downton Abbey again, but you couldn’t nominate one of the best episodes of drama in the past decade. It was truly a masterpiece. It had emotional impact, thrilling sequences, and an ending that truly broke my heart. Come on academy. Come on!
Return to Zero | Miniseries
The Good Wife | Drama Series
They had their best season by far. Some scenes from the season have even become iconic. It’s rare for a broadcast series to reach this level of excellence in an age dominated by cable shows, but The Good Wife rose to the occasion. Downton Abbey for the 50 billionth time, but you can’t make room for this brilliance. What a shame.
Hey, I'm Karl, founder and film critic at Smash Cut. I started Smash Cut in 2014 to share my love of movies and give a perspective I haven't yet seen represented. I'm also an editor at The New York Times, a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, and a member of the Online Film Critics Society.