The TV Academy released its Emmy ballot tonight, and here are the official entries submitted by the major contenders for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series:

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
“Six of One”

BIG LOVE
“The Dating Game”
“The Happiest Girl”
“Kingdom Come”

BOSTON LEGAL
“The Court Supreme”
“Do Tell”
“Green Christmas”
“Patriot Acts”
“Rescue Me”

BREAKING BAD
“Pilot”
“Crazy Handful of Nothin’”

BROTHERHOOD
“Call Letter Blues…1:2-6”
“Only a Pawn…7-8”

BROTHERS AND SISTERS
“36 Hours”
“Moral Hazard”
“Prior Commitments”

THE CLOSER
“Blindsided”
“Grave Doubts”
“Homewrecker”
“The Round File”
“Ruby”
“Saving Face”

DAMAGES
“Pilot”
“She Spat at Me”
“Sort of Like a Family”
“We Are Not Animals”

DEXTER
“The Dark Defender”
“Resistance is Futile”
“Waiting to Exhale”

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
“The Confession”
“How Did I Get Here?”
“Last Days of Summer”
“Leave No One Behind”

GREY’S ANATOMY
“Crash into Me” (Parts 1 & 2)
“Freedom” (Parts 1 & 2)

HEROES
“Cautionary Tales”
“Four Months Ago”

HOUSE
“Alone”
“Frozen”
“House’s Head”
“Ugly”

IN TREATMENT
“Alex (Week Seven)”
“Jake and Amy (Week Five)”
“Laura (Week Eight)”
“Paul and Gina (Week Four)”
“Sophie (Week Eight)”

LOST
“The Constant”
“Eggtown”
“Ji Yeon”
“The Shape of Things to Come”

MAD MEN
“Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” (Pilot)
“Long Weekend”
“Nixon vs. Kennedy”
“Shoot”
“The Wheel”

nip/tuck
“August Walden”
“Carly Summers”
“Dawn Budge II”
“Dr. Joshua Lee”
“Everett Poe”
“Magda and Jeff”

RESCUE ME
“Babyface”

THE RICHES
“Slums of Bayou Hills”

SAVING GRACE
“Pilot”
“And You Wonder Why I Lie”
“Bless Me Father, For I Have Sinned”
“Everything’s Got a Shelf Life”
“Keep Your Damn Wings off My Nephew”
“A Language of Angels”
“Would You Want Me To Tell You?”
“Yeehaw, Yeehaw”

THE TUDORS
"205"

THE WIRE
"-30-"

This message has been edited. Last edited by: helmetz,

Thanks helmetz!

For the new posters out there, helemtz is one of the most credible popsters here in GD that updates us every eyar regarding the writing categories at the Emmys!

Grey's Anatomy was wise in submitting only two episodes (both are two parters). Lost and House only submitted 4.And Mad Men might take the place of The Sopranos with the multiple noms.

My predictions right now:

House (House's Head)
Mad Men (Pilot)
Mad Men (The Wheel)
Dexter (The Dark Defender)
Damages (Pilot)

Though expect Boston Legal Legal to receive one or two noms.

Thanks helmetz!!!

With David E. Kelley credited with writing all of the BL episodes I am surprised that they were able to submit 5 (although i know rules allow for writers to submit more than 1 is they wrote it with someone else), and its interesting that the supersized Beauty and the Beast missed out.

I havn't seen enough of these episodes to tell what are the most deserning but the standouts so far are:
DAMAGES
“Pilot”
“Sort of Like a Family”

LOST
“The Constant”
“The Shape of Things to Come”

OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A DRAMA SERIES
Damages, "Pilot"
House, "House's Head"
Lost, "The Constant"
Mad Men, "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"
Mad Men, "The Wheel"
The Wire, "-30-"

Damages and Mad Men are in: they're two of the new hot shows and are likely the front runners in Drama Series category. From those episodes, I really believe Damages' best shot is with the Pilot. And, like iskolar said, Mad Men might take the place of The Sopranos with multiple nomns: the series premiere and season finale might get in.

Lost is always nominated in this category, and I guess "The Constant" is their best episode from those submitted.

The Wire was nominated some years ago. Since this is Emmy's last year to honour the show, I think this is a safe bet.

"House's Head" was one of the best episodes of the year and one of House's best episodes ever. It has everything to be nominated, although I would also enjoy seeing "Frozen" nominated. But we can't forget Battlestar Galactica: it may take House's spot in this category.

My Predictions:
The Closer ("The Round File")
Damages ("Pilot")
Lost ("The Shape of Things to Come")
Mad Men ("Smoke Gets in Your Eyes")
The Wire ("-30-")

MY PREDICTIONS:
Damages ("Pilot")
Dexter ("The Dark Defender")
Lost ("The Constant")
Mad Men ("Smoke Gets in Your Eyes")
Mad Men ("The Wheel")
The Wire ("-30-")

It's a shame "BSG" picked "Six of One." A good episode, but the emotional "Faith" might have been a stronger choice for achievement in writing. And I wish "Damages" would have submitted its best episode, "I Hate These People."

My favorites, in alphabetical order:

The Closer - "Ruby"
Damages - "Pilot"
House - "House's Head"
Lost - "The Shape of Things to Come"
Mad Men - "The Wheel"
The Wire - "-30-"

I'd have picked an episode of "In Treatment" as a favorite too, but I can't remember specifically what those episodes were about.

Helmetz, do you know if "Tell Me You Love Me" submitted anything? It has no shot in hell, but I hope it's on the ballot all the same.

Three that are for sure in:

House's Head (House)
The Dark Defender (Dexter)
The Constant (Lost)

Thanks Helmetz! Did "ER" submit anything?

FNL - Leave No One Behind
House - House's Head

Those two would be my FYC picks. Realistically, I think House and a number of those Mad Men and Damages episodes will make up the selection.

This is a better list than the comedy side. "Mad Men" should have placed all their chances on "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" (Pilot), but I think they'll get in anyway. It would be great to see "In Treatment" get for one of their episodes, though I would have picked "Alex: Week 6" or "Week 8" instead of "Week 7". "Lost" submitted well and should get in something. "Grey's Anatomy" was smart with their submissions too. It would be nice to see some different shows make the final list too, like "Breaking Bad", "The Closer", "Damages", and "Brothers & Sisters", but it'll be tough in this competitive field.

My favorite episodes on this list:

"Kingdom Come", Big Love
"Ruby", The Closer
"Pilot", Damages
"The Constant", Lost
"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", Mad Men

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kams,

Damon Lindelof has been nominated consecutively for three years (but has never won) so "The Constant" is a nomination lock.

The Wire should definitely benefit from submitting only one episode.

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Ed Burns & David Simon for The Wire ("–30–")
Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof for Lost ("The Constant")
Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler, & Daniel Zelman for Damages ("Get Me A Lawyer")
Tim Schlattmann for Dexter ("The Dark Defender")
Matthew Weiner for Mad Men ("Smoke Gets in Your Eyes")

This message has been edited. Last edited by: east/west,

Some odd choices for a few shows. "She Spat At Me," "How Did I Get Here?" "Eggtown" ... I wouldn't have picked any of these.

I don't think we'll see any shows getting two or more spots in this category this year.

I think of all the episodes listed above "Eggtown" has the less chances of being nominated, I mean, it's whole strenght relies on the final scene (with Aaron), for which you'd have to be a follower of the series to understand.

Well done Grey's Anatomy!!! submitting their best episodes this season IMO. I think that's enough to merit them the deep consideration.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: KellyClarksonFan,

G'Day,
Looking at the rule I posted yesterday (in the comedy thread) from the academy's rulebook:

quote:

Entrants must have, either by themselves or in conjunction with other story or teleplay writers, at
least 50% credit-share of the entered program.
Some possible combinations:
sole writing credit = 100% for sole writer;
2-person shared writing credit = 100%/2 = 50% for each writer;
teleplay credit for 1 writer and story credit for 1 writer = 60% for teleplay writer and 40% for story
writer;
2-person shared writing credit for a teleplay and 2-person shared story credit = 60%/2 = 30% for
each teleplay writer and 40%/2 = 20% for each story writer.
Entrants can put their credit percentages toward only one entry per category.

I found it a little confusing. This seems to suggest that each writer can only credit one episode to his/her name. However in different years this has not been the cxase, for example Aaron Sorkin got nominated twice for season 1 of the West Wing (fora solo script and one he wrote with someone else) and I'm sure David Chase has been in a similar situation in recent years.

This year all 5 of Boston Legals's episodes are credited partly to David E. Kelley on tv.com:

Do Tell - Phoef Sutton, Lawrence Broch, David E. Kelley

Green Christmas - Craig Turk, Sanford Golden, Karen Wyscarver, David E. Kelley

Rescue Me - David E. Kelley, Corinne Brinkerhoff, Susan Dickes

The Court Supreme - David E. Kelley, Jonathan Shapiro

Patriot Acts - Sanford Golden, David E. Kelley, Jonothan Shapiro, Karen Wyscarver

So will he recieve a nomination if any of these episodes get nominated or just one that he has chosen? I'm not sure as the wording in the rule is very confusing. Perhaps you could help out helmets? Does your voting form list names or just episodes and series?

Also do you have the CSI: original episodes being submitted? If it's too much trouble don't worry as they won't get nominated I'm just curious.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Noble,

Congratulations West Wing, Emmys most honored drama. 27 Emmys including 4 best drama series
"What's Next?"

Well done to the BSG crew for once again picking ONE episode - it paid off last year and will pay off again this year (although I agree, "Faith" would have been a better choice, or even "Razor").

I think the nominees will be:

DEFINITES

Lost "The Constant"
Mad Men "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes"

MOST PROBABLE

Battlestar Galactica "Six of One"
Mad Men "The Wheel"
Big Love "Kingdome Come"
Damages "Pilot"
Dexter "The Dark Defender"

MAYBE

Boston Legal "The Court Supreme"
Grey's Anatomy "Freedom"

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Rob L,