Gina Rodriguez snubbed, Tatiana Maslany finally in: The disappointments and delights of the 2015 Emmy nominations

"Big Bang Theory" haters will love this year's list, while "Transparent" and "Better Call Saul" fans feel the love

Published July 16, 2015 5:17PM (EDT)

Gina Rodriguez and Andrea Navedo in "Jane the Virgin"           (The CW Network/Greg Gayne)
Gina Rodriguez and Andrea Navedo in "Jane the Virgin" (The CW Network/Greg Gayne)

The 2015 Emmy nominees were just announced, and naturally, there were some happy surprises as well as a fair share of upsets. Here’s a look at the biggest disappointments and delights from this year’s list.

Disappointments:

Jim Parsons and “The Big Bang Theory”
Neither lead actor Jim Parsons nor the smash-hit CBS sitcom made the cut this year. Fans of indie comedy may be pleased to see the mainstream favorite left of the list, but it is still a surprise considering the show's strong Emmy track record.

Gina Rodriguez and "Jane the Virgin"
Breakout sensation Gina Rodriguez got a Golden Globe for her performance in critical darling “Jane the Virgin” — but she didn’t get an Emmy nod. In fact, the show's only nod was Anthony Mendez for Outstanding Narrator (which is a category, believe it or not).

“The Affair”
Further demonstrating the discrepancy between The Globes and The Emmys, the Golden Globe winner for best drama didn’t get a series nod or acting nods for leads Dominic West and Ruth Wilson.

“Empire"
Empire was a powerhouse this year, beloved by critics and viewers alike and providing Fox with an unprecedented ratings smash. The fabulous Taraji P. Henson got a lead actress nod for her role as Cookie Lyon, but the show was surprisingly omitted from the best drama category.

"The Americans"
Critics have constantly lauded “The Americans” as one of the finest dramas on TV, and yet mainstream recognition (and a wide audience) continues to elude it. On Twitter, a number of critics aired their displeasure, in what is increasingly becoming an Awards Season ritual:

[embedtweet id="621706667621793792"]

Delights:

"Better Call Saul"

"Better Call Saul" was well-received, but it received a surprising amount of love for a spinoff series in its first season, getting nods for best drama series and for its writing, as well as for actors Bob Odenkirk and Jonathan Banks.

"Transparent"

In a year that has seen countless milestones for the transgender rights movement, seeing Amazon Prime's brilliant series about a transgender woman get the love it deserves -- a best comedy series nomination and performance nods for Jeffrey Tambor and Gaby Hoffman -- is downright thrilling.

Tatiana Maslany

The star of "Orphan Black" — who plays almost every character on the show — is a favorite on the internet, and fans were thrilled to see her finally get some long-overdue credit for one of the most stunning performances on TV. Take it from Retta:

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Netflix dominates

We all know that Netflix has become a powerhouse in recent years, but this year seemed to solidify its domination, with nods for Kyle Chandler in "Bloodline," Lily Tomlin in "Grace and Frankie," and for its new comedy series "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," in addition to nods for old mainstays "House of Cards" and "Orange is the New Black." With 32 nods —more than prestige drama channels like Showtime and AMC — Netflix’s industry heft has never been more evident.

A historic diversity moment  

While the Oscars had its whitest year ever, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences made history by nominating two African American actresses in the lead actress in a drama category: Taraji P. Henson for "Empire" and Viola Davis for "How to Get Away With Murder."

Indie comedy sees the love

The Academy has always been a little behind the times, but with nods for indie comedy stars like Amy Schumer, Will Forte, Tituss Burgess and Keegan Michael Key, and recognition for offbeat comedies like "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" and "Transparent," it looks like the Academy tastes are growing increasingly cutting-edge.


By Anna Silman

MORE FROM Anna Silman


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