'Family Guy' nominated for comedy series Emmy

Moxie paid off.

"Family Guy" is the first animated program in nearly 50 years to land a best comedy series nomination. The Fox hit is the second series ever to earn the honor, following "The Flintstones" in 1961.

Creator Seth MacFarlane opts to enter "Family Guy" for an outstanding comedy Emmy instead of the animated category where "The Simpsons" and other shows typically compete. "Family Guy" made it to the 10 finalists on the category last year but missed the final cut, and might have been one of the beneficiaries of the TV Academy's decision to expand the number of nominees in the main categories from five to six. (Interview with Seth MacFarlane reacting to his Emmy nomination here).

"It’s a suggestion that the Academy voters are getting younger and appreciate the fact that animation has come of age and is a genre worthy of respect," said TV historian Tim Brooks. "Until 'The Simpsons' in the early 1990s, animation was perceived as a lesser genre and it's hard to make that argument today."

In what has to be the most surprising list of Emmy comedy noms in recent memory, Fox's "Family Guy" will complete against HBO's "Entourage," NBC's "The Office" and "30 Rock," Showtime's "Weeds" and -- in nominations nearly as unexpected as "Family Guy" landing a spot -- CBS' "How I Met Your Mother" and HBO's "Flight of the Conchords." The seven nominations announced suggests that two of the entries may have tied.

Left out of the category were CBS' "Two and a Half Men" and "The Big Bang Theory," the latter widely presumed to land its first nomination this year.

With "30 Rock" earning 22 nominations this morning, it becomes the most any comedy series has received in Emmy history. "Mad Men," which won the top award last year, is once again the most nominated drama, with 16.

Other surprises include AMC's "Breaking Bad" and HBO's "Big Love" landing nominations in the drama series category, and Sarah Silverman's nomination for comedy series actress.

Reports THR's Nellie Andreeva: In the best drama series category, critics' darling "Mad Men," the reigning winner at all major TV awards, is back in contention in the best drama series field, alongside another AMC series, "Breaking Bad," ABC's resurgent "Lost," FX's "Damages," Showtime's "Dexter," HBO's "Big Love" and Fox's "House."

Among the networks, HBO once again led the pack with 99 nominations, followed by NBC with 67, ABC with 55, CBS with 49 and Fox with 42.

In the lead actor in a drama category, last year's surprise winner, Bryan Cranston of AMC's "Breaking Bad," is back, along with four-time nominee Hugh Laurie for Fox's "House," Gabriel Byrne of HBO's "In Treatment," Michael C. Hall of Showtime's "Dexter," Jon Hamm of "Mad Men" and the new kid on the block, Simon Baker of CBS' freshman "The Mentalist."

In the lead actress in a drama series category, first-time nominee Elisabeth Moss of "Mad Men" joins the five actresses nominated in the category last year: previous winners Glenn Close of "Damages," Sally Field of "Brothers & Sisters" and Mariska Hargitay of "Law & Order: SVU" as well as Kyra Sedgwick of TNT's "The Closer" and Holly Hunter of another TNT drama, "Saving Grace."

"The Big Bang Theory's" Jim Parsons, one the most buzzed-about contenders this year, landed his first award nomination in the lead actor in a comedy series category, where he will face off last year's winner, Alec Baldwin, Steve Carell of "The Office," Charlie Sheen of "Two and a Half Men," three-time winner Tony Shalhoub of "Monk" and newcomer Jemaine Clement of HBO's The Flight of the Conchords."

Toni Collette earned her first Emmy nomination for her multiple personality disorder-stricken heroine on Showtime's "United States of Tara." In the best lead actress in a comedy series category, she is joined by two previous winners, Tina Fey of "30 Rock" and Julia Louis-Dreyfus of "The New Adventures of Old Christine," as well as Sarah Silverman for "The Sarah Silverman Program," Mary-Louise Parker for "Weeds" and Christina Applegate, nominated for the recently canceled ABC comedy "Samantha Who?"

Only two projects made it into the ever-shrinking best miniseries category: HBO's Iraq-themed "Generation Kill" and PBS' "Little Dorrit."

Another HBO Iraq-themed drama, "Taking Chance," will compete in the best TV movie field alongside two other politically-tinged HBO films, the Kennedy-themed "Grey Gardens," the Winston Churchill-centered "Into the Storm" as well as Lifetime's biopic "Coco Chanel" and based-on-a-true story "Prayers for Bobby."

It's a familiar group in the best reality competition category where dominant winner "The Amazing Race" will compete against "American Idol," "Dancing with the Stars, "Project Runway" and "Top Chef."

The nominations in the major category were announced early Thursday morning by Parsons and Chandra Wilson of ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" who were joined by the chairman of the Academy of TV Arts & Sciences John Shaffner.

>> Q&A: Seth MacFarlane reacts to Emmy nomination

>> Emmy nominations by the numbers

>> Emmy nominee reactions

>> Full nomination list