Mad Men, a stylish period drama set on Madison Ave in the advertising world of the 1960s, earned 16 nominations for the 60th annual Emmy Awards, including one for breakout star Jon Hamm for lead actor.
FX's thrilling legal drama Damages garnered seven, including a best actress nod for star Glenn Close. Joining them in the dramatic series category are Lost, Boston Legal, Dexter and House.
In the comedy category, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Entourage, The Office, 30 Rock and Two and a Half Men earned nominations. HBO continued its domination, with 85 nominations - 23 of those going to its lavish mini-series about the second United States president, John Adams.
The pay-cable channel also managed to dominate lead actor in a mini-series or movie: All five nominees are from its projects.
Second to HBO among the networks and cable channels, ABC earned 76 nominations, with Pushing Daisies garnering 12 and reality-TV show Dancing With the Stars waltzing away with eight.
Thanks to Mad Men, AMC managed to walk away with 20 nominations - a record for the cable channel.
Notably missing from the list of drama nominees were Grey's Anatomy and critical favourite The Wire in its last year of eligibility.
The much-promoted Tudors on Showtime was also snubbed.
NBC cult favourite Friday Night Lights was overlooked.
Ugly Betty and Pushing Daisies were passed over for best comedy series, although both earned nominations in other categories.
For Pushing Daisies, newcomer Lee Pace joins Emmy favourite Tony Shalhoub for Monk, Charlie Sheen for Two and a Half Men, Alec Baldwin for 30 Rock and Steve Carell for The Office in the best actor in a comedy series group.
The nominees for best actress in a comedy series are Christina Applegate for Samantha Who?, America Ferrera for Ugly Betty, Tina Fey for 30 Rock, former winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus for The New Adventures of Old Christine and Mary-Louise Parker for Weeds.
In addition to Close, the nominees in best dramatic actress category are last year's winner, Sally Field, for Brothers & Sisters, Mariska Hargitay for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Holly Hunter for Saving Grace and Kyra Sedgwick for The Closer.
Kristin Chenoweth received a nomination for best supporting actress in a comedy series for Pushing Daisies.
Neil Patrick Harris, who earned a nod for supporting actor in a comedy series for How I Met Your Mother, revealed the nominees along with TV academy chairman John Shaffner at the academy's Leonard H.
Goldenson Theatre in North Hollywood, in the city of Los Angeles. - Susan King
