Lost vs. Best Drama Nominees

The powers that be over at Emmy central decided on a new voting process for the 2006 show. In a nutshell, the goal of the new voting process was to give lesser-known actors and TV shows a better shot at snagging a nomination. The details of all that are very murky to me. What is clear, though, is that Lost is missing from the best dramatic series category. And that is bullshit.

Here's a side-by-side look at Lost and the nominated shows:

Grey's Anatomy -- I admit, this show's Superbowl gimmick sucked me in. I watched the "code black" episode and I found myself oddly entertained by the prospect of seeing someone explode onscreen. BUT, had I known that said Superbowl episode would catapult this show into uber-popularity and help the show elbow its way into the Best Drama category come Emmy time, I would not have watched. In fact, I'd probably have run around turning off people's TV sets before the SuperBowl post-show even started. Grey's Anatomy is not a bad show. In fact, it shows potential for greatness with its diverse cast and plots that take time to develop. But when Lost, one of the smartest and most genuinely original shows on TV, gets snubbed for what is (so far) just a good hospital soap, I get upset.

House -- Emmy voters got this one wrong. The best thing about House is Hugh Laurie, the show's hugely convincing a-hole doctor. He (and not the show) should have been nominated for an award. What's interesting is that Laurie wasn't nominated in the best actor category. So what's House doing taking Lost's spot in the top 5? How strange.

The Sopranos -- I'm not one of those people frustrated with The Sopranos this season. Yes, it's been more cerebral and less violent. Hell, Tony even spent two entire episodes in a coma. But I've never been bored with this show. In all sorts of different ways, large and small, Sunday nights with The Sopranos are always entertaining. This one deserves its nomination.

24 -- 24 has just come off its most thrilling season. It kicked off with two pivotal characters -- one wildly popular one, at that -- getting killed, and ended with a bloodied Jack held captive on a slow boat to China. All the CTU business, edge-of-your-seat fieldwork and the Logans made this a standout season for the show. And another deserving nominee. Yet, I still don't think 24 brings nearly as much to the table as Lost does. And I'm a crazy fan of both.

The West Wing -- I'm not a Grey's Anatomy supporter, but with the year it just had, I admit it was probably impossible to ignore come Emmy time. The Sopranos and 24, I support. House was a mix-up, but at least one that I can rationalize. A West Wing nomination over Lost, however, I cannot rationalize. The West Wing outstayed its welcome and suffered fledgling ratings until its last episode. The show even recently resorted to a live (fake) presidential debate as a ratings gimmick. I know this was The West Wing's final season and it's nice to invite them to the party one last time... but even the weakest episode of Lost's second season was better than anything on The West Wing. This show just doesn't deserve to be in the best drama category anymore, and nominating it out of sentimentality and not merit is pretty lame.

Sure, this might have all sounded like one long, wordy whine over a personal favorite being snubbed by an award show. And it was, but there's something fishy going on when a critically acclaimed show that improved, expanded and blew its viewers minds in its second season gets completely left off the best drama nominees list -- THE VERY CATEGORY FOR WHICH IT WON THE AWARD LAST YEAR.

Get your heads out of your asses next year, Emmy voters. For now, deal with Hurley (below). He looks pissed.