2011 Emmy nominations announced

The nominations for the 63rd Primetime Emmys were released Thursday morning, so crazy television fans got up early (or stayed up late) to see them unfold.

A few stray observations:

*There were a couple underdogs that made their way in: Louis C.K., Johnny Galecki and Matt LeBlanc were nominated in the Lead Actor in a Comedy Series category. Kathy Bates was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Idris Elba scored two nominations (as did Tina Fey), outstanding actor in a miniseries ("Luther") and outstanding guest actor in a comedy series ("The Big C") ... yet he was never nominated for playing Stringer Bell. "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" got nominations for Outstanding Variety Series and Writing for a Variety Series (God, I cannot wait for Stephen Colbert's reaction, since the BFFs for six months will be competing against each other). Oh, and Lady Gaga was nominated (for Variety Music Special).

*"Glee" lost its bids for lead actor and actress nominations, as did Toni Collette, and Neil Patrick Harris. "Big Love" was completely shunned in its final season. Also, I just want to remind everyone that Steve Carell has never won an Emmy. Although "the Office" is pretty lackluster now, I think it would be fitting to honor Carell for his seven years of work. Besides, the Emmys are notorious for not honoring people in the year that they should be (as Carell deserved the Emmy in 2006).

*I blame Rob Lowe submitting himself for Outstanding Lead Actor for splitting the votes between him and the truly deserving nominee, Nick Offerman. Lowe's role on the show is not that of a lead actor and his character is nowhere near as funny as Offerman's Ron Swanson, although Lowe's massive ego likely tells him otherwise. I strongly believe that if he hadn't submitted his name, any nominee voters that wanted "Parks and Recreation" to get a lead actor nomination would have had no choice but to vote for Offerman and not Lowe simply because he's a bigger name, and Offerman could have gotten a nod. Plus, no love for Chris Pratt, or any of the high-caliber writers? It's a disgrace.

*While "Community" has been a mixed bag (when it's good, it's astounding, but when it's not up to form, it's painful), Danny Pudi deserved a nomination for his equally hilarious and heartbreaking Abed. I will admit to a certain amount of bias, as Abed does remind me of a more socially awkward version of myself (although not much more awkward). The fact that the show didn't even garner one nomination is sad.

*The nomination for Laura Linney don't surprise me, but they frustrate me. A comedy doesn't always have to be laugh-out-loud to be outstanding, which is an argument that a lot of people make in support of shows like "the Big C." However, is a show really outstanding when the tone is incredibly insulting? Most of the characters, including Laura Linney's Cathy, are very unlikeable, and not in an endearing way (see "Arrested Development").

*I enjoy the way that the great pilot for "the Killing" was nominated, since, clearly, voters were not biased by seeing the rest of the show, which turned into a complete train wreck that even Outstanding Drama Actress Mireille Enos could save. This spot should have gone to "The Walking Dead."

*The good news? Even if the show is weak (as it was the last time it was on Fox, with Ryan Seacrest hosting), the Outstanding Writing for a Comedy or Variety Series category, featuring the often-hilarious videos introducing the nominees, should be back this year.

*What's up with the Emmys picking nominated females to present the awards (Melissa McCarthy was nominated), but the males are awkwardly shunned? Joshua Jackson this year, Joel McHale last year.

I could go on and on, but I've already rambled enough, my apologies ... to quote Kenneth Parcell, I just love television so much.

The full list of nominees and categories can be found here.

What do you think are the major upsets and surprises this year? Any outrageous inclusions or exclusions?

Great Glee moments: top 5 performances this season

(Just because I feel like a Sue Sylvester gif is absolutely necessary in one's daily life.)

SPOILER ALERT: If you have not yet watched the season finale of Glee, do not read any farther.

I've mentioned many times that I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Glee. When the pilot of the show aired in May 2009, I loved it, because it was hilarious and, even though they were cheesy, I enjoyed the song covers.

Then, by the middle of the season, I became incredibly annoyed by the inconsistent plot lines. One example is Quinn's pregnancy and the resolution to that plot line last night, in which Idina Menzel's Shelby Corcoran, who is also Rachel's mother, adopted Quinn's daughter, Beth. As Ken Tucker points out, it's kind of rude for Shelby to shun her own biological daughter just for a 'newer' model, if you will. If the writers were trying to make Shelby an unlikable character, they succeeded in that respect, but if they were simply attempting to get rid of Beth in a quick manner, then I think that was a little misguided.

However, for once, I'm not here to bash the show. Since the regular shows I watch have ended, I decided to watch these last few episodes of Glee this season, and, cheesiness, plot inconsistencies and weak character development aside, I still found myself enjoying the show, due to what makes the show: the performances.

I rather enjoyed the Madonna songs, especially Jane Lynch's ridiculously outrageous version of "Vogue." And, as a big Lady Gaga fan (while I don't want this summer to go by quickly, I am also eagerly anticipating Sept. 4, when I see Gaga live), I thought those performances were well done, and the costumes were really great.

Last night, I found myself with a huge smile on my face throughout the show. The performances were fantastic, and even someone who hates the show and the karaoke aspects of the show would probably find it difficult to deny that the performances were catchy. They reminded me why I enjoyed the show in the first place.

With that said, here are my picks for the top five performances on Glee this year.

5. Like A Prayer - The choir-style background of the rest of the cast is strong and sing-along-worthy, much like the original Madonna song. It's difficult to listen to this song without clapping along. Guest star Jonathan Groff makes for a strong duet with Lea Michele (both of whom starred together on Broadway in Spring Awakening).

4. Dream On - There are moments on the show, usually involving Matthew Morrison, which make me cringe (see: "I Wanna Sex You Up," "Gold Digger"). However, this showcases his voice quite well. Guest star Neil Patrick Harris' voices complements Matt's in such a way that it creates an insanely powerful performance. Even though their characters were competing against one another, their competition yielded this great song. Next to Josh Groban, he's the guest star that I'd love to see return the most next year. Also, Danny Gokey: THIS is how you perform that falsetto.

3. To Sir, With Love - This was probably my favorite performance from last night. While it's certainly a love song, and probably not the most appropriate song for students to sing to their teacher (much like Lea and Idina's "Poker Face" duet, which I also enjoyed), it still seamlessly fit in with last night's show. The "with love" was not sung with a romantic connotation, but rather it perfectly expresses the admiration the club has for its leader. It's sickly saccharine, but that's why it works.

2. Bad Romance - I rather enjoyed this performance because it allowed for a lot of voices to be heard. It sounded so much like the original, yet, it didn't feel like some sort of K-Tel version of the song, either. It wasn't as weird as Gaga's version, rather, it worked to showcase the catchy nature of the song.

1. Don't Stop Believin' - The original song that made America fall in love with the show. I despise Journey with a burning passion, and this song makes me cringe 99% of the time. However, there is something about this version, with its epic buildup and powerful performance from Lea, it's rather irresistible. Anything that makes me put aside said Journey hatred much be good. I enjoyed last night's version with more of the club getting solo moments, which I loved, but I still have to say that the original is the best.

(Also, for the record, "Poker Face," "Somebody To Love" and "Alone" were all tough to cut out of my top 5).

Agree or disagree? As I said, I've missed a number of episodes, and while I've made efforts to listen to songs from said episodes, I may have missed some other good performances. So, I'd love to hear others' picks for their favorites this season.