'Mad Men' leads with 19 Emmy nods

With the 63rd Annual Emmy nominations announced Thursday, the big night on Sept. 18 at the Nokia Theatre just got a little closer. But what does it all mean?

Who were the big winners Thursday? If simple math is the yardstick, then "Mad Men" (19 nominations), "Boardwalk Empire" (18), and "Modern Family" (17, with six -- six! -- supporting actor nods). The big winner in terms of numbers (21) was the HBO miniseries "Mildred Pierce," which was partially filmed on Long Island.

Will "Mad Men" four-peat? If yes, then it'll join a tiny club (that includes "L.A. Law" and "The West Wing") of other four-time drama winners. Given "Men's" remarkable track record, "yes" is a very good bet indeed. Nevertheless, "The Good Wife" and "Boardwalk Empire" are in an excellent position to upset, while "Dexter" has to win one of these years (doesn't it?).

The nice surprises? In a word (or two), actress/comedy nominee Melissa McCarthy of "Mike & Molly." She was probably on no one's list to be here. But here she is anyway, proving . . . well, proving that you shouldn't believe every list you read. Actor/comedy nominee Louis C.K. (FX's "Louie") managed to sneak in as well -- a small victory for acerbic New York comics wherever you are. Otherwise, this year's list of nominees shouldn't elicit too many howls of outrage from aggrieved armchair Emmy critics. Most of these nominees were expected and deserving.

Who was snubbed? The list of blatant omissions speaks for itself: Kyra Sedgwick ("The Closer"), Lea Michele ("Glee"), Neil Patrick Harris ("How I Met Your Mother"), John Noble ("Fringe") . . . and "Fringe," "The Walking Dead," "Community," "True Blood" and "Sons of Anarchy." But leading this year's honorary Sins of Emmy Omission list: HBO's "Treme," shut out on every major front.