The Emmys: Best Comedy, a new generation

When you are on a roll in the Emmy's "outstanding comedy" category, you are really on a roll. "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" dominated the '70s, "Cheers" the '80s, "Frasier" the '90s and "30 Rock" the '00s.

So it's reasonable to ask this: Who is about to start rolling in this decade?

Check your list of best comedy nominees and you may see a generational shift under way. "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "The Office" and "30 Rock" are all here, of course, and should be. They are smart, ironic, self-aware and dismissive (to varying degrees) of traditional TV comedy. Even if their combined audiences barely match that of such single-camera stalwarts as "Two and a Half Men," the industry rightfully considered them standards of excellence during the past decade, as dozens of nominations attested.

"Nurse Jackie"? The anomaly of the bunch - something so caustic and brittle that it could almost pass for a half-hour drama at times.

That leaves newcomers "Glee" and "Modern Family." Chin-stroking pundits and Hollywood executives have decided they are your new type of comedy - beguiling variations on old forms of TV for audiences that have wearied of irony.

Or maybe it's much simpler than that: They are just really good shows.

Nevertheless, a generational shift is under way and that is why this is the most intriguing category Sunday.

To the envelopes.

THE SHOWS

"30 Rock," NBC - Momentum is a potent force in this category, but nowhere is it written that a show has to win four times in a row (even if "Frasier" won five straight).

"Curb Your Enthusiasm," HBO - The academy has rediscovered "Curb" after a year of neglect. The "Seinfeld" reunion arc makes it a potent force, and - yes - a possible surprise winner, too.

"Glee," Fox - That Golden Globe win was no fluke. Everyone seems to think this is the winner Sunday night.

"Modern Family," ABC - How many more ways can this newcomer be praised? "Family" has expertly bridged edgy '90s standard-bearers with the traditional family sitcom.

"Nurse Jackie," Showtime - A long shot, and not due to quality. It's just overshadowed in a very hot field.

"The Office," NBC - The Pam-and-Jim-get-hitched sixth season was brilliant, while the March two-parter, "The Delivery," was a work of a genius.