Lead Actor: Comedy
Can the Alec Baldwin magic continue?
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With this year's nom, the star of "Monk" has now been nommed seven years in a row, and he already has three statues on his mantel.
The category features three other veterans, including last year's winner, Alec Baldwin. And there's also two quirky newcomers -- Jemaine Clement from "Flight of the Conchords" and "The Big Bang Theory's" Jim Parsons -- whose nominations were hailed by fans and critics alike.
That doesn't mean they'll necessarily win. Baldwin found himself at the center of many of "30 Rock's" funniest stories this season, while fellow NBC nominee Steve Carell may have done his best work in year five of "The Office."
The other category perennial, Charlie Sheen, saw his show enjoy its highest ratings in its sixth season. "Two and a Half Men" may not get the ink that "30 Rock" enjoys, but Sheen and the show are clearly loved by a lot of people.
Meanwhile, "Big Bang Theory" is finding more viewers, too. The ensemble of geeks is uniformly strong, but Parsons' socially awkward nerd is the leader of the pack. He also just picked up the Television Critics Assn. Award.
The only thing that would have made Clement's nomination better would be if he'd been paired with partner Bret McKenzie. The boys have come a long way from being New Zealand's fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo a capella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo. Hopefully, success won't spoil them.
ALEC BALDWIN
Show: "30 Rock"
Emmy pedigree: One win plus six other noms
Best scene: Hard to choose between Jack finally meeting his biological father or his sobering encounter with Adam West at his self-planned 50th birthday party.
Why he might win: His Emmy-winning show is sitting atop a mountain of noms, and Baldwin's character is king of that hilltop.
Maybe not: He won last year, and it could be tough to repeat in a strong category.
STEVE CARELL
Show: "The Office"
Emmy pedigree: Three noms
Best scene: After he has been let go (for obvious reasons), Michael crawls around Dunder Mifflin, trying to convince his now former co-workers to join the Michael Scott Paper Co.
Why he might win: The series remains a solid comedy fix, and recognition for Carell -- the show's center square -- is long overdue.
Maybe not: He's been overdue since the series began in 2005, but that hasn't meant much yet.
JEMAINE CLEMENT
Show: "Flight of the Conchords"
Emmy pedigree: First nom
Best scene: Clement gets a memorable look on his face when an Art Garfunkel-obsessed groupie tells him to go home and returned dressed as Garfunkel.
Why he might win: Offbeat nomination a favorite with critics.
Maybe not: Critics don't vote for Emmys. The TV Acad usually doesn't reward the offbeat.
JIM PARSONS
Show: "The Big Bang Theory"
Emmy pedigree: First nom
Best scene: Sheldon gets weak in the knees when he opens Penny's "obligatory" Christmas gift -- a napkin autographed by Leonard Nimoy that still contains the actor's DNA.
Why he might win: It would be hard to choose another comedy actor who received more good will this year than Parsons, who has helped "Big Bang" become a bona fide hit for CBS.
Maybe not: He's a relative newcomer up against a slew of veterans.
TONY SHALHOUB
Show: "Monk"
Emmy pedigree: Three wins plus three other noms
Best scene: Monk makes with the smoke signals after he discovers that handyman "Honest Jake" doesn't exactly live up to his name.
Why he might win: He has kept Monk's compulsions compelling long after they could have grown stale.
Maybe not: If Shalhoub returns to the awards stage, it would more likely be for the show's sendoff season, which began last week.
CHARLIE SHEEN
Show: "Two and a Half Men"
Emmy pedigree: Three noms
Best scene: Charlie's good intentions/bad-results apology to Chelsea after she finds pictures of naked women on his cell phone.
Why he might win: After six seasons, his show has more viewers than ever, finishing in the top 10 for the first time.
Maybe not: He's not a huge critical favorite in a category dominated by actors who are.
