NETWORK REPORT

 

ABC

America Ferrera (“Ugly Betty”) is Emmy’s top ingenue. Past faves in new shows (“Brothers & Sisters”) and old (“Desperate Housewives,” “Boston Legal”) plot a comeback. Other hopefuls: “Lost,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Men in Trees.” “Path to 9/11” is major mini contender.

 

NBC

New Emmy gold-diggers: Alec Baldwin (“30 Rock”) and those “Heroes” and “Friday Night Lights” champs. The network triumphed last year with Mariska Hargitay (“Law & Order: SVU”). Overdue: stars of “Scrubs,” “The Office” and “My Name Is Earl.” Other rivals: “ER,” “Medium” and “Law & Order.”

 

CBS

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (“The New Adventures of Old Christine”) was a winner last year. James Woods could be a real Emmy “Shark” now. Network seeks notice for “The King of Queens,” “Without a Trace,” “CSI,” “The Unit” and “How I Met Your Mother.”

 

Fox

Last year’s drama-actor winner Kiefer Sutherland (“24”) faces in-house competition from “House” star Hugh Laurie.

 

PBS

Helen Mirren’s “Prime Suspect 7” vs. another “Masterpiece Theatre” star: Ruth Wilson (“Jane Eyre”).

 

TNT

Big-name stars in series (Kyra Sedgwick, “The Closer”), minis (William Hurt and William H. Macy in “Nightmares & Dreamscapes”) and movies (Matthew Perry in “The Ron Clark Story”).

 

USA

Tony Shalhoub (“Monk”) should investigate his near-invincibility: He’s won for three of four Emmy nominations.

 

FX

“The Shield” (Michael Chiklis) and “Rescue Me” (Denis Leary) have proven to be worthy of Emmy noms in the past. Now new hopes for “The Riches” (Eddie Izzard, Minnie Driver).

 

HBO

Lots of acting bids possible from series “The Sopranos,” “Entourage,” “Deadwood” and “Extras,” plus long forms “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee,” “Longford,” “Life Support,” “Angel Rodriguez” and “Tsunami: The Aftermath.”

 

Showtime

Many acting turns in “The Tudors,” “Dexter,” “Weeds,” “Sleeper Cell” and “Brotherhood.”

 

AMC

“Broken Trail” cowboys Robert Duvall and Thomas Haden Church could lasso Emmy bids.

 

CW

Will voters finally prove that they don’t hate the stars of “Everybody Hates Chris,” “Gilmore Girls” and “Veronica Mars”?

 

Lifetime

Four leading ladies in telefilms: “Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy” (Sarah Chalke), “A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story” (Mercedes Ruehl), “What If God Were the Sun?” (Gena Rowlands) and “The Mermaid Chair” (Kim Basinger).

Sci Fi

Network execs are starry-eyed about Emmy hopes for “Battlestar Galactica” (series) and “The Lost Room” (mini).

BBC America

“The State Within” may rule over some in the mini races.

– Tom O’Neil