An embarrassment of on-screen riches but so little Emmy gold

Well, it's a good thing I'm not in charge of the Emmys. If I were, this year's telecast would probably be five hours long (and then I'd review it and kvetch about how boring it was). But how could it not be long? In dramas alone there were just so many great performances this season that I feel like the nominee list should be doubled, a few special awards thrown in and an explanation given for why the winners were chosen.

Otherwise, how are we supposed to make sense of a winner who emerges from choices as diversely terrific as "Big Love," "Gossip Girl," "The Shield," "In Treatment," "Lost," "Rescue Me," "Damages," "Mad Men," "Boston Legal," "Battlestar Galactica," "Breaking Bad" and "House"? Seriously, how do you pick a best show from a list like that? Each and every one is an outstanding drama in its own right, and most have specific reasons to win this year: best season ever on curiously overlooked "Big Love"; bang-up finale of "The Shield," "Battlestar" and "Boston Legal"; remarkably great second seasons of "Damages" and "Mad Men"; while "Lost" and "House" continue to come back from a variety of brinks.

Even harder, how to choose a top actor and actress, since many of these shows have more than their fair share of talent? "Big Love" alone could pretty much fill the lead actress category: Chloe Sevigny had a remarkable season as the damaged, compound-raised Nicki, but Jeanne Tripplehorn keeps the show miraculously anchored in reality with her Everywoman turned sister-wife Barb. Alison Pill, Hope Davis and, of course, Dianne Wiest (who won supporting actress last year) were all superb on "In Treatment"; "Mad Men" has January Jones and Elisabeth Moss, while Glenn Close, who won last year, rocked "Damages."

It seems impossible that Katee Sackhoff will remain Emmyless after creating the remarkable Starbuck in "Battlestar," and I don't care what anyone says, the women of "Lost" were great this year, particularly Evangeline Lilly as Kate and Elizabeth Mitchell as Juliet. Oh, and Blake Lively and Leighton Meester of "Gossip Girl" pulled off a high-wire act of high camp and acid commentary. Why shouldn't they be nominated? Meanwhile, Jill Scott of "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" was a radiant and unexpected gift to television.