A happy ending?

LAST year, the Emmys were knocked (and mocked) for recognizing a slew of programs that were off the air already. That won’t be a problem this time around. Nine of the 10 programs nominated in the two most coveted areas of the 59th annual Emmy awards -- outstanding comedy and dramatic series -- were younger shows considered to be in their creative primes. That included three vibrant newcomers -- NBC’s drama “Heroes” and comedy “30 Rock,” and ABC’s comedy “Ugly Betty.”

But the notable exception, HBO’s groundbreaking series “The Sopranos,” which ended last month, is still likely to steal the show on Sept. 16. “The Sopranos,” often regarded as one of the best series ever on television, took in 15 nominations, helping power HBO to the top of the Emmys heap with 86 total nominations.

“It’s going to be a coronation of ‘The Sopranos,’ it’s a great show,” said Katie Jacobs, a show-runner for Fox’s “House.” The medical procedural got four nominations this year, including for outstanding drama series.

Among the networks, ABC, buoyed by multiple nods in major categories for “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Boston Legal,” ranked first with 70 total nominations. NBC was on its heels with 69.

“It’s always hard to choose between your babies, but both those shows deserve what they got,” said ABC Entertainment President Stephen McPherson.

He was disappointed but not surprised by the absence of onetime Emmy favorites “Lost” and “Desperate Housewives” from the best series categories. “It doesn’t do any good to bitch about what you didn’t get, but it’s clear the academy has a bias against those shows. But we’ll enjoy the ones we got. I know it’s impossible to recognize everybody.”

Despite the extraordinary critical acclaim for “The Sopranos,” the series has claimed only one Emmy for outstanding dramatic series, which came in 2004. And last year, James Gandolfini as mob boss Tony Soprano and Edie Falco as his wife were shut out of the dramatic acting categories.

“ ‘Sopranos’ is a show that we’re super-proud of, that had the highest kind of craftsmanship,” said Carolyn Strauss, president of HBO Entertainment. The network was “really, really happy,” she said, with the recognition bestowed upon it.

One of its nominations this year came thanks to the writing behind one of the most controversial episodes in television history -- the “Made in America” series finale in which Tony Soprano’s fate is unclear.

The show’s departure truly marks the end of an era for HBO, and it remains to be seen whether any of its new series can come close to filling the void.

“It’s not necessarily about drawing mass audience, that kind of big, broad ‘Sopranos’ audience,” Strauss said. “It’s about drawing different audiences over the breadth of the schedule.”

The comedy scene appears much more wide open. Last year’s winner, “The Office,” is back again for outstanding comedy and is joined by network cousin and critical darling “30 Rock.”

“I’m psyched for our Thursday night comedy lineup,” said Ben Silverman, the newly appointed co-chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. “I think the race is going to come down to the wire, and that’s part of the fun, there’s always a surprise.”

Tina Fey’s best actress nomination was redemptive -- her skills as a thespian were called into question in the early days of “30 Rock,” most notably by Washington Post TV critic Tom Shales. But despite the acknowledgment, the comedian liked her chances to remain in her seat during the awards ceremony.

“I think it’s actually going to be a really relaxing evening in that way, because I do not have a chance in hell in winning,” Fey said Thursday. “So I can just relax in that category and try to find a nice dress.”

HBO’s popular take on Hollywood posturing, “Entourage,” received its first nomination ever for best comedy.

“We’re a dark horse,” said Doug Ellin, the show’s creator. “If we were to win, it would be fantastic, but I’m not expecting it. I’m a big fan of ‘The Office.’ Whatever, it’s nice to be in the group.”

HBO once again dominated in the made-for-television movie category. It scored 17 nominations for “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee” -- the most in that category since 1976’s “Eleanor and Franklin.”

The dramatic adaptation of Dee Brown’s heart-wrenching book about the annihilation of Native American culture drew mixed reviews when it premiered in May. But the sting of any lukewarm press faded Thursday for the movie’s executive producer, Dick Wolf.

“It wasn’t a bad way to wake up,” he said. “We felt the show was good, but anybody who would have said we were going to get 17 nominations would have been out of their minds.”

Meanwhile, “ER,” the long-running medical ensemble drama, picked up three nominations, giving it 120 total overall -- eclipsing “Cheers” for the most nominations in Emmy history. The NBC show is entering its 14th -- and what may well be its last -- season.

martin.miller@latimes.com

Times staff writers Chris Lee and Matea Gold contributed to this report.

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

And the nominees are...

PROGRAMS

Comedy series

“Entourage,” HBO; “The Office,” NBC; “30 Rock,” NBC; “Two and a Half Men,” CBS; “Ugly Betty,” ABC

Drama series

“Boston Legal,” ABC; “Grey’s Anatomy,” ABC; “Heroes,” NBC; “House,” Fox; “The Sopranos,” HBO

Miniseries

“Broken Trail,” AMC; “Prime Suspect: The Final Act,” PBS; “The Starter Wife,” USA

Movie

“Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee,” HBO; “Inside the Twin Towers,” Discovery Channel; “Longford,” HBO; “The Ron Clark Story,” TNT; “Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy,” Lifetime

Variety, music or comedy series

“The Colbert Report,” Comedy Central; “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” Comedy Central; “Late Night With Conan O’Brien,” NBC; “Late Show With David Letterman,” CBS; “Real Time With Bill Maher,” HBO

Variety, music or comedy special

“The Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner,” Comedy Central; “The Kennedy Center Honors: A National Celebration of the Performing Arts,” CBS; “Lewis Black: Red, White & Screwed,” HBO; “Tony Bennett: An American Classic,” NBC; “Great Performances: A Tribute to James Taylor,” PBS; “Wanda Sykes: Sick and Tired,” HBO

Reality program

“Antiques Roadshow,” PBS; “The Dog Whisperer,” National Geographic Channel; “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” ABC; “Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List,” Bravo; “Penn & Teller,” Showtime

Outstanding reality-competition program

“The Amazing Race,” CBS; “American Idol,” Fox; “Dancing With the Stars,” ABC; “Project Runway,” Bravo; “Top Chef,” Bravo

ACTING

Lead actor in a comedy series

Ricky Gervais, “Extras,” HBO; Tony Shalhoub, “Monk,” USA; Steve Carell, “The Office,” NBC; Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock,” NBC; Charlie Sheen, “Two and a Half Men,” CBS

Lead actor in a drama series

James Spader, “Boston Legal,” ABC; Hugh Laurie, “House,” Fox; Denis Leary, “Rescue Me,” FX; James Gandolfini, “The Sopranos,” HBO; Kiefer Sutherland, “24,” Fox

Lead actor in a miniseries or a movie

Robert Duvall, “Broken Trail,” AMC; Tom Selleck, “Jesse Stone: Sea Change,” CBS; Jim Broadbent, “Longford,” HBO; William H. Macy, “Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King (Umney’s Last Case),” TNT; Matthew Perry, “The Ron Clark Story,” TNT

Lead actress in a comedy series

Felicity Huffman, “Desperate Housewives,” ABC; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” CBS; Tina Fey, “30 Rock,” NBC; America Ferrera, “Ugly Betty,” ABC; Mary-Louise Parker, “Weeds,” Showtime

Lead actress in a drama series

Sally Field, “Brothers & Sisters,” ABC; Kyra Sedgwick, “The Closer,” TNT; Mariska Hargitay, “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” NBC; Patricia Arquette, “Medium,” NBC; Minnie Driver, “The Riches,” FX; Edie Falco, “The Sopranos,” HBO

Lead actress in a miniseries or a movie

Queen Latifah, “Life Support,” HBO; Helen Mirren, “Prime Suspect: The Final Act,” PBS; Mary-Louise Parker, “The Robber Bride,” Oxygen; Debra Messing, “The Starter Wife,” USA; Gena Rowlands, “What If God Were the Sun,” Lifetime

Supporting actor in a comedy series

Kevin Dillon, “Entourage,” HBO; Jeremy Piven, “Entourage,” HBO; Neil Patrick Harris, “How I Met Your Mother,” CBS; Rainn Wilson, “The Office,” NBC; Jon Cryer, “Two and a Half Men,” CBS

Supporting actor in a drama series

William Shatner, “Boston Legal,” ABC; T.R. Knight, “Grey’s Anatomy,” ABC; Masi Oka, “Heroes,” NBC; Michael Emerson, “Lost,” ABC; Terry O’Quinn, “Lost,” ABC; Michael Imperioli, “The Sopranos,” HBO

Supporting actor in a miniseries or a movie

Thomas Haden Church, “Broken Trail,” AMC; August Schellenberg, “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee,” HBO; Aidan Quinn, “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee,” HBO; Edward Asner, “The Christmas Card,” Hallmark; Joe Mantegna, “The Starter Wife,” USA

Supporting actress in a comedy series

Jaime Pressly, “My Name Is Earl,” NBC; Jenna Fischer, “The Office,” NBC; Holland Taylor, “Two and a Half Men,” CBS; Conchata Ferrell, “Two and a Half Men,” CBS; Vanessa Williams, “Ugly Betty,” ABC; Elizabeth Perkins, “Weeds,” Showtime

Supporting actress in a drama series

Rachel Griffiths, “Brothers & Sisters,” ABC; Katherine Heigl, “Grey’s Anatomy,” ABC; Chandra Wilson, “Grey’s Anatomy,” ABC; Sandra Oh, “Grey’s Anatomy,” ABC; Aida Turturro, “The Sopranos,” HBO; Lorriane Bracco, “The Sopranos,” HBO

Supporting actress in a miniseries or a movie

Greta Scacchi, “Broken Trail,” AMC; Anna Paquin, “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee,” HBO; Samantha Morton, “Longford,” HBO; Judy Davis, “The Starter Wife,” USA; Toni Collette, “Tsunami, the Aftermath,” HBO

WRITING

Comedy series

Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, “Extras,” HBO; Greg Daniels, “The Office (Gay Witch Hunt),” NBC; Michael Schur, “The Office (The Negotiation),” NBC; Tina Fey, “30 Rock (Tracy Does Conan),” NBC; Robert Carlock, “The Office (Jack-Tor),” NBC.

Drama series

Ronald D. Moore, “Battlestar Galactica (Occupation/Precipice),” Sci Fi Channel; Damon Lindelof, Carlton Cuse, “Lost (Through the Looking Glass),” ABC; Matthew Weiner, David Chase, “The Sopranos (Kennedy and Heidi),” HBO; Terence Winter, “The Sopranos (The Second Coming),” HBO; David Chase, “The Sopranos (Made in America),” HBO

Variety, music or comedy program

Stephen Colbert, Allison Silverman, Richard Dahm, Michael Brumm, Rob Dubbin, Eric Drysdale, Peter Gwinn, Jay Katsir, Laura Krafft, Frank Lesser, “The Colbert Report,” Comedy Central; Rachel Axler, Kevin Bleyer, Rich Blomquist, Steve Bodow, Tim Carvell, J.R. Havlan, Scott Jacobson, David Javerbaum, Ben Karlin, Rob Kutner, Josh Lieb, Sam Means, Jason Reich, Jason Ross, Jon Stewart, “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” Comedy Central; Mike Sweeney, Chris Albers, Jose Arroyo, Dan Cronin, Kevin Dorff, Daniel J. Goor, Michael Gordon, Berkley Johnson, Brian Kiley, Michael Koman, Tim Harrod, Brian McCann, Guy Nicolucci, Conan O’Brien, Brian Stack, Andrew Weinberg, “Late Night With Conan O’Brien,” NBC; Eric Stangel, Justin Stangel, Michael Barrie, Jim Mulholland, Steve Young, Tom Ruprecht, Lee Ellenberg, Matt Roberts, Jeremy Weiner, Joe Grossman, Meredith Scardino, Bill Scheft, Aaron Blitzstein, Bob Borden, Frank Sebastiano, David Letterman, “Late Show With David Letterman,” CBS; David Feldman, Matt Gunn, Brian Jacobsmeyer, Jay Jaroch, Chris Kelly, Bill Maher, Billy Martin, Jonathan Schmock, Danny Vermont, Scott Carter, “Real Time With Bill Maher,” HBO

Miniseries, movie or a dramatic special

Alan Geoffrion, “Broken Trail,” AMC; Daniel Giat, “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee,” HBO; Sandy Welch, “Masterpiece Theatre, Jane Eyre (Parts 1 & 2),” PBS; Frank Deasy, “Prime Suspect: The Final Act,” PBS; Josann McGibbon, Sara Parriott, “The Starter Wife,” USA

Nonfiction programming

James Sanders, Ric Burns, “Andy Warhol: A Documentary Film,” PBS; Penn Jillette, Teller, Sheryl Zohn, Jon Hotchkiss, Michael Goudeau, Star Price, Cliff Schoenberg, David Weiss, “Penn & Teller (Wal-Mart),” Showtime; Gary Parker, “Planet Earth (Mountains),” Discovery Channel; Steven Smith, David Comtois, Kevin Burns, “Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed,” the History Channel; Nancy Updike, “This American Life (God’s Close-Up),” Showtime

ON THE WEB

For the complete list of nominees, go to TheEnvelope.com.