'Breaking Bad,' 'Friday Night Lights' Among TV Writers Guild Nominees

Direct TV

"Friday Night Lights"

Breaking Bad, 30 Rock and Modern Family were among the television nominees at this year's Writers Guild Awards.

HBO freshman series Boardwalk Empire snagged two noms, including writing for a drama, while critical favorite Friday Night Lights -- currently airing its final season on DirecTV -- was honored in the category as well. Cable fare Dexter, Mad Men and Breaking Bad round out the five nominees.

For comedy series writing, veteran NBC comedies 30 Rock and The Office will duke it out with Fox's Glee, Showtime's Nurse Jackie and ABC's Modern Family. Cable dominated the new series category, with Boardwalk Empire, FX's Justified, TNT's Men of a Certain Age, HBO's Treme and AMC's The Walking Dead all honored.

While Lost was not nominated in the top series writing category, Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse's series finale "The End" received recognition for episodic drama, along with two Breaking Bad hourlongs, a House episode and The Good Wife's "Boom." The episodic comedy category featured the usual suspects, with 30 Rock and Modern Family receiving multiple nominations.

HBO had a strong showing in the longform adaptation category, nabbing three of the four slots, for The Pacific and telefilm Temple Grandin. Funny guys Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart will compete against the Saturday Night Live writing team and Showtime's Penn & Teller: Bullshit! in comedy/variety writing.

The winners will be announced Feb. 5 at ceremonies in New York and Los Angeles.

(To view the television nominees for the Producers Guild Awards, click here.)

Check out the full list of television nominees here.