'Walking Dead,' 'Big C,' 'Boardwalk' Score Globes Noms; Broadcast Freshmen Snubbed

Scott Garfield/TWD Productions

Cable newcomers The Walking Dead, The Big C and Boardwalk Empire invaded the Hollywood Foreign Press' nominations for the 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards Tuesday morning while freshman shows on the broadcast networks were almost entirely absent.

In a clear critique of the fall season, AMC's zombie drama gobbled a best drama nod after only six episodes airing late in the year, and was joined by series noms for HBO's prohibition drama and Showtime's cancer comedy. Yet the entire crop of new broadcast shows were left in the cold (except for a lone supporting actor nod for Scott Caan's performance in CBS' Hawaii Five-0). 

The Dead and Boardwalk will face Showtime's Dexter for best drama (which also picked up a supporting nom for Julia Stiles), along with CBS' The Good Wife and AMC's formidable three-time winner Mad Men. HBO's True Blood and Big Love were shut out of the series category this round, and so was the final season of ABC's Lost. Though Walking Dead shambled into the top Globes category in its class, the drama was unique in the category as it didn't also rack up any acting honors.

The Big C will go up against Fox's Glee and ABC's Modern Family -- restaging their Emmy battle -- as well as Showtime's Nurse Jackie, NBC's 30 Rock and CBS' The Big Bang Theory.

If this is starting to sound like a strong showing for Showtime, you're right. The premium network has a record eight nominations. HBO, as usual, has more -- 12 -- but many of Showtime's nominations are for the major categories while HBO is largely dominating the movies and minis. CBS and Fox tie for the broadcast lead with six each, AMC has five, NBC and Starz have three each. PBS and Sundance scored two. BBC America, FX, Lifetime, TNT and USA each have one nomination.Last year's best comedy winner Glee topped the list among series with five nominations.

In the acting categories, its deja vu all over again, with many familiar names.

Boardwalk's Steve Buscemi crashes the club of drama actors, which includes Breaking Bad's Emmy favorite Bryan Cranston, and Dexter's Michael C. Hall, Mad Men's Jon Hamm and House's Hugh Laurie. Off this year: Simon Baker and Bill Paxton.

On the actress side, Covert Affair's Piper Perabo is a left-field surprise nominee, with Sons of Anarachy's oft-snubbed Katey Sagal also joining group which includes Good Wife Julianna Margulies, Closer's Kyra Sedgwick and Man Men's Elisabeth Moss (who swaps in for January Jones this year).

Comedy actress reads like a Showtime office party: There's United States of Tara's Toni Collette, Nurse Jackie's Edie Falco and The Big C's Laura Linney along with Glee's Lea Michele and 30 Rock's Tina Fey.

Hung's Thomas Jane is turning a lot of heads this morning for getting nominated along with 30 Rock's Alec Baldwin, The Office's Steve Carell, Glee's Matthew Morrison and Big Bang's Jim Parsons in the comedy actor category. Usual awards favorites Jeremy Piven and Neil Patrick Harris didn't make the cut this time.

The Golden Globes awards ceremony will air on Jan. 16.

FULL NOMINEE REACTIONS HERE.

FULL NOMINATION LIST HERE.