True Detective, Breaking Bad Lead TCA Nominations

LOS ANGELES: The Television Critics Association (TCA) has unveiled the nominees for the 30th annual TCA Awards, led by Breaking Bad and newcomer True Detective.

By network, CBS leads the way with nine nominations; HBO has eight; FX holds seven; and Fox finishes with six.

In the category for individual achievement in comedy, 2013 winner Louis C.K. (Louie) faces off with Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep), Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) and Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation). For individual achievement in drama, Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black), who won last year, is up against Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife), Matthew McConaughey (True Detective) and Matthew Rhys (The Americans).

The nominated reality programs this year are The Amazing Race, RuPaul's Drag Race, Survivor, The Voice and Shark Tank, which was last year's winner in the category. The youth programs nominated are Adventure Time, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, The Fosters, Sesame Street and Switched at Birth.

Netflix's Orange Is the New Black is among the nominees for outstanding new program. The series squares off with Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Fargo, Sleepy Hollow and True Detective.

Those nominated for outstanding achievement in movies, miniseries and specials are American Horror Story: Coven, Broadchurch, Fargo, The Returned and True Detective. Up for outstanding achievement in drama are The Americans, Breaking Bad, House of Cards, The Good Wife and last year's winner, Game of Thrones. In comedy, The Big Bang Theory—which in 2013 tied for the win with Parks and Recreation—is nominated alongside Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Louie, The Mindy Project and Veep.

Breaking Bad, which was the 2013 winner of program of the year, is nominated again in the category. This year, the show is up against Game of Thrones, The Good Wife, Orange Is the New Black and True Detective.

The TCA will also bestow a Career Achievement Award on an individual who has influenced television through his/her work on the small screen. The nominees are Mark Burnett, James Burrows, Valerie Harper, Jay Leno and William Shatner. The Heritage Award is presented to a long-standing program that has had a major social or cultural impact. This year, the TCA members have nominated Lost, Saturday Night Live, South Park, Star Trek and Twin Peaks.

The TCA Awards will be presented on July 19.

“These nominations are generated by the TCA membership, and choosing the best in television is not an easy task,” said Scott D. Pierce, TCA's president. “Not because good television is hard to find, but because there are so many deserving shows from which to choose.

“Now TCA members face another difficult decision when they vote for the winners in each category. These awards are voted on by the critics who know what television has to offer, and we’ll learn what our membership has chosen as the best of the best when the winners are announced on July 19.”