'Sopranos' picks up 15 Emmy nominations

(CNN) -- Bada bing, indeed.

"The Sopranos," the much-hailed HBO series that concluded its run in June, received 15 Emmy nominations Thursday to lead all series for the television awards.

The final episode ended with a sudden cut to black that deliberately left viewers in the dark -- and more than a few upset -- regarding the fate of its lead character, mob boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), who had been buffeted by waves of trouble throughout the series' seven-season run.

Five "Sopranos" regulars were nominated for acting honors, including Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Aida Turturro, Lorraine Bracco and Michael Imperioli. The show also was nominated for best drama, an award it won in 2004.

Emmy was even more generous to the HBO movie "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee," which received 17 nods to lead all programs. Watch Kyra Sedgwick and Jon Cryer announce the nominations »

But the awards did have its snubs, some of them surprising.

"Lost," which won best drama two years ago, was left out of that category entirely, as was last year's winner, "24." "Friday Night Lights," a critics' favorite that has suffered from low ratings, received two minor nominations. And "The Wire," which has been hailed by some as even better than "The Sopranos," received zero recognition from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

For best drama, "The Sopranos" will be competing against "Grey's Anatomy," "Boston Legal," "House" and "Heroes." "Grey's Anatomy" had 10 nominations, including four for its regular actors and two for guest stars.

One of the "Grey's" nods went to T.R. Knight, who was caught in controversy last year when co-star Isaiah Washington made an anti-gay slur, allegedly directed at Knight. Washington was let go from the show at the end of the season.

Though last year's winner, "24," didn't get a best drama nod, its star, Kiefer Sutherland, is up for best actor in a drama. He and Gandolfini compete against Hugh Laurie ("House"), Denis Leary ("Rescue Me") and James Spader ("Boston Legal").

Best actress in a drama nominees are Falco, Patricia Arquette ("Medium"), Minnie Driver ("The Riches"), Sally Field ("Brothers & Sisters"), Sedgwick ("The Closer") and Mariska Hargitay ("Law & Order: Special Victims Unit").

On the comedy side, "Ugly Betty" topped nominees with 11 nods, including best comedy and a pick for star America Ferrera. The show will go against "Entourage," "30 Rock," "Two and a Half Men" and last year's winner, "The Office."

"Entourage" creator Doug Ellin was pleased with his show's recognition, since the show often pokes fun at Hollywood itself.

"It may seem sometimes like we're making fun of Hollywood, but really we're just trying to take a comedic look at how things are done here, because this is how it really is for people sometimes," Ellin told The Associated Press.

Ferrera's competition includes Felicity Huffman ("Desperate Housewives"), Tina Fey ("30 Rock"), Mary-Louise Parker ("Weeds") and Julia Louis-Dreyfus ("The New Adventures of Old Christine").

Best actor in a comedy nominees are Tony Shalhoub ("Monk"), Ricky Gervais ("Extras"), Steve Carell ("The Office"), Charlie Sheen ("Two and a Half Men") and Alec Baldwin ("30 Rock").

"Dancing With the Stars" earned eight nominations, the most among reality shows. "American Idol" received seven.

"Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" was adapted from Dee Brown's 1970 best-seller about the Sioux nation and its massacre in 1890 at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota.

Executive producer Dick Wolf, better known for his "Law & Order" shows, told the AP that he couldn't have been more pleased with the recognition.

"Anybody who says it's not nice or it doesn't mean anything to get this many nominations, it's the ultimate sour grapes because it sure feels great," he said.

HBO received the most nominations of any network, with 86 bids. ABC earned the most among the commercial broadcast networks with 70, one more than NBC's 69.

The 59th annual Primetime Emmy Awards are scheduled for September 16 from Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium. The show will air on Fox. E-mail to a friend

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