Emmys 2011: Analyzing the Best Drama Series Race — Including Our 6 Dream Nominees

Emmys

This category might as well be called Outstanding cable Drama Series. Between the strong contenders on HBO (Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones), AMC (Mad Men, The Killing, The Walking Dead) and FX (Justified, Sons of Anarchy), the broadcast networks will be lucky if they get one show in the running. If they do, that show will likely be the best of the bunch, CBS’ The Good Wife.

REVIEW CONTENDERS & VOTE

Shameless Finale Earns Record Ratings

No shame here: The first season of Showtime’s already-renewed Shameless wrapped Sunday with a record 1.16 million viewers. …READ MORE

Shameless and Episodes Earn Second Seasons

You can count on spending more time with the Gallagher family and “Matt LeBlanc,” now that Showtime has renewed both Shameless and Episodes for second seasons. READ MORE

TVLine Items: NBC Cuts Chase, Castle Soaps Up, and Other TV News to Know

And Kelli Giddish fans live to mourn another day….

NBC has officially pulled Chase from its lineup after weeks up plummeting ratings, most recently in its new Wednesdays-at-9 time slot. (A solid Minute to Win It lead-in couldn’t even boost their numbers.) But at least Chase isn’t alone …

TVLine Items: Shameless Amy Smart, Snubbed Betty White, and Other TV News to Know

Showtime’s already engaging Shameless just inched up even higher on my must-watch list with the addition of Amy Smart.

An alum of such TV shows as Smith and Felicity, Smart will play Jasmine, a neighborhood pal of Fiona’s who “is a little bit pushy and sexy,” AOL TV reports. Smart will first surface in the final two episodes of the series’ freshman season. Yeah, you heard me, boys: Emmy Rossum and Amy Smart. And I thought my Twitter wallpaper was nice.

What else is transpiring in TV land? Well…. READ MORE

Emmy Rossum Opens Up About Shameless, 'Wild Child' Nudity

This Sunday at 10/9c, Showtime gets Shameless with a new series starring William H. Macy (Fargo) as the alcoholic patriarch of a sprawling, dirt-poor family. With Dad forever three sheets to the wind and Mom long gone, it’s up to eldest offspring Fiona, played by Emmy Rossum (Mystic River), to keep the brood of six afloat. But as you’ve seen in promos, Fiona’s not shy about offsetting the business of running a household with a bit of pleasure.

Rossum – whose name fittingly rhymes with “awesome” – spoke with TVLine about playing this Shameless “wild child” and why she was willing to bare (almost) all for the role. READ MORE

Team TVLine: What Excites Us About 2011!

Emmys

One of the best things about launching TVLine.com when we did (the site did go live, right?) is that it came on the cusp of much fresh fare hitting the airwaves. This month alone, you’ve got 14 TV series making their debuts, while a slew of returning favorites (Parks and Recreation included) are set to uncork new seasons. And the other 11 months of the year promise to deliver even more TV treats.

With that in mind — and to help you get to know the TVLine staff even better — here are the TV events that have each of us excited for 2011. In Comments, tell us what you are looking forward to! READ MORE