Emmy semi-finalists announced

UPDATE: Emmy nominations announced; critic reactions; analysis

The Television Academy just announced the top 10 vote-getters for outstanding drama and comedy series:

Here they are, the 60th annual Primetime Emmy Awards semi-finalists:

Outstanding drama: "Boston Legal" (sigh), "Damages," "Dexter" (yay), "Friday Night Lights," "Grey’s Anatomy" (take that, Katherine Heigl), "House," "Lost" (very deserved), "Mad Men" (but of course), "The Tudors" and "The Wire" (but could it ever win?).

Outstanding comedy: "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Entourage" (really?), "Family Guy" (!!!), "Flight of the Conchords" (!!!!!), "The Office," "Pushing Daisies" (expected, but nonetheless nice to see),"30 Rock" (again: expected, but nonetheless nice to see), "Two and a Half Men," "Ugly Betty" (again: really?) and "Weeds."

But no: "How I Met Your Mother," "Battlestar Galactica," "Heroes," "Desperate Housewives," "Brothers & Sisters," "Scrubs" ...

First blush headline: "Family Guy" and "The Wire" might finally earn series nominations. "Family Guy" could break through the hard ceiling from outstanding animated program and into the all-grown-up outstanding comedy series category.

Second blush: Though Golden Globes was heavy on cable shows this year, the semi-finalists seem to have good mix of cable and broadcast picks.

The lists are the result of votes from the entire Television Academy voting. The next step are the "Blue Ribbon Panel" screenings. The results of the full membership vote and the Blue Ribbon screenings will each represent 50% of the vote to determine the five nominees, which will be announced July 17.