Golden Globe Nominations: The Reaction

Awards season kicked into high gear this week with nominations for awards from the Broadcast Critics' Association and the Screen Actors Guild announced. But it was the nods announced for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's 69thannual Golden Globes that most awards-mongers salivate over, and in this case, baited breath quickly shifted to a yawn.

Why? Because this year's roster included pretty much every name that's been tossed around all year. Meryl Streep inThe Iron Lady? Check. Glenn Close asAlbert Nobbs? Check. Albert Brooks forDrive? Check. Two films that have most dominated awards conversation for months,The ArtistandThe Descendants,led the film nominees with six and five nominees, respectively. Summer sleepers likeBeginners,BridesmaidsandMidnight in Pariswere touted as likely year-end nominees, and all ended up on this list (Woody Allen being singled out with a Best Director nod forPariswas a bit of a surprise, though it makes sense, sinceVicky Cristina Barcelonawas an enormous hit with HFPA.)

But if you hadn't mounted a heavy campaign for yourself, you didn't have a shot here.The Help, which also earned a Best Picture ? Drama nod, received acting nominations for Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer as predicted. But writer-director Tate Taylor, who had not enjoyed any similar media blitz, went 0-2. Does this make sense? A movie this beloved didn't have superlative writing or direction?

Frequent cover guy Ryan Gosling earned dual nominations forThe Ides of MarchandCrazy, Stupid, Love.The George Clooney-directedMarchalso was nominated for Best Picture-Drama, Director, and Screenplay (a nomination bestowed on the triumvirate of Clooney, producing partner Grant Heslov, and Beau Willimon, who wrote the play on which it was based), despite very mixed reviews. I believe this takes Clooney's nomination tally this year to something like 18. Clooney and Gosling will face off against each other in the best Actor ? Drama race alongside two other majorHollywoodplayers, Leonardo DiCaprio (J. Edgar) and frontrunner Brad Pitt (Moneyball), and relative newcomer Michael Fassbender, who made quite an impression in Shame. Meanwhile, Fassbender'sA Dangerous Methodco-star, Viggo Mortensen, was the closest thing to a surprise this year with his Best Supporting Actor nod for that movie.

Meanwhile, save forArtisthelmer Michel Hazanavicius, the other Best Director nominees are all previous Globe winners: Allen, Clooney,Descendants' Alexander Payne andHugo's Martin Scorsese. (Best Picture ?Drama nomineeWar Horse's director Steven Spielberg is a notable absence.)

Some of the nominations felt like gerrymandering.My Week with Marilynwasn't a heavy film, but to group it in the comedy category feels false ? and yet it does seem to pave the way for a deserving Best Actress ? Comedy victory for Michelle Williams. And in the television category, Madeleine Stowe is more of a supporting than a lead player inRevenge. Conversely, Kelly McDonald emerged as a dominant protagonist this season onBoardwalk Empire;she should have been nominated as lead.

HFPA also displayed some awkward show loyalties. Thomas Jane continues to do great work onHung, which enjoyed its smartest season yet, but does past winner David Duchovny need another nod for playing hisCalifornicationlothario? Meanwhile, 30 Rock was nominated again, so voters were attuned to television that aired last spring. Yet there was no love for another past winner, Steve Carell, for his swan song onThe Office(nor in the film category forCrazy, Stupid, Love.) Also, yet another past winner, Jim Parsons, butBig Bang Theoryco-star Johnny Galecki did get another nomination.

The Globes continued their penchant for grabbing onto new shows, including no-brainer nods forBoss,Game of Thrones, andHomeland. Hit showNew Girlgot in, as many predicted. NominatingAmerican Horror Storyisn't a total surprise: Ryan murphy's other shows,GleeandNip/Tuck, both did amazingly well with HFPA from the get-go.Gleewas nominated again, though none of its cast got a nomination; also, only Eric Stonestreet and Sofia Vergara ofModern Familywere singled out.)I was most pleased to see that Enlightened got well-deserved love in the Best Comedy and Lead Actress category for Laura Dern. This may be the boost the low-rated show needs to get a second season pickup.

And for that, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, I thank you.

COMPLETE LIST OF NOMINATIONS COURTESY OFGOLDENGLOBES.ORG

Best Motion Picture-Drama The Descendants The Help Hugo The Ides of March Moneyball War Horse

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture-Drama Glenn Close-Albert Nobbs Viola Davis-The Help Rooney Mara-The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Meryl Streep-The Iron Lady Tilda Swinton-We Need To Talk About Kevin

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture-Drama George Clooney-The Descendants Leonardo DiCaprio-J. Edgar Michael Fassbender-Shame Ryan Gosling-The Ides of March Brad Pitt-Moneyball

Best Motion Picture-Comedy or Musical 50/50 The Artist Bridesmaids MidnightinParis My Week With Marilyn

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Pictue-Comedy or Musical Jodie Foster-Carnage Charlize Theron-Young Adult Kristen Wiig-Bridesmaids Michelle Williams-My Week With Marilyn Kate Winslet-Carnage

Best Perfomance by an Actor in a Motion Picture-Comedy or Musical Jean Dujardin-The Artist Brendan Gleeson-The Guard Joseph Gordon-Levitt-50/50 Ryan Gosling-Crazy, Stupid Love Owen Wilson-Midnight inParis

Best Animated Feature Film The Adventures of Tin Tin Arthur Christmas Cars 2 Puss in Boots Rango

Best Foreign Language Film The Flowers of War (China) In theLandofBloodand Honey (United States) The Kid With a Bike (Belgium) A Separation (Iran) The Skin I Live IN (Spain)

Best Performance by an Actressi n a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture Berenice Bejo-The Artist Jessica Chastain-The Help Janet McTeer-Albert Nobbs Octavia Spencer-The Help Shailene Woodley-The Descendants

Best Performance by an Actor In a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture Kenneth Branagh-My Week With Marilyn Albert Brooks-Drive Jonah Hill-Moneyball Viggo Mortensen-A Dangerous Method Christopher Plummer-Beginners

Best Director-Motion Picture Woody Allen-Midnight inParis George Clooney-The Ides of March Michel Hazanavicius-The Artist Alexander Payne-The Descendants Martin Scorcese-Hugo

Best Television Series-Drama American Horror Story Boardwalk Empire Boss Game Of Thrones Homeland

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series ? Drama Claire Danes ? Homeland Mireille Enos ? The Killing Julianna Margulies ? The Good Wife Madeleine Stowe ? Revenge Callie Thorne ? Necessary Roughness

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series ? Drama Steve Buscemi ? Boardwalk Empire Bryan Cranston ? Breaking Bad Kelsey Grammer ? Boss Jeremy Irons ? The Borgias Damian Lewis ? Homeland

Best Television Series - Comedy Or Musical Enlightened Episodes Glee Modern Family New Girl

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Comedy Or Musical Laura Dern ? Enlightened Zooey Deschanel ? New Girl Tina Fey ? 30 Rock Laura Linney ? The Big C Amy Poehler ?

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Comedy Or Musical Alec Baldwin ? 30 Rock David Duchovny ? Californication Johnny Galecki ? The Big Bang Theory Thomas Jane ? Hung Matt LeBlanc ? Episodes

Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made for Television Cinema Verite Downton Abbey The Hour Mildred Pierce Too Big To Fail

Best Performance by an Actress In A Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television Romola Garai ? The Hour Diane Lane? Cinema Verite Elizabeth McGovern ? Downton Abbey Emily Watson ? Appropriate Adult Kate Winslet ? Mildred Pierce

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Hugh Bonneville ? Downton Abbey Idris Elba ? Luther William Hurt ? Too Big To Fail Bill Nighy ? Page Eight Dominic West ? The Hour

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Jessica Lange ? American Horror Story Kelly MacDonald ? Boardwalk Empire Maggie Smith ? Downton Abbey Sofia Vergara ? Modern Family Evan Rachel Wood ? Mildred Pierce

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Peter Dinklage ? Game Of Thrones Paul Giamatti ? Too Big To Fail Guy Pearce ? Mildred Pierce Tim Robbins ? Cinema Verite Eric Stonestreet ? Modern Family