WGA Awards TV: Netflix Dominant In Debut; ‘Orange Is The New Black’ & ‘Breaking Bad’ Lead, ‘The Good Wife’ Makes Big Return

The WGA Awards‘ TV nominations this morning provided a stark contrast to the PGA Award nominations on Tuesday, proving again how out of date the PGA Awards are on the TV side with their June-May eligibility window. The WGA Awards, on the other hand, are keeping things as current as possible, recognizing series that have aired between December 1, 2012-November 30, 2013. That’s why its list of nominees includes the three most well-received new shows of the past six months: Netflix’s Orange Is The New Black and Showtime’s Ray Donovan and Masters Of Sex. Orange Is The New Black was the most nominated series with 4 noms, tied with this year’s best drama series winner Breaking Bad — for best comedy series, best new series and best episodic comedy (for the pilot). Masters Of Sex and Ray Donovan also landed new series noms, with Masters Of Sex additionally recognized for its pilot. Also recognized by the WGA is the excellent current fifth season of CBS’ The Good Wife, which returned to the WGA Award nomination field after being left out last year with two noms, the first multiple nomination haul for the veteran series — for best drama and best episodic drama for the standout “Hitting The Fan” episode.

After a strong showing at the PGA Awards nominations, Netflix did one better in its WGA Awards debut today, ranking as the most nominated outlet in scripted series with six noms, including two for House Of Cards: best drama and best episodic drama for the pilot. It was followed by awards juggernaut AMC with five, including best drama noms for Breaking Bad and Mad Men. Breaking Bad dominated the episodic drama field with three noms, surprisingly none for the series finale. After placing two shows on the new series nominations list last year with The Mindy Project and Nashville last year, the broadcast networks were shut out completely this time, with FX’s The Americans rounding out the field alongside, House Of Cards, Orange, Ray Donovan and Masters Of Sex.

There are two new entries each in the best drama and comedy series categories. House Of Cards and The Good Wife joined returning Breaking Bad, Mad Men and Homeland, with the two HBO 2013 nominees, Boardwalk Empire and Game Of Thrones out. The latter was not in contention this year due to a clerical error in the submission process that the WGA refused to rectify. On the comedy side, Orange replaced last year’s winner Louie, which did not produce originals to qualify, while rising HBO comedy Veep took the spot of the HBO comedy it launched with, Girls. (Lena Dunham’s series was shut out completely this year.) Returning as best comedy series nominees is former winner Modern Family, which also landed two episodic noms, including one for this year’s winner in the category Elaine Ko (episode “Farm Strong”). It was joined by NBC’s Parks & Recreation and departing 30 Rock, which also received an episodic nomination but not for the series finale, which netted creator Tina Fey and writer Tracey Wigfield an Emmy in September but for the “Hogcock!” episode, written by Jack Burditt and Robert Carlock, which also was nominated for an Emmy.