It's a very darling sort of year for the Emmys with critical/Internet/real people favs like Girls, Breaking Bad, Homeland, Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, Parks and Recreation and 30 Rock popping up in multiple categories. Mad Men and American Horror Story lead with 17 nominations. Somewhat weirdly, American Horror Story qualifies for the miniseries categories because, as Vulture explained earlier this year, "the miniseries distinction is reserved for programming that has a story line that gets resolved in a single season." This logic led the first season of Downton Abbey to be considered by the Emmys as a miniseries last year, although that was bullshit then (clearly Mary and Matthew had more heart-dragging to do — no one could have possibly thought that the first season finale constituted resolution). It's a bit more understandable in the case of American Horror Story, which will focus on an entirely different story every season, but it's still a little weird since we know several characters from last time around will return. (Actually, word is that returning actors will not be reprising their Season 1 roles but take up all new ones. Jessica Lange, for example, is supposed to play a nun.) No matter - whatever it takes for a show so batshit crazy to be regarded as distinguished is fine with me.

Lena Dunham gets nods in the Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series, Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series and Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series. If she is not the youngest woman to ever pop up in that last category, she must be close to it. Girls is also nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series. Hi, haters.

People talk about this being a new Golden Age of television, and these nominations serve as a reminder. Look at how good the overwhelming majority of this stuff is. The Outstanding Drama Series category alone is beautiful. I'd be thrilled if most of those win (though I'm pulling for Homeland).

The rest of the key nominations are below. There are many more that I didn't format, which you can read at the Emmys' official site. Truthfully, I didn't want to spoil the scintillating details of the Outstanding Special Class - Short-format Nonfiction Programs and Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing For A Comedy Series. Can't give you everything.

Outstanding Comedy Series

The Big Bang Theory
 Curb Your Enthusiasm
 Girls
 Modern Family
 30 Rock
 Veep

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series

Lena Dunham, Girls
 Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly
 Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
 Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
 Amy Poehler, Parks And Recreation
 Tina Fey, 30 Rock
 Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series

Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
 Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm
 Don Cheadle, House Of Lies
 Louis C.K., Louie
 Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
 Jon Cryer, Two And A Half Men

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series

Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory
 Kathryn Joosten, Desperate Housewives
 Julie Bowen, Modern Family
 Sofia Vergara , Modern Family
 Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie
 Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series

Ed O'Neill, Modern Family
 Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
 Ty Burrell, Modern Family
 Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
 Max Greenfield, New Girl
 Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series

Dot-Marie Jones, Glee
 Maya Rudolph, Saturday Night Live
 Melissa McCarthy, Saturday Night Live
 Elizabeth Banks, 30 Rock
 Margaret Cho , 30 Rock
 Kathy Bates, Two And A Half Men

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series

Michael J. Fox, Curb Your Enthusiasm
 Greg Kinnear, Modern Family
 Bobby Cannavale , Nurse Jackie
 Jimmy Fallon, Saturday Night Live
 Will Arnett , 30 Rock
 Jon Hamm, 30 Rock

Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series

Robert B. Weide, Curb Your Enthusiasm
 Lena Dunham, Girls
 Louis C.K., Louie
 Jason Winer, Modern Family
 Steven Levitan, Modern Family
 Jake Kasdan, New Girl

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

Chris McKenna, Community
 Lena Dunham, Girls
 Louis C.K, Louie
 Amy Poehler, Parks And Recreation
 Michael Schur, Parks And Recreation

Outstanding Drama Series

Boardwalk Empire
 Breaking Bad
 Downton Abbey
 Game Of Thrones
 Homeland
 Mad Men

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series

Glenn Close, Damages
 Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
 Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
 Kathy Bates, Harry's Law
 Claire Danes, Homeland
 Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series

Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
 Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
 Michael C. Hall, Dexter
 Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey
 Damian Lewis, Homeland
 Jon Hamm, Mad Men

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series

Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad
 Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
 Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey
 Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife
 Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
 Christina Hendricks, Mad Men

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series

Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
 Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bad
 Brendan Coyle , Downton Abbey
 Jim Carter, Downton Abbey
 Peter Dinklage, Game Of Thrones
 Jared Harris, Mad Men

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series

Martha Plimpton, The Good Wife
 Loretta Devine, Grey's Anatomy
 Jean Smart, Harry's Law
 Julia Ormond, Mad Men
 Joan Cusack, Shameless
 Uma Thurman, Smash

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series

Mark Margolis, Breaking Bad
 Dylan Baker, The Good Wife
 Michael J. Fox, The Good Wife
 Jeremy Davies, Justified
 Ben Feldman, Mad Men
 Jason Ritter, Parenthood

Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series

Tim Van Patten, Boardwalk Empire
 Vince Gilligan, Breaking Bad
 Brian Percival, Downton Abbey
 Michael Cuesta, Homeland
 Phil Abraham, Mad Men

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series

Julian Fellowes, Downton Abbey
 Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon and Gideon Raff, Homeland
 Semi Chellas and Matthew Weiner, Mad Men
 Andre Jacquemetton and Maria Jacquemetton, Mad Men
 Erin Levy and Matthew Weiner, Mad Men

Outstanding Miniseries or Movie

American Horror Story
 Game Change
 Hatfields & McCoys
 Hemingway & Gellhorn
 Luther
 Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia (Masterpiece)

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie

Connie Britton, American Horror Story
 Julianne Moore, Game Change
 Nicole Kidman, Hemingway & Gellhorn
 Ashley Judd, Missing
 Emma Thompson, The Song Of Lunch (Masterpiece)

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie

Woody Harrelson, Game Change
 Kevin Costner, Hatfields & McCoys
 Bill Paxton, Hatfields & McCoys
 Clive Owen, Hemingway & Gellhorn
 Idris Elba, Luther
 Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia (Masterpiece)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or A Movie

Frances Conroy, American Horror Story
 Jessica Lange, American Horror Story
 Sarah Paulson, Game Change
 Mare Winningham, Hatfields & McCoys
 Judy Davis, Page Eight (Masterpiece)

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie

Denis O'Hare, American Horror Story
 Ed Harris, Game Change
 Tom Berenger, Hatfields & McCoys
 David Strathairn, Hemingway & Gellhorn
 Martin Freeman, Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia (Masterpiece)

Outstanding Directing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Dramatic Special

Jay Roach, Game Change
 Kevin Reynolds, Hatfields & McCoys
 Philip Kaufman, Hemingway & Gellhorn
 Sam Miller, Luther
 Paul McGuigan, Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia (Masterpiece)

Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special

Danny Strong, Game Change
 Ted Mann, Ronald Parker and Bill Kerby, Hatfields & McCoys
 Abi Morgan, The Hour
 Neil Cross, Luther
 Steven Moffat, Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia (Masterpiece)

Outstanding Variety Series

The Colbert Report
 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
 Jimmy Kimmel Live
 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
 Real Time With Bill Maher
 Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Variety Special

Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute To America's Golden Girl
Kathy Griffin: Tired Hooker
 The Kennedy Center Honors
Mel Brooks And Dick Cavett Together Again
 Tony Bennett: Duets II (Great Performances)

Outstanding Special Class Programs

84th Annual Academy Awards
The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards
The 54th Annual Grammy Awards
Herbie Hancock, Gustavo Dudamel And The LA Phil Celebrate Gershwin (Great Performances)
Louis C.K. Live At The Beacon Theatre
65th Annual Tony Awards

Outstanding Special Class - Short-format Live-Action Entertainment Programs

Childrens Hospital
 The Daily Show Correspondents Explain
 Parks And Recreation: April And Andy's Road Trip
 30 Rock: The Webisodes
 Web Therapy

Outstanding Animated Program

American Dad!
 Bob's Burgers
 Futurama
 The Penguins Of Madagascar: The Return Of The Revenge Of Dr. Blowhole
 The Simpsons

Outstanding Short-format Animated Program

Adventure Time
 Disney Phineas And Ferb
 MAD
 Regular Show
 Robot Chicken

Outstanding Reality Program

Antiques Roadshow
 Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution
 MythBusters
 Shark Tank
 Undercover Boss
 Who Do You Think You Are?

Outstanding Reality-Competition Program

The Amazing Race
 Dancing With The Stars
 Project Runway
 So You Think You Can Dance
 Top Chef
 The Voice

Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition Program

Phil Keoghan, The Amazing Race
 Ryan Seacrest, American Idol
 Betty White, Betty White's Off Their Rockers
 Tom Bergeron, Dancing With The Stars
 Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance

[Image via Getty]