Emmys Cheat Sheet

Set in 1960s Manhattan, the show follows Don Draper (Jon Hamm), creative director of Sterling Cooper advertising agency and a founding partner at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, as well as those in his circle in -- and outside -- the office. With 17 Emmy nominations, "Mad Men" is the most nominated drama series on TV for 2010. This is the third nomination for the show in this category; it took the Emmy in 2008 and 2009. -- Yvonne Villarreal

Set in Albuquerque, it tells the story of Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with terminal lung cancer who resorts to producing and selling methamphetamine with his former student Jesse Pinkman ( Aaron Paul) to keep his family afloat. This is the show's third nomination in this category. -- Yvonne Villarreal

The series followed the lives of a group of plane crash survivors who found themselves stranded on a mysterious island somewhere in the South Pacific. After six seasons, the show ended its run in May. This is its third nomination in this category. -- Yvonne Villarreal

The Miami-set show centers on Dexter Morgan ( Michael C. Hall), a blood-spatter analyst for the Miami-Dade Police Department, who moonlights as a serial killer. This is the show's third nomination in this category. -- Yvonne Villarreal

Julianna Margulies stars as Alicia Florrick, whose unfaithful attorney husband is jailed after a public sex and corruption scandal. To provide for her family (and to rebuild her dignity), she returns to the workforce and reclaims her old job as a litigator. The show is up for nine nominations. -- Yvonne Villarreal

Based on Charlaine Harris' "The Southern Vampire Mysteries" book series, the vampire dramedy centers on Sookie Stackhouse ( Anna Paquin), a telepathic waitress who lives in a small Louisiana town — cohabitated by humans and vampires -- and falls in love with charming vampire Bill ( Stephen Moyer). Think: a rated-R version of "Twilight." This is its first nomination in the category. -- Yvonne Villarreal

This mockumentary-style sitcom explores domestic convention through three families. Phil (Ty Burrell) and Claire (Julie Bowen) are the wannabe parents who would rather befriend their children than discipline them. Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Cameron (Eric Stonestreet) add to the diversity as a gay couple who have adopted a Vietnamese baby. And aging schlub Jay (Ed O'Neill) and his much younger trophy wife, Gloria (Sofia Vergara), are raising Gloria's overly sensitive son, Manny. The freshman show received 14 nominations. -- Yvonne Villarreal

Created and executive-produced by "SNL" veteran Tina Fey, this satire is set behind the scenes at an NBC television show. Fey stars as Liz Lemon, the fictional show's head writer, who works under the none-too-skilled hands of novice network executive Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin). "30 Rock" is no stranger to the Emmy stage, having won the golden statuette for best comedy three times in a row. Can it pull off a four-peat? -- Yvonne Villarreal

"Seinfeld" writer, co-creator and executive producer Larry David stars as a fictionalized version of himself -- a semi-retired writer, producer and actor in Los Angeles -- in the HBO series. Though this is the show's sixth nomination for comedy series, it has never won. -- Yvonne Villarreal

Edie Falco stars as Jackie Peyton, the Mother Theresa of the hospital world — or, in this case, a fictional Roman Catholic hospital in Lower Manhattan — with an addiction to painkillers. When she's not checking patients' vital signs, she can be found snorting lines of Adderall in the ladies' room. The show is up for eight nominations. -- Yvonne Villarreal

An adaptation of the BBC series of the same name, "The Office" chronicles the dreary lives of a group of office employees headed by Michael Scott (Steve Carell) at the Scranton, Pa., branch of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Co., which was recently taken over by a printer company. The show is about to enter its seventh season, which Carell says will be his last. This is its fifth nomination in the category; it took home the award in 2006. -- Yvonne Villarreal

Centering on optimistic Spanish teacher-turned-musical director Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) in his quest to transform McKinley High's show choir of ragtag performers into plucky musical superstars, the series features a soundtrack of musical numbers that embody (and break from) its characters' angst and ambitions. It scored a leading 19 Emmy nominations. -- Yvonne Villarreal

Parsons stars as nerdy Sheldon Cooper, a byproduct of the Caltech system who lives with roommate and colleague Leonard Hofstadter ( Johnny Galecki). Sheldon is a theoretical physicist who can't fully grasp the concept of anything related to humor, but he's the kind of dude who would ask a potential roommate "What is the sixth noble gas?" This marks Parsons' second nomination. -- Yvonne Villarreal

Baldwin plays slick network executive Jack Donaghy, the Ivy League-educated suit who overcame a miserable childhood in South Boston to become vice president of East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming for General Electric. This is Baldwin's fourth nomination for the role; he took the Emmy in 2008 and 2009. Has been an Emmy nominee nine times.
-- Yvonne Villarreal

Shalhoub is nominated for his final season as Adrian Monk, an obsessive-compulsive private detective and consultant for the homicide unit in San Francisco. It's Shalhoub's eighth Emmy nomination for the role; he's won three times, in 2003, 2005 and 2006.
-- Yvonne Villarreal

The man behind "Seinfeld" stars as a fictionalized version of himself — a semi-retired writer, producer and actor in Los Angeles — in his HBO series. This is his fifth Emmy nomination for the role. (He won an Emmy for his work on "Seinfeld" in 1993, when the series took an Emmy for comedy series.)
-- Yvonne Villarreal

Carell plays Michael Scott, the bumbling manager who often makes inappropriate remarks and has a penchant for making the most mundane statements into perverse ones simply by adding the line "That's what she said." This is his fifth nomination for the role. Carell recently revealed that the seventh season of "The Office" will be his last.
-- Yvonne Villarreal

Morrison portrays Will Schuester, the newly minted director of McKinley High's glee club who strives to bring the club back to its former glory. Amid the musical interludes, Schuester spends his days battling nemesis Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch), the school's cheerleading coach. This is Morrison's first Emmy nod.
-- Yvonne Villarreal

Falco stars as pill-abusing Jackie Peyton, who has watched her world slowly unravel as she tries juggling long work hours, addiction and a comlicated personal life. This is Falco's first Emmy nomination for the role. Previously, she received three Emmys for her role as Carmela Soprano on "The Sopranos" in 1999, 2001 and 2003.
-- Yvonne Villarreal

Collette stars as Tara Ferguson, a wife and mother living with disassociative identity disorder in a small suburban town. Her alternate personalities include a flirtatious teenager, T; a prim and proper old-fashioned housewife, Alice; and a beer-drinking, belching Vietnam vet, Buck. This is her second Emmy nomination for the role; she took the Emmy in 2009.
-- Yvonne Villarreal

Poehler plays Leslie Knope, who spends her days trying to better her hometown of Pawnee, a fictional town in Indiana, as the perpetually cheery deputy director of the city's Parks and Recreation Department. This is Poehler's first Emmy nomination for the role; she's previously received two Emmy nominations for her work on "Saturday Night Live."
-- Yvonne Villarreal

Fey not only created and executive-produces the show, but she also stars as Liz Lemon, the quirky head writer of "TGS With Tracy Jordan" who sports bi-curious shoes and often relates events in her life to scenes in the "Star Wars" trilogy. Fey received an Emmy in 2008 for the role; it's her fourth nomination for it as well.
-- Yvonne Villarreal

Louis-Dreyfus plays Christine Campbell, a divorced working mother who is struggling to raise her kid while constantly battling her own insecurities. It doesn't help that her foolish ex-husband Richard ( Clark Gregg), whose new girlfriend ( Emily Rutherfurd) is also named Christine, is a constant presence. The CBS show was canceled after five seasons. This is Louis-Dreyfus' fifth nomination for the role; she won it in 2006. And she took an Emmy in 1996 for her role as Elaine on "Seinfeld."
-- Yvonne Villarreal

Michele portrays Rachel Berry, the spirited star of McKinley High's glee club who's been drenched with her fair share of fruit slushies and has locked lips with football players Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith) and Noah Puckerman ( Mark Salling) -- as well as Jesse St. James ( Jonathan Groff), a member of rival glee club Vocal Adrenaline -- all the while pursuing her Broadway ambitions. This is Michele's first Emmy nomination.
-- Yvonne Villarreal

Hall plays Dexter Morgan, a blood-spatter analyst for the Miami-Dade Police Department with a penchant for killing — though not without his own set of ethics, which he refers to as the Code: He kills only other murderers, and he carries out the killings carefully and skillfully so as to never get caught. This is Hall's third nomination for the role; he was nominated in 2002 for his work on "Six Feet Under."
-- Yvonne Villarreal

Hamm portrays the mysterious Don Draper, a former used car salesman — and onetime copy writer for a fur company — who went on to become the creative director at Sterling Cooper advertising agency and a founding partner at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. It's his third nomination for the role; he's also up for the second year in a row for guest actor in a comedy series for "30 Rock."
-- Yvonne Villarreal

Cranston stars as Walter White, a struggling high school chem teacher who takes on a life of crime — producing and selling methamphetamine — to support his family after he's diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. This is his third nomination for the role; he won in 2008 and 2009. Has also been nominated three times for his work on "Malcolm in the Middle."
-- Yvonne Villarreal

Laurie portrays Dr. Gregory House, a curmudgeon of a medical mastermind; he's a diagnostician with specializations in infectious diseases and nephrology … and cynicism. This is Laurie's fifth nomination for the role.
-- Yvonne Villarreal

Fox plays Jack Shephard, a former spinal surgeon who acted as leader of Oceanic Flight 815 because of his ability to solve problems through reason during crisis. The character would eventually get off the island and then return again, only to sacrifice himself to save the place from obliteration. It's Fox's first nomination.
-- Yvonne Villarreal

Chandler stars as Eric Taylor, Dillon High School's disillusioned, father-like head football coach. This is his first nomination for the role; he received a nod in 2006 for guest actor in a drama series for his appearance on "Grey's Anatomy."
-- Yvonne Villarreal

Margulies stars as Alicia Florrick, the scorned wife of Peter Florrick (Chris Noth), a former state attorney. After her husband's high-profile sex scandal, Florrick reenters the legal profession to reconstruct her reputation. This is her first nomination for the role; she took an Emmy in 1995 for her work on "ER."
-- Yvonne Villarreal

Britton plays Tami Taylor, a guidance counselor turned principal at Dillon High School and wife (and voice of reason) to the school's head football coach. This is her first nomination.
-- Yvonne Villarreal

Jones stars as Betty Draper, the Grace Kelly of the suburban housewife world who recently separated from her advertising genius husband, Don, after learning of his infidelities. This is her first nomination.
-- Yvonne Villarreal

Hargitay stars as Det. Olivia Benson, the tough yet empathetic sex crimes investigator who often gets emotionally involved in the cases she tries to solve alongside her partner, Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni). This is her seventh nomination for the role; she took the award in 2006.
-- Yvonne Villarreal

Close stars as Patty Hewes, a merciless, scheming defense attorney in Manhattan, a master manipulator who makes every attempt to get what she wants, including trying to have her protégé killed. This is her third nomination for the role; she won in 2008 and 2009. And she also has an Emmy for her work 1995's "Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story."
-- Yvonne Villarreal

Sedgwick stars as Brenda Leigh Johnson, a Georgia police detective who comes to Los Angeles as head of the Major Crimes Division of the LAPD to solve mostly high-profile murder cases. This is her fifth nomination for the role.
-- Yvonne Villarreal