Were these the best Emmy nominations for which we could have hoped? Yes. Here's why.

Emmy nominations: Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton — yay! Tony Shalhoub and Toni Collette — I’d have preferred new jack swingers Toni! Tony! Tone!

Yes, it’s that time to grouse about some of the shows that were neglected in major categories (Fringe, Sons of Anarchy, Justified) and praise the selection of worthies that were recognized (Friday Night Lights, The Good Wife).

The thing is, this was just about the best set of Emmy nominations we could expect, a mix of genuine breakthroughs, folded in with the inevitable shows and performers that Emmy nominators seem brainwashed and hypnotized into adding to the ballot every year.

Yes, I would have preferred to see Katy Sagal of Sons of Anarchy nominated in best-actress category instead of the multi-nominated Mariska Hargitay. (Disclaimer: I intend no slur against any star nominated; my scorn is reserved for those who vote the nominations.)

Yes, I wish John Noble of Fringe had nabbed a supporting-actor nomination. But here’s the thing: Can you really quarrel with a supporting-actor category that consists of Andre Braugher, John Slattery, Michael Emerson, Terry O’Quinn, and Martin Short?

I think not. This is a case of there being so much good TV, it’s near-impossible to wedge in everyone who deserves a nomination. Now that we’ve established a bit of a Friday Night Lights beachhead, how many seasons will it be before we see Parenthood‘s talented cast and writing dent Emmy consciousness?

Any Emmy year that finds room for The Good Wife, The Good Wife‘s Archie Panjabi, Julia Louis-freakin’-dispossessed-Dreyfus, and substantial Dexter love is a commendable list to me.

And I’m a realist: I knew my dream of a lengthy Better Off Ted ticket was just that, a dream. (But, oh, come on: Couldn’t Portia de Rossi have been nominated in place of Kristen Wiig? Note: see disclaimer above.)

The thing is, it could have been worse. We could have seen an out-pouring of farewell love for 24‘s huffing, puffing final season. There could have been even more Brothers and Sisters or House nominations clogging up the list. (I can’t resist a quibble here, too, however: If Emmy nominators were looking for a Tall, Dark, and Handsome type in best-actor-drama, couldn’t they have gone with Timothy Olyphant over Matthew Fox?)

What did you think? What shows and stars would have improved the list of nominations?

Given how traditionally conservative the Emmy award nominations list is, was this the best for which we could have hoped?

For a list of nominations, go to Emmys 2010: Glee, Mad Men lead the nominations

For Michael Ausiello’s Snappy Judgments, go to The Ausiello Files.

Follow: @kentucker