THE 64th Primetime Emmy Awards (ABC, 8 p.m.) ought to be just that much more wry with the addition of Jimmy Kimmel as host. When he arose at dawn to announce the nominations, you recall, he was still in his jammies to protest the early hour.
As for the winners, it ought to be any one of many good choices from “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad” to “Homeland,” “Game of Thrones” and “Downton Abbey.”
It’s surprising that things like “American Horror Story” and “Hatfields & McCoys” got as many nominations as they did, though I’m thinking it had to do more with technical achievements.
None of these awards really mean anything, but it’s fun to see cast members in their finery wondering for a second if they’ll win.
One suggestion for next year’s Emmys begins a strong third season, is “Treme” (HBO, 10 p.m.), the odd series that gets better as it goes along. Once more music is the focal point of the series set in New Orleans involving a rich cast of characters. David Simon wrote the season premiere from a story with Anthony Bourdain. In addition to the progress of the regulars, there’s someone new – an out of town reporter nosing around about deaths during Katrina that had nothing to do with rising waters.
Opposite the Emmys, the other broadcast networks all go for reruns, except for NBC, going for Sunday Night Football (NBC, 8:15 p.m.) with Patriots at Ravens.
Public television has new stuff as well, with the finale of the three part “Broadway or Bust” (PBX, 8 p.m., check local listings) ending with the awarding of the Jimmy Awards, and the last of the three Wallander capers on “Masterpiece Mystery!” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings). This one begins with a bizarre scene – an escapee from a psychiatric hospital sets fire to a flock of geese, but a passing hiker is killed as well. The investigation reopens some uncomfortable lines of communication with his daughter.
Some people like the Emmys only because of the fashion. Therefore there’s a “Live from the Red Carpet” (E!, 6 p.m.) from Ryan Seacrest and company, and the official “Emmys Red Carpet Live” (ABC, 7 p.m.).
“60 Minutes” (CBS, 7:30 p.m.) devotes its hour to interviewing (separately) the two Presidential candidates, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney.
Nucky’s brother the ex-sheriff gets sprung from jail on “Boardwalk Empire” (HBO, 9 p.m.).
Also boldly going against the Emmys with a new episode: “Hell on Wheels” (AMC, 9 p.m.).
Jaguars, anacondas, giant river otters and piranhas are among the creatures encountered by a pair of filmmakers who spent a year on the Brazilian Pantanal for the three hour “Secret Brazil” (Nat Geo Wild, 8 p.m.).
One of the strangest relationships in reality TV is Teresa and her hotheaded brother, who decides whether he wants to patch things up on the season finale of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” (Bravo, 10 p.m.).
The 1965 version of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None,” retitled “Ten Little Indians” (TCM, 8 p.m.), is followed by the 1976 movie that parodied just that kind of setup, “Murder by Death” (TCM, 10 p.m.).
NFL action today includes Cincinnati at Washington (CBS, 1 p.m.), Philadelphia at Arizona (Fox, 4 p.m.) and Pittsburgh at Oakland (CBS, 4:25 p.m.).
Baseball today includes A’s at Yankees (TBS, 1 p.m.) and Dodgers at Reds (ESPN, 8 p.m.).
Sunday Talk
ABC: Obama adviser David Axelrod, Republican chairman Reince Priebus. CBS: Former President Bill Clinton. NBC: Gov. Deval Patrick, Sen. Kelly Ayotte, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, Romney adviser Bay Buchanan, Dee Dee Myers. CNN: Sens. Dick Durbin, Lindsey Graham, Rep Mike Rigers, pollsters Whit Ayres, Anna Greenberg. Fox News: Obama adviser Robert Gibbs, Gov. Scott Walker.