Desperate Housewives and Lost head for Emmy race

A scene from Desperate Housewives

Desperate Housewives, a wry, episodic tale of suburban intrigue, is widely seen as a leading contender for best comedy series. The castaway thriller Lost is heavily favoured to clinch a bid for best drama when Emmy nominees are announced on Thursday. The winners will be announced in September.

The Emmy-sponsoring Academy of Television Arts and Sciences is notorious for repeat coronations of past nominees. But new entries and previously snubbed shows are given better odds than usual this year because such recent Emmy heavyweights as HBO mob drama The Sopranos and NBC's smash sitcom Friends are out of the running.

While most TV series typically gain little Emmy attention their first season on the air, Housewives and Lost both drew Emmy buzz as breakout hits that reversed a three-year ratings slump at ABC while winning mostly favourable reviews.

Some observers have cried foul over Desperate Housewives competing as a comedy, arguing that the hour-long show is closer to the drama format than the usual half-hour sitcoms.

Last year's critically praised but ratings-poor comedy champion, Fox's Arrested Development, is expected back to defend its title, and the CBS sitcom hit and 2003 winner Everybody Loves Raymond is considered likely to claim a nomination for its just-finished ninth and final season.

Emmy watchers also give strong odds to two NBC comedies, Will & Grace and Scrubs, as well as HBO's new satire of Hollywood culture, Entourage.

The 57th Emmy Awards will be held on September 18 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.