"24" Leads the pack with Emmy Nominations

The Fox network's espionage thriller "24" led the field of Emmy Award series contenders on Thursday with 12 nominations for U.S. television's highest honors, including a bid for best drama.

Newly departed NBC hit "Will & Grace," which just ended its run this past season, was the most nominated sitcom, gaining recognition in 10 categories, including the race for best comedy series.

Suspense drama "24" and "Grey's Anatomy," the hit medical drama that focuses as much on its interns' love lives as medicine, were among the top nominees announced Thursday for the Emmy Awards.

The leading nominee, with 16 nominations, was the miniseries "Into the West."

In a major reversal from last year's awards, neither "Lost" or "Desperate Housewives" received best-series bids.

"24" led all series with 12 nominations, followed by "Grey's Anatomy" with 11. Both received best drama series bids and were joined in the category by "House," "The Sopranos" and "The West Wing."

The comedy series nominees were "Arrested Development," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "The Office," "Scrubs" and "Two and a Half Men."

"Desperate Housewives," which lost its status as critical darling in its sophomore season although it held its ratings, wasn't nominated in the comedy category it won last year. "Lost" met the same fate, missing out on a best-drama bid although it won the honor in 2005.

For "24," Kiefer Sutherland received a best-actor bid. Among the "Grey's Anatomy" stars recognized were Golden Globe winner Sandra Oh and Chandra Wilson. The show was shut out of the best-actress and actor categories.

Other best-actor nominations went to Peter Krause of "Six Feet Under," Denis Leary of "Rescue Me," Christopher Meloni of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and Martin Sheen of "The West Wing."

Three best-actress bids went to stars of shows that have left the air: Frances Conroy of "Six Feet Under," Geena Davis of "Commander in Chief" and Allison Janney of "The West Wing." Other nominees were Mariska Hargitay of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and Kyra Sedgwick of "The Closer."