The Emmy nominees will be announced Thursday, which means the Emmy rants can’t be far behind.

Every summer, industry insiders cast their ballots, and once the nominees are announced, TV fans and critics proceed to blast the picks for their astonishing lack of insight.

What follows is our Emmy wish list, which puts a heavy emphasis on new blood and underappreciated talent. Advertisement Best drama

• Our picks: "Battlestar Gal-actica" (Sci Fi), "Grey’s Anatomy" (ABC), "Lost" (ABC), "Rescue Me" (FX), "The Sopranos" (HBO).

• The lowdown: You know all about "The Sopranos" and last year’s winner, "Lost," but don’t laugh at the "Battlestar Galactica" pick. It’s so much more than a geeky sci-fi show. Also, isn’t it about time the fiery "Rescue Me" gets some Emmy love? As for "Grey’s Anatomy," well, it was only the most addictive hour on television.

Best comedy

• Our picks: "Arrested Development" (Fox), "Entourage" (HBO), "Everybody Hates Chris" (UPN), "My Name Is Earl" (NBC), "The Office" (NBC).

• The lowdown: We’re still mourning the premature passing of "Arrested Development," but the good news is that there’s lots of new life in this category. "Chris," "Earl" and "The Office" are all hilarious freshman shows and "Entourage" blossomed in its sophomore season.

Lead actress, drama

• Our picks: Kristen Bell ("Veronica Mars," UPN), Geena Davis ("Commander in Chief," ABC), Edie Falco ("The Sopranos"), Mary McDonnell ("Battlestar Galactica"), Kyra Sedgwick ("The Closer," TNT).

• The lowdown: Falco remains the class of this category, so we couldn’t leave her out. Davis and McDonnell were both very presidential in their riveting roles, and Sedgwick injected some personality into the shopworn police procedural. As for Bell, it’s a shame more people aren’t witnessing the wit and vigor she brings to "Mars."

Lead actor, drama

• Our picks: Matthew Fox ("Lost"), Patrick Dempsey ("Grey’s Anatomy"), James Gandolfini ("The Sopranos"), Hugh Laurie ("House," Fox), Denis Leary ("Rescue Me").

• The lowdown: This is, without question, the most competitive Emmy category and, perhaps, the toughest one to call. We left out two-time winner James Spader, for crying out loud, along with Kiefer Sutherland, Wentworth Miller and Michael Chiklis. But we’ll stand by this bunch any day.

Lead actress, comedy

• Our picks: Tichina Arnold ("Everybody Hates Chris"), Marcia Cross ("Desperate Housewives," ABC), Lauren Graham ("Gilmore Girls," The WB), Julia Louis-Dreyfus ("The New Adventures of Old Christine," CBS), Mary-Louise Parker ("Weeds," Showtime).

• The lowdown: Because "Desperate Housewives" went into a creative tailspin, we dismantled the chokehold the show had on this category last year. We’re still captivated by Cross, though, and if Graham finally makes the list, we’ll take it as a sign that Emmy voters have finally gotten a clue.

Lead actor, comedy

• Our picks: Jason Bateman ("Arrested Development"), Zach Braff ("Scrubs," NBC), Steve Carell ("The Office"), Ricky Gervais ("Extras," HBO), Jason Lee ("My Name Is Earl").

• The lowdown: These goofballs have a remarkable array of styles, ranging from Bateman’s deadpan approach to Braff’s bizarre wackiness. The differences make for an intriguing competition, but the front-runners should be Lee and Carell, who headlined the two funniest new shows of the season.

Supporting actress, drama

• Our picks: Sandra Oh ("Grey’s Anatomy"), Yunjin Kim ("Lost"), CCH Pounder ("The Shield," FX), Jean Smart ("24," Fox), Chandra Wilson ("Grey’s Anatomy").

• The lowdown: Can you tell that we really love "Grey’s Anatomy"? We easily could have tossed in Katherine Heigl to give the medical drama an imposing triple threat, but where’s the fun in that? Our favorite is Smart, who wowed us with her trippy first lady.

Supporting actor, drama

• Our picks: Michael Imperioli ("The Sopranos"), Gregory Itzin ("24"), Jorge Garcia ("Lost"), T.R. Knight ("Grey’s Anatomy"), Forrest Whitaker ("The Shield").

• The lowdown: If the picks went our way, Imperioli would be the only veteran amid a field of Emmy newcomers. Garcia and Whitaker are probably long shots, but they shouldn’t be. Meanwhile, we hope Itzin, who was so deliciously creepy as a duplicitous president, gets his due.

Supporting actress, comedy

• The lowdown: Pressly may be a newcomer, but the brassy blonde has to be considered a sure bet for her scene-stealing turn as Earl’s venal and vindictive ex. The others can form a line behind her.

Supporting actor, comedy

• Our picks: Neil Patrick Harris ("How I Met Your Mother"), John C. McKinley ("Scrubs"), Jeremy Piven ("Entourage"), Ethan Suplee ("My Name Is Earl"), Rainn Wilson ("The Office").

• The lowdown: If the category list goes down like this (and it probably won’t), Piven would be the only returnee. Again, we’re talking fresh blood here.