A TV series by any other name than Battlestar Galactica probably would have enough Emmy statues to fill the universe.

But when it comes to the Emmy nominations, it's best to be on broadcast TV and not be scooting around in space. And god forbid your show gets canceled.

Even when you have a series as uniformly excellent as HBO's The Wire, it can still get the Emmy cold shoulder. The Emmy voters haven't been known as risk takers, and usually wait until the rest of the world has caught on to the fact that a show is hot before ever deciding to bestow a statue.

So here's our list of TV shows and actors who should be recognized for their stellar work. But probably won't.

Battlestar Galactica: If this series had a less sci-fi title, it might have stood a chance. Even the work of the incredibly talented Edward James Olmos wasn't enough to get the Academy to nominate this series in any major category. It won a Peabody, for goodness sake. The series took on moral and religious questions in an intelligent thoughtful way that should have been rewarded. Maybe the Cylons are to blame.

Bruce Campbell, Burn Notice: There isn't another supporting actor out there doing the solid work Bruce turns in each week. He can capture your heart, make you laugh and always entertain as the former agent helping out his burned buddy -- well, he did inform on Michael Weston back in the day, but that was just business.

Katey Sagal, Sons of Anarchy: Most of Katey's acting career hasn't really pushed her acting limits, which may account for her not being someone that jumps to mind as an outstanding drama actress nominee. Forget the silly stuff she did on Married...With Children, or the goofy Eight Simple Rules . As the complex and dark Gemma on Sons of Anarchy, she hits the mark as the Lady Macbeth of motorcycle gangs.

John Noble, Fringe: This might well be one of the trickiest roles to pull off on television right now. John Noble must play a man who's done immoral acts in the name of science, including experiments on children, and still come across as a guy you want to root for. His eccentric character Walter may think that sacrificing someone for the greater good of science is OK in some instances, but he's keeping those taboo thoughts to himself -- mostly. It's all so deliciously complex, yet we don't think the Emmy voters will respond.

Friday Night Lights: Where to begin? The show has been snubbed both on its own merits, and for its incredibly talented cast. You almost forget that these are actors playing high school students, because they stay so true to their characters. And Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton consistently come through with nuanced performances that don't need words, although they can wallop those lines with the best of them.

January Jones, Mad Men: Yes, we know that Mad Men staged quite a coup when it took home the outstanding drama Emmy last year, and that Jon Hamm has been nominated for best actor. But where's the love for the Mad Women? While all of the actresses have done a fantastic job, and it's difficult to single out just one, we have to go with January as the actress most deserving. Her Barbie doll looks cover up a very troubled person underneath. When trouble comes bubbling to the surface, it's a dangerous place to be. Just ask those birds she blasted.

How I Met Your Mother: Really, how can Emmy continually ignore this hilarious show while still putting up the not-aging-well Curb Your Enthusiasm and Entourage? How I Met Your Mother continues to grow each year, getting funnier and more poignant. Neil Patrick Harris keeps getting the only Emmy respect, and maybe his prominence will help push HIMYM into the nomination ranks.

Rescue Me: At least Emmy voters have given Denis Leary a nomination, but the series hasn't gotten a single nod. Leary joked that he wouldn't have a chance to get an Emmy this year after Michael J. Fox's brilliant performance as a bitter paraplegic dating his character's ex-wife. You know Fox will get the call; let's just hope Rescue Me finally gets a little Emmy love as well.

Walton Goggins, The Shield: We're glad Michael Chiklis picked up best actor a few years back, but what about the series in general and Walton in particular? His performances as the loose-cannon Shane (geeze, he tossed a hand grenade on one of his fellow cops and former pal) was nothing short of genius. Yet, we predict no nomination for him. It's hard enough for a cable main character to get noticed, but an ensemble player is practically invisible to these voters.

Pushing Daisies: Yes, the fact that it was cancelled does make honoring it problematic. But we're still holding out hope that the Emmys might actually acknowledge excellence despite business decisions. Was there another series on the air that pushed that envelope harder when it came to writing, acting and visual brilliance? We think not.

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