• Three-time Emmy champ Laura Linney is the subject of a lengthy profile in this Sunday's magazine section of the New York Times. Among the highlights of the piece: when writer Frank Bruni accompanied Linney to a rehearsal for the recent Tony Awards where the nominated actress clearly was in her element. "'You just have to see this!' she exclaimed at one point, tugging me backstage. 'It’s just too much fun, all the different casts bumping into each other.'" Along the way, Bruni also visited Linney on the set of her new Showtime series "The Big C," which is set to debut Aug. 16. This first regular TV role for the versatile talent sees her playing a teacher who must learn what is important in her life when told she has terminal cancer. The paycaster has proved to be a Hollywood haven for actresses like Linney, and it is currently showcasing Emmy nominees Toni Collette ("The United States of Tara") and Edie Falco ("Nurse Jackie"). NEW YORK TIMES

• The tuner "Next to Normal" -- which won this year's Pulitzer prize for drama -- welcomed three new cast members Tuesday. Husband and wife Marin Mazzie and Jason Daniely replace Tony winner Alice Ripley and Brian D'Arcy James as the couple coping with her mental illness, while understudy Meghann Fay is permanently stepping in for Tony nominee Jennifer Damiano as the less-than-understanding teenage daughter. PLAYBILL

• CBS has revealed that four of the companies to get a visit from an "Undercover Boss" in the upcoming second season are NASCAR, DirecTV, Great Wolf Resorts and Chiquita Brands. "We're thrilled with this season's new batch of bosses," said the show's creator and executive producer Stephen Lambert. They are NASCAR's senior vice president and chief marketing officer Steve Phelps; Mike White, chairman, president and CEO of DirecTV; Chiquita Brands chairman and CEO Fernando Aguirre; and CEO Kimberly Schaefer of Great Wolf Resorts. The hit show is in contention for best reality series at the upcoming Emmy Awards.

• Hanh Nguyen does a deft job live blogging the lively discussion of "The Big Bang Theory" cast and creators that kicked off the annual TV critics confab Wednesday. Among the tasty tidbits is one from Emmy nominee Jim Parsons, who said he loves Comic-Con, "but seeing the thousands of Sheldon t-shirts was a little disturbing." And when asked about the show's fans, he replied, "They're the sweetest, least psychotic bunch of people I've ever met." ZAP 2 IT

• Our good friend Mike Ausiello caught up with the "Big Bang" gang at Comic-Con last week for a video interview that was punctuated throughout with merriment. Among the subjects covered in the lively conversation were the Emmy snub for best comedy series, upcoming plot points and ongoing salary negotiations. ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

• Joel Keller chats with Emmy winner Felicity Huffman on the set of "Desperate Housewives." The one-time Oscar lead actress nominee ("Transamerica") admitted, "I was anticipating doing more movies. I got a lot of movie scripts for a while... I don't really get them anymore." And she said, "Independent films have taken a dive. They're becoming harder and harder to do and somewhat extinct because there's a glut on the market, and they're just so hard to get funding. So I feel like the golden age of independent movies, at least the way they were being done, is over." TV SQUAD

• And our great pal Ray Richmond sat down with "Housewives" creator Marc Cherry, who said "he could see handing off his 6-year-old baby to someone else to run after the coming 7th season. In fact he thought it was likely, as he’s now penning a pilot for a potential new ABC series that he hopes will be up and running by next June. He wouldn't elaborate on what the pilot is about, only noting it 'will not be set in suburbia.'" Cherry also revealed to Ray, "I’ve got a contract that keeps me around ABC for a few more years. I hope (Housewives will be around) for a couple of more seasons, and my thing is I always will be executive producer and consultant on the show. It’s my baby. I can’t let go. I have control issues. They can’t totally get rid of me." DEADLINE

• Donna Hughes previews the just-released title track from the upcoming film "Country Strong." The ditty is done by Oscar champ Gwyneth Paltrow who stars as fallen singer Kelly Canter. As Donna notes, "The actress is no stranger to the music scene, having charted a hit single with Huey Lewis on a remake of 'Cruisin' from the film 'Duets' in 2000. She also happens to be married to Coldplay's Chris Martin." Country crooners Vince Gill and Patty Griffin perform background vocals on this debut single. Though the film won't be out till Dec. 22, the soundtrack is set for release on Oct. 26.  While there is no word yet on the full track listing, another singing star -- Tim McGraw -- appears in the film as Canter's husband/manager. He sets out to resurrect her career with the help of a songwriter she meets in rehab. THE BOOT

• Anne Thompson thinks that "Get Low" -- the new Robert Duvall picture about a hermit re-entering 1930s society -- "should be a soft lob down the middle for Oscar voters." As Anne notes, the film, which she saw at last year's Toronto filmfest, is doing well with the mainstream critics and she planned on attending Tuesday's premiere at the academy which was chronicled by our team. THE ENVELOPE

Photos, from top: Laura Linney in "The Big C" promotional still. Credit: Showtime; "The Big Bang Theory" 3rd season Blu-Ray cover art. Credit: Warner Home Video; Gwyneth Paltrow in "Country Strong." Credit: Screen Gems.

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Our forums moderator Chris "Boomer" Beachum notes a curious Emmy fact. There's been surprising turnover of winners in the category of best lead comedy actress over the last decade. That's in contrast to other Emmy races that often look like a TV repeat. Consider the other top series acting categories — the winners all repeated over the last two years: Alec Baldwin ("30 Rock"), Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad") and Glenn Close ("Damages").

However, nine women won best comedy actress over the last nine years. The last repeat was Patricia Heaton ("Everybody Loves Raymond") in 2000 and 2001.

2009 — Toni Collette ("United States of Tara")
2008 — Tina Fey ("30 Rock")
2007 — America Ferrera ("Ugly Betty")
2006 — Julia Louis-Dreyfus ("New Adventures of Old Christine")
2005 — Felicity Huffman ("Desperate Housewives")
2004 — Sarah Jessica Parker ("Sex and the City")
2003 — Debra Messing ("Will & Grace")
2002 — Jennifer Aniston ("Friends")
2001 — Patricia Heaton ("Everybody Loves Raymond")

Photos: Toni Collette and Tina Fey. Credit: Academy of Television Arts & Sciences

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Drea De Matteo won an Emmy Award for her final season on "The Sopranos" and picked up Golden Globe and SAG nods as well for her work as the turncoat Adriana. After her character was whacked in 2004, De Matteo spent two seasons on the ill-fated spinoff "Joey" and did a five-episode arc on "Sons of Anarchy." Now she is set to return to prime-time in style, joining the cast of "Desperate Housewives."

As the ninth of the titular characters, Drea De Matteo is to play a woman with a landscape designer husband and a troubled son. There is no word as to whether De Matteo will be aboard for just one season or for the run of the series. Following the death of the vampy, trampy Edie Britt (Nicollette Sheridan) this season, the show needs a strong-willed character to stir up life in the leafy suburb.

The most recent addition to the women of Wisteria Lane was two-time Emmy winner Dana Delaney ("China Beach"), who joined the show in Season 4. Her character, Katherine Mayfair, was central to the mystery of that season, and she has remained on "Desperate Housewives" since in a pivotal role. Five years ago, Delaney was on creator Marc Cherry's wish list of actresses to play Bree, a part that eventually went to Marcia Cross.

The second season casting of four-time Emmy winner Alfre Woodard as new housewife Betty Applewhite did not go nearly as well. The mystery surrounding her family fell flat, and Woodard's character never seemed to mesh with the other women. Ironically, one-season wonder Woodard was the only one of the series regulars to earn an Emmy nod that year. She lost the supporting actress in a comedy series race to Megan Mullally ("Will & Grace").

After being written off by many TV critics, "Desperate Housewives" took a big risk this season and shifted the story ahead five years. This fast forward offered a chance for a much-needed reboot. "Desperate Housewives" ended its fifth year on a high note as the season-long mystery was solved and all seemed as well as it ever can be for the women of Wisteria Lane. In the two-hour finale, there was a wedding, an affair, a pregnancy and an adoption.

Desperate Housewives" lost its only bid for the comedy series Emmy Award to the farewell season of "Everybody Loves Raymond" back in 2005. After that first-season nod, the hourlong show has been snubbed by Emmy in that top race ever since. While it made the top 10 runoff as determined by a popular vote in both Seasons 2 and 3, it failed to win over the judging panels and earn a spot in the final round last year.

This year, the Emmy Awards nominating process has been revised to eliminate the juried runoff. Now the contenders will be determined solely by popular ballot. "Desperate Housewives" ranks No. 9 for the season with an average audience of 14.5 million. The only other comedy in the top 20 is "Two and a Half Men," which sits in 11th place with 9.8 million viewers. This switch could also help the actresses who play the housewives get back in the Emmy race.

"Desperate Housewives" lost its only bid for the best comedy series Emmy Award to the farewell season of "Everybody Loves Raymond" back in 2005. After that first-season nod, the hour-long show has been snubbed by Emmy in that top race ever since. While it made the top 10 runoff as determined by a popular vote in both 2006 and 2007, it failed to win over the judging panels and earn a spot in the final round last year. And the actors have fared little better.

For playing frazzled working mom Lynette Scavo on that first breakout season of "Desperate Housewives," Felicity Huffman won the 2005 Emmy. She contended again in 2007 but lost to "Ugly Betty" star America Ferrera. Last year, she made the top 10 list but was not a hit with the judging panel, which helped winnow down these contenders to the final nominees.

Teri Hatcher won the Golden Globe midway through the first season in 2005 for her work as lovable klutz Susan Mayer and picked up an Emmy nod that year as well. She was a popular vote choice at the Emmys in both 2006 and 2007 but did not rank among the top 10 last year.

Marcia Cross racked up three consecutive Golden Globe nods (2005-07) as well a 2005 Emmy bid for her brittle Bree Van de Kamp Hodge. While she made the Emmy runoff in each of the last three years she has failed to translate that popular success into a nomination.

Neither Nicollette Sheridan as the vampy tramp Edie Britt or Eva Longoria  — who plays the delicious diva Gabrielle Solis — have earned any Emmy nominations to date. Longoria was popular enough with academy voters to be considered by the judging panels in each of the last three years, but she has yet to make it through to the final round.

And based on the comments of our forum posters, both the show and the stars face uphill battles at the Emmy Awards this year as well.

Leobassaid, "What a TERRIBLE season. Absolutely nothing worked. Even the praised 100th episode was lame, in my opinion. Out of the hit shows that premiered in 2004 (Grey's, Lost, Desperate Housewives, House...) DH is easily the one that got stale faster."

AJthought, "Overall, the finale was probably the weakest of the 5 but it had its good moments. I actually liked how they resolved the Dave mystery, which is easily the worst mystery they have done. I never thought anything could beat the Applewhite mystery but the Dave storyline takes the cake for being the worst, most bland, and the most predictable mystery yet."

nrlondon76 wrote, "Disappointing season finale as the Dave storyline dragged it down. I would have preferred more housewife attention and a whole lot less of Dave. The entire Dave mystery this season was just blah."

"Desperate Housewives" ended its fifth year on a high note as the season-long mystery was solved and all seemed as well as it ever can be for the women of Wisteria Lane. In the two-hour finale, there was a wedding, an affair, a pregnancy and an adoption. But can all this drama get the show back into the Emmy race for best comedy series?

"Desperate Housewives" has contended only once for TV's top prize. That was back in 2005 for its first smash-hit season. The ratings winner lost to the last year of "Everybody Loves Raymond." For Seasons 2 and 3, the show did make the top 10 as determined by a popular vote of academy members. However, it failed to impress the judging panels enough to earn a place in the final list of nominees. And last year, "Desperate Housewives" didn't even make the top 10 despite continued good ratings.

This year, the Emmy Awards nominating process has been revised to eliminate the juried runoff. Now the contenders will be determined solely by popular ballot. "Desperate Housewives" ranks No. 9 for the seasons with an average audience of 14.5 million. The only other comedy in the top 20 is "Two and a Half Men," which sits in 11th place with 9.8 million viewers.

Ironically, that mancentric sitcom seems to have taken the place of these wily women in the lineup of Emmy-nominated comedy series. The traditional three-camera sitcom has landed a nod in each of the last three years, while the single-camera hour-long dramedy has been snubbed.

After being written off by many TV critics, "Desperate Housewives" took a big risk this season and shifted the story ahead five years. This fast forward offered a chance for a much-needed reboot. However, while the show has sizzled in some episodes this season — most notably in the demise of Edie — the finale got mixed reviews.

Here's a snapshot of what we see on the Derby track right now.

* = Top 10 semifinalist in 2008

** = Nominee in 2008

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
(Front-runners)
Christina Applegate, "Samantha Who?" **
Toni Collette, "United States of Tara"
Marcia Cross, "Desperate Housewives" *
America Ferrera, "Ugly Betty" **
Tina Fey, "30 Rock" ** (WINNER IN 2008)
Teri Hatcher, "Desperate Housewives"
Felicity Huffman, "Desperate Housewives" *
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "New Adventures of Old Christine" **
Eva Longoria-Parker, "Desperate Housewives" *
Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds" **
Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation"
Nicollette Sheridan, "Desperate Housewives"
Sarah Silverman, "The Sarah Silverman Program" *

Nicollette Sheridan left "Desperate Housewives" after almost five seasons with a socko episode devoted to her character. While she has not been nominated for an Emmy in the past, this farewell appearance could be the one that finally gets the prime-time soap veteran noticed by academy voters.

  Sheridan was initially cast as a recurring character on "Housewives," but response to her portrayal of man eater Edie Britt was so strong that she was upgraded to series regular. And while she proved to be a fan favorite, Sheridan was snubbed by the various TV kudos. 

For the first breakout season of "Desperate Housewives," Felicity Huffmanwon an Emmy playing frazzled working mom Lynette Scavo, and Teri Hatcher took home a Golden Globe for her work as lovable klutz Susan Mayer and picked up an Emmy nod as well.

And Marcia Cross has racked up three Golden Globe nods and an Emmy bid for her brittle Bree Van De Kamp Hodge. But Sheridan and Eva Longoria  -- who plays the equally promiscuous Gabrielle Solis --have had to make do with single Golden Globe nods and sharing in two Screen Actors Guild ensemble awards

This fifth season of the show pushed the plot of "Desperate Housewives" five years into the future.  Edie -- who was banished from the street last year -- returned with a new man (Neal McDonough) in tow. More bad luck in love for Edie as her hubby turned out to be an escaped loony and she ended up his newest victim. Fleeing from his clutches, Edie crashed her car and was electrocuted as she stepped out of the crushed vehicle and into a puddle.

The April 19 episode showcased Sheridan as each of the other housewives reminisced about a moment with Edie that showed a softer side to her character. For Susan, it was when Edie told her that Carl was cheating on her, and for Bree, it came when she discovered Edie was visiting Orson in jail because she refused. With Lynette, it was when Edie made her realize she could beat cancer by dragging her to a  honkytonk, while Gabrielle recalled a night when Edie confessed she did not see herself living to her 50th birthday. But the most poignant scene of the episode was between Edie and her frenemy, Karen (two-time guest actress winner Kathryn Joosten), who spoke about losing their respective sons.

If Sheridan finally reaps her first Emmy nomination, she'll be asked to submit a sample episode to the fellow actors who serve as jurors in her category. This one would be a doozy ... and might even prove to be a winner. It should also be considered as a submission for writing, directing and series categories.

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Photo: ABC

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There's new tattle claiming that the April 19 episode of "Desperate Housewives" featuring the exit of Nicollette Sheridan is such a doozy that it might finally earn overdue academy notice to the actress who must be truly desperate for an Emmy at this point.

"It was a fabulously written episode," costar Teri Hatcher tells People. "She should get nominated for an Emmy."

Nicollette Sheridan was snubbed by Emmy voters throughout the first four seasons of "Desperate Housewives." Ditto Eva Longoria Parker, who also portrays a sexually frisky role with gusto. The other, more conservative housewives — Felicity Huffman, Teri Hatcher and Marcia Cross — have all been nominated. Huffman won the Emmy for best actress  in 2005.

Sheridan's character, Edie, has faced lots of gripping drama over the last TV season — literally — at one point having to fight free from the clutches of her monstrous hubby as he tried to strangle her. While fleeing, Edie got in a car crash, then got electrocuted as she stepped out of the crushed vehicle and into a puddle.

On April 19, many more past travails — and triumphs — of Edie will be revisited in her last appearance  on "Desperate Housewives." "Her final episode is really beautiful, and it involves a lot of flashbacks," costar Dana Delaney told E! Online columnist Marc Malkin.

Nicollette Sheridan finished filming her final scene on "Desperate Housewives" yesterday. And last night, Mark Malkin of E Online dished with recent cast addition Dana Delaney about the departure of one of the original housewives. As per the Emmy-winning actress ("China Beach"), "Her final episode is really beautiful, and it involves a lot of flashbacks."

Could this be the episode that finally makes Emmy Awards voters take notice of the subtler talents of Nicollette Sheridan? For the first four seasons of "Desperate Housewives," she was snubbed by Emmy voters as was costar Eva Longoria Parker.

Their respective characters — Edie Britt and Gabrielle Solis — started out as the least sympathetic of the housewives. For that red-hot first season, Felicity Huffman won the Emmy Award by playing a frazzled working mom while Teri Hatcher took home a Golden Globe for her work as a lovable klutz. Marcia Cross has racked up three Golden Globe nods and an Emmy bid for her portrayal of seeming perfection. Sheridan and Longoria Parker have had to make do with single Golden Globe nods and sharing in two Screen Actors Guild ensemble awards.

This fifth season of "Desperate Housewives" pushed the plot five years into the future with both Edie and Gabrielle facing new challenges that gave the actresses great scenes to play. Edie — banished from the street last year for her antics — returned with a new husband (Neal McDonough) in tow. Though eerily calm, Dave has a host of inner demons that are slowly being unleashed and Edie may well be his next victim.

And Eva Longoria Parker has had to make us feel sympathy for the self-involved Gabrielle. First she pouted about Carlos' blindness, then she pushed him to return to work as an investment banker when his sight returned, and now she has to deal with the guilt of having helped his boss hide his philandering from his murderous wife. All that is balanced by scenes showing a different side of the character as the one-time model deals with motherhood.

Photo:ABC

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Nicollette Sheridan is leaving "Desperate Housewives" just when she is being given the kind of meaty scenes that make Emmy Awards voters swoon. Over the first four seasons of "Desperate Housewives," Nicollette Sheridan was snubbed by Emmy voters each and every year — just like costar Eva Longoria Parker.

Their respective characters — Edie Britt and Gabrielle Solis — were the least sympathetic of the five original women of Wisteria Lane. For the first season, Felicity Huffman won an Emmy Award playing frazzled working mom Lynette Scavo while Teri Hatcher took home a Golden Globe for her work as lovable klutz Susan Mayer. Marcia Cross has racked up three Golden Globe nods and an Emmy bid for her brittle Bree Van De Kamp Hodge. Sheridan and Longoria have had to make do with single Golden Globe nods and sharing in two Screen Actors Guild ensemble awards.

This fifth season of "Desperate Housewives" was designed as a reboot, pushing the plot five years into the future. Both Edie and Gabrielle face challenges that give the actresses playing the parts a real chance to shine. Edie — who was banished from the street last year — returned with a new husband (Neal McDonough) in tow. Turns out Dave is an escaped looney and Edie may well be his next victim. Already, Edie has confronted him about his oddball behavior and she could well be setting herself up for a fall — literally. Nicollette Sheridan has shown a softer side to Edie and it will be a shame to see her go.

And Eva Longoria Parker has had to make us feel sympathy for the self-involved Gabrielle, who pouted about Carlos' blindness and pushed him to return to his old loathed job of investment banker when his sight returned. She too has had scenes that display a different facet of the character as the one-time model deals with motherhood and finding her old self in her new and unimproved body.

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