HBO picks up the most nominations with 81, 'Mad Men' and 'American Horror Story' get 17 nods each, and traditional broadcasters are shut out of the top drama category.

The cable creep has finally taken over the Emmys. Making steady inroads over broadcast television in recent years, cable networks dominated the nominations for the coveted top drama category Thursday morning, blanking the major networks by taking five of the six slots — leaving the remaining nomination for public broadcasting.

Those drama nominees — "Boardwalk Empire"(HBO),"Breaking Bad"(AMC), "Downton Abbey" (PBS),"Game of Thrones" (HBO),"Homeland" (Showtime) and"Mad Men"(AMC) — illustrate the widening gap between cable — with its deep pockets, unfettered restraints and shorter seasons — and traditional broadcast TV.

HBO led the pack, picking up 81 nods, including for comedyfreshman series "Girls" and "Veep." CBS made the strongest showing of the broadcast outlets, earning 60 nods, with PBS third with 58.

FULL COVERAGE: The Emmys | Top nominees

After five years, the Emmys are still mad about "Mad Men," if the nominations are any indication.

AMC's period drama was one of the biggest winners of the morning, earning 17 nominations, including a lead actor nod for Jon Hamm and lead actress for Elisabeth Moss. It has won the drama category four years running, making it this year's front-runner.

For series creator Matthew Weiner, the hardest part about taking "Mad Men" into Season 5 was, well, facing Season 5. "It's literally like, 'What do you do now?' If you have a rule that you don't want to repeat yourself, it's a scary proposition," he said. "I don't want to say I'll raise the bar, because it's too intimidating, and I don't think that way anyway. There were so many changes this season: Megan and Don's marriage, the year changing, history changing. The first week in the writers' room is always the most challenging."