The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has announced its nominations for the Golden Globe Awards, and gay-cowboy indie “Brokeback Mountain” topped the list with seven nominations including best picture, actor, director, and supporting actress. Click here for a complete list of nominees.

Overall, smaller pictures beat out larger, higher-budgeted pictures, with “The Constant Gardener,” “Good Night, and Good Luck”, “A History of Violence,” and Woody Allen’s “Match Point” rounding out the drama category. High-profile releases from earlier in the year such as “Cinderella Man” and “Crash” were shut out from the best picture and director races, though they were still honored with acting nods. Similarly snubbed were late-season entries “Memoirs of a Geisha” and Steven Spielberg’s 1976 terrorist drama “Munich.”

George Clooney fared particularly well in the nominations, scoring nods for best picture and director (“Good Night, and Good Luck”), as well as a supporting actor nomination for his turn in Syriana.

On the TV front, the “Desperate Housewives” sophomore-slump backlash appears to be confined to the U.S., as the gals of Wisteria Lane snared four of the five “Best Actress in a Comedy” slots. Maybe next year, Edie…but probably not. Just because they are housewives doesn’t mean they have to sweep.

Suggesting that the death of TV comedy may have largely been exaggerated, the Best Comedy Series category is stacked almost exclusively with new series, including “My Name is Earl”, “Everybody Hates Chris,” and Showtime’s “Weeds.” Even established fare such as “Desperate Housewives” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” are younger than previous, past-their-prime incumbents such as “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Friends,” and “Frasier.”

The Best Drama Series boasts some fresh faces as well, with “Commander In Chief,” “Rome,” and “Prison Break” all brand new, “Grey’s Anatomy” less than a year old, and “Lost” the aging statesman in its sophomore year. Perennial favorite “24” is absent this year, perhaps in recognition that the franchise could use some invigorating, but, reliably, Kiefer Sutherland is once again up for Best Actor for his role as Jack Bauer.

Facing off against the hardest-working man in CTU for Best Actor will be the man with the best hair at Seattle Grace Hospital, “Grey’s Anatomy”’s Derek Shepherd, played by former teen movie stalwart Patrick Dempsey. Interestingly, both Dr. McDreamy and his series were nominated as best in the drama category…but the true heart of “Grey’s Anatomy” (and the key leg of its romantic triangle), Meredith Grey–played by Ellen Pompeo–was shut out. Perhaps Meredith needs a new hairstylist?

Tune in to NBC on January 16 to find out who wins.