Two crime dramas will battle it out for bragging rights at the 23rd annual Gemini Awards, with Citytv’s Murdoch Mysteries in the lead with 14 nominations, followed closely by The Movie Network/Movie Central’s Durham County with 13.

The shows face off in a competitive best dramatic series category against CBC’s copro The Tudors and The Border, with 12 and nine nods, respectively, as well as the defunct series Intelligence.

Murdoch captured seven acting nods overall for supporting and guest roles. The series, produced by Shaftesbury Films, was also named in craft categories including casting, photography, writing and visual effects.

‘The wonderful thing about this is we made the three movies that did really well for City, and then they came to us asking for a one-hour drama series,’ says Shaftesbury boss Christina Jennings. ‘Part of you goes, ‘But it’s set in 1895…who’s going to watch a mystery that’s set in 1895?”

Murdoch star Yannick Bisson was snubbed in the lead acting category, however, which puts Durham County’s Hugh Dillon and Justin Louis up against The Border’s James McGowan. Peter Outerbridge received his fourth nod for ReGenesis – still looking for a win – while Ian Tracey is recognized a third time for his role as a drug smuggler-turned-informant in Intelligence.

‘I’m really disappointed for Yannick,’ says Jennings. ‘So much of it rests on the lead. But you never know with these things.’

On the comedy side, fan favorite Corner Gas – which will begin airing its final season in the fall – received four nods, including best comedy program, up against CBC stalwart This Hour Has 22 Minutes, The Comedy Network’s Odd Job Jack and Showcase’s Rent-A-Goalie, Kenny vs. Spenny and Cock’d Gunns.

The CBC mini The Englishman’s Boy weighs in with 12 nominations, and will battle it out for best dramatic mini against City’s Across the River to Motor City – with seven nods – and CTV’s Would Be Kings, with eight.

On the nonfiction side, perennial CBC favorite the fifth estate leads all news categories with 11 noms, including best news information series and host for Gillian Findlay, Hana Gartner and Linden MacIntyre. Citytv Toronto’s Gord Martineau, last year’s best news anchor winner, was left out of this year’s category, which instead pits CBC’s Ian Hanomansing and Peter Mansbridge against Global National’s Kevin Newman. CBC News: The National follows fifth estate with nine nods.

Presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, the Gemini Awards’ main gala moves back to Toronto on Nov. 28, after it was held in Richmond, BC in 2006, followed by Regina last year. Galas for news, sports and documentary; lifestyle, children’s and youth; and drama, comedy and variety shows take place Oct. 20, 21 and 22 in Toronto.