Watch the Emmy-Nominated Short-Format Programs Right Here

If you check out the list of 2014 Emmy Awards nominations, and look all the way down at the bottom of the list, you'll see a category with a confusing name: "Best Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Program."

What the heck does that even mean?

Basically, a short-format program is anything that's not a full half-hour or hour-long show. As a result, you usually only see these nominees in the form of online videos that accompany full shows, as is the case with this year's "Parks & Recreation" nomination.

But with the dawn of the 15-minute time slot as popularized by Adult Swim, some shows that exist on-air make the cut as well. In fact, the category casts a wide net...this year, it features nominees that range from a stand-alone TV show to a sketch within a TV show to a musical performance during a sporting event.

In short, it's anyone's game.

Since the content is so short and so varied, and so often web-only, it's pretty easy to watch all the nominees in one sitting. So here are all of the 2014 nominees in the Outstanding Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Program.

"Parks & Recreation in Europe"

NBC's Emmy-winning comedy did some on-location shooting in Europe this past season, and took the opportunity to send uber-American Ron Swanson to Scotland. When you think about it, he sort of belongs there.

 

"Children's Hospital"

As a full television show, "Children's Hospital" doesn't usually have full episodes online. But this is the Internet, so of course there are still some on YouTube. Enjoy!

 

"The Soup: True Detective"

"The Soup" is best known for lampooning clips from reality shows, talk shows, and the other trashy yet entertaining television we all know and love to hate. But on occasion, the show will put out an original sketch...this is one of those sketches, and it went viral due to its release during the mania surrounding the finale of "True Detective" earlier this year.

 

"Between Two Ferns: President Barack Obama"

Speaking of going viral, President Obama was hoping for exactly that when he sat down with Zach Galifianakis to talk about the embattled Healthcare.gov website after the rollout of the Affordable Care Act. There was something for everyone: Liberals could chuckle at the Commander In Chief's comedic timing, while Conservatives could laugh at Galifianakis' snarky, underhanded comments made right to the face of the leader of the free world.

 

"Super Bowl 48: Bruno Mars Halftime Show"

Yes, believe it or not, the halftime show at the Super Bowl was nominated in this category. This one is definitely the wild card, and we would be very surprised to see it win since all of the other nominees have a script and actors. Still, you can't deny the talent of Bruno Mars.