Buffy just can't catch a break.

After years of steady, unrepentant snubbing by Emmy Awards voters (except, of course, for those makeup and music trophies way back in 1998), Buffy the Vampire Slayer was hoping for another shot at gold this year with "Once More with Feeling," last season's well received musical episode written and composed by the show's creator, Joss Whedon.

Only problem: Buffy was left off the ballot.

The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences committed a Hellmouth-sized snafu earlier this month by mailing out Emmy nomination ballots without the episode listed for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series, TV Guide Online reports.

The mistake won't affect Buffy's chances in other categories, including Outstanding Drama Series or Lead Actress honors for Sarah Michelle Gellar, but the glitch could leave the show's mastermind out in the cold come Emmy time. (Nominations will be announced July 18.)

A rep for the Television Academy said the problem was immediately corrected, and it sent out notifications to voters allowing them to cast their vote for "Once More with Feeling." But others suggest the postcard may be too little, too late for some voters--who might not bother trying to figure out how to change their pick.

"It entailed such extraordinary effort that it was unlikely the voters would do it even if they loved the episode," said awards-show expert Tom O'Neil. "So it definitely curses its chances."

It's just the latest in a string of Emmy bad luck for the series, which was dissed last year when one of the show's most memorable (and critically hailed) episodes, "The Body," failed to receive an Emmy nomination - despite active campaigning by the show's fans.

All told, the series has picked up nine nominations since its debut in 1997: Whedon did receive a writing nomination in 2000 for the episode "Hush," but other nominations have come in technical categories such as makeup, music and hairstyling.

In an E! Online interview last year, Whedon was not overly optimistic about Buffy's chances of ever nabbing a Drama Emmy.

"Sure, it'd be nice to have an Emmy, but I think we're probably a ways away from that," he said.

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