PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS PREDICTIONS 2014

Let’s look at some of the main categories of the 66th annual Primetime Emmys and take a stab at who'll win this time

Outstanding Drama Series

BREAKING BAD (2013 winner)

DOWNTON ABBEY

GAME OF THRONES

HOUSE OF CARDS

MAD MEN

TRUE DETECTIVE

BREAKING BAD should win. I would be happy to see MAD MEN or DOWNTON ABBEY winning, but I doubt that they will. (MAD MEN would break a record if it were to win, becoming the drama series with the maximum number of Emmy wins for Outstanding Drama Series.) I somehow don’t think HOUSE OF CARDS or GAME OF THRONES stand a chance either. I think it’s between BREAKING BAD and TRUE DETECTIVE this year. I hope the former wins.

Outstanding Comedy Series

THE BIG BANG THEORY

LOUIE

MODERN FAMILY (2013winner)

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

SILICON VALLEY

VEEP

I would be thrilled to see MODERN FAMILY win for a fifth consecutive year, after winning this award for all of its previous seasons. New entrant ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK could upset that, and there’s a strong possibility that it might. I would be happy even if THE BIG BANG THEORY finally wins this prize, but I have a gut feeling that it will be MODERN FAMILY again this year. If that does happen, MODERN FAMILY will match FRASIER’s record of being a show that (will have) won the maximum Emmys for Outstanding Comedy Series (five).

Lead Actor in a Drama

Bryan Cranston, BREAKING BAD

Jeff Daniels, THE NEWSROOM (2013 winner)

Jon Hamm, MAD MEN

Woody Harrelson,
TRUE DETECTIVE

Matthew McConaughey,
TRUE DETECTIVE

Kevin Spacey,
HOUSE OF CARDS

Bryan Cranston should win this time, especially since he lost out last year, even though he has won thrice before. I doubt any of the others stand a chance against him, except for Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey, who, I think will take it away.

Lead Actress in a Drama

Lizzy Caplan, MASTERS OF SEX

Claire Danes, HOMELAND (2013 winner)

Michelle Dockery,
DOWNTON ABBEY

Julianna Marguiles,
THE GOOD WIFE

Kerry Washington, SCANDAL

Robin Wright,
HOUSE OF CARDS

Robin Wright is the strongest contender in this category, given how she delivered the scenes in which Claire Underwood is dealing with demons from her past. Kerry Washington is a popular favorite, but I hope her overacting in SCANDAL doesn’t get recognized. Claire Danes could make a hat-trick of her Emmy Wins for HOMELAND, especially for her performance through Brody’s death in the most recent season of the show. I would be most happy to see Julianna Margulies win for her restrained, but strong delivery of Alicia dealing with loss on THE GOOD WIFE, and she could win (she’s won before too). I think it’ll be either Margulies or Wright.

Lead Actor in a Comedy

Louis C.K., LOUIE

Don Cheadle, HOUSE OF LIES

Ricky Gervais, DEREK

Matt LeBlanc, EPISODES

William H. Macy, SHAMELESS

Jim Parsons, THE BIG BANG THEORY (2013 winner)

Jim Parsons should win again, especially because of his portrayal of Sheldon’s reaction to all the changes taking place with people around him, and him kissing Amy, earlier in the show’s most recent season. However, I think that William H. Macy could take it away this year. SHAMELESS is a new entrant in the comedy categories this year (it was in drama before), and that probably ups his chances of being recognized for his outstanding work on the show. I would be most happy to see Matt LeBlanc win though.

Lead Actress in a Comedy

Lena Dunham, GIRLS

Edie Falco, NURSE JACKIE

Julia Louis-Dreyfus,
VEEP (2013 winner)

Melissa McCarthy,
MIKE & MOLLY

Amy Poehler,
PARKS & RECREATION

Taylor Schilling, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

Julia Louis-Dreyfus could win again, as the Academy doesn’t shy away from repeating winners year after year, and she would be a deserving recipient. This year, however, I think it’ll be Taylor Schilling, even though Amy Poehler might be a popular favorite.

Supporting Actor in a Drama

Aaron Paul, BREAKING BAD

Jim Carter, DOWNTON ABBEY

Peter Dinklage, GAME OF THRONES

Josh Charles, THE GOOD WIFE

Mandy Patinkin, HOMELAND

Jon Voight, RAY DONOVAN

Aaron Paul should definitely win this time, after he missed out last year, and he has won before. I would be surprised if Josh Charles wins, even though his performance through his last few episodes on THE GOOD WIFE was excellent, because the Academy has largely neglected the greatness of the show’s most recent season in their nominations. Aaron Paul is the most deserving, and I think he will win.

Supporting Actress in a Drama

Anna Gunn, BREAKING BAD (2013 winner)

Maggie Smith, DOWNTON ABBEY

Joanne Froggatt, DOWNTON ABBEY

Lena Headey, GAME OF THRONES

Christine Baranski, THE GOOD WIFE

Christina Hendricks, MAD MEN

Anna Gunn could very well win again, and the Academy is known to repeatedly reward performers’ consistency. However, I think this year, it should be Christine Baranski or Joanne Froggatt, especially the latter. I wouldn’t be surprised if Lena Headey takes it away.

Supporting Actor in a Comedy

Andre Braugher, BROOKLYN NINE-NINE

Adam Driver, GIRLS

Jesse Tyler Ferguson, MODERN FAMILY

Ty Burrell, MODERN FAMILY

Fred Armisen, PORTLANDIA

Tony Hale, VEEP (2013winner)

I don’t think Tony Hale’s performance was exceptionally good, over and above what won him the award last year, so I doubt he’ll win again. I think this one should go to Andre Braugher, but considering the Academy’s lack of recognition towards BROOKLYN NINE-NINE, I think this year, it’ll be Fred Armisen.

Supporting Actress in a Comedy

Mayim Bialik, THE BIG BANG THEORY

Julie Bowen, MODERN FAMILY

Allison Janney, MOM

Kate Mulgrew, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

Kate McKinnon, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

Anna Chlumsky, VEEP

Julie Bowen has won before, and she could win again, but I think this year, it’ll go to Kate Mulgrew. However, I think Mayim Bialik should win. Her performance through Amy and Sheldon’s slow-moving relationship gathering momentum in the most recent season of THE BIG BANG THEORY deserves a win.

Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series

BOARDWALK EMPIRE ("Farewell Daddy Blues"), Tim Van Patten

BREAKING BAD ("Felina"), Vince Gilligan

DOWNTON ABBEY ("Episode 1"), David Evans

GAME OF THRONES ("The Watchers on the Wall"), Neil Marshall

HOUSE OF CARDS ("Chapter 14"), Carl Franklin (2013 winner)

TRUE DETECTIVE ("Who Goes There"), Cary Joji Fukunaga

BREAKING BAD should win this for sure. The series finale (“Felina”) was extraordinarily executed by show creator Vince Gilligan. I doubt HOUSE OF CARDS will win this year, as “Chapter 14” lacked the quality that any of its episodes from last season had. TRUE DETECTIVE stands a strong chance. If anything, this series had some excellent direction.

Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series

EPISODES ("Episode 309"), Iain B. MacDonald

GLEE ("100"), Paris Barclay

LOUIS ("Elevator, Part 6"), Louis C.K.

MODERN FAMILY ("Vegas"), Gail Mancuso (2013 winner)

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK ("Lesbian Request Denied"), Jodie Foster

SILICON VALLEY ("Minimum Viable Product"), Mike Judge

The chaos in the situational comedy in “Episode 309” (EPISODES) and “Vegas” (MODERN FAMILY) makes me want to see one of them winning this one. If it has to be one of the two, the Academy favorite will most likely win. However, I won’t be surprised if ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK takes this one away.

Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series

BREAKING BAD ("Ozymandias"), Moira Walley-Beckett

BREAKING BAD ("Felina"), Vince Gilligan

GAME OF THRONES ("The Children"), David Benioff and D.B. Weiss

HOUSE OF CARDS ("Chapter 14"), Beau Willimon

TRUE DETECTIVE ("The Secret Fate of All Life"), Nic Pizzolatto

Last year’s winner, HOMELAND didn’t make it to the list this year, but BREAKING BAD’s two nominations in this category push me to think that it will probably win, not just because its chances are higher statistically, but mainly because of the two episodes nominated. The series finale, “Felina”, was a work of art, with every silent moment doing so much of the storytelling. Directing and performance could achieve that only with the excellent foundation of Gilligan’s good writing. I wouldn’t be surprised if the other one wins too. “Ozymandias” was the one in which Hank Schrader dies.

Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series

EPISODES ("Episode 305"), David Crane

LOUIS ("So Did The Fat Lady"), Louis C.K.

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK ("I Wasn't Ready"), Jenji Kohan and Liz Friedman

SILICON VALLEY ("Optimal Tip-to-Tip Efficiency"), Alec Berg

VEEP ("Special Relationship"), Simon Blackwell, Tony Roche, and Armando Iannucci

Last year, 30 ROCK won this category. I would like to see EPISODES take away this one, or even VEEP, but given all the buzz surrounding Netflix’s ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, I think it’ll be the one to win.


This post also appeared on TheLabel.in.