Congratulations to Amy Poehler and Tina Fey for their first win in an Emmys acting category as a pair. I won’t deny them their brilliance as performers and comediennes. However, it’s high time the Television Academy separate regular fiction from variety entertainment. With the number of Emmy categories somewhere between 100 and 120, it won’t be so shocking to see another set of acting/performing-in-variety-programs categories. Then maybe an Amy Schumer or a Keegan-Michael Peele will get the recognition they deserve. And more importantly, the work of actors and actresses, who work episode after episode and season after season to build a character, will be recognized and awarded as they so deserve.
That’s wishful thinking
though. For now, this is what the Emmys are. So let’s get on with it.
Last year, the TV
Academy really changed things up. GAME OF THRONES finally won Outstanding
Drama. Jon Hamm finally won for MAD MEN. The dominance of MODERN FAMILY and Jim
Parsons ended. Uzo Aduba became the first actress to have won Emmys for the
same role in drama and comedy categories. Viola Davis became the first African
American to have won Outstanding Actress – Drama. And so on… A few usual suspects,
such as Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Allison Janney had unsurprising wins. But, on
the whole, it was quite unpredictable. Will this year’s Emmys offer us another
shake-up? Will they go with older favorites? Or will they take last year’s results and
follow a new trend with similar results for the next few years?
Let’s see!
DRAMA
Outstanding Series – Drama
Outstanding Series – Drama
GAME OF THRONES
BETTER CALL SAUL
MR ROBOT
HOUSE OF CARDS
HOMELAND
THE AMERICANS
DOWNTON ABBEY
I want HOMELAND to win
for its exemplary fifth season. I want DONWTON to win for its perfect final
season. However, I’m quite sure GAME OF THRONES has started on a winning
streak, and that will continue this year. I suspect that this will also be
influenced by the fact that GAME OF THRONES won’t be eligible next year, since
its seventh season has been pushed to a date that will fall outside of the Emmys consideration period for 2016-17.
Outstanding
lead actor in a drama series
Kyle Chandler, BLOODLINE
Rami Malek, MR ROBOT
Bob Odenkirk, BETTER
CALL SAUL
Matthew Rhys, THE
AMERICANS
Live Schreiber, RAY
DONONVAN
Kevin Spacey, HOUSE OF
CARDS
Maybe Kevin Spacey will
finally win an Emmy for HOUSE OF CARDS. Maybe this is the year for THE
AMERICANS—at least in the lead acting (drama) categories—which means new
entrant Matthew Rhys will win. It’s really difficult to say for this category,
since none of roles that have won for the last eight years are in the mix this
year. The Academy has given it to Kyle Chandler for FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS before.
This time, maybe he’ll win for BLOODLINE. But I really think that the past
several winners not being around has cleared the way for Spacey to win this time.
Outstanding
lead actress in a drama series
Claire Danes, HOMELAND
Viola Davis, HOW TO GET
AWAY WITH MURDER
Taraji P Henson, EMPIRE
Tatiana Maslany, ORPHAN
BLACK
Keri Russell, THE
AMERICANS
Robin Wright, HOUSE OF
CARDS
I really hope it’s Keri
Russell. She’s been amazing on THE AMERICANS every season, but especially so in
the most recent fourth, what with Elizabeth seducing her friend’s husband, and
protecting her daughter from muggers like a lioness. Unfortunately for Russell,
I think the Academy will award Viola Davis’ intense performance as Annalise
Keating for a second time.
Outstanding
supporting actor in a drama series
Jonathan Banks, BETTER
CALL SAUL
Peter Dinklage, GAME OF
THRONES
Kit Harington, GAME OF
THRONES
Michael Kelly, HOUSE OF
CARDS
Ben Mendehlson,
BLOODLINE
Jon Voight, RAY DONOVAN
Since it’ll be another year for GAME OF THRONES to win big, I think Peter Dinklage will win. And when he does, he will join
Aaron Paul as one of only two surviving persons to have won three Emmys in this category.
Outstanding
supporting actress in a drama series
Maura Tierney, THE
AFFAIR
Maggie Smith, DOWNTON
ABBEY
Lena Headey, GAME OF
THRONES
Emilia Clarke, GAME OF
THRONES
Maisie Williams, GAME OF
THRONES
Constance Zimmer, UNREAL
The buzz is that this is
Constance Zimmer’s year. She could win. However, I suspect that this year is
going to be even bigger for GAME OF THRONES than last year was, especially
considering the overwhelming number of acting nominations the show has got this time.
Given that, I think it’ll be Lena Headey this year.
Outstanding
directing for a drama series
Michael Engler, DOWNTON
ABBEY – "Episode Nine"
Miguel Sapochnik, GAME
OF THRONES – "Battle of the Bastards"
Jack Bender, GAME OF
THRONES – "The Door"
Lesli Linka Glatter, HOMELAND
– "The Tradition of Hospitality"
Steven Soderbergh, THE
KNICK – "This Is All We Are”
David Hollander, RAY
DONOVAN – "Exsuscito"
HOMELAND’s nominated
episode is strong, but I think GAME OF THRONES is winning this one too.
Outstanding
writing for a drama series
Joel Fields and Joe
Weisberg, THE AMERICANS – "Persona Non Grata"
Julian Fellowes, DOWNTON
ABBEY – "Episode Eight"
David Benioff and D. B.
Weiss, GAME OF THRONES – "Battle of the Bastards"
Michelle King and Robert
King, THE GOOD WIFE – "End"
Sam Esmail, MR ROBOT – "eps1.0_hellofriend.mov"
Marti Noxon and Sarah
Gertrude Shapiro, UNREAL – "Return"
GAME OF THRONES could
win again. It is the HBO show’s year. However, I think the Academy will show
some appreciation for MR ROBOT in this category.
COMEDY
Outstanding Series – Comedy
TRANSPARENT
SILICON VALLEY
VEEP
MODERN FAMILY
UNBREAKABLE KIMMY
SCHMIDT
BLACK-ISH
MASTER OF NONE
VEEP will take it away
again this year. I don’t think either GAME OF THRONES or VEEP are done winning
the big prizes. Although, I really hope MODERN FAMILY wins a fifth Emmy, and becomes the show with the most wins in this category.
Outstanding
lead actor in a comedy series
Anthony Anderson, BLACK-ISH
Aziz Ansari, MASTER OF
NONE
Will Forte, THE LAST MAN
ON EARTH
William H Macy, SHAMELESS
Thomas Middleditch, SILICON
VALLEY
Jeffrey Tambor, TRANSPARENT
Just like the winning streak Jim Parsons had with THE BIG BANG THEORY, the current phase is Jeffrey Tambor’s with TRANSPARENT.
Outstanding
lead actress in a comedy series
Ellie Kemper, UNBREAKABLE
KIMMY SCHMIDT
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, VEEP
Laurie Metcalf, GETTING
ON
Tracee Ellis Ross, BLACK-ISH
Amy Schumer, INSIDE AMY
SCHUMER
Lily Tomlin, GRACE AND
FRANKIE
Julia Louis-Dreyfus will
win her fifth Emmy for VEEP this year, and she’ll have won a total of eight
Emmys. If anyone else should win, it should be Lily Tomlin.
Outstanding
supporting actor in a comedy series
Louie Anderson, BASKETS
Andre Braugher, BROOKLYN
NINE-NINE
Tituss Burgess,
UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT
Ty Burrell, MODERN
FAMILY
Tony Hale, VEEP
Keegan Michael Key, KEY
& PEELE
Matt Walsh, VEEP
Tony Hale and Ty Burrell
have both won in this category, twice each. It could be one of them again. But unless
one of the new entrants, Louie Anderson or Matt Walsh, mix things up, I think
it’ll be Tony Hale again.
Outstanding
supporting actress in a comedy series
Niecy Nash, GETTING ON
Allison Janney, MOM
Kate McKinnon, SATURDAY
NIGHT LIVE
Judith Light, TRANSPARENT
Gaby Hoffmann, TRANSPARENT
Anna Chlumsky, VEEP
New entrant Judith Light
really deserves to win this. She’s really good as the annoying, yet endearing
Shelly Pfefferman on TRANSPARENT. However, I think the equally deserving
Allison Janney will continue on her winning streak for MOM, rounding off her
total number of Emmy wins to eight, just like Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Outstanding
directing for a comedy series
Aziz Ansari, MASTER OF
NONE – "Parents"
Alec Berg, SILICON
VALLEY – "Daily Active Users"
Mike Judge, SILICON
VALLEY – "Founder Friendly"
Jill Soloway,
TRANSPARENT – "Man on the Land"
David Mandel, VEEP – "Kissing
Your Sister"
Chris Addison, VEEP – "Morning
After"
Dale Stern, VEEP – "Mother"
The odds are in its
favor, so it would be a surprise if this one isn’t a sweep for VEEP. It hasn’t
won before, but the Academy has acknowledged VEEP more this year than before,
so…!
Outstanding
writing for a comedy series
Rob Delaney and Sharon
Horgan, CATASTROPHE – "Episode 1"
Aziz Ansari and Alan
Yang, MASTER OF NONE – "Parents"
Dan O'Keefe, SILICON
VALLEY – "Founder Friendly"
Alec Berg, SILICON
VALLEY – "The Uptick"
David Mandel, VEEP – "Morning
After"
Alex Gregory and Peter
Huyck, VEEP – "Mother"
The sweep for VEEP will
continue here. It could be any episode!
LIMITED SERIES AND TELEVISION MOVIES
Outstanding Limited Series
Outstanding Limited Series
AMERICAN CRIME
FARGO
THE NIGHT MANAGER
THE PEOPLE V OJ SIMPSON
ROOTS
I wish it would go to
FARGO. I really do. However, I suspect this will be the year for THE PEOPLE V OJ.
Outstanding
Television Movie
ALL THE WAY
CONFIRMATION
LUTHER
SHERLOCK – THE ABOMINABLE BRIDE
LUTHER
SHERLOCK – THE ABOMINABLE BRIDE
A VERY MURRAY CHRISTMAS
It’ll be between ALL THE
WAY and CONFIRMATION. I suspect. The latter is my pick. If SHERLOCK wins, I’ll
scream. I was shocked that that abomination even made it to this list.
Outstanding
lead actor in a limited series or TV movie
Bryan Cranston, ALL THE
WAY
Benedict Cumberbatch, SHERLOCK
Idris Elba, LUTHER
Cuba Gooding Jr, THE
PEOPLE V OJ SIMPSON
Tom Hiddleston, THE
NIGHT MANAGER
Courtney B Vance, THE
PEOPLE V OJ SIMPSON
Considering the caliber
of most of the performers and their history at awards in general, it becomes
difficult to pick. Cumberbatch has had his win, after which the Academy moved
on. Elba could win for the last two episodes of LUTHER. However, I think it’ll
be one of the PEOPLE V OJ actors. My guess: Courtney B Vance.
Outstanding
lead actress in a limited series or TV movie
Kirsten Dunst, FARGO
Felicity Huffman, AMERICAN
CRIME
Audra McDonald, LADY DAY
AT EMERSON’S BAR & GRILL
Sarah Paulson, THE
PEOPLE V OJ SIMPSON
Lili Taylor, AMERICAN
CRIME
Kerry Washington, CONFIRMATION
I really hope and wish
Kirsten Dunst wins it for this. She was extraordinarily brilliant on FARGO. While
I think it’s the year for PEOPLE V OJ, which would push things in Paulson’s
favor, I think, in this category, Dunst will become the exception.
Outstanding
supporting actor in a limited series or movie
Jesse Plemons, FARGO
Bokeem Woodbine, FARGO
Hugh Laurie, THE NIGHT
MANAGER
Sterling K Brown, THE
PEOPLE V OJ SIMPSON: AMERICAN CRIME STORY
David Schwimmer, THE
PEOPLE V OJ SIMPSON: AMERICAN CRIME STORY
John Travolta, THE
PEOPLE V OJ SIMPSON: AMERICAN CRIME STORY
If someone from PEOPLE V
OJ wins, I hope it’s Sterling Brown. I want this one to go to the Plemons for
his effortless portrayal of panicky-calm on FARGO. However, I think John
Travolta will win.
Outstanding
supporting actress in a limited series or movie
Melissa Leo, ALL THE WAY
Regina King, AMERICAN
CRIME
Sarah Paulson, AMERICAN
HORROR STORY: HOTEL
Kathy Bates, AMERICAN
HORROR STORY: HOTEL
Jean Smart, FARGO
Olivia Colman, THE NIGHT
MANAGER
I wouldn’t be surprised if
Regina King takes it away again for AMERICAN CRIME. However, I think this year,
Jean Smart’s restrained, yet effective performance will be rewarded.
Outstanding
directing for a limited series, television movie or dramatic special
Jay Roach, ALL THE WAY
Noah Hawley, FARGO – "Before
the Law"
Susanne Bier, THE NIGHT
MANAGER
Ryan Murphy, THE PEOPLE
V OJ SIMPSON – "From the Ashes of Tragedy"
Anthony Hemingway, THE
PEOPLE V OJ SIMPSON – "Manna from Heaven"
John Singleton, THE
PEOPLE V OJ SIMPSON – "The Race Card"
It seems obvious! It’s THE
PEOPLE V OJ’s year.
Outstanding
writing for a limited series, television movie or dramatic special
Bob DeLaurentis, FARGO –
"Loplop"
Noah Hawley, FARGO – "Palindrome"
David Farr, THE NIGHT
MANAGER
Scott Alexander and
Larry Karaszewski, THE PEOPLE V OJ SIMPSON – "From the Ashes of
Tragedy"
DV DeVincentis, THE
PEOPLE V OJ SIMPSON – "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia"
Joe Robert Cole, THE
PEOPLE V OJ SIMPSON – "The Race Card"
I hope FARGO gets this
at least.
Having been through all
of the above categories, it turns out that I think this year will be one of the
more predictable ones. GAME OF THRONES, VEEP, PEOPLE V OJ will win big, with a
little bit of HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER, HOUSE OF CARDS, TRANSPARENT, MOM and FARGO thrown
into the mix.
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