EMMYS 2017 PREDICTIONS – WHO SHOULD WIN, WILL WIN

With GAME OF THRONES out of the running this year, drama series has become so unpredictable that it’s given the category a whole new meaning. Comedy will mostly remain the same, with sketch/variety unfortunately occupying comedy spots. And BIG LITTLE LIES could just sweep the mini-series/TV movie categories. Here’s who should win and who will win at the Emmys this Sunday.

Outstanding Drama Series

BETTER CALL SAUL

THE CROWN [Should Win]

THE HANDMAID’S TALE [Will Win]

HOUSE OF CARDS

STRANGER THINGS

THIS IS US

WESTWORLD

The odds of me getting this one wrong here are enormous, because there’s no clear favorite. It can literally be any of the five newcomers (THE CROWN, THE HANDMAID’S TALE, STRANGER THINGS, THIS IS US, or WESTWORLD), no one can be certain until that envelope is opened on Sunday. I think it should go to THE CROWN. THE HANDMAID’S TALE is a close second for me, and the others don’t even come close to those two, in my opinion.

THIS IS US was good, but more deserving sob-fests, such as PARENTHOOD and GREY’S ANATOMY have been ignored over the years, so I don’t see the reason for the brouhaha over THIS. STRANGER THINGS and WESTWORLD were also good, but not exceptional. THE HANDMAID’S TALE, on the other hand, was thrilling, nuanced, deep, and terrifying, because of the real world slowly becoming victim to extremist ideologies. I think the Academy will see that.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Viola Davis, HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER

Claire Foy, THE CROWN

Elisabeth Moss, THE HANDMAID’S TALE [Should Win, Will Win]

Keri Russell, THE AMERICANS

Evan Rachel Wood, WESTWORLD

Robin Wright, HOUSE OF CARDS

Claire Foy could win, but I really think this is Elisabeth Moss’ year. She was truly outstanding as Offred, and I think most others see it that way too.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Sterling K. Brown, THIS IS US [Will Win]

Anthony Hopkins, WESTWORLD

Bob Odenkirk, BETTER CALL SAUL

Matthew Rhys, THE AMERICANS [Should Win]

Liev Schreiber, RAY DONOVAN

Kevin Spacey, HOUSE OF CARDS

Milo Ventimiglia, THIS IS US

Everyone’s going gaga over Sterling K. Brown’s performance, and while I think it was good, it wasn’t better than Odenkirk’s or Spacey’s or Rhys’. Matthew Rhys is the underdog here. He should win, but unfortunately he won’t.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama

Uzo Aduba, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

Millie Bobby Brown, STRANGER THINGS

Ann Dowd, THE HANDMAID’S TALE

Chrissy Metz, THIS IS US

Thandie Newton, WESTWORLD [Should Win, Will Win]

Samira Wiley, THE HANDMAID’S TALE

The upset here could be Chrissy Metz, but I didn’t find her performance outstanding enough for her to even make it to this list. Thandie Newton, on the other hand, delivered better than anyone else on WESTWORLD, and was the strongest in the ensemble cast. She should be recognized for that.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Jonathan Banks, BETTER CALL SAUL

Ron Cephas Jones, THIS IS US

David Harbour, STRANGER THINGS

Michael Kelly, HOUSE OF CARDS

John Lithgow, THE CROWN [Should Win, Will Win]

Mandy Patinkin, HOMELAND

Jeffrey Wright, WESTWORLD

All the other performances in this list pale in comparison to Lithgow’s. This one is his for sure. I’ll be disappointed if there’s an upset here.

Outstanding Comedy Series

ATLANTA

BLACK-ISH

MASTER OF NONE [Should Win]

MODERN FAMILY

SILICON VALLEY

UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT

VEEP [Will Win]

VEEP’s winning streak should not continue. The sixth season was a hopeless disappointment after five brilliant seasons. However, I have a feeling that it will still win again. The streak will continue.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Pamela Adlon, BETTER THINGS

Jane Fonda, GRACE AND FRANKIE [Should Win]

Allison Janney, MOM

Ellie Kemper, UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, VEEP [Will Win]

Tracee Ellis Ross, BLACK-ISH

Lily Tomlin, GRACE AND FRANKIE [Should Win]

I really wish either GRACE or FRANKIE would win. It's such an underrated show. While Tracy Ellis Ross could win and upset things here, I think Louis-Dreyfus will be taking home her eighth acting Emmy for VEEP.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Anderson, BLACK-ISH

Aziz Ansari, MASTER OF NONE

Zach Galifianakis, BASKETS

Donald Glover, ATLANTA [Will Win]

William H. Macy, SHAMELESS [Should Win]

Jeffrey Tambor, TRANSPARENT

Let’s be honest. Tambor has won twice already, and his performance hasn’t been so exceptional that he should win it a third time. Macy is underrated as the detestable Frank Gallagher. He should finally win. But this year, this Emmy belongs to Donald Glover, who took the Golden Globe home as well for ATLANTA. If he doesn't win, I'm quite sure #EmmysSoWhite will trend.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Vanessa Bayer, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

Anna Chlumsky, VEEP

Kathryn Hahn, TRANSPARENT

Leslie Jones, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

Judith Light, TRANSPARENT [Should Win]

Kate McKinnon, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE [Will Win]

Give sketch/variety its own acting categories already! These are just three spots stolen from single/multi-cam fiction comedies. Anyway, McKinnon seems to be the favorite, so there. I personally think Judith Light should get some recognition for her excellent work on TRANSPARENT. Tambor’s not the only good performer on the show!

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Louie Anderson, BASKETS

Alec Baldwin, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE [Will Win]

Tituss Burgess, UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT

Ty Burrell, MODERN FAMILY

Tony Hale, VEEP [Should Win]

Matt Walsh, VEEP

Again, give sketch/variety its own acting categories already! Baldwin’s Trump will win this one for him. Tony Hale has been exceptional in VEEP, and he should win again.

Outstanding Limited Series

BIG LITTLE LIES [Should Win, Will Win]

FARGO

FEUD: BETTE AND JOAN

GENIUS

THE NIGHT OF

I would give this to BIG LITTLE LIES, hands down, and I think it will actually win, even though THE NIGHT OF could be the upset here.

Outstanding TV Movie

BLACK MIRROR: SAN JUNIPERO [Will Win]

DOLLY PARTON’S CHRISTMAS OF MANY COLORS: CIRCLE OF LOVE

THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS

SHERLOCK: THE LYING DETECTIVE

THE WIZARD OF LIES

I’ll be honest, I haven’t seen any of these, besides SHERLOCK, which was so bad that I was shocked that it even made it to this list. If I had to guess, given how much of a talking point it became, I’d say BLACK MIRROR.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie

Carrie Coon, FARGO

Felicity Huffman, AMERICAN CRIME

Nicole Kidman, BIG LITTLE LIES [Should Win, Will Win]

Jessica Lange, FEUD: BETTE AND JOAN

Susan Sarandon, FEUD: BETTE AND JOAN

Reese Witherspoon, BIG LITTLE LIES

This is probably the toughest category for me, because I think it’s tight between Sarandon, Lange, Kidman and Witherspoon, but I do think that Nicole Kidman’s performance did have an added edge, among the others. She is taking this home.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie

Riz Ahmed, THE NIGHT OF [Will Win]

Benedict Cumberbatch, SHERLOCK: THE LYING DETECTIVE

Robert DeNiro, THE WIZARD OF LIES

Ewan McGregor, FARGO [Should Win]

Geoffrey Rush, GENIUS

John Turturro, THE NIGHT OF

If this goes to Cumberbatch for that terrible season of SHERLOCK, I’ll throw things. McGregor should get this, because even though the third season of FARGO fell below expectations, he was quite impressive. However, Riz Ahmed has had what many are calling a ‘career-defining role’ in THE NIGHT OF, and I thing ke will be awarded for it.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie

Judy Davis, FEUD: BETTE AND JOAN

Laura Dern, BIG LITTLE LIES [Will Win]

Jackie Hoffman, FEUD: BETTE AND JOAN

Regina King, AMERICAN CRIME

Michelle Pfeiffer, THE WIZARD OF LIES

Shailene Woodley, BIG LITTLE LIES [Should Win]

I thought Shailene Woodley might just creep into the lead actress race, even though she couldn’t win over Nicole Kidman, in case the Academy were feeling generous enough towards BIG LITTLE LIES. It turns out that they were feeling generous, but with Woodley in supporting. This one should go to her for showing amazing restraint as the victimized woman trying her best to raise her son, while dealing with shadows of her past. However, this will go to awards favorite, Laura Dern instead.

Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie

Bill Camp, THE NIGHT OF

Alfred Molina, FEUD: BETTE AND JOAN

Alexander Skarsgård, BIG LITTLE LIES [Should Win, Will Win]

David Thewlis, FARGO

Stanley Tucci, FEUD: BETTE AND JOAN

Michael K. Williams, THE NIGHT OF

I’ve only seen BIG LITTLE LIES, FARGO and FEUD, but I can still say that Alexander Skarsgård deserves this one, and I can safely say that he will win. He was terrifyingly convincing as Celeste’s abusive husband. It almost had me wondering if Skarsgård himself is potentially abusive. 

Which series will win big according to you at the Emmys 2017?