Emmys

The 68th Annual Emmy nominations brought the expected amount of joy and sadness – Emmy analysis

It takes a bit for me to absorb it all, but I’m equally split down the middle on this morning’s Emmy nominations. There are certainly a lot of reasons to be satisfied with this morning’s Emmy nominations. Like Tatiana Maslany last year (and again this year), years of campaigning and online outrage finally resulted in serious Emmy attention for FX’s critically acclaimed The Americans. I’m happy for this series even though I haven’t yet caught up to it. In the final Emmy analysis, the Television Academy saved face by nominating what is widely considered to be the best drama on television today.

But that doesn’t mean it’s going to win…

That’s a question for another day. Today, the Television Academy seemed to make incremental steps toward embracing a broader set of nominees. It may still be something of a mixed message, though. Game of Thrones led the day with 23 nominations, one down from last year’s haul. Series co-stars Kit Harington and Maisie Williams both received first-time nominations, but two nominations in the Supporting Actor category and three nominations in the Supporting Actress category felt somewhat obscene. Peter Dinklage and Emilia Clarke both do routinely solid work, but their nominations kept out some deserving contenders. Plus, I’m not even sure I would have nominated Maisie Williams whose Arya Stark seemed to just be pummeled through the season. Sophie Turner was, in my opinion, far more deserving for deftly illustrating the shift in Sansa Stark’s persona.

The problem with the Supporting Actress in a Drama Series category now is the three nominations for Game of Thrones, which likely splits votes. This gives Maggie Smith, Maura Tierney, and Constance Zimmer a leg up in a year where I thought Lena Headey was the sure-fire front runner.

Speaking of Zimmer, it’s great to see the Television Academy recognize some freshman series when they tend to hold off. There’s a delicate line between getting attention your first year and never getting attention again, and UnReal and Mr. Robot did well considering Emmy tends to not like new things. Even Breaking Bad had to wait a few years before it received widespread Emmy attention.

The other big news was the love for FX’s big limited series The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story. Of course, a large nomination haul is not news. However, something coming within one nomination of Game of Thrones was by all counts astounding. The side effect? All those acting nominations received historically by American Horror Story were cannibalized as expected by American Crime Story. FX’s horror anthology series received only 8 nominations, down from last year series-record 19 nominations. How do we feel about that? I sort of hate to have American Horror Story: Freak Show (arguably its worst season) to be the awards high mark for the series. Alas…

Emmy apparently wasn’t phased by the series departure for Downton Abbey which still managed to receive 10 nominations (up from last year), but it wasn’t as big of a support swell as once thought. Only Maggie Smith made it into the acting races where Jim Carter, Joanne Froggatt, Michelle Dockery, and Hugh Bonneville were once contenders. Still, 10 nominations is far preferable to the complete lack of love for The Good Wife‘s final season. While some had expected an uptick in nominations for the well received farewell tour, the series received only four nominations, leaving out nearly perennial nominees Alan Cumming and Christine Baranski completely. They left out former winner Julianna Margulies as well.

HBO’s recent troubles are visible in their Emmy nominations. Of course, they still received a dominant 94 total nominations, but that’s down from last year’s 126 nominations. While it’s nothing to scoff at, it certainly shows cracks in the armor as Netflix and FX continue to expand their Emmy traction. Pressure’s on, Westworld.

Overall, I’m fairly satisfied with today’s Emmy nominations. I’m sure over the next few hours and days I will continue to pour over them, obsess about them, and find all new reasons to complain. But, today, I’m happy for Maura Tierney and Sarah Paulson and increasing love for Veep (including surprise nominee Matt Walsh). I’m sad that Rachel Bloom and Christian Slater and, as always, everyone involved in Bates Motel or Schitt’s Creek were left off the list. But what can you do?

At least this year, I personally feel like the Emmys got more right than they did wrong. Until the possible nomination slots expand to recognize the incredible quality available on television right now, you’re always going to have those left off on nomination morning.

But there’s always hope next year. Just as The Americans.

Refresh throughout the day to get the latest Emmy nominee reactions from AwardsDaily TV!

“We are so excited about the nomination for ‘American Ninja Warrior!’ Having watched the series grow from being a cult hit on G4 to the massive success it is now for both NBC and Esquire has been amazing. Our partners A. Smith and, of course, NBC, have been incredible. They consistently deliver episodes that are exciting and truly inspirational.”

– Matt Hanna, EVP Development and Production, Esquire Network.
“I was walking out of the bathroom when someone texted me that we were nominated. It was quite the shock. With Robot Chicken, it’s always a pleasant surprise. But SuperMansion, we’re the little show that could. We’re fighting against Family Guy and South Park, and not only that, the creators of those shows. I think everybody in that category is someone who has way too much talent that I can only hope to get at some point in my lifetime. I root for each and every one of them, and I’ll just favor Chris and Keegan or Keegan and Chris depending on which one of the two of them pays me more compliments.”

– Matt Senreich, co-founder of Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, which earned three Emmy nominations, including Chris Pine and Keegan-Michael Key for Outstanding Character Voice-Over for SuperMansion and Outstanding Short Form Animated Program for Adult Swim’s Robot Chicken Christmas Special: The X-Mas United

“I was playing squash with David Wain and was oblivious to the morning until I got off the court and saw an onslaught of messages. I am so happy to be part of this cast and honored to be nominated with such an outstanding group of people and many of my friends. This will be fun!”

– Matt Walsh, Veep, Nominated for SUPPORTING ACTOR in a COMEDY SERIES

“I’m awed by the journey we have been on with CONFIRMATION. I’m deeply grateful to the academy for acknowledging this film that so many people poured their hearts and souls into. As both an actress and producer, I could not possibly be more proud or humbled.”

– Kerry Washington, Confirmation, Nominated for LEAD ACTRESS in a LIMITED SERIES

“Working on The People V. O.J. Simpson has been a career highlight and its own reward, but I am especially moved by the recognition for everyone who devoted their hearts and souls to this project—from our brilliant cast to our amazing writers and directors to the extraordinary producers. We are all incredibly grateful. It’s a happy day.”

– Ryan Murphy, The People V. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, Nominated for DIRECTING in a LIMITED SERIES

“Wow! I am blown away! I am surrounded by excellence on Better Call Saul and to be picked out of that line-up is a crazy honor. This unique show, with no genre behind it – just honest character exploration, surprises me over and over. The fact that TV fans and critics are welcoming this unpredictable journey – it’s simply inspiring. Thank you.”

– Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul, Nominated for LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA

“The first time, I was shocked. Second time? Just completely floored. I am so honored and grateful to be included in this group of amazing, insanely talented people. Huge congratulations to Kevin, Robin, Beau, Mahershala, Paul, Reg E., Ellen, Molly, and everyone involved with the show – it’s so special to be sharing this with you all. What a thrill!”

– Michael Kelly, House of Cards, Nominated for SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

“I am floored that I’ve been nominated, but I am even more excited that LUTHER has been nominated as well. The success of LUTHER is so much due to the fans and I hope they are as proud of this nomination as we are. OH BOY! What a category!”

– Idris Elba, Luther, Nominated for LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

“I know that it’s pretty rare when the elements come together like the inner and outer society. The work. This is one of them. John Ridley has his finger on the pulse. And I love being a part of it. It’s great. It just makes my job a lot easier. It makes it easier to talk to people about it. It’s just really nice.”

– Lili Taylor, American Crime, Nominated for LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

“I am especially honored to be in a category with so many great actors. Except of course my arch-nemesis Rob Corddry. Never Corddry!!!”

– Rob Huebel, Children’s Hospital, Nominated for ACTOR IN A SHORT FORM COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES

“I loved doing ‘Childrens Hospital’ and I am most excited that Rob Huebel, and Erinn Hayes were recognized for their talents. It’s been a fun ride and I am grateful for the recognition.”

– Rob Corddry, Children’s Hospital, Nominated for ACTOR IN A SHORT FORM COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES

“As strange as it may seem, all of us who are responsible for ‘Inside the Actors Studio’ are as excited about our 19th nomination as we were about our first.  What a journey – for which we have our hundreds of generous and gifted guests to thank.”

– James Lipton, Inside the Actors Studio, Nominated for INFORMATIONAL SERIES OR SPECIAL – 2016

“I’m so honored and excited that after 13 seasons, our fans at the Academy are still enjoying the show as much as we enjoy making it.”

– Padma Lakshmi, Top Chef, Nominated for REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM – 2016

“Thrilled to be nominated again for the 13th time! It’s been a great run and is a testament to how much the show is loved by our peers.”

– Tom Colicchio, Top Chef, Nominated for REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM – 2016

“We are thrilled with our 8 nominations, that highlight our diverse slate and the quality programming we pride ourselves on. We are honored to be recognized alongside some of today’s most innovative reality producers and documentary filmmakers,” said Rich Ross, Group President of Discovery, Animal Planet and Science Channel.

– DISCOVERY CHANNEL RECEIVED 8 PRIMETIME EMMY NOMINATIONS

“Words cannot express how grateful and humbled I feel. Working on House of Cards alongside so many great talents has been one of the highlights of my career, and it brings me so much joy to see the show continually recognized by everyone. Thank you to the academy for this tremendous honor.” – Mahershala Ali

– Mahershala Ali, House of Cards, Nominated for GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

“Very exciting! At least for this year, Christmas isn’t just one day a year!”

— Bill Murray, Mitch Glazer & Sofia Coppola, A Very Murray Christmas, Nominated for TV MOVIE

“Very honored to be noticed, especially in a year with so many excellent films and limited series. Hats off to HBO and Amblin for taking a risk on a political drama, during this election season. We had a sensational cast and a passionate crew. The hook for us all was a phenomenally good script by Robert Schenkkan.”

— Jay Roach, All the Way

“All the editors on Naked and Afraid XL are incredibly excited. It’s a serious challenge editing together 42 minutes of content from 40 days of footage. But it’s nothing compared to what the survivalists have to endure… at least we don’t have to eat bugs and snakes! But if we win, we are fully prepared to accept our award naked (and largely afraid)!”

– Eric Goldfarb, editor of Naked and Afraid XL

“I am so grateful for Grease: Live’s nominations this morning. What means the most to me is that almost every department was recognized. To pull off something that ambitious required an extraordinary team effort at every level and everyone on our production performed at their very best. It was such a privilege to work with such a talented group of people and I’m thrilled that the Academy recognized their outstanding work. Congratulations to the whole team.”

– Marc Platt, Executive Producer of Grease: Live!

“We are thrilled with our 8 nominations, that highlight our diverse slate and the quality programming we pride ourselves on. We are honored to be recognized alongside some of today’s most innovative reality producers and documentary filmmakers.”

– Rich Ross, Group President of Discovery, Animal Planet and Science Channel

“We want to thank the Academy for this wonderful and special honor. It took 10 years to tell this story, and we are humbled by that experience and inspired by all who have joined the conversation about our criminal justice system. We are thrilled to share this nomination with everyone who made this series possible, especially our subjects, our incredible team and our partners at Netflix.”

– Directors Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi, Netflix’s Making a Murderer

“I am super excited and appreciative to be nominated. I’m lucky to part of the amazing team that makes this show! “

– David Reichert, Cinematographer, Deadliest Catch

On finding out that she had been nominated:

“I had been eagerly watching the nominations. When the series got nominated, I said yes! Then the site went down so I didn’t know anything until I got a call to say I had been nominated.  We got 12 nominations so that was fantastic.”

 On whether she had expected The Night Manager to be as well received as it was:

“You never go, this is how it’s going to end. You always think about the creative and how you’re going to do something. If you focus on the creative process, you’re going to get the best results, and in this case, the accolade.”

On who was the first person to congratulate her:

“The other executive producers, Hugh and everyone was ecstatic. It’s really wonderful. “

How will you celebrate the nomination?

“I’ll probably get moderately drunk. All the hard work everyone has put into this, this is such a big thing. It’s six hours of drama. At times, when you’re away from your family, you wonder if this is what your life should be like. Then this happens and it’s so worthwhile! “

-Susanne Brier – Director and Producer  The Night Manager

Here are your 68th Annual Primetime Emmy nominations, courtesy of the Television Academy. Emmy nominee Anthony Anderson (black-ish) and Lauren Graham announced 12 categories live beginning at 8:30am PT today. Game of Thrones led with 23 nominations. The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story was a VERY close second (surprisingly so) with 22 nominations.

FX’s The Americans finally showed up in the major categories after years of online outcries for its snubbing. The critically acclaimed series received Best Drama and Best Actor and Actress mentions in addition to Writing nominations.

On the comedy side, black-ish made a big splash receiving nominations for Comedy Series, Actor, and Actress. Also of note, Silicon Valley finally received a nomination for a cast member in Thomas Middleditch for Comedy Actor.

The Emmy Awards will be handed out live on ABC Sunday, September 18, starting at 7pm Eastern. The Creative Arts Emmy ceremony will be split over two nights on September 10 and 11 and will air on television in an edited broadcast on September 17 on FXX.

Here are your official Emmy nominations in major categories. A link to the full list of Emmy nominations is available at the end of this post.

Drama Series
The Americans
Better Call Saul
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
Homeland
House of Cards
Mr. Robot

Comedy Series
Black-ish
Master of None
Modern Family
Silicon Valley
Veep
Transparent
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Limited Series
American Crime
Fargo
The Night Manager
The People v O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Roots

Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Kyle Chandler, Bloodline
Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Matthew Rhys, The Americans
Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards

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

Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Bryan Cranston, All the Way
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock
Idris Elba, Luther
Cuba Gooding Jr., The People v O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Tom Hiddleston, The Night Manager
Courtney B. Vance, The People v O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story

Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Kirsten Dunst, Fargo
Felicity Huffman, American Crime
Audra McDonald, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill
Sarah Paulson, The People v O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Lili Taylor, American Crime
Kerry Washington, Confirmation

Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
Aziz Ansari, Master of None
Will Forte, Last Man on Earth
William H. Macy, Shameless
Thomas Middleditch, Silicon Valley
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Laurie Metcalf, Getting On
Tracee Ellis Ross, Blackish
Amy Schumer, Inside Amy Schumer
Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie

Supporting Actor in a Comedy
Louie Anderson, Baskets
Keegan-Michael Key, Key & Peele
Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Matt Walsh, Veep
Tony Hale, Veep

Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Niecy Nash, Getting On
Allison Janney, Mom
Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
Judith Light, Transparent
Gaby Hoffmann, Transparent
Anna Chlumsky, Veep

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul
Ben Mendelsohn, Bloodline
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Kit Harington, Game of Thrones
Michael Kelly, House of Cards
Jon Voight, Ray Donovan

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Lena Headey, Game of Thrones
Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones
Maisie Williams, Game of Thrones
Maura Tierney, The Affair
Constance Zimmer, UnREAL

Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Jesse Plemons, Fargo
Bokeem Woodbine, Fargo
Hugh Laurie, The Night Manager
Sterling K. Brown, People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
David Schwimmer, People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
John Travolta, People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story

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

Outstanding TV Movie
A Very Murray Christmas
All the Way
Confirmation
Luther
Sherlock

Variety Talk Series
Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
The Late Late Show With James Cordon
Real Time With Bill Maher
Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon

Variety Sketch Series
Documentary Now
Drunk History
Inside Amy Schumer
Key & Peele
Portlandia
Saturday Night Live

Reality-Competition Program
The Amazing Race
American Ninja Warrior
Dancing With the Stars
Project Runway
Top Chef
The Voice

Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition
Ryan Seacrest, American Idol
Tom Bergeron, Dancing With the Stars
Jane Lynch, Hollywood Game Night
Steve Harvey, Little Big Shots
Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn, Project Runway
RuPaul Charles, RuPaul’s Drag Race

Key Categories

Complete List (when posted)

Team ADTV is incredibly excited to unveil their first Cooler Awards nominations.

The 2016 Emmy nominations are upon us. Finally. Tomorrow, Television Academy announces their nominations for the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. Not to be undone, we here at AwardsDaily TV decided it was time to offer our own award nominations, so we present to you, our loyal readers, the inaugural Cooler Awards. Cue applause.

First, a bit about the Cooler Awards. We decided to vote only on the major categories that we all know and love, and subsequent years will likely feature additional categories. This year, though, we wanted to focus on the fantastic performances and overall series. To make our selections, we followed the Television Academy voting process as closely as possible. Each AwardsDaily TV team member was allowed to make up to 10 selections per category. The series categories would receive no less than seven nominees with the acting categories totaling six nominees. We all voted with our hearts and put aside our predictive instincts.

That is, unless there was a tie, and there were lots of ties thanks to only seven voting members. That’s where we diverged from the Television Academy a bit. Rather than deferring to a blue ribbon panel, we engaged in a second and third round of voting (the latter round conducted via a preferential ballot to prevent an infinity of ties) to develop our nominees in a handful of categories. Because ties are allowed in Emmy world, many of our categories exceeded the minimum amount, but nothing exceeded eight nominees – an Emmy rule. While an incredibly fun experiment, this was in no way a predictive exercise for the eventual Emmy nominations.

Granted, there are some interesting observations we made in the process…

Any surprises?

Unsurprisingly, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story received seven nominations, our highest for any series. Connie Britton’s nomination in the Supporting Actress in a Limited Series category (for her near-cameo performance) pushed Simpson to the top of the leaderboard, and it made me wonder if she really is a potential spoiler for Thursday’s Emmy announcements. HBO’s Veep received six nominations. Unlike the Emmys, we here at AwardsDaily TV had no problem recognizing a broader array of its incredibly talented supporting male cast by including Kevin Dunn and Timothy Simons along with Emmy-winner Tony Hale.

Surprisingly, American Horror Story: Hotel also received six nominations, something I did not see coming given how much of a punching bag the series had become for members of the ADTV team. Aside from the overall series nomination, Matt Bomer beat out several very high-profile contenders to show up in the Lead Actor category in addition to the more expected robust supporting nominations. Mare Winningham’s fantastic supporting performance received mention, and I’m secretly hoping the Television Academy follows suit. Alas, Lady Gaga was left on the voting room floor, preventing Hotel from reaching the heights of that other Ryan Murphy show.

Better Call Saul‘s Bob Odenkirk’s omission from the Lead Actor in a Drama Series category was my single biggest surprise. I have no explanation other than Better Call Saul resonates with only a few members of the ADTV staff.

Emmy trends?

Through the voting process, I noticed a handful of interesting facts that may/may not be replicated on a larger scale at the Emmys. First, the Broad City team of Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson both received nominations, but the team split their votes between the actresses. Is this happening within the larger Television Academy? Talking about splits, a third round was necessary for Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. There were a lot of possibilities and little consensus. And what were the top vote getters in the Comedy and Drama Series categories? Veep and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (natch). Bates Motel (shock). Why can’t the Television Academy see the greatness behind this criminally overlooked series?

Aziz Ansari, Ellie Kemper, Tituss Burgess, Jane Krakowski, Courtney B. Vance, Sarah Paulson, Kerry Washington, Sterling K. Brown, John Travolta, and Regina King were the only unanimously voted upon performances. What does that mean? These performances will be seen on Emmy nomination morning. Guaranteed.

Final round voting will be conducted in accordance with the Emmy calendar – August 15 through August 29. We will announce the winners of the First Annual Cooler Awards on Saturday, September 17. Until then…

And the nominees are…

Drama Series

The Americans, FX
Bates Motel, A&E
Better Call Saul, AMC
Game of Thrones, HBO
House of Cards, Netflix
Mr. Robot, USA
UnReal, Lifetime

Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Bobby Canavalle, Vinyl
Kyle Chandler, Bloodline
Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
Paul Giamatti, Billions
Freddie Highmore, Bates Motel
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards

Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Shiri Appleby, UnReal
Hayley Atwell, Agent Carter
Carrie Coon, The Leftovers
Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder
Vera Farmiga, Bates Motel
Eva Green, Penny Dreadful
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Robin Wright, House of Cards

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Alan Alda, Horace and Pete
Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Christopher Eccleston, The Leftovers
Michael McKean, Better Call Saul
Christian Slater, Mr. Robot

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
Hope Davis, Wayward Pines
Lena Headey, Game of Thrones
Taryn Manning, Orange Is the New Black
Maura Tierney, The Affair
Bellamy Young, Scandal
Constance Zimmer, UnReal

Comedy Series

black-ish, ABC
Girls, HBO
Grace and Frankie, Netflix
Master of None, Netflix
Schitt’s Creek, Pop
Transparent, Amazon
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Netflix
Veep, HBO

Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Anderson, black-ish
Aziz Ansari, Master of None
Chris Geere, You’re the Worst
Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek
William H. Macy, Shameless
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Lena Dunham, Girls
Jane Fonda, Grace and Frankie
Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie

Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Louis Anderson, Baskets
Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Kevin Dunn, Veep
Tony Hale, Veep
Daniel Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Andrew Rannells, Girls
Timothy Simons, Veep

Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Anna Chlumsky, Veep
Carol Kane, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Jane Krakowski, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Amy Landecker, Transparent
Jenifer Lewis, black-ish

Limited Series

American Crime, ABC
American Horror Story: Hotel, FX
Fargo, FX
Madoff, ABC
The Night Manager, AMC
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, FX
Roots, History

TV Movie

7 Days in Hell, HBO
Confirmation, HBO
A Deadly Adoption, Lifetime
The Dresser, Starz
Luther, BBC America
Special Correspondants, Netflix
Wallander: The Troubled Man, PBS

Lead Actor in a Limited Series/TV Movie

Matt Bomer, American Horror Story: Hotel
Richard Dreyfus, Madoff
Cuba Gooding, Jr., The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Tom Hiddleston, The Night Manager
Oscar Isaac, Show Me a Hero
Ian McKellan, The Dresser
Courtney B. Vance, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Patrick Wilson, Fargo

Lead Actress in a Limited Series/TV Movie

Kirsten Dunst, Fargo
Felicity Huffman, American Crime
Audra McDonald, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill
Sarah Paulson, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Lily Taylor, American Crime
Kerry Washington, Confirmation
Shanice Williams, The Wiz Live!

Supporting Actor in a Limited Series/TV Movie

Sterling K. Brown, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Connor Jessup, American Crime
Hugh Laurie, The Night Manager
Denis O’Hare, American Horror Story: Hotel
John Travolta, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Forest Whitaker, Roots
Bokeem Woodbine, Fargo

Supporting Actress in a Limited Series/TV Movie

Kathy Bates, American Horror Story: Hotel
Connie Britton, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Regina King, American Crime
Cristin Milioti, Fargo
Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Hotel
Anika Noni Rose, Roots
Jean Smart, Fargo
Mare Winningham, American Horror Story: Hotel

Jalal Haddad concludes his take on the 2016 Emmy races with a look at Drama and Comedy Series

Last year’s winners Game of Thrones and Veep are going to win their second consecutive Emmys for being the best drama and comedy of the year. In fact, both Emmy races will likely look almost identical to last year, and because of that I don’t feel the need to detail out my ranking choices.  I was disappointed last year when both shows won their first series awards for what was both of their weakest seasons (especially Game of Thrones). Now that the shows are competing with some of their best work yet I don’t see how any other show has the momentum to beat them.

Mad Men is the only previous contender not returning, and it’s pretty safe to say that spot will be filled by Mr. Robot. USA’s hacker drama is one of the only freshman dramas to succeed when most failed over the past TV season. I was wary of the show’s Emmy chances even when it won both the Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice, but after it was honored by almost every guild group it became pretty clear it was on the Television Academy’s radar. Vinyl also had a chance, but, after a laughable premiere and HBO cancelling it in the middle of the voting process, voters are likely to steer clear of the costume drama. UnReal deserves to be in the Emmy race but voters will probably stick their noses up to a show about reality television airing on Lifetime.

Downton Abbey, House of Cards, and Better Call Saul will all return although without any momentum to  beat Game of Thrones. The only exception to this might be House of Cards gaining some sort of momentum because of our own crazy political year, although as the show grows more divisive it’s unlikely. Both Homeland and Orange is The New Black are in danger of Emmy voters moving on. If one of them is dropped, I suspect it will be Homeland which is becoming less relevant every season and is slowly being dropped in various categories. OITNB might be dropped after a lackluster third season but the actors’ branch will probably save the show, especially after it continues to win multiple SAG awards a year. In its final season, The Good Wife is the most likely to upset the two since voters seem to always want to give their favorite shows one last nomination hurrah.

Drama Series Contenders

1. Game of Thrones
2. House of Cards
3. Downton Abbey
4. Mr. Robot
5. Better Call Saul
6. Orange Is The New Black
7. The Good Wife
8. Homeland
9. Vinyl
10. UnReal

Worth Mentioning: The Americans, Ray Donovan, Narcos, Billions

The Comedy Series Emmy race will look almost identical to last year as well with two notable exceptions: Parks and Recreation has ended, and Louie is on hiatus. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Silicon Valley, Modern Family, and Transparent will easily return even though none of them have the same amount of buzz they had the year before. Unless Emmy voters completely shake up the comedy race like they did in 2009, there won’t be too much excitement.

Two past nominees have the opportunity to return: Girls and The Big Bang Theory. Girls has the better chance of Emmy redemption with the fifth season arguably being the best so far, and it also has the campaign beast HBO to remind voters. I celebrated the omission of The Big Bang Theory, but there is not very much guild support or resurgence in popularity to hint at a comeback.

Out of all the new streaming shows, Master of None is the strongest going into the comedy race. Aziz Ansari is filling that void left by Louie’s hiatus and even though the show is overall uneven it did give us some of the best episodes of the season like “Parents.” Also, voters have always liked comedies about the industry. The other streaming possibilities like Casual, Catastrophe, or Lady Dynamite might be too small-scale to standout to voters. In its second season, black-ish has grown in popularity and in a lot of ways is the best modern representation of classic sitcoms from the 70s & 80s in terms of its portrayal of social issues and universal appeal.

Every year of going by unnoticed by Emmy voters further destroys a show’s future chances, but in the past two shows surfside everyone with first time series nominations in the third season: Parks and Recreation and Emmy favorite Louie. Finishing up its third season, Broad City fits that mold especially after receiving a surprise WGA nomination earlier this year. Shows like Broad City don’t have a long history at the Emmys, but a surprise nomination wouldn’t be the most wild choice by voters especially as the show rapidly grows in popularity.

Comedy Series Contenders

1. Veep
2. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
3. Modern Family
4. Silicon Valley
5. Transparent
6. Master of None
7. Black-ish
8. Girls
9. Broad City
10. The Big Bang Theory

Worth Mentioning: Lady Dynamite, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Casual, Catastrophe

What shows are you predicting this year to break into the Drama and Comedy Emmy races? Do you agree that Mr. Robot and Master of None are the new shows with the biggest buzz? Is Homeland as vulnerable as I am predicting? Sound off!

The acting branch has so many categories to vote on that it feels like they are beyond lazy when it comes to filling out their guest acting Emmy ballots. Voters tend to rely on actors they love that appear early on in the ballot even if they’ve never watched the show (Alan Alda in The Blacklist or Beau Bridges in anything). The Emmy guest races are also the only acting races that are still dominated by network shows like The Good Wife and Scandal. At the category’s best, they celebrate character actors who could benefit from a career boost and can be the sole nominations for underrepresented shows which is what makes these categories so much fun.

Recently the guest categories have been overrun with returning performances, and this year we might see as many as 15 old characters return, including three of last year’s winners. Past winners like Margo Martindale, Reg E. Cathey, Allison Janney, and Bob Newhart are the most likely to receive even more nominations for their guest roles. Actors like Michael J. Fox, Cicely Tyson, Pablo Schreiber, Melissa McCarthy, and Natasha Lyonne are also major threats.

Cicely Tyson was nominated last year (and snubbed for the second time) and is now eligible for both HTGAWM and House of Cards. Because of a rule change she could theoretically be nominated twice in the guest race, although it’s much more likely the votes will be split and she’ll be snubbed altogether. The same argument can be made for Fred Armisen in the comedy race with his Saturday Night Live and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt submissions.

The acting branch has always kept House of Cards alive at the Emmys, and some of their biggest surprises have always been in the guest categories inlcuding past nominees like Kate Mara, Reg E. Cathey, and Rachel Brosnahan. This year Netflix submitted a lot of their guest actors including Reg E. Cathey, Ellen Burstyn, Cicely Tyson, Mahershala Ali, and Molly Parker. I don’t see how Ellen Burstyn loses the guest actress race, and Reg E. Cathey shockingly won this category last year. Cicely Tyson would be another obvious nominee, but I fear that she’ll suffer from vote splitting between her retiring Congresswoman on House of Cards and her Emmy nominated performance on HTGAWM. Mahershala Ali is a long shot but he appears on the first page of the ballot, he sticks out, and he is one of the only semi-likable characters on the show.

Emmy winner Peter MacNicol was absolutely obscene as Jonah’s uncle on Veep this season, and if the Jonah Ryan in Congress storyline is as popular with voters as it was with critics then MacNicol might be a major contender. Actors like Max Von Sydow is the sole guest nomination for Game of Thrones, and, as unstoppable as the show is, I don’t see how they leave him out. Natasha Lyonne was one of the five women nominated for OITNB’s first season, but after a rule change she was no longer allowed to submit in the guest races. With a smaller arc in season three she’s returned to the guest race, and its possible she could sneak back in unless voters completely reject season three. Depending on the popularity of Mr. Robot and Transparent‘s second season both B.D. Wong and Anjelica Huston could be major contenders this year as well.

The two types of shows that do the best in the guest comedy races are sketch shows (SNL, Portlandia, Inside Amy Schumer) and traditional multi-cam shows (AKA Chuck Lorre). Saturday Night Live submitted a lot of their hosts this year, but voters are the most likely to go with Larry David for his spot-on impersonation of Bernie Sanders, Tina Fey & Amy Poehler in a duo submission, Tracy Morgan for his comeback performance, and Melissa McCarthy who they always seem to nominate. Amy Schumer and Fred Armisen were also submitted, but I worry that Armisen is going to split the votes between his work on SNL and his Robert Durst on UKS. Portlandia submitted Louis CK and Steve Buscemi. Chuck Lorre submitted a lot of Emmy friendly names this year including Ellen Burstyn, Christine Baranski, and previous winner Bob Newhart.

The Good Wife has always done well in the guest categories, especially when the winners were determined by the juried tapes. In its final season, Emmy voters could give the show one last hurrah, and they have a lot of options. With 16 acting nominations, very few actors are as popular within the television academy as Michael J. Fox, and he’s bound to receive a fifth and final nomination for his work on the show. Carrie Preston won a couple of years ago and could return again as well as former nominee Josh Charles. Scandal, another popular network show in the guest categories, could return but their only major guest submission was Danny Pino.

The guest nominations always tend to appeal to the tastes of older academy members, and I’m beginning to wonder if any of Grace and Frankie’s many submissions might be able to sneak in. Sam Elliott, Ernie Hudson, Swoosie Kurtz, Amy Madigan, Rita Moreno, Estelle Parsons, and Mary Kay Place were all submitted. I wouldn’t be surprised if Elliot or Hudson made it into the category.

Actors like Laurie Metcalf, Rhea Perlman, Christopher Abbott, and Tom Hardy should be kept in mind as outside contenders simply for their popularity and performance even if their shows aren’t obvious Emmy grabs. Anyone who has watched Horace & Pete has gone above and beyond to praise Laurie Metcalf. Only some voters may be watching Getting On, but Rhea Perlman plays a legless woman escaping from the hospital and in a perfect world would be the frontrunner. Christopher Abbott, although relatively unknown, returned to Girls with one of the best standalone episodes of the year. Peaky Blinders has a passionate fan base, and Tom Hardy is at his most popular after a stellar cinematic 2015.

It goes without saying that the guest categories are some of the most unpredictable categories during the nominations phase. Networks don’t spend a lot of money and time campaigning these small performances so we might see some absolutely left-field choices. After all this is the race that awarded Parenthood its only nomination (likely because they confused Jason Ritter with his deceased father) and continued to nominated Dot-Marie Jones of all people long after Glee was awards worthy. Which actors am I underestimating? Does anyone have a chance of beating Ellen Burstyn for her scene stealing work on House of Cards?

Jalal Haddad takes a look at the Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Emmy race in a series of posts leading up to the Emmy nomination announcement on July 14th. Over the next few days, Jalal will be concluding his own expert analysis in individual races and covering the top ten contenders in each category.

The Lead Actor in a Comedy Series race has become infamous over the past couple years for overflowing with filler nominees. A tie led to seven nominees last year but with Louie and Episodes on hiatus only five of those men are returning. The string of weak years has led to many repeat winners, which is great news for Jeffrey Tambor. With new shows from Donald Glover, Pete Holmes, and Timothy Olyphant maybe next year will be more exciting?

 1. Jeffrey Tambor (Maura Pfefferman)
Transparent

 2. William H Macy (Frank Gallagher)
Shameless 

One of the smartest awards choices Showtime made a couple of years ago was to petition for Shameless to be re-categorized as a comedy. William H. Macy immediately began receiving Emmy nominations and even won a SAG award for the fourth season. With the show solidifying its spot as one of Showtime’s most successful current shows he’s almost assured a twelfth career nomination.

 3. Anthony Anderson (Dre Johnson)
black-ish

Anderson was the sole nomination for the first season of black-ish, and it makes a lot of sense since he is the face of the show. His performance has earned him two Critics’ Choice Awards, and as the show grows in popularity and acclaim he won’t fall off of the radar of voters. His only detractor might be that the show and his performance could come across as too much of a classic sitcom compared to the other contenders that air on streaming sites. As an actor who has been consistently working in Hollywood for the past two decades, he should have no problem standing out.

 4. Aziz Ansari (Dev)
Masters of None

As the only new lead actor with any sort of awards traction, Aziz Ansari has been getting a lot of attention, and, with Louis CK out of contention, Ansari stands out even more as a writer/producer starring in a fictionalized account of his life as a performer. He was nominated for a Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Award for his work on the show, and after years of being on Parks and Recreation this is the perfect opportunity for Emmy voters to finally recognize him as an actor. He could suffer from the show being released on Netflix over eight months ago but with little substantial competition voters will easily remember him.

 5. Jim Parsons (Sheldon Cooper)
The Big Bang Theory

Jim Parsons has dominated the Lead Actor in a Comedy Series race over the years which is what made his omission last year even more shocking, especially with seven nominees. Emmy voters have been known to take breaks from their winners (Margulies) and its possible some members didn’t vote for him thinking he was a sure bet. It’s rare for an actor to have such a strong winning streak and then be completely dropped especially when he is still being nominated by SAG, so he’ll probably make a resurgence this year.

 6. Don Cheadle (Marty Kaan)
House of Lies

I have yet to find anyone let alone an Emmy voter who watches and loves House of Lies. That hasn’t stopped the acting branch from name-checking Cheadle into a nomination for the past four years. His popularity can only carry him for so long on a show a lot of people haven’t even heard of, and now that the race has some stronger competition he is probably at his most vulnerable.

 7. Will Forte (Phil Miller)
The Last Man on Earth  

The Last Man on Earth premiered as a comedy about the last person to survive a nondescript plague, and the excitement around the pilot was big enough for Will Forte to receive an Emmy nomination for his first starring role post SNL. Now that they are endlessly introducing new characters the gimmick has worn off. Because of that, voters will probably abandon the show.

 8. Will Arnett (Chip)
Flaked    

Hardly anyone has a positive thing to say about Flaked, the critically panned Netflix comedy about a self-help guru in LA, but someone as well-known as Arnett on such a major streaming network is almost a given to be considered in such a barren category.  Voters do like Arnett, a former nominee, and they do have a self-absorbed obsession with LA set shows. That probably isn’t enough to overlook the sour first season.

 9. Bill Hader (Various Characters)
Documentary Now!

Documentary Now is a very small show on IFC that ordinarily wouldn’t have a shot at a major Emmy nomination, but in such a weak year for lead actors someone like Bill Hader could easily break into the race for being one of the most popular comedic actors working on television. The show did receive a lot of buzz for their Grey Gardens spoof, and if enough voters seek out the episode they might feel inclined to vote for Hader, although not likely.

10. Thomas Middleditch (Richard)
Silicon Valley 

As Silicon Valley increases in popularity within the industry, awards trackers have always wondered when the actors would start getting recognized. Even a bro-y show like Entourage (which many compare Silicon Valley to in terms of male driven content) was embraced by the acting branch for more than one of their actors. I’m skeptical of the cast ever breaking into an acting category especially if they weren’t recognized last year for their best season.

Worth Mentioning: Fred Armisen, Zach Galifinakis, Gael Garcia Bernal, Eugene Levy, Randall Park

The writing branch has been one of the likeliest branches to march to the beat of their own drum. When other branches have ignored some of the best shows on TV, the writers have nominated shows like The Wire, The Americans, Battlestar Galactica, Community, and even Buffy The Vampire Slayer. They were also the first branch to grow tired of Modern Family and even took a break from their favorite show, Mad Men, when it was going through a slump. Because the writers sometimes seem to be the only people paying attention, their nominations are usually the most exciting.

Last year’s winners, Game of Thrones and Veep, are likely to continue dominating their categories. Game of Thrones submitted modestly with one episode even though they probably had the opportunity to control the drama race. Veep submitted three episodes and will probably get at least two nominations, although all three submissions stand out (“Morning After,” “Mother,” “Kissing Your Sister”). The other shows with a chance of returning are Better Call Saul, The Americans, Transparent, The Last Man on Earth, and Silicon Valley. Surprisingly, The Americans has the best chance of returning after a WGA nomination and strategically submitting one episode. Silicon Valley and Transparent might suffer from not having a standout episode. Better Call Saul foolishly submitted eight episodes for consideration and is in danger of being left out this year, but fans have been championing the ninth episode “Nailed,” which gives the show a chance.

The other shows with WGA nominations are Broad City, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and Mr. Robot. The writers are not going to ignore the most high-profile new show of the season (Mr. Robot) and, now that UKS submitted less episodes, the writers are more likely to bring Tina Fey back into competition. I am very skeptical of a Broad City nomination, but, as the show grows into cult status, the writing branch could nominate it.

The one subject matter the writing branch honors the most is industry focused shows, including comedians creating fictionalized accounts of their lives. Shows that fit into this category include Louie, Episodes, Extras, and Girls. With shows like Louie and Episodes on a hiatus it leaves a lot of room for shows like Masters of None, Lady Dynamite, and even UnReal to benefit. The industry’s obsession with Louis CK means that Horace & Pete can’t be counted out either.

Episode submissions are a huge indicator of which former favorites are in trouble. In the past when shows have submitted an excessive amount of episodes, the writing branch snubbed them entirely including shows like Modern Family, Girls, House of Cards, Homeland, and Orange Is The New Black. The prison drama is the only show to learn from their past mistakes and only submitted three episodes, so if any of them have a chance of returning it would be OITNB. Vinyl also made the mistake of submitting six episodes, although that show has a lot more obstacles to overcome than too many episodes from which to choose.

Both Downton Abbey and The Good Wife solely submitted their series finale episodes, and since the writing branch loves nominating finales they are both contenders to keep an eye on. Just as often as they nominate finales writers also love to nominate pilots. The strongest pilots this year include Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Mr. Robot, The Path, Lady Dynamite, Casual, and possibly Baskets. A couple of shows that might have a cult following among writers include The Leftovers and Peaky Blinders.

As usual, I ranked the top contenders in likelihood of a nomination. I’m particularly interest in seeing what episodes Transparent, Silicon Valley, and House of Cards are nominated for if they happen to get into their respected categories since none of them particularly stick out. Readers, what episodes are you predicting this year for writing nominations? Are there any episodes you wish were submitted?

Comedy Writing

1. Morning After, Veep
2. Parents, Masters of None
3. Mother, Veep
4. Kimmy Finds Her Mom!, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
5. Hope, black-ish
6. Kina Hora (Man On The Land/The Book of Life), Transparent
7. Pilot, Lady Dynamite
8. Founder Friendly/The Uptick, Silicon Valley
9. Kissing Your Sister, Veep
10. Josh Just Happens to Live Here!, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
11. Burning Bridges (2016/B&B-NYC/Rat Pack), Broad City

Drama Writing

1. Battle of The Bastards, Game of Thrones
2. 0_hellofriend.mov (Pilot), Mr. Robot
3. Persona Non Grata, The Americans
4. Episode Eight, Downton Abbey
5. End, The Good Wife
6. Nailed, Better Call Saul
7. International Assassin, The Leftovers
8. Chapter 49 (40/50), House of Cards
9. Return (Pilot)/Princess, UnReal 
10. Episode 103, Horace & Pete
11. Episode 3, Peaky Blinders

Jalal Haddad takes a look at the Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Emmy race in a series of posts leading up to the Emmy nomination announcement on July 14th. Over the next few days, Jalal will be concluding his own expert analysis in individual races and covering the top ten contenders in each category.

The most refreshing element of the Lead Actress in a Comedy Series race is that half of last year’s nominees aren’t returning and an exciting amount of new faces have the potential to enter the race. On top of all of the new faces, Emmy voters also have past nominees like Lena Dunham to bring back after creating what might have been the best season of Girls yet. With all that the biggest question remains being just when will someone be able to beat the insurmountable Julia Louis-Dreyfus?

 1. Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Selina Meyer)
Veep  

In September when Julia wins her fifth consecutive Emmy for Veep, she will beat Helen Hunt for the most consecutive wins and be one step closer to being the first actor to win an Emmy for every season of their show since Bill Cosby in I Spy. The beginning of the fifth season didn’t produce an Emmy winning episode for her, but as the season progressed she continuously topped herself with almost perfect episodes (“Mother,” “Congressional Ball,” and “Inauguration”). Now that the juried tapes don’t have as much power (if any at all) she still has nothing to worry about as the most beloved comedic actor on television or the reigning Emmy champ. Unless we discover that another comedy contender is much stronger than we expected on nomination morning, no other nominee will have a chance of upsetting.

 2. Ellie Kemper (Kimmy Schmidt)
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt  

Ellie Kemper was unfairly left out of the comedy actress race last year even though Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt was a huge hit amongst the acting branch. After her Emmy snub, she went on to be the only nomination for the show at the SAG awards, meaning she is almost guaranteed a makeup nomination this year for the second season. Ellie Kemper has been growing in popularity ever since she broke out on The Office and Bridesmaids. If UKS continues to grow in popularity over the next two years, she’ll be the next winner after Veep is off the air.

 3. Lily Tomlin (Frankie)
Grace  & Frankie 

Surprisingly Lily Tomlin has never won a performance Emmy (besides a voice over performance) even though she has been nominated 22 times with six wins for writing and producing. As a comedy icon and the performer representative on the governor’s board, her popularity will carry her to continuous nominations even if Grace & Frankie wasn’t the awards contender it had the potential to be.

 4. Amy Schumer (Amy)
Inside Amy Schumer 

After a year of Amy Schumer dominating popular culture, it seems that Schumer fatigue has set in, especially online. None of the sketches had a viral impact this season, and there was a slight dip in the ratings. Emmy voters have favored sketch performers recently and lucky for Schumer once voters nominate someone they usually continue to embrace them for a couple years (especially when she is one of three returning performers).

 5. Lena Dunham (Hannah Horvath)
Girls 

Say what you will about Lena Dunham, but there are very few people in the TV industry who are as involved in their creative projects the way she has nurtured Girls throughout the years. As the star, producer, writer, and director of the show, she has helped it grow with the times and took it out of a slump into its best season as well as one of the best seasons of TV. She was left out of the best actress race last year when it became overly crowded, but she could easily be recognized again now that the show has regained its footing.

 6. Tracee Ellis Ross (Rainbow Johnson)
black-ish 

From Girlfriends to black-ish, Tracee Ellis Ross’s ray of sunshine presence has made her a beloved figure in Hollywood. She’s expanded her social media exposure and hosted events like Black Girls Rock and the BET awards. As she becomes more and more popular, she could easily earn her first career nomination after over fifteen years on television (like a couple of the surprise nominees last year). She has a lot of other ABC matriarchs to compete against (Wu, Plimpton, Heaton, McLendon-Covey), but she has an edge with black-ish having a much higher profile than ABC’s other family sitcoms.

 7. Rachel Bloom (Rebecca Brunch)
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend  

Rachel Bloom had an amazing run with awards season last winter when she won both the Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice awards as an unknown actress on a little seen show on The CW. She should be entering the Emmy race as the frontrunner to upheave JLD, but (and I hate that I’m not predicting her) after last year’s glaring Gina Rodriguez snub, the voters have proven that they have no interest in embracing anything from The CW. She might be able to win an Emmy in the Outstanding Original Music & Lyrics category where she could even dominate.

 8. Constance Wu (Jessica Huang)
Fresh Off The Boat  

Both critic awards have championed Wu’s breakout performance with consistent nominations over more obvious names in the hopes of Emmy voters getting the hint they are missing out on what might be the funniest performance on network television. She was given even more material to work with in the second season (my favorite being her scenes in the lesbian bar), but with voters increasingly turning a blind eye to broadcast TV it will be harder for her to stick out, especially when the show she is on can be inconsistent.

 9. Maria Bamford (Maria Bamford)
Lady Dynamite

Shows with comedians playing fictionalized versions of themselves are popular right now. Even though she is doing the same thing as Aziz Ansari or Louis CK, the structure of Lady Dynamite makes the show feel fresh. The honesty of her portrayal of mental illness will probably earn the respect of a lot of voters, but the show came out so late in the television year that a lot of voters probably didn’t have the time to catch up with the show.

10. Jane Fonda (Grace)
Grace & Frankie 

Grace & Frankie is a show I thought would have a stronger fan base at the Emmys last year, especially for the four costars who have a lengthy history with the Emmys. Jane Fonda was in favor of Lily Tomlin (the more obvious comedic performance) and that trend will likely continue. Fonda’s one saving grace is her status as a Hollywood legend and if voters don’t take the time to seek out other performances they could gravitate towards name-checking an icon.

11. Ilana Glazer/Abbi Jacobson (Ilana Wexler/Abbi Abrams)
Broad City 

Identifing yourself as an Ilana or Abbi is the new cultural go-to in the same way it used to be Samantha or Carrie, or Dorothy or Blanche. A couple of years ago a millennial skewing show like Broad City would never have a chance at an Emmy, but as Comedy Central becomes more successful at pushing their other performers into the acting races it becomes more likely that Emmy voters finally start embracing Glazer and Jacobson in their third season. Glazer has received a lot more critics support, but both women have a huge amount of fans, which will probably result in the two splitting the vote and ending up without nominations. After a surprise WGA nomination for Best Comedy Series the two could at least end up with their first recognition in the writing categories.

 Worth Mentioning: Melissa McCarthy, Gina Rodriguez, Martha Plimpton