Emmy Race: Best Comedy Series

This is the thirteenth in a daily series of Emmy predictions, focusing on a specific category and outlining the most likely 10 or 15 contenders, with an analysis of their chances and the episodes chosen as submissions for consideration. Predictions will be revisited in July as the Emmy nomination announcement approaches.

Best Comedy Series

Last year's nominees:

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT (show ended last season)

CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM (show did not air this season)

THE OFFICE (winner)

SCRUBS

TWO AND A HALF MEN

This year's top contenders:

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (1 nomination)

After enormous Emmy love for its first season, "Desperate Housewives" was almost completely shut out last year. It rebounded with better plotlines this year, but I am not sure it will be enough to earn Emmy's affection back. I do not know what the episode submitted is, but I would presume "Bang" might be the way to go.

ENTOURAGE

This season has been great for "Entourage" (I have yet to see the final three episodes). It has never caught Emmy's eye with the exception of the directing category and enormous love for Piven. The submitted episode, "One Day in the Valley", is extremely typical of the show in a very good way. It is really a flip of the coin as to whether this will be the year "Entourage" gets recognized or whether it permanently slips under Emmy's radar.

MONK

Ditto the comments about "Entourage" but amplify the love for star Shalhoub. This was my first season actually walking the show consistently, and it is really great. The submitted episode, "Mr. Monk Is At Your Service", is probably the best of the season, but I doubt "Monk" will be able to overcome the "hipper" shows eligible.

MY NAME IS EARL

It disgusts me to even put this show on this list, but compared to the other shows, it seemed the obvious 10th choice simply due to its airing during the very popular new NBC Thursday night line-up. I cannot understand its appeal, as opposed to other shows I do not particularly like where I can see why people find them clever ("Arrested Development", for instance). I will be distraught if this makes the top five, and fairly surprised as well.

THE OFFICE (1 nomination/1 win)

I doubt that anyone seriously thinks "The Office" will not be nominated again this year. It has only grown more popular this year, and funnier. Its submitted episode, "The Coup", is not the season's best, but it is certainly very funny and a great showcase for Rainn Wilson (Dwight).

SCRUBS (2 nominations)

This past season was fairly uneven, but the submitted episode is key. The musical episode exemplifies the lovable quirkiness of "Scrubs" and utilizes it to wonderful effectiveness. I think "Scrubs" is in solely on the basis that is has a loyal and growing fan base and a killer episode.

30 ROCK

This freshman series with fantastic leads in Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey, and a great supporting cast was also a tad uneven but managed to pull through and submit its best episode, "Hardball". Besides Baldwin, the cast and the show has gone unrecognized so far. I have a feeling it will pull through, especially due to inadequate support for "Desperate Housewives", "Entourage", and "Weeds".

TWO AND A HALF MEN (1 nomination)

I was surprised that this show finally made the cut last year after being ignored its first two seasons. Now I think it could be in for good, but faces trouble from new, inventive shows, as well as shows with far better storylines (as much as I love "Two and a Half Men"). It is the luck of the draw this year, and really depends on how much Emmy loves new shows "30 Rock" and "Ugly Betty".

UGLY BETTY

You may have heard of this inconspicuous new comedy. Everyone seems to love it (my feelings slant more towards my opinion of "My Name is Earl"), so it should be all set for a Best Comedy Series nod. The submitted episode is the pilot, the only one I actually saw. That is the one everyone initially liked though, so it works well enough. It is always possible that it is not as popular as people might think, but I doubt it.

WEEDS

This brilliant show was horribly left off the list of nominees last year, and though I have seen only the first episode of the second season, I am sure it is just as good. I have a feeling that the lukewarm reception by Emmy voters of the first season is indicative of their attitude towards the show, and that may continue again this year. I would of course be thrilled if that was not the case. Submitted episode is "Cooking with Jesus".

Current predictions:

ENTOURAGE

THE OFFICE

SCRUBS

30 ROCK

UGLY BETTY

Tomorrow: Best Drama Series (a fun one!)