Final Emmy Predictions

Update: Tom O'Neil is continuing to leak information on some of the categories, so predictions will be updated until Wednesday afternoon.

Of course it had to be the week of the Emmy nominations announcement that my computer started having some wild unexpected problems. I am therefore posting my final Emmy predictions today (barring any major top 10 finalist updates from Tom O'Neil in the next few days). Nominees in series and lead acting races will be announced by Kyra Sedgwick and Jon Cryer this Thursday morning at 8:40 am EST. The other nominees should be available online very soon afterwards. I will be posting nominees and reactions to all categories as soon as I can, so check back Thursday afternoon for a complete, detailed analysis.

Thus, my final predictions:

Best Drama Series
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
GREY'S ANATOMY
HEROES
LOST
THE SOPRANOS

Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series
MICHAEL C. HALL, DEXTER
HUGH LAURIE, HOUSE
EDDIE IZZARD, THE RICHES
DENIS LEARY, RESCUE ME
JAMES GANDOLFINI, THE SOPRANOS

Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series
KYRA SEDGWICK, THE CLOSER
CONNIE BRITTON, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
MARISKA HARGITAY, LAW & ORDER: SVU
MINNIE DRIVER, THE RICHES
EDIE FALCO, THE SOPRANOS

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
MASI OKA, HEROES
HENRY IAN CUSICK, LOST
MICHAEL EMERSON, LOST
WALTON GOGGINS, THE SHIELD
MICHAEL IMPERIOLI, THE SOPRANOS

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
KATHERINE HEIGL, GREY'S ANATOMY
SANDRA OH, GREY'S ANATOMY
CCH POUNDER, THE SHIELD
LORRAINE BRACCO, THE SOPRANOS
AIDA TURTURRO, THE SOPRANOS

Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series
CHRISTIAN CLEMENSON, BOSTON LEGAL
LIEV SCHREIBER, CSI
STANLEY TUCCI, ER
FOREST WHITAKER, ER
ELI WALLACH, STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP

Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series
MEGAN MULLALLY, BOSTON LEGAL
KATE BURTON, GREY'S ANATOMY
ELIZABETH REASER, GREY'S ANATOMY
DORIS ROBERTS, LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT
CHRISTINE LAHTI, STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP

Best Directing in a Drama Series
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, "Pilot"
LOST, "Through the Looking Glass"
THE SOPRANOS, "Soprano Home Movies"
THE RICHES, "Pilot"
STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP, "Pilot"

Best Writing in a Drama Series
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, "Pilot"
LOST, "Through the Looking Glass"
THE SOPRANOS, "Made in America"
THE SOPRANOS, "The Second Coming"
STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP, "Pilot"

Best Comedy Series
THE OFFICE
SCRUBS
30 ROCK
TWO AND A HALF MEN
UGLY BETTY

Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
TONY SHALHOUB, MONK
STEVE CARRELL, THE OFFICE
ZACH BRAFF, SCRUBS
ALEC BALDWIN, 30 ROCK
CHARLIE SHEEN, TWO AND A HALF MEN

Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
FELICITY HUFFMAN, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS, THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE
TINA FEY, 30 ROCK
AMERICA FERRERA, UGLY BETTY
MARY-LOUISE PARKER, WEEDS

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
KEVIN DILLON, ENTOURAGE
JEREMY PIVEN, ENTOURAGE
JOHN KRASINSKI, THE OFFICE
RAINN WILSON, THE OFFICE
JON CRYER, TWO AND A HALF MEN

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
KATHRYN JOOSTEN, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
JENNA FISCHER, THE OFFICE
JANE KRAKOWSKI, 30 ROCK
VANESSA WILLIAMS, UGLY BETTY
ELIZABETH PERKINS, WEEDS

Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
MARTIN LANDAU, ENTOURAGE
IAN MCKELLEN, EXTRAS
DANIEL RADCLIFFE, EXTRAS
STANLEY TUCCI, MONK
WILL ARNETT, 30 ROCK

Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
DIXIE CARTER, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
LAURIE METCALF, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
ISABELLA ROSSELLINI, 30 ROCK
ELAINE STRITCH, 30 ROCK
ALLISON JANNEY, TWO AND A HALF MEN

Best Directing in a Comedy Series
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, "Bang"
ENTOURAGE, "Sorry, Ari"
SCRUBS, "My Musical"
30 ROCK, "Hardball"
UGLY BETTY, "Pilot"

Best Writing in a Comedy Series
ENTOURAGE, "Sorry, Ari"
THE OFFICE, "Business School
"THE OFFICE, "Cocktails"
UGLY BETTY, "Pilot"
WEEDS, "Mrs. Botwin's Neighborhood"

Best Lead Actor in a Mini-Series/Movie
ROBERT DUVALL, BROKEN TRAIL
DONNIE WAHLBERG, KINGS OF SOUTH BEACH
JIM BROADBENT, LONGFORD
WILLIAM H. MACY, NIGHTMARES & DREAMSCAPES
MATTHEW PERRY, THE RON CLARK STORY

Best Lead Actress in a Mini-Series/Movie
QUEEN LATIFAH, LIFE SUPPORT
HELEN MIRREN, PRIME SUSPECT: THE FINAL ACT
DEBRA MESSING, THE STARTER WIFE
SOPHIE OKONEDO, TSUNAMI: THE AFTERMATH
SARAH CHALKE, WHY I WORE LIPSTICK TO MY MASTECTOMY

Best Supporting Actor in a Mini-Series/Movie
THOMAS HADEN CHURCH, BROKEN TRAIL
TOM SKERRITT, FALLEN
STEVEN BAUER, KINGS OF SOUTH BEACH
STEVEN WEBER, NIGHTMARES & DREAMSCAPES
TIM ROTH, TSUNAMI: THE AFTERMATH

Best Supporting Actress in a Mini-Series/Movie
RACHEL GRIFFITHS, ANGEL RODRIGUEZ
KATHY BAKER, JESSE STONE: SEA CHANGE
SAMANTHA MORTON, LONGFORD
JUDY DAVIS, THE STARTER WIFE
TONI COLLETTE, TSUNAMI: THE AFTERMATH

Best Mini-Series
BROKEN TRAIL
NIGHTMARES & DREAMSCAPES
THE STARTER WIFE
THE STATE WITHIN
TSUNAMI: THE AFTERMATH

Best TV Movie
ANGEL RODRIGUEZ
BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE
JESSE STONE: SEA CHANGE
LIFE SUPPORT
LONGFORD

Best Directing in a Mini-Series/Movie
BROKEN TRAIL
BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE
LONGFORD
THE STATE WITHIN
TSUNAMI: THE AFTERMATH

Best Writing in a Mini-Series/Movie
ANGEL RODRIGUEZ
BROKEN TRAIL
LIFE SUPPORT
LONGFORD
THE STATE WITHIN

Best Variety Special
DANE COOK: VICIOUS CIRCLE
GREAT PERFORMANCES: A TRIBUTE TO JAMES TAYLOR
PAUL MCCARTNEY: THE SPACE BETWEEN US
TONY BENNETT: AN AMERICAN CLASSIC
WANDA SYKES: SICK & TIRED

Best Variety Series
THE COLBERT REPORT
THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART
LATE LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG FERGUSON
LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O’BRIEN
LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN

Best Individual Performance in a Variety Program
STEPHEN COLBERT, THE COLBERT REPORT
CRAIG FERGUSON, LATE LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG FERGUSON
CONAN O’BRIEN, LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O’BRIEN
PAUL MCCARTNEY, PAUL MCCARTNEY: THE SPACE BETWEEN US
TONY BENNETT, TONY BENNETT: AN AMERICAN CLASSIC

Best Reality/Competition Program
THE AMAZING RACE
AMERICAN IDOL
HELL’S KITCHEN 2
PROJECT RUNWAY
SURVIVOR

Best Reality Program
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW
EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION
KATHY GRIFFIN: MY LIFE ON THE D-LIST
PENN & TELLER
SONS OF HOLLYWOOD