Emmy Winner Predictions: Best Directing & Writing for a Comedy Series

Nominees are pictured in alphabetical order.

Entourage seems least likely to take home this trophy after losing it three years in a row for far better episodes like the pilot, “Sundance Kids,” and “One Day in the Valley.” “No Cannes Do” is a good episode, but won’t be able to score “Entourage” its first non-Jeremy Piven Emmy win. The Office won a writing award last year but has yet to manage a directing win. “Money” and “Goodbye Toby” are impressive installments that could up the show’s chances a notch. 30 Rock’s wild and brilliant “Rosemary’s Baby” may stand a good shot, but I’m looking to history for my prediction. The past four years have rewarded hot freshman shows, “Arrested Development,” “Desperate Housewives,” “My Name is Earl,” and “Ugly Betty.” I don’t think Flight of the Conchords is quite beloved enough for Emmy’s taste, and the heavily nominated Pushing Daisies should score Emmy gold for its imaginative pilot.

Who should win: “30 Rock” – “Rosemary’s Baby”
Who will win: “Pushing Daisies” – “Pie-lette” (alternate: “Flight of the Conchords” – “Sally Returns”)

Nominees are pictured in alphabetical order.

Flight of the Conchords was a bit of a shock here, and I think its reward is its nomination. “Yoko,” while an amusing episode, isn’t the show’s best. Pushing Daisies has a better chance in the directing category. 30 Rock has two terrific episodes up its sleeve that are both excellently written – “Rosemary’s Baby” and “Cooter” – and the show is so successful that a writing win wouldn’t be the least bit surprising. My money is on The Office, which came back from the writers’ strike with style with its “Dinner Party” episode. It’s a hundred times better than last year’s winning episode “Gay Witch Hunt,” in part because all of the submitted episodes of “The Office” were far better this year than last. I think it has a terrific shot at winning.

Who should win: “The Office” – “Dinner Party”
Who will win: “The Office” – “Dinner Party” (alternate: “30 Rock” – “Rosemary’s Baby”)