SAG Nomination Predictions

The Screen Actors Guild Award nominations will be announced Thursday morning, and while they're exciting in terms of which films will prevail, they're hardly invigorating at all on the TV side. I count only three new serious contending shows, all in drama: "Breaking Bad," "In Treatment," and "True Blood." I'm giving a leg up to "True Blood," thinking that picking out standouts from "In Treatment," however much I'd love to see Blair Underwood, Mia Wasikowska, and especially Michelle Forbes recognized. The problem is that the Globes picked (along with Underwood) Gabriel Byrne, Dianne Wiest, and Melissa George. Wouldn't it be cool if all the nominees were from the show? And Boston Legal got shut out? Nah. I'd love to see "The Closer" get another nomination for Best Drama Ensemble, but I think it will be like "24" and only get nominated every other year, or maybe just for years one and three. I'm not sure how much SAG will still hold on to long ago abandoned shows like "Desperate Housewives," "Ugly Betty," and "Grey's Anatomy," which seemed prime to repeat in the ensemble categories, but I just can't see any other contenders. "Californication" would be a cool show to recognize, but it couldn't even get a nomination for David Duchovny last year. Maybe "Weeds" will come back just like it did at the Golden Globes last week. Many are predicting "Brothers & Sisters" for Best Drama Ensemble, but if it's sat out this long, I'm not sure now's the time. Neil Patrick Harris' buzz, however, is high, and he should expect a shot at a nomination. I'd be much more thrilled if a show like "Brotherhood" or "Battlestar Galactica" was able to make enough noise to snag a spot, but I think I should stick all my hopes behind "True Blood" winning over the guild with its odd, offbeat nature. Oh, and I'm not predicting stunt ensemble just because I have no clue.

Predictions:

Best Actor in a Drama Series
BRYAN CRANSTON, BREAKING BAD
MICHAEL C. HALL, DEXTER
JON HAMM, MAD MEN
HUGH LAURIE, HOUSE
JAMES SPADER, BOSTON LEGAL

Best Actress in a Drama Series
SALLY FIELD, BROTHERS & SISTERS
HOLLY HUNTER, SAVING GRACE
JANUARY JONES, MAD MEN
KYRA SEDGWICK, THE CLOSER
ANNA PAQUIN, TRUE BLOOD

Best Actor in a Comedy Series
ALEC BALDWIN, 30 ROCK
STEVE CARRELL, THE OFFICE
NEIL PATRICK HARRIS, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
JEREMY PIVEN, ENTOURAGE
TONY SHALHOUB, MONK

Best Actress in a Comedy Series
CHRISTINA APPLEGATE, SAMANTHA WHO?
TINA FEY, 30 ROCK
AMERICA FERRERA, UGLY BETTY
MARY-LOUISE PARKER, WEEDS
VANESSA WILLIAMS, UGLY BETTY

Best Actor in a TV Movie/Mini-Series
RALPH FIENNES, BERNARD AND DORIS
PAUL GIAMMATI, JOHN ADAMS
KEVIN SPACEY, RECOUNT
DENIS LEARY, RECOUNT
TOM WILKINSON, JOHN ADAMS

Best Actress in a TV Movie/Mini-Series
EILEEN ATKINS, CRANFORD
JUDI DENCH, CRANFORD
LAURA DERN, RECOUNT
LAURA LINNEY, JOHN ADAMS
SUSAN SARANDON, BERNARD AND DORIS

Best Ensemble in a Comedy Series
30 ROCK
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
ENTOURAGE
THE OFFICE
UGLY BETTY

Best Ensemble in a Drama Series
BOSTON LEGAL
GREY’S ANATOMY
IN TREATMENT
MAD MEN
TRUE BLOOD