Final Emmy Predictions

Emmy nominations are upon us. Predicting the Emmys is always fun because there are so many different categories, and if one isn’t terribly interesting, another can be completely full of surprises. This year, revised rules have expanded all the main categories to six nominees and done away with top ten finalists and panels. It’s possible that the results this year could be starkly different from ever before, highlighting popular shows like crime dramas and the last existing sitcoms instead of less seen cable dramas like “Breaking Bad” or “In Treatment.” I’m leaning towards a fairly standard list, hopefully with some fun additions and some necessary subtractions. I haven’t seen any TV movies or miniseries, so I’ve made predictions below without any analysis. I’ve made all my predictions in the series categories throughout the past few weeks, and I’m not changing any of them at this point. I do, however, have some last reservations and notes:

- Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: I think Josh Holloway does a decent shot for “Lost.” Watch out for him. I don’t think Patrick Dempsey or Justin Chambers should be considered as legitimate threats for “Grey’s Anatomy.”
- Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Perhaps it’s unwise that I’m not placing any “Grey’s Anatomy” ladies in my predicted five. Katherine Heigl and Chandra Wilson are probably the strongest contenders, and Sandra Oh could also be in if all three ladies return again. Maybe CCH Pounder for “The Shield” – if only.
- Best Comedy Series: I’m considering “How I Met Your Mother” instead of “Scrubs” but I think it’s a crapshoot. No clue.
- Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: I really don’t believe that Jim Parsons will make it in for “The Big Bang Theory.” Regarding the sixth nominee, Lee Pace could be most likely for “Pushing Daisies,” but if I had my pick, it would be Zachary Levi from “Chuck.” Then again, I’m starting to think that the most unlikely contender of all, Danny McBride from “Eastbound and Down,” might have a shot. I doubt it will happen, but it’s one of my out-there alternate picks.
- Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: I’ve left off Toni Collette from “The United States of Tara” partially because the show fits a bizarre genre and there’s that unwritten rule about Showtime stars (Mary-Louise Parker, Michael C. Hall, David Duchovny) missing out on nominations their first years. Christina Applegate’s probably not as likely as perhaps Julia Louis-Dreyfus or Collette, but I’m sticking with her.
- Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Swap Kevin Dillon for Tracy Morgan? I don’t think Mr. Dillon is going anywhere; I just hope John Krasinski is in.
- Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: This is one category where every actress is vulnerable, and could easily be replaced by the likes of Amy Poehler, Kristin Wiig, and Tracey Ullmann (category fraud!), just as a start. We’ll see.

I’m excited for the nominations, and I’ll be posting reactions by series category every four hours this weekend. Please check back and offer your thoughts on the nominations. My one last pre-nominations act – no guts, no glory predictions:

Battlestar Galactica for Best Drama Series
Danny McBride (Eastbound & Down) for Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Boston Legal snubbed everywhere

On to the real predictions:

BEST DRAMA SERIES
Boston Legal
Damages
Dexter
House
Lost
Mad Men

BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Gabriel Bryne, In Treatment
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House
James Spader, Boston Legal

BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Glenn Close, Damages
Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters
January Jones, Mad Men
Mary McDonnell, Battlestar Galactica
Anna Paquin, True Blood
Krya Sedgwick, The Closer

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Michael Emerson, Lost
William Hurt, Damages
John Mahoney, In Treatment
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
William Shatner, Boston Legal
John Slattery, Mad Men

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Candice Bergen, Boston Legal
Rachel Griffiths, Brothers & Sisters
Marcia Gay Harden, Damages
Elizabeth Mitchell, Lost
Allison Pill, In Treatment
Dianne Wiest, In Treatment

BEST GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Ernest Borgnine, ER
Ted Danson, Damages
Patrick Fischler, Mad Men
Michael J. Fox, Rescue Me
Glynn Turman, In Treatment

BEST GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Brenda Blethyn, Law and Order: SVU
Ellen Burstyn, Law and Order: SVU
Tyne Daly, Grey's Anatomy
Melinda McGraw, Mad Men
Susan Sarandon, ER

BEST DIRECTING IN A DRAMA SERIES
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, “Daybreak, Part 2”
MAD MEN, “Meditations in an Emergency”
THE NO. 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY, “Pilot”
THE SHIELD, “Family Meeting”
TRUE BLOOD, “Pilot”

BEST WRITING IN A DRAMA SERIES
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, “Daybreak, Part 2”
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, “The Hub”
MAD MEN, “Meditations in an Emergency”
MAD MEN, “Six Month Leave”
THE SHIELD, “Family Meeting”

BEST COMEDY SERIES
Entourage
The Office
Scrubs
30 Rock
Two and a Half Men
Weeds

BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Steve Carrell, The Office
David Duchovny, Californication
Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies
Tony Shalhoub, Monk
Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men

BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
America Ferrerra, Ugly Betty
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Mary Louise Parker, Weeds
Billie Piper, Secret Diary of a Call Girl
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Kevin Dillon, Entourage
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
John Krasinski, The Office
Jeremy Piven, Entourage
Rainn Wilson, The Office

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Kristin Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies
Jenna Fischer, The Office
Elizabeth Perkins, Weeds
Jean Smart, Samantha Who?
Holland Taylor, Two and a Half Men
Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty

BEST GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Alan Alda, 30 Rock
Roger Bart, 30 Rock
Albert Brooks, Weeds
Jon Hamm, 30 Rock
Steve Martin, 30 Rock

BEST GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Tina Fey, Saturday Night Live
Salma Hayek, 30 Rock
Kathryn Jooston, Desperate Housewives
Amy Ryan, The Office
Elaine Stritch, 30 Rock

BEST DIRECTING IN A COMEDY SERIES
FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS, “The Tough Brets”
THE OFFICE, “Michael Scott Paper Company”
THE OFFICE, “Weight Loss”
30 ROCK, “The Bubble”
30 ROCK, “The Fun Cooker”

BEST WRITING IN A COMEDY SERIES
FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS, “Prime Minister”
THE OFFICE, “Broke”
THE OFFICE, “Dream Team”
30 ROCK, “Christmas Special”
30 ROCK, “Mamma Mia”

BEST MINISERIES
Generation Kill
House of Saddam
Little Dorrit

BEST TV MOVIE
Coco Chanel
Grey Gardens
Into the Storm
Prayers for Bobby
Taking Chance

BEST ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE
Kevin Bacon, Taking Chance
Kenneth Branagh, Wallander: One Step Behind
Brendan Gleeson, Into the Storm
Kevin Kline, Cyrano de Bergerac
Ian McKellen, King Lear

BEST ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE
Drew Barrymore, Grey Gardens
Jessica Lange, Grey Gardens
Shirley MacLaine, Coco Chanel
Anna Paquin, The Courageous Heart of Irene Sandler
Sigourney Weaver, Prayers for Bobby

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE
Len Cariou, Into the Storm
Robert Carlyle, 24: Redemption
Tom Courtenay, Little Dorrit
Victor Garber, The Last Templar
Andy Serkis, Little Dorrit

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE
Marcia Gay Harden, Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler
Jeanne Tripplehorne, Grey Gardens
Shohreh Aghdashloo, House of Saddam
Janet McTeer, Into the Storm
Judy Parfitt, Little Dorrit

BEST DIRECTING IN A MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE
Grey Gardens
House of Saddam
Into the Storm
Taking Chance
24: Redemption

BEST WRITING IN A MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE
Coco Chanel
Grey Gardens
Into the Storm
Prayers for Bobby
Taking Chance

VARIETY SERIES
Colbert Report
Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Late Show with David Letterman
Saturday Night Live
Tonight Show with Jay Leno

VARIETY SPECIAL
Chris Rock: Kill the Messenger
Kathy Griffin: She'll Cut a B****
Ricky Gervais: Out of England
Streisand:: The Concert
Will Ferrell: You're Welcome America

REALITY PROGRAM
Antiques Roadshow
Dog Whisperer
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List
Penn & Teller

REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM
The Amazing Race
American Idol
Dancing with the Stars
Project Runway
Top Chef

REALITY HOST
Ryan Seacrest, American Idol
Tyra Banks, America's Next Top Model
Howie Mandel, Deal or No Deal
Heidi Klum, Project Runway
Jeff Probst, Survivor