Emmy Race: Best Directing for a Comedy Series

Last year’s nominees:
“Entourage” (Tree Trippers)
“Flight of the Conchords” (The Tough Brets)
“The Office” (Stress Relief)
“30 Rock” (Apollo, Apollo)
“30 Rock” (Generalissimo)
“30 Rock” (Reunion)

The top contenders:
“Bored to Death” (Pilot)
“Community” (Pilot)
“Curb Your Enthusiasm” (Denise Handicapped)
“Curb Your Enthusiasm” (Officer Krupke)
“Curb Your Enthusiasm” (Seinfeld)
“Curb Your Enthusiasm” (The Table Read)
“Curb Your Enthusiasm” (Vehicular Fellatio)
“Entourage” (Berried Alive)
“Entourage” (Give a Little Bit)
“Glee” (Pilot)
“Glee” (Sectionals)
“Glee” (Wheels)
“Hung” (Pilot)
“Modern Family” (Hawaii)
“Modern Family” (Pilot)
“Monk” (Mr. Monk and the End)
“Nurse Jackie” (Pilot)
“The Office” (Body Language)
“The Office” (Gossip)
“The Office” (Niagara)
“Parks and Recreation” (Freddy Spaghetti)
“Parks and Recreation” (Hunting Trip)
“Parks and Recreation” (Practice Date)
“30 Rock” (Anna Howard Shaw Day)
“30 Rock” (Don Geiss, America, and Hope)
“30 Rock” (I Do Do)

The roundup: It’s no wonder this category has produced six nominees for the past four years running. This is one crowded list of contenders. In past years, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” has earned as many as four nominations in this category. It didn’t net any the last two times it was eligible, but I imagine that at least one of the “Seinfeld” reunion episodes will make it onto the list. “Entourage” has made it in every single year it’s been on, but I think this is the year that trend stops. Then there are Best Comedy Series champs “30 Rock” and “The Office,” which have each netted a total of five and four nominations, respectively, over the past three years. Finally, you have red-hot freshman series “Glee” and “Modern Family,” both of which are sure to place here with their pilots. I think that another “Glee” episode will make it in as well. My bold prediction is that, barring a sixth nominee, “30 Rock” won’t have any contenders here for the first time, while “The Office” scores for its two-part wedding episode.

Current predictions:
“Curb Your Enthusiasm” (Seinfeld)
“Glee” (Pilot)
“Glee” (Wheels)
“Modern Family” (Pilot)
“The Office” (Niagara)

What could win? Either “Glee” or “Modern Family.” For directing, I think “Glee.”

Next up: Best Writing for a Comedy Series