Nominees are pictured and listed in alphabetical order. Beware of spoilers for listed episodes.
Preface: Last year was the first year in six years that a pilot didn’t win this award (no pilot was nominated).
Paris Barclay, Glee (Wheels)
For all my criticism of this episode, I must admit that it was well-directed. The installment where all of the glee club members are assigned to spend time in wheelchairs by Will ranks as one of the more choreographically ambitious episodes of the musical sensation. It’s a strong entry, but it’s not the episode that got everyone singing and dancing, so it shouldn’t really have much of a shot.
Ryan Murphy, Glee (Pilot)
Unless voters suddenly decide this show is not for them, this episode is going to win. From 2004 to 2008, “Arrested Development,” “Desperate Housewives,” “My Name is Earl,” “Ugly Betty,” and “Pushing Daisies” won this award when they were the most popular new comedy of the year. Whether it’s this or “Modern Family” is up for debate, but given the extraordinarily nominations love bestowed on this series and the way it launched the show, I think it’s a shoo-in.
Jason Winer, Modern Family (Pilot)
This show is definitely popular, and having one episode here helps, but I’m not sure it caught on quite as much like wildfire as “Glee” did. Its many acting nominations indicate that it is an Emmy favorite, but again, it pales to “Glee” in terms of total nominations count. I wouldn’t dismiss it entirely (it’s definitely in second place), but I think this show will have a better shot in both the writing and series categories.
Allen Coulter, Nurse Jackie (Pilot)
This show scored a surprising nod for Best Comedy Series, which ups its chances here one hundred fold. It still has the least buzz of all the shows in this category, two of which are fresh-hot and the other a triple-crown Best Comedy Series winner. When “Weeds” was nominated in this category a few years back, it didn’t take home the gold, though the more serious “Desperate Housewives” did for its pilot. Either way, it’s in last place among these nominees.
Don Scardino, 30 Rock (I Do Do)
Down from three nods last year and one each year for the first two seasons, this show is up for its season finale, which was one of the better episodes of the season but still shouldn’t cut it here. This show has succeeded majestically in almost every other category, but directing is just one place the series doesn’t seem to be winning over voters. The episode is hardly comparable to some of the episodes that previously contended in this category, so I don’t think that this one is the tradition-breaker.
Who should win: “Modern Family” (my ballot)
Who will win: “Glee” Pilot
Next up: Best Writing for a Comedy Series
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