Nominees are pictured and listed in alphabetical order. Submitted episode titles are in parentheses. Beware of spoilers for listed episodes.
Connie Britton as Tami Taylor, Friday Night Lights (After the Fall)
After three snubs in a row and a few category changes, Britton finally got nominated for fan favorite FNL. As I noted about Chandler, it’s hard for someone who’s never been nominated before to win when their show has already been on for a few years. That said, she has some quiet moments of greatness that could make her a fierce competitor, if Margulies wasn’t a sure thing.
Glenn Close as Patty Hewes, Damages (Your Secrets Are Safe)
Close won this award two years in a row and might have had a good shot at a third award if her show was going to be done forever. The news that “Damages” will in fact be back for another season, albeit on Direct TV, means that Close can finally hand over the mantle to someone else since she can always win again another year. Her submission isn’t spectacular either, so it’s Julianna Margulies’ turn. Could Close still win? Yes. Will she? Probably not.
Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Perverted)
Hargitay has been nominated every year since 2004 and won back in 2006. At this point, Hargitay’s continuing nominations are her reward. Many, including “Sons of Anarchy” creator Kurt Sutter, have grown tired of her inclusion. Her submitted episode this year pales in comparison to her overrated submission from last year. Being framed for murder isn’t nearly as compelling as the creative forces behind the show think.
January Jones as Betty Draper, Mad Men (The Gypsy & the Hobo)
After two years of being snubbed, Jones is finally in the race. She’s certainly overdue and her great submission works in her favor. Like the supporting players on shows like “The Office” and “30 Rock,” however, who first got nominated several seasons into their shows, the feeling of freshness and praise isn’t as high anymore, therefore weakening the chances for a win. Her competition is really what puts her out of the race.
Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick, The Good Wife (Threesome)
Margulies won both the Golden Globe and the SAG for the freshman CBS law show, plus she’s a past Emmy champ for the first season of “ER” fifteen years ago. She didn’t submit the pilot; instead she chose the episode where she has to defend partner Jonas Stern. It’s an excellent choice, and a much better display of her talent than the first episode. She should have no problem taking down Close, especially considering her show ousted “Damages” from the Best Drama Series lineup.
Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, The Closer (Maternal Instincts)
I discussed yesterday how Hugh Laurie is in the same boat as Sedgwick – she won a Golden Globe early on for her show but the timing with the Emmys was never right, and now many consider her past her prime. Her submitted episode, where she has to play parent to her troublesome niece, is a good showcase of her abilities. In another year, she might be the frontrunner, but that year just hasn’t come around yet.
Who should win (based on entire season): Jones (my ballot)
Who should win (based on individual episodes) : Jones
Who will win: It’s hard to imagine it not being Margulies.
Next up: Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
4 comments:
Jones is great, but it should be Britton. No question. She is simply astonishing. It's a pity that she had to select an episode before the season finished. A better choice than "After the Fall" would have been "I Can't". She was simply phenomenal in that one. Jones would be my second choice.
I can't believe Hargitay keeps getting nominated. From the brief glimpses I've seen of "SVU" (very brief since I detest that show), she's not that good.
Hargitay really isn't that good, but the show is wildly popular for some reason. If Margulies and Close weren't in this race, I really wonder who would win.
I'm a big fan of Julianna Margulies, so it's great to see her back in a successful show (I used to watch ER, and she deserved that Emmy for the first few seasons). It would be great to see her win, however I just finished re-watching the third season of Mad Men (on DVD with my parents, it makes it a whole new experience since they are both obsessed with the show) and even though I don't like Betty Draper, January Jones is outstanding in the role and it would be great to see her win. I don't watch the rest regularly, so I can't say much.
I think there's both a disadvantage and an advantage to watching submitted episodes of shows I don't regularly work. It's helpful because many voters will be coming in from that angle, but it gives a less complete picture of what the award ultimately should represent - a full season's work. In this case, I sampled both Hargitay and Britton's performances while watching the complete seasons of the other four. I think Britton especially would benefit from having the whole season screened, and I imagine FNL fans like G1000 would agree with that statement.
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