Nominees are pictured and listed in alphabetical order. Submitted episode titles are in parentheses. Beware of spoilers for listed episodes.
Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy, Modern Family (My Funky Valentine)
Bowen is an unconventional nominee in this category – the straight man. The least showy member of an extraordinarily enthusiastic cast made it in and submitted very wisely, choosing an episode where she does get to perform some physical comedy when her coat gets stuck in an elevator when she has nothing on underneath. She could be a major dark horse if voters want a subtler laugh.
Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester, Glee (The Power of Madonna)
Lynch has been steadily working and stealing scenes for two decades now and finally found the perfect role. She should be a shoo-in for this award but mysteriously lost the Golden Globe. Without any dramatic competition, however, she should be able to win. My only concern is that her episode, while it does feature much singing and dancing, doesn’t include as many of the token zingers that Sue is so good at delivering. It shouldn’t a problem though, and she’ll likely still win.
Jane Krakowski as Jenna Maroney, 30 Rock (Black Light Attack)
Krakowski earned her second nomination despite both of her male supporting costars being dropped from their corresponding lineup. Krakowski did submit wisely, choosing an episode where she auditions for a part on “Gossip Girl” that ends up being the mother rather than a college student. “30 Rock” isn’t nearly as popular as “Modern Family” and “Glee” are now, however, so she may have missed her chance to win.
Holland Taylor as Evelyn Harper, Two & a Half Men (Give Me Your Thumb)
This is Taylor’s fourth nomination in six years, which makes her inclusion seem much more like filler than anything else. In her episode, she does have a decent bit of comedy where she tries to shower her son with affection to freak him out and discourage him from living with her. She did win for “The Practice” when she wasn’t even a regular cast member, so it’s always possible that she could win, but this is hardly the right material for it.
Sofia Vergara as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett, Modern Family (Not in My House)
I’ve read a lot of criticism about Vergara’s submission, where she continually stumbles upon her husband’s dog butler. I re-watched the episode specifically to see what she had to do in it, and I’ll admit that it’s not the best use of her talents. It’s still a funny installment, however, so if voters like the actress, who is quite hilarious, she might have a shot at the win, though I suspect not this year.
Kristin Wiig as Various Characters, Saturday Night Live (Host: James Franco)
Wiig is the odd woman out here, playing various characters in an hour-long variety show. The problem is that she barely has anything to do. One memorable scene does find her impersonating Katharine Hepburn, but besides that, there’s not much there. I couldn’t imagine her winning because she simply isn’t in her episode, especially not in a prominent position, all that much.
Who should win (based on entire season): Lynch (my ballot)
Who should win (based on individual episodes) : Bowen
Who will win: Lynch
Next up: Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series
2 comments:
I couldn't agree with you more. Lynch will probably win, mostly because the nominee with the better chance of fighting for the win (Vergara) has decided she doesn't want an Emmy (at least, by her submission, it didn't look like so).
Bowen is the dark horse for me.
I would love to see Bowen winning. The more I watch the show, the more impressed I am with her. She manages to be goofy and the straight man at the same time, and she has so many episodes where she really impresses me. I also love the chemistry between her and Ty Burrell. However, I'm pretty sure Lynch has this one in the bag, and she would deserve it. I mean, she is a bit too mean and over-the-top at times but she balances it with some humane moments (particularly in the second half of the season) and I love her delivery. Maybe Vergara will have a better chance next year with a different episode. You never know though, maybe voters will watch the other submitted episodes and be impressed with her performance.
By the way, something I haven't mentioned, I love that Jesse Tyler Ferguson was nominated because he is also more subtle. However, I don't see what everyone sees in that pigeon fight (it's funny, but not hilarious). I would've submitted En Garde in his place, or maybe even My Funky Valentine (since he gets to act like a lawyer to Manny in that episode).
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