Emmy Winner Predictions: Best Directing for a Comedy Series

Nominees are pictured and listed in alphabetical order by show. Beware of minor spoilers for listed episodes.

Iain B. MacDonald, Episodes (Episode 309)
Paris Barclay, Glee (100)
Louis C.K., Louie (Elevator, Part 6)
Gail Mancuso, Modern Family (Vegas)
Jodie Foster, Orange is the New Black (Lesbian Request Denied)
Mike Judge, Silicon Valley (Minimal Viable Product)

Three of these nominees are returning from last year – Barclay, C.K., and Mancuso – each earning their third bids for directing their current shows. “Modern Family” has won this award three years in a row, and last year Mancuso took home the trophy. Five times in the past ten years, this award has gone to a pilot, which bodes well for “Silicon Valley,” though watch out for another freshman series, “Orange is the New Black.” Its third episode was helmed by a celebrity director, an occurrence much more often seen in the corresponding drama category. This is the first time that “Episodes” has been nominated in this category, for its third season finale, and it’s the only show recognized not nominated for Best Comedy Series (hardly a damning statistic) aside from “Glee,” which earns its fourth nomination in this category, which it won in 2010 for its pilot.

Pertaining to these specific episodes, I really didn’t like “Vegas,” which felt much too choreographed. Can “Modern Family” be dethroned in this race? “Lesbian Request Denied” is a strong episode, as is “Episode 309,” which wraps up a terrific season with unexpected developments. I didn’t yet love “Silicon Valley” based on its pilot, so I’m not sure voters will either. “100” is an episode that recalls much of the show’s former greatness, and so it might impress voters even though the show isn’t nominated in any other major category. “Elevator, Part 6” is a peculiar but fascinating episode of television, which mainly follows Louie as he tries to save his family from a hurricane. It’s hard to know how these vastly different episodes will be considered next to each other.

What should win: “Episode 309”
What will win: It might be C.K. or Mancuso again, but I’ll bet on Foster for “Lesbian Request Denied.”

Next up: Best Writing for a Comedy Series