Sunday, September 10, 2017

Emmy Winner Predictions: Best Writing for a Drama Series


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

Joel Fields and Joseph Weisberg, The Americans (The Soviet Division)
Gordon Smith, Better Call Saul (Chicanery)
Peter Morgan, The Crown (Assassins)
Bruce Miller, The Handmaid’s Tale (Offred)
Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer, Stranger Things (Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers)
Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, Westworld (The Bicameral Mind)

What we have here are four hot new shows – two pilots, one standout episode, and a season finale – and a very memorable hour of a show in its third season that was nominated two years ago, plus a show that’s gotten in the past three years. Fields and Weisberg are back for a second year, Smith contended the last time his show did, and all five other nominees are here for the first time, though the Duffer brothers and Nolan are also up this year for directing the same episodes. Only two pilots have won in the past two decades – “24” and “Homeland” – but, unlike in previous years, there isn’t a hot returning show like “Game of Thrones,” “Mad Men,” or “The Sopranos” in the running to win again.

What should win: “Offred” or “The Bicameral Mind”
What will win: This would be an easy place to reward “The Crown,” but I think that The Handmaid’s Tale will score the win.

Next up: Best Directing for a Comedy Series

No comments: