Emmy Winner Predictions: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Nominees are listed in alphabetical order. Submitted episode titles are in parentheses. Beware of minor spoilers for listed episodes.

 
Alex Borstein as Susie Myerson, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Everything is Bellmore)
Borstein is back after consecutive wins for the first two seasons of her show and a nomination for the third. While the series dropped considerably in its nomination count for season four, her episode submission is an absolute knockout in which she takes over someone else’s funeral to offer her friend a proper sendoff. Statistically speaking, she’s only lost to one person who’s not nominated this time around (Annie Murphy), so it’s definitely possible that she win voters over again.

Hannah Einbinder as Ava Daniels, Hacks (The Captain’s Wife)
Einbinder is back with her second nomination for an inarguably terrific performance that is very arguably a supporting turn. She’s so great that it’s hard to knock her down for being in the wrong category, and she actually pulled off a surprise win with the Hollywood Critics Association, eclipsing another Hannah. It does help that her episode submission shows her having a lot of fun in an unexpected environment, and while I doubt she’ll win, I’d be perfectly happy to see it happen. Check out our interviews here and here.

Janelle James as Ava Coleman, Abbott Elementary (Ava vs. Superintendent)
This is James’ first nomination. She has some truly fantastic dialogue as the self-involved and entirely ineffective elementary school principal who doesn’t take her job seriously at all, and she elevates it to another level entirely. Her submitted episode gives her great material as she tries to put on a serious presentation with a less-than-advisable initial approach, and I think it should be enough to make her a serious contender for the win. She also took home the cable/broadcast prize at the Hollywood Critics Association – could this be next?

Kate McKinnon as Various Characters, Saturday Night Live (Natasha Lyonne / Japanese Breakfast)
McKinnon is back for the ninth year in a row, one bid away from recordholders Rhea Perlman and Loretta Swit. Since this is her final year on the show, she won’t be able to match that total. She won previously in 2016 and 2017 back when she was playing Hillary Clinton, and she doesn’t have nearly as much worthwhile material these days. But in her final episode, which is her submission, she does completely own the opening sketch, showing that she’s still got it. A third trophy would be a real surprise, but she’s proven to be popular in the past.

Sarah Niles as Dr. Sharon Fieldstone, Ted Lasso (Headspace)
Niles’ inclusion here comes as somewhat of a surprise since she was the only major new addition to season two and her role isn’t as inherently comedic as her two nominated costars. But Niles is terrific in her role, and she appreciates the chance to find the humor in the more serious moments. It’s hard to imagine her eclipsing Waddingham or Temple, but there is something to her being a moral center for the show. Check out our interview here.

Sheryl Lee Ralph as Barbara Howard, Abbott Elementary (New Tech)
This is the first Emmy nomination for Ralph, who on her show is the experienced, levelheaded mentor for the plucky young teacher played by star and creator Quinta Brunson. There is definitely a reverence for the established and respected actress from the rest of the cast and the industry in general, and while Ralph has the more even-tempered role as compared with costar Janelle James, it’s possible that she could prove popular enough to win, particularly coupled with an endearing episode submission that finds her struggling to acclimate to new technology.

Juno Temple as Keeley Jones, Ted Lasso (Midnight Train to Royston)
Temple is back for her second consecutive nomination, and I had actually predicted her to be cited for the entirely Emmy-ignored “The Offer” also. It’s incredible to see just how naturally Temple interacts with all of her fellow cast members, and she also has some worthwhile relationship material in season two as she navigates her own relationship and fends off attractions from numerous would-be suitors. While I think that Temple is just as good as her costar Hannah Waddingham, voters from multiple groups seem to have more of an affinity for Waddingham.

Hannah Waddingham as Rebecca Welton, Ted Lasso (No Weddings and a Funeral)
Waddingham is the defending champion in this race. She gets very solid material in season two, particularly in her submitted episode, which finds her encountering an unexpected loss and interacting with different figures from her life. Watching her season-long romance with a surprising partner is also fun, and there’s little to suggest that Waddingham doesn’t have at least a decent shot at repeating.

Who should win (based on entire season): Einbinder, Temple, or Waddingham
Who should win (based on individual episodes): Einbinder or Waddingham
Who will win: I’ll give the edge to James even though it could just as easily be Waddingham again.

Next up: Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Emmy Nominees: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

My predictions: 3/8

I took a few big swings here that turned out to be wrong, namely for “Peacemaker” and “Hawkeye,” which earned a collected three technical nominations. Instead, past winner Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) is back along with last year’s champion, Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso), joined again by Juno Temple (Ted Lasso) and now also by Sarah Niles (Ted Lasso). Past winner Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live) is back, alone from her show in this race for the first time in three years, as is Hannah Einbinder (Hacks), who continues to compete in the wrong category despite being excellent and who I had hoped would be joined by costar Meg Stalter. I’m saddest that Sarah Goldberg isn’t here for some truly spectacular work on “Barry,” but I’ll enjoy getting into a new show I didn’t watch past the pilot, watching for nominees Janelle James (Abbott Elementary) and Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary).

Who should win? I have too many performances to see before making that assessment but I’m a big fan of Einbinder!
Who will win? Without having seen the rest, who knows, but maybe Waddingham again?

Emmy Predictions: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

The 74th Primetime Emmy Awards nominations will be announced on Tuesday, July 12th. As always, chime in below in the comments with any thoughts of your own.

Last year’s nominees: Aidy Bryant, Hannah Einbinder, Kate McKinnon, Rosie Perez, Cecily Strong, Juno Temple, Hannah Waddingham

The competition: Here we have it: a category where all seven nominees from last year are eligible again. Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso), Juno Temple (Ted Lasso), Hannah Einbinder (Hacks) seem like the best bets to return, and repeat bids for Aidy Bryant (Saturday Night Live), Cecily Strong (Saturday Night Live), and Rosie Perez (The Flight Attendant) are also possible. I’d expect Megan Stalter (Hacks) to join them too given her season two prominence. There are a handful of contenders who were nominated the last time they were eligible, including Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Marin Hinkle (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Sarah Goldberg (Barry), Yvonne Orji (Insecure), and Zazie Beetz (Atlanta). Past guest winner Jane Lynch (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) is also in the running. New possibilities with Emmy-friendly resumes include Kristin Chenoweth (Schmigadoon!), Judith Light (Julia), and Holland Taylor (The Chair), with other names like Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary), Janelle James (Abbott Elementary), Amy Ryan (Only Murders in the Building), Chloë Sevigny (Russian Doll), Molly Shannon (I Love That For You), and Ariana DeBose (Schmigadoon!) also possible. I’m watching out for not one but two standout supporting actresses from comic book series: Danielle Brooks (Peacemaker) and Florence Pugh (Hawkeye).

The predicted nominees: Beetz, Brooks, Einbinder, Goldberg, McKinnon, Pugh, Stalter, Waddingham

The predicted winner: I think Waddingham might win again.

Next up: Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Emmy Winner Predictions: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Nominees are listed in alphabetical order. Submitted episode titles are in parentheses. Beware of minor spoilers for listed episodes.

Aidy Bryant as Various Characters, Saturday Night Live (Host: Regé Jean-Page)
This is Bryant’s second nomination for this role, her first since 2018, and her third overall after a music and lyrics bid back in 2014. She’s also nominated this year for her terrific performance in season three of Shrill this year. She has some great sketches in her submitted episode, and her dual nomination might mean that she has the buzz to win. It would be fun to see given how funny she can be, but I don’t think it’s going to happen.

Hannah Einbinder as Ava Daniels, Hacks (I Think She Will)
This is the first Emmy nomination for Einbinder, who is truly hilarious on her show and chose a great episode, the season finale, as her submission. The issue is that she’s really not a supporting actress and belongs in the leading race, so those upset about category fraud (if they exist within the TV academy) may not want to endorse her presence here. That said, she did tie with another Hannah, fellow nominee Waddingham, at the Hollywood Critics Association, which could indicate that quality is more important than quantity.

Kate McKinnon as Various Characters, Saturday Night Live (Host: Bill Burr)
This is the eighth consecutive nomination for McKinnon, who won twice, in 2016 and 2017. She’s a default nominee at this point, and though she’s done a great job of portraying figures like Rudy Giuliani this season, her submission doesn’t give her all that much to do. She’s still funny and so natural even when she’s challenging herself, but I don’t see this being the year she scores her third trophy.

Rosie Perez as Megan Briscoe, The Flight Attendant (Arrivals and Departures)
Perez previously received three Emmy nominations for choreography on “In Living Color” between 1990 and 1993. Now, she’s a first-time acting nominee for her terrific work on her very dark comedy. She chose the season finale as her submission, which helps to bring together her storyline in an interesting and unexpected way. She’s definitely the least inherently comedic choice, but a win for her would be a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge a talented actress and a show that isn’t likely to pick up any other major prizes.

Cecily Strong as Various Characters, Saturday Night Live (Host: Anya Taylor-Joy)
Strong earns her second consecutive Emmy nomination this year. I’ve enjoyed getting to watch her on “Schmigadoon,” which will be eligible next Emmy season, and my appreciation of her performance on that show has made me want her to win for this one. Her submitted episode is the last of nine that I watched this season, and also the finale. While she does have a great scene where she plays Judge Jeanine Pirro, she doesn’t get all that much else to do, so I’m not sure this is when she’s going to win, even if I do hope it happens in the future.

Juno Temple as Keeley Jones, Ted Lasso (For the Children)
This is the first nomination for Temple, who is an absolute pleasure to watch on her show. She chose a fantastic episode to submit, one that shows her exploring changing relationships with three different characters: Jamie, Roy, and Rebecca. The only trouble is that she’s nominated against her costar Waddingham, who to this point has won most of the prizes she’s contended for. A Temple win isn’t out of the question, but it’s much less likely than Waddingham.

Hannah Waddingham as Rebecca Welton, Ted Lasso (All Apologies)
This is Waddingham’s first Emmy nomination. She’s already won most of the awards she’s been up for, including the Critics Choice Association prize. She’s a strong presence on her show and does a great job with the material, and that’s absolutely true in the her submitted episode, where she deals with a long-kept secret and its impacts on her relationships. I think it’s a fantastic vehicle to catapult Waddingham to a win.

Who should win (based on entire season): Einbinder, Temple, or Waddingham
Who should win (based on individual episodes): Einbinder, Temple, or Waddingham
Who will win: I feel like Waddingham is far enough out in front, but it’s possible that any of these women could end up winning.

Next up: Best Lead Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie

Emmy Nominees: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

My predictions 6/7, missing Bryant

I’m sad that Zosia Mamet isn’t here, but at least Rosie Perez (The Flight Attendant) is. I’m fine with Aidy Bryant (Saturday Night Live) being a double nominee, joining her costars Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live) and Cecily Strong (Saturday Night Live), who I’ve grown quite fond of watching her on Apple TV Plus’ “Schmigadoon,” which premieres this Friday. I’m relieved that Hannah Einbinder (Hacks) is here because I was worried the category fraud might result in her being snubbed, and she’s in great company with Juno Temple (Ted Lasso) and Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso).

Who should win? Einbinder, Temple, or Waddingham
Who will win? This is actually somewhat competitive, but maybe Waddingham?

Emmy Predictions: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards nominations will be announced on Tuesday, July 13th. As always, chime in below in the comments with any thoughts of your own.

Last year’s nominees: Alex Borstein, D’Arcy Carden, Betty Gilpin, Kate McKinnon, Annie Murphy, Yvonne Orji, Cecily Strong

The competition: I wrote about this category for The Film Experience, where you can read my analysis. I don’t think anything has changed in the two weeks or so since I wrote it, so head over there to see who I think is out front for this race!

The predicted nominees: Einbinder, Mamet, McKinnon, Perez, Strong, Temple, Waddingham

The predicted winner: I think Borstein repeats.

Next up: Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

AFT Awards: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

This is the tenth category of the 14th Annual AFT Television Awards, my personal choices for the best in television during the 2019-2020 season. This year, I’m including a shorter list, with just nominees and a few finalists, if applicable. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them.

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Last year’s nominees: Hiam Abbass, Alex Borstein, Linda Cardellini, Sian Clifford, Marin Hinkle

Emmy nominees: Alex Borstein, D’Arcy Carden, Betty Gilpin, Marin Hinkle, Kate McKinnon, Annie Murphy, Yvonne Orji, Cecily Strong

Finalists: Tawny Newsome (Space Force), Suzy Nakamura (Avenue 5), Zoe Chao (Love Life), Hiam Abbass (Ramy), Natalie Morales (Dead to Me), Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Michelle Veintimilla (The Baker and the Beauty), Lenora Crichlow (Avenue 5), Belissa Escobedo (The Baker and the Beauty), Edi Patterson (The Righteous Gemstones), Reina Hardesty (Brockmire), Becki Newton (Divorce), Brenda Song (Dollface), Lolly Adefope (Shrill), Marin Hinkle (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), May Calamawy (Ramy), Zoey Deutch (The Politician)

The nominees:

Aisling Bea (Living with Yourself)
Yvonne Orji (Insecure)
Allegra Edwards (Upload)
Alexandra Daddario (Why Women Kill)

The winner:

Phoebe Fox (The Great) perfected the notion of sass by constantly reminding everyone around her of Marial’s intellectual superiority and her complete lack of faith in their competence.

Next up: Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie

Emmy Winner Predictions: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

I've had the pleasure of covering some of the Emmy races for the brand new website Awards Radar this year. Click here to read my detailed analysis and predictions for this category.

Emmy Nominees: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

My predictions 6/8

I would have liked to see Hiam Abbass (Ramy) nominated, but I’m pretty happy with what ended up happening here instead. Yvonne Orji (Insecure) has been doing great work on her show for four seasons now, and it’s about time she got nominated. Though I don’t watch regularly, I appreciate that there are new variety players nominated each year, with Cecily Strong (Saturday Night Live) joining past winner Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live) this time. I’m not sad that an Emmy favorite who won a guest bid for the same role last year – Jane Lynch (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) – wasn’t nominated, while two of her deserving costars, two-time winner Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) and Marin Hinkle (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), were. Betty Gilpin (GLOW) is once again the only representative of her show, which is totally fine, and I look forward to watching her submitted episode. Annie Murphy (Schitt’s Creek) finally made the cut for the final season of her show, as did D’Arcy Carden (The Good Place), which is great.

Who should win? Orji
Who will win? It’s a competitive category, and I’m actually going to choose Orji over the much likelier threepeat by Borstein.

AFT Awards: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

This is the eighth category of the 13th Annual AFT Television Awards, my personal choices for the best in television during the 2018-2019 season. This year, I’m including a shorter list, with just nominees and a few finalists, if applicable. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them.

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Last year’s nominees: D’Arcy Carden, Sara Gilbert, Liv Hewson, Jane Levy, Kathleen Rose Perkins

Emmy nominees: Alex Borstein, Anna Chlumsky, Sian Clifford, Olivia Colman, Betty Gilpin, Sarah Goldberg, Marin Hinkle, Kate McKinnon

Finalists: D'Arcy Carden (The Good Place), Jameela Jamil (The Good Place), Sarah Goldberg (Barry), Tawny Newsome (Brockmire)

The nominees:

Marin Hinkle (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
Sian Clifford (Fleabag)
Hiam Abbass (Barry)

The winner:

Linda Cardellini (Dead to Me) conveyed her character’s deepest fears and regrets in an immensely watchable manner as she put on an act to hide her deepest secrets from everyone around her.

Next up: Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series

Emmy Winner Predictions: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Nominees are listed in alphabetical order. Submitted episode titles are in parentheses. Beware of minor spoilers for listed episodes.

Alex Borstein as Susie Myerson, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Vote for Kennedy, Vote for Kennedy)
Borstein won this award last year. She is also nominated for voicing “Family Guy” characters for the third time, another award she won last year. I thought Borstein was funniest when she was nearly killed by hapless thugs in the season premiere (costar Marin Hinkle’s submission), but she chose the penultimate hour which found her experiencing some difficulty with her number one client. Trying to get everyone she knew – and even those she didn’t – to vouch for her star act is undeniably appealing, and might be just what Borstein needs for a repeat win.

Anna Chlumsky as Amy Brookheimer, Veep (Pledge)
This is the sixth nomination for Chlumsky, whose show took the season off last year. She’s contended for all but one of her show’s seasons, and now she has her final shot for a funny episode in which she, rarely one to keep her emotions in check, gets truly angry and shouts down abortion clinic protesters in a way that could only occur on this show. She’s still far from the central part of her show, something that could hurt in a very crowded field this year.

Sian Clifford as Claire, Fleabag (Episode 2.3)
This is Clifford’s first Emmy nomination. Her portrayal of the title character’s sister is definitely fantastic in each episode, though I found the season premiere to be the stronger showcase of her work. Having Fleabag help her in a professional setting was a wonderful way, however, to draw out some of her angst in the best possible way, and anyone watching the show and the episodes closely might be compelled to choose her over her showier and much more well-known costar.

Olivia Colman as Godmother, Fleabag (Episode 2.4)
Colman, who surprised to win the Oscar for Best Actress for “The Favourite” this past year, was nominated for an Emmy in 2016 for “The Night Manager.” Colman is indeed superb in this show, but she doesn’t play a huge part in season two, and certainly not in her submitted episode. This will ultimately be a test of if voters care about the episodes, since Colman, who’s likely to win the drama actress award next year for “The Crown,” doesn’t deserve to beat the other nominees in this category for her selected episode.

Betty Gilpin as Debbie Eagan, GLOW (Mother of All Matches)
Gilpin was the only acting nominee from her show last year when it was nominated for Best Comedy Series, and now she’s the only major nominee from the show as a whole. In its second season, this show has gotten away from the wrestling matches as the inspiration for each episode and shifted them, at least in this case, to the climax, and so this installment provides a great opportunity for Gilpin to shine as Debbie tries to rid herself of all remnants of her ex-husband. She won’t win without her show being nominated, but she does deserve to be here.

Sarah Goldberg as Sally Reed, Barry (The Audition)
This is Goldberg’s first nomination. She’s definitely here in part because of the popularity of her show, but she absolutely deserves her place. Though it wasn’t always relevant to the main storyline, Sally’s arc expanded in season two, and she could have picked from a number of excellent samples of her work. Her choice of an episode that finds her about to make it big and still ready to deliver a nonstop rant is very good, and, if enthusiasm for her show is really strong enough, she could emerge victorious from this field.

Marin Hinkle as Rose Weissman, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Simone)
This is the first nomination for Hinkle, the only member of her show’s cast to be newly recognized for its second season. While often a background character in season one and even in a good part of season two, Rose is front and center after making a huge life change without much of her family noticing. To me, it’s one of the best submissions in this category, but she’ll have a hard time besting costar and defending champion Alex Borstein, who is also heavily featured in this hour in a great way that Hinkle just isn’t in hers.

Kate McKinnon as Various Characters, Saturday Night Live (Host: Liev Schreiber)
This is the sixth consecutive nomination for McKinnon, who won twice, in 2016 and 2017. Last year, I wrote that not playing Hillary Clinton was a disadvantage, but she opens her submitted episode this year so strongly as Jeff Sessions that it’s easy to see how voters could choose her again this year. Her episode is one of the strongest of all the selections in this category, and could catapult her to a third win.

Who should win (based on entire season): Borstein, Clifford, or Goldberg
Who should win (based on individual episodes): Hinkle, McKinnon, or Goldberg
Who will win: It could be Colman, but I’m betting on two in a row for Borstein.

Next up: Best Directing for a Drama Series

Emmy Nominees: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

My predictions: 5/8, missing Clifford, Colman, and Goldberg

For the second year in a row, this category has eight nominees, though only four of them are the same even though just one of the eight wasn’t eligible. Last year’s winner Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) got joined by Marin Hinkle (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), which is marvelous indeed. I should have predicted Sarah Goldberg (Barry), and I’m happy that she’s here. I really have to watch the second season of a show whose first year I loved, and so I’ll have more to say about Sian Clifford (Fleabag) and Oscar winner Olivia Colman (Fleabag) after I do. Though I don’t watch her show, I’m happy that Betty Gilpin (GLOW) made the cut again as her show got dropped from the top race. Expectedly, we have perennial nominees Anna Chlumsky (Veep) for the last time and Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live) representing her show solo for the first time in three years. It’s a shame that nominations announcer D’Arcy Carden didn’t get nominated for “The Good Place” even though the episode she would have submitted did for its writing.

Who should win? I haven’t seen a lot of these nominees, so I’ll hold off judgment until then.
Who will win? It’s hard to say without having seen so much, but I’ll pick Colman for now.

Emmy Predictions: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

The 70th Primetime Emmy Awards nominations will be announced on Tuesday, July 16th. As always, chime in below in the comments with any thoughts of your own.

Last year’s nominees: Zazie Beetz, Alex Borstein, Aidy Bryant, Betty Gilpin, Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon, Laurie Metcalf, Megan Mullally

The competition: Eight nominees made for a very crowded category last year, and just one of them isn’t eligible this time around: Zazie Beetz, whose show has yet to return for a third season. This could mark the third year in a row that three performers from the same variety show are featured, with two-time winner Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live), Aidy Bryant (Saturday Night Live), and Leslie Jones (Saturday Night Live) all in contention again, and others like Cecily Strong (Saturday Night Live) likely to get some votes. Last year’s winner Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) will undoubtedly be back, and her costar Marin Hinkle (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) might just crack the lineup too. Betty Gilpin (GLOW) may return, though it will depend on how her show does. After landmark returns after years off the air last year, Laurie Metcalf (The Conners), technically competing for a fresh series, and Megan Mullally (Will and Grace) don’t have the same buzz, and are also defending their slots without any support elsewhere for their shows. A nominee from two years ago, Anna Chlumsky (Veep), will almost certainly be back now that her show is eligible for its final season. Other possibilities to join the lineup for the first time include Olivia Colman (Fleabag), Hiam Abbass (Ramy), D’Arcy Carden (The Good Place), and Sarah Goldberg (Barry).

The predicted nominees: Borstein, Chlumsky, Gilpin, Hinkle, McKinnon, Mulllally

The predicted winner: I think Borstein repeats.

Next up: Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series

AFT Awards: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

This is the eighth category of the 12th Annual AFT Television Awards, my personal choices for the best in television during the 2017-2018 season. This year, I’m including a shorter list, with just nominees and a few finalists, if applicable. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them.

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Last year’s nominees: Fiona Dourif, Jade Eshete, Jayma Mays, Yvonne Orji, Sherri Shepherd

Emmy nominees: Zazie Beetz, Alex Borstein, Aidy Bryant, Betty Gilpin, Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon, Laurie Metcalf, Megan Mullally

Finalists: Betty Giplin (GLOW), Izzie Steele (Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency), Yvonne Orji (Insecure), Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Marin Hinkle (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Nasim Pedrad (People of Earth)

The nominees:

Kathleen Rose Perkins (Episodes)
Sara Gilbert (Roseanne)
D'Arcy Carden (The Good Place)
Liv Hewson (Santa Clarita Diet)

The winner:

Jane Levy (There’s Johnny) was a singular force for comedy and drama in a show that didn’t always jump out with enthusiasm, committing tremendously to the role just as her character commits tremendously to her thankless work.

Next up: Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series

Emmy Winner Predictions: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Nominees are listed in alphabetical order. Submitted episode titles are in parentheses. Beware of minor spoilers for listed episodes.

Zazie Beetz as Van Keefer, Atlanta (Helen)
This is the first Emmy nomination for Beetz, who represents one of the staggering sixteen bids her show received for its second season. Beetz, who wasn’t entirely present throughout the season, shines in a huge showcase in her submitted episode, which finds her speaking fluent German and finally speaking up for herself. Like her castmates, it’s not a funny turn, but she definitely has talent and might be able to muster a win if her show sweeps, though this category is extremely packed.

Alex Borstein as Susie Myerson, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Doink)
Borstein was nominated in 2013 for voicing “Family Guy” characters and already won that award this year. Borstein is an undeniably funny and crucial part of her show, serving as the manager for the budding stand-up comic. In her submitted episode, she expresses her rage at her client’s ill-advised decision to try to go with a bigger name. Other prognosticators seem to think that Borstein has a good shot, and I’m tempted to agree. There are a lot of nominees here, but her show is popular and might also sweep.

Aidy Bryant as Various Characters, Saturday Night Live (Host: Chadwick Boseman)
Bryant is the latest SNL performer to be cited in this category following one previous Emmy bid for music and lyrics in 2014. Bryant is hardly the most prominent cast member on the show, but she does get to be the star of a funny sketch that finds her exhibiting a whole lot of personality in her submitted episode. I just don’t see her edging out two-time defending champ and costar McKinnon or many of the other nominees.

Betty Gilpin as Debbie Eagan, GLOW (Debbie Does Something)
Gilpin managed to be the lone acting nominee from her well-received freshman series despite costars Alison Brie and Marc Maron earning bids from other organizations. It’s easy to see why Gilpin stands out as Debbie, the established actress who doesn’t want to stoop to the level of her inexperienced costars. Going to her first wrestling match provides an excellent showcase for Gilpin. I’d love to see her win, but it’s not an outwardly funny performance, and her show didn’t land nearly as well as some of her fellow nominees’. She’s still a possibility, but it’s not likely.

Leslie Jones as Various Characters, Saturday Night Live (Host: Donald Glover)
This is the second consecutive nomination for Jones. In her submitted episode, she gets to do the same thing she did last year: say whatever she wants without being interrupted too much. I think last year was a better showcase for her since she was confronting her having been hacked, and she doesn’t have nearly as much going for her this year. Her winning would be a real surprise.

Kate McKinnon as Various Characters, Saturday Night Live (Host: Bill Hader)
Two-time defending champ McKinnon is back with her fifth consecutive nomination. She doesn’t get to play Hillary Clinton to the same effect in her submitted episode this time around, but that’s fair given she’s no longer in the spotlight. Portraying Jeff Sessions and Betsy DeVos is just as funny, if not better, and that may give her a leg up in this fine showcase to take home a third trophy.

Laurie Metcalf as Jackie Harris, Roseanne (No Country for Old Women)
Metcalf, who managed three separate acting nominations two years ago, is now on her eleventh nomination. She took home this award – for this role – three years in a row over two decades ago. Now, Metcalf has managed to earn Emmy affection when no one else from her show did. I probably would have selected the season premiere rather than this half-hour, which focuses more on Jackie’s mother, but if liberal voters want to reward one of the only things they liked about this now-cancelled show, Metcalf would be a great choice.

Megan Mullally as Karen Walker, Will and Grace (Rosario’s Quinceanera)
Mullally is back after seven consecutive nominations for her show during its original run. She won on her first and last try, in 2000 and 2006, respectively. She’s the only series regular from her returning show to earn a nomination this year. Her submitted episode shows her connecting back to an unseen former character rather than highlighting her Trump allegiance that might have played better as comedy with voters. She’s won before and could again, but the lackluster reception for her show indicates that she’s far from a sure thing.

Who should win (based on entire season): Gilpin, Metcalf, or Borstein
Who should win (based on individual episodes): Gilpin or Beetz
Who will win: A slew of previous winners could repeat, be it McKinnon, Metcalf, or Mullally. Instead, I’ll go with Borstein, who will benefit from overall enthusiasm from her show, though arguably Beetz or Gilpin could win by the same logic.

Next up: Best Directing for a Drama Series

Emmy Nominees: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

My predictions: 4/8

Well, this is a big category, and one with a whole range of nominees. I had to look up who Aidy Bryant (Saturday Night Live) was since I had no idea who she was, as the latest cast member joining last year’s nominee Leslie Jones (Saturday Night Live) and two-time winner Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live) to make it two years in a row for three nominees from the late-night variety series. Megan Mullally (Will and Grace) managed to be the only regular cast member from her show to return with a nomination this year, following her win the last time she contended in 2006. Also returning as the lone representative of her show is Laurie Metcalf (Roseanne), whose series got cancelled thanks to its star’s tweets. Metcalf is obviously popular nonetheless, with three consecutive wins back in the early 1990s. The other three nominees are all brand-new, with Zazie Beetz (Atlanta) riding the wave of enthusiasm for her show, Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) earning a deserved nomination for helping to make her show what it is, and Betty Gilpin (GLOW) managing to get nominated despite lead actress Alison Brie being snubbed. I have a lot to catch up on here, but this is an interesting category to be sure.

Who should win? I haven’t seen half of this category’s contenders, but I think I’d vote for Borstein or Metcalf.
Who will win? It’s just a question of which political commentary voters want to honor: the expressed parody (McKinnon), the clear mockery (Mullally), or the face of the resistance in parody (Metcalf).

Emmy Predictions: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

The 70th Primetime Emmy Awards nominations will be announced on Thursday, July 12th. As always, chime in below in the comments with any thoughts of your own.

Last year’s nominees: Vanessa Bayer, Anna Chlumsky, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Jones, Judith Light, Kate McKinnon

The competition: Count out half of last year’s nominees automatically, with Chlumsky’s show on an extended hiatus and both Bayer and Hahn having departed from their series. Two-time winner Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live) is the only sure thing to return, while costar Leslie Jones (Saturday Night Live) is a distinct possibility. Judith Light (Transparent) didn’t have nearly the same showcase in season four as she did in season three, and she’s actually likely to be booted for costar Gaby Hoffman (Transparent) just like she was in season one. Two-time winner Megan Mullally (Will and Grace) shouldn’t have much trouble earning her eighth nomination following her series’ triumphant return, and the odds for three-time winner Laurie Metcalf (Roseanne), who earned a staggering three separate acting nominations two years ago, and two-time nominee Sara Gilbert (Roseanne) have gone up exponentially following their show’s cancellation and the news that they will both be part of a new spinoff without the title character. New possibilities include Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Marin Hinkle (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), and Betty Gilpin (GLOW). Past nominees Jessica Walter (Arrested Development) and Jane Krakowski (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) could rejoin the lineup. Zazie Beetz (Atlanta), Andrea Martin (Great News), Rita Moreno (One Day at a Time), and Rosie O’Donnell (SMILF) will all surely earn votes and could sneak onto the list as well.

The predicted nominees: Borstein, Gilbert, Hinkle, McKinnon, Metcalf, Mulllally

The predicted winner: I’ll go with Metcalf.

Next up: Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series

AFT Awards: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

This is the eighth category of the 11th Annual AFT Television Awards, my personal choices for the best in television during the 2016-2017 season. Finalists and semi-finalists are included to recognize more of the impressive work done on television today. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them.

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Last year’s nominees: Tara Lynne Barr, Paget Brewster, Elaine Hendrix, Zoe Lister-Jones, Noel Wells

Emmy nominees: Vanessa Bayer, Anna Chlumsky, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Jones, Judith Light, Kate McKinnon

Semi-finalists: Alice Wetterlund (People of Earth), Allison Williams (Girls), Amy Landecker (Transparent), Andrea Navedo (Jane the Virgin), Anna Chlumsky (Veep), Ashley Gerasinovich (The Detour), Brooklyn Decker (Grace and Frankie), Busy Phillips (Vice Principals), Christine Ko (The Great Indoors), D'Arcy Carden (The Good Place), Donna Lynne Champlin (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Elaine Hendrix (Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll), Gaby Hoffmann (Transparent), Georga King (Vice Principals), Hannah Marks (Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency), Ivonne Coll (Jane the Virgin), Jameela Jamil (The Good Place), Jane Krakowski (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Judith Light (Transparent), June Diane Raphael (Grace and Frankie), Kathryn Hahn (Transparent), Kether Donohue (You're the Worst), Kimberly Hebert Gregory (Vice Principals), Liv Hewson (Santa Clarita Diet), Mary Elizabeth Ellis (Santa Clarita Diet), Philippa Coulthard (The Catch), Sian Clifford (Fleabag), Sonya Walger (The Catch), Susannah Fielding (The Great Indoors), Vella Lovell (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Yael Grobglas (Jane the Virgin), Zazie Beetz (Atlanta), Zoe Lister-Jones (Life in Pieces)

Finalists: It still doesn’t feel entirely right putting them in this category, but Danielle Brooks (Orange is the New Black) and Samara Wiley (Orange is the New Black) were the standouts from a massive ensemble as the most genuine, politically proactive prisoners who took stands based on their beliefs. Tara Lynne Barr (Casual) continued to compellingly make mistake after mistake as she navigated into new areas without much knowledge of what she was doing. Emma Kenney (Shameless) entered a new stage of her life with a surprising outlook and plan for success. Meredith Hagner (Search Party) made her lack of self-awareness an asset, energizing an otherwise lackluster and almost nonexistent investigation with her acting enthusiasm.

The nominees:

Jade Eshete (Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency) was soft-spoken but intelligent and resilient, staying true to her commitments as the quietest of her colorful cast. Yvonne Orji (Insecure) complemented Issa well as a woman with a successful job struggling just as much to get by. Sherri Shepherd (Trial and Error) and Jayma Mays (Trial and Error) were wondrous elements of East Peck, the former afflicted with every possible minor condition and the latter eager to embrace the particular absurdities of her town to her advantage.

The winner:

Fiona Dourif (Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency) was the perfect counterpart to the show’s title character, doing things just to do them and seeing what happens as a result. Her demeanor was particularly memorable, and she’s one holistic assassin you’d never want to meet.

Next up: Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series

Emmy Winner Predictions: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Nominees are listed in alphabetical order. Submitted episode titles are in parentheses. Beware of minor spoilers for listed episodes.

Vanessa Bayer as Various Characters, Saturday Night Live (Host: Dwayne Johnson)
Bayer spent seven years on her show before leaving in May. She’s one of three players from the series nominated this year, and she submitted the season finale as her sample episode. She is definitely funny, particularly in one sketch where she has water poured on her during a theme park ride over and over again, but she’s not nearly as prominently featured as either of her costars, so I would be genuinely surprised if she managed to score a win here.

Anna Chlumsky as Amy Brookheimer, Veep (Groundbreaking)
This is the fifth nomination from Chlumsky, the lone supporting female from her cast to be honored by Emmy voters. Amy was still front-and-center in season six even though she had a more ambiguous and frustrating role, and the season finale, her submitted episode, found her desperately clinging to a lifeboat only to discover that things aren’t at all as they seem, and that wasn’t the only big surprise she got. She could benefit from being the only actress on her own show here, therefore not susceptible to vote-splitting, but I think the other nominees are much showier and likely to dominate.

Kathryn Hahn as Rabbi Raquel, Transparent (Life Sucks and Then You Die)
Hooray for Hahn! This talented actress has been great in so many projects, and I’m so glad that she’s here for this show and not the unbearable “I Love Dick.” Hahn’s role as Rabbi Raquel took on a more centric focus this season as her association with the Pfefferman family changed, and her submitted episode allowed Raquel to let go of the some of the aggression she was holding onto due to other people trying to define her experiences. I think she’s overshadowed by costar and fellow nominee Light, but I’m glad that she’s here.

Leslie Jones as Various Characters, Saturday Night Live (Host: Tom Hanks)
Jones, who has been on her show for three seasons, earns her first Emmy nomination this year. Throughout the six episodes I watched, she’s not featured in sketches all that much, but she is pretty memorable every time she does appear. Her submitted episode allows her the opportunity to address the fact that she was hacked in what essentially serves as a full-on monologue. I don’t think that rates as a top acting performance, but it’s hard to notice her and laugh occasionally when she’s shouting as well.

Judith Light as Shelly Pfefferman, Transparent (Exciting and New)
This is Light’s second consecutive nomination, and she was also recognized previously in 2007 for her guest work on “Ugly Betty.” Light has a knockout submission, the season finale, in which she bottles up all of her craziness and channels it into an epic one-woman show, “To Shell and Back,” which she performs on a cruise. If it weren’t for the next nominee, I’d say she had this one in the bag.

Kate McKinnon as Various Characters, Saturday Night Live (Host: Dave Chappelle)
McKinnon won this award last year on her third try, and that was before the election happened. Her portrayal of Hillary Clinton is undeniably hilarious and terrific, yet what she gets to do in the opening of this episode is play the piano in a relatively serious response to the shock of her losing the election. She has plenty of funny moments throughout the episode, with and without host Chappelle, and I think voters will check off her name right after watching the cold open.

Who should win (based on entire season): I’d say McKinnon or Light
Who should win (based on individual episodes): McKinnon or Light
Who will win: I would have told you Light a while ago, and it’s still possible, but I think that McKinnon is pretty much unstoppable for a repeat win.

Next up: Best Directing for a Drama Series

Emmy Nominees: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

My predictions: 3/6, missing Bayer, Jones, and Hahn

Well, talk about enthusiasm for the late-night show that spends most of its time lampooning our current president. After Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live) won last year, she’s back with both Vanessa Bayer (Saturday Night Live) and Leslie Jones (Saturday Night Live) in a strong showing of industry support for the sketch series. Gaby Hoffmann, who was the only actress from her show nominated in its first year, is out in favor of season standout Judith Light (Transparent), back for her second nod, and Kathryn Hahn (Transparent), finally earning some awards recognition for a pretty solid if mostly tangential role. Rounding out the list is returning nominee Anna Chlumsky (Veep), who found out about being included in a supremely awkward way while she was announcing the nominees.

Who should win? I don’t watch SNL regularly, so I’m not sure, but out of the rest, I’m not sure I could pick – they’re all great.
Who will win?: I would have though Light, but now I think McKinnon will repeat.