I love TV, and every year toward the beginning of September, the Emmys roll around and (in theory) tell us what’s the best television from the 2018-19 slate of shows. And just like every year, I have opinions. Here’s my predictions for most of the major categories at this year’s Emmys.
Best Comedy
Nominees: “Barry”, “Fleabag”, “The Good Place”, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”, “Russian Doll”, “Schitt’s Creek”, “Veep”
Should Win: “The Good Place” – For the past three seasons, this has been – dare I say – the most brilliant and original show on TV. It’s genuinely funny and smart, and has delivered some of the best comedic performances (look no further than D’Arcy Carden as Janet in season 3 episode 9 “Janets,” for which she SHOULD have received an acting nomination).
Will Win: “Veep” – It’s won the past several times it’s been nominated in this category. The final season was loved by critics, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see it win again.Dark Horse: “Fleabag” – People have been just as taken with the British comedy as they have with Andrew Scott’s Hot Priest. Considering all the buzz it’s been getting recently (and the fact that it is an incredible show), it has a chance to take home the top comedy prize.
Best Actress in a Comedy
Nominees: Christina Applegate (“Dead to Me”), Rachel Brosnahan (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), Julia Louis-Dreyfuss (“Veep”), Natasha Lyonne (“Russian Doll”), Catherine O’Hara (“Schitt’s Creek”), Phoebe Waller-Bridge (“Fleabag”)
Should Win: Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Plenty of nominees before have written their roles and done well. However, Waller-Bridge takes things to the next level. With her fourth-wall breaking and the portrayal of her character’s struggles with relationships, family, and mental health, she brings a performance that feels so personal and honest that she deserves the trophy.
Will Win: Julia Louis-Dreyfus – She is an Emmy darling. She’s won every other time she’s been nominated for her role as Selina Meyer, so why would this time be any different?Dark Horse: Rachel Brosnahan – She is the current reigning winner of this category and delivered another brilliant performance as Midge Maisel, but it’s a question of whether the Television Academy thinks Julia Louis-Dreyfus deserves 10 (yes, this would be number 10) Emmys.
Should Have Been Nominated: Kristen Bell – Again, to preach the gospel of “The Good Place”, Kristen Bell is fantastic at making a character who’s supposed to be an awful person, one we sympathize with and like. Just as she becomes a better person, Bell gets even better as an actress.
Best Actor in a Comedy
Nominees: Anthony Anderson (“black-ish”), Don Cheadle (“Black Monday”), Ted Danson (“The Good Place”), Michael Douglas (“The Kominsky Method”), Bill Hader (“Barry”), Eugene Levy (“Schitt’s Creek”)
Should Win: Eugene Levy – This might be more wishful thinking, but Levy is so good as the deadpan Johnny Rose in the absurdity of “Schitt’s Creek”. The show has gone unrecognized for so long (although to be fair I also just discovered it over the summer) that this would be a good category for it to finally be recognized.
Will Win: Bill Hader – He’s last year’s winner in this category, and from what I’ve seen and read about season 2 of “Barry”, he’s even better this go round than last. Dark Horse: Ted Danson – If “The Good Place” is going to get any wins, this is the most likely category for it. He’s great as the reformed demon, Michael. Plus it would be his first win for a role other than Sam Malone in “Cheers”.
Best Supporting Actress
Nominees: Alex Borstein (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), Anna Chlumsky (“Veep”), Sian Clifford (“Fleabag”), Olivia Coleman (“Fleabag”), Sarah Goldberg (“Barry”, Marin Hinkle (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), Kate McKinnon (“Saturday Night Live”)
Should Win: Alex Borstein – Suzie walking around the Catskills with a plunger for three episodes should be enough. Moreso, if her dancing with the resort staff isn’t enough for her to win then I don’t know what is.
Will Win: Alex Borstein – See above.
Dark Horse: Olivia Coleman – The Emmys love an Oscar winner, so there’s a chance she might take home another coveted prize (if not this year, she’s sure to get it next year for “The Crown”).Best Supporting Actor
Nominees: Alan Arkin (“The Kominsky Method”), Anthony Carrigan (“Barry”), Tony Hale (“Veep”), Stephen Root (“Barry”), Tony Shalhoub (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), Henry Winkler (“Barry”)
Should Win: Anthony Carrigan – NoHo Hank might be my favorite character on Barry, and Carrigan is definitely playing his breakout role here. Will Win: Henry Winkler – He’s last year’s winner, and after waiting 43 years for his first win, I doubt he’ll be waiting that long for his second. Dark Horse: Tony Shalhoub – Abe only got funnier this past season of “Maisel”, and that was all due to Shalhoub. He’s another Emmy darling after 3 wins for “Monk”. If anyone’s likely to take this category from Henry Winkler, it’s Shalhoub.
Best Drama
Nominees: “Better Call Saul”, “Game of Thrones”, “Killing Eve”, “Ozark”, “Pose”, “Succession”, “This Is Us”
Should Win: “Pose” – Where to begin with this show. The acting, the costumes, the dancing, the representation. “Pose” has it all in spades and then some. The entire cast is spectacular, and it would be wonderful to see this show win.Will Win: “Game of Thrones” – I mean, this one is a bit of a gimme. It’s won almost every other season, it’s the last season, and despite the many complaints people had about it, it will likely win for its legacy than the actual quality of the season.Dark Horse: “This Is Us” – It’s the ONLY network drama to be in this category since 2011 when “The Good Wife” and “Friday Night Lights” were nominated. It’s high time another one represent the fact that cable and streaming aren’t the only places with quality TV, and while this past season was not the most consistent as far as quality, it still had many stand-out moments (“Little Island Girl” might be the best episode since Jack’s death).
Best Actress in a Drama
Nominees: Emilia Clarke (“Game of Thrones”), Jodie Comer (“Killing Eve”), Viola Davis (“How to Get Away With Murder”), Laura Linney (“Ozark”), Mandy Moore (“This Is Us”), Sandra Oh (“Killing Eve”), Robin Wright (“House of Cards”)
Should Win: Jodie Comer- Even though Sandra Oh plays the titular character, the show is NOTHING without Villanelle. Villanelle is really the core of the show, and the way she commits to this character that is emotionally all over the place (from crying to psycho in a few seconds, for example) is simply stunning.
Will Win: Emilia Clarke – Again, this will probably be because it’s the final time she can be nominated for “Game of Thrones”, and she has done great work over the course of the series. Is she the most worthy winner? In my opinion no, but obviously the Television Academy doesn’t ask me (yet…one day they will).Dark Horse: Mandy Moore – Even though SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED FOR SEASON 2 (I’m not bitter about that in the slightest), Mandy has done great work portraying everything from a new mom, a young woman trying to find herself, a grieving widow, and a grandmother. She’s been overlooked for Rebecca Pearson long enough; it’s time to give her her due.
Best Actor in a Drama
Nominees: Jason Bateman (“Ozark”), Sterling K. Brown (“This Is Us”), Kit Harrington (“Game of Thrones”), Bob Odenkirk (“Better Call Saul”), Billy Porter (“Pose”), Milo Ventimiglia (“This Is Us”)
Should Win: Billy Porter – Pray Tell is by far the most fabulous character on TV, but Porter takes him so much further than that. He takes the glitz and the realness and melds them seamlessly into one of the best performances on TV.Will Win: Kit Harington- Another case of riding the “Game of Thrones” final wave. Dark Horse: Either of the “This Is Us” men- Sterling’s won before and is still doing a good job as Randall, but Milo also gave a great performance as Vietnam-era Jack. I wouldn’t be mad to see either one of them win.
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama
Nominees: Gwendolyn Christie (“Game of Thrones”), Julia Garner (“Ozark”), Lena Headey (“Game of Thrones”), Fiona Shaw (“Killing Eve”), Sophie Turner (“Game of Thrones”), Maisie Williams (“Game of Thrones”)
Should Win: Gwendolyn Christie – Full disclosure: I have not watched “Game of Thrones” (at least not properly,;I have seen bits and pieces). However, I want to see Christie win because of the fact that she submitted HERSELF for nomination; the show never planned on submitting her. That alone makes me want to see her win just to prove the producers and HBO wrong.Will Win: Lena Headey – Again, a nod a the final wave (but she was submitted by the producers, unlike Christie).Dark Horse: Maisie Williams – This is going to be a “Game of Thrones” winning category, it’s just a matter of who, and, from what I’ve read and seen, Maisie Williams is the most likely to win outside of Headey or Christie.
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama
Nominees: Alfie Allen (“Game of Thrones”), Jonathan Banks (“Better Call Saul”), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (“Game of Thrones”), Peter Dinklage (“Game of Thrones”), Giancarlo Esposito (“Better Call Saul”), Michael Kelly (“House of Cards”), Chris Sullivan (“This Is Us”)
Should Win: Alfie Allen or Chris Sullivan – I want to see Allen win for the same reason I want Gwendolyn Christie to win: he had to submit himself because the producers and network didn’t think he would get a nomination. So really I just want them to be proven wrong. For Sullivan, season 3 of “This Is Us” was a great one (material-wise) for Toby, and he took what he was given and ran with it, delivering a stellar performance.
Will Win: Peter Dinklage – He’s won this every other time he’s been nominated, why would this time be any different?
Dark Horse: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau – Again, GoT. Need I say more.
Best Actress in a Limited Series
I’m only listing who I want to and who probably will win:
Michelle Williams for “Fosse/Verdon”. Her performance as Gwen Verdon isn’t simply a performance, it’s a masterclass in embodying a character. She was so good you forgot that it wasn’t actually Verdon. Add in the singing and dancing she did, and the Emmys should already have her name engraved on the trophy.
These predictions are all just my own thoughts, but we’ll see what the Television Academy decides on September 22nd.
Gif sources: https://giphy.com/