EMMY COVERAGE, part 1

Well, I'm afraid my prediction list will not be as in depth as I was originally planning since I, unfortunately, didn't get to it until and there is less than 30 minutes before the nominations are announced.

BEST DRAMA SERIES:

Breaking Bad
Downton Abby
The Good Wife
Homeland
Justified
Mad Men


The two AMC shows, Breaking Bad and Mad Men, are virtual locks.  As is Showtime's Homeland and Downton Abby.  And The Good Wife is a good bet too.  Which just leaves one more slot available.  It may be wishful thinking on my part, but my rationale for choosing Justified is that I'm hoping that the two HBO shows, Boardwalk Empire and Game of Thrones, will end up canceling each other out.  Besides Justified, it could also end up going to Boss.  But, I'm sticking with Justified just because I REALLY want it to happen!

IF I CHOSE THE NOMINATIONS:

Fringe
Homeland
The Walking Dead
Justified
Breaking Bad
Person of Interest

It's unfortunate that Fringe will all but be ignored by the Emmy's considering that it's  by far the most original, the most audacious, the  most inventive and just flat out the best show on television.

I need to catch up on several shows though such as The Good Wife.  That's an excellent show and I have no doubt it was great this season but I'm unfortunately way behind on it.  I also want to catch up on several critical favorite shows like Game of Thrones and Boardwalk Empire.  Another show I started to watch and fell off but definitely want to continue is NBC's Awake.  Yes, the show was canceled but I saw the first two episodes and loved it.  A great concept that is extremely well executed.



BEST COMEDY SERIES:

Curb Your Enthusiasm
Girls
Louie
Modern Family
Parks and Recreation
Veep

I wouldn't be surprised if emmy darling 30 Rock was dropped off this year but, then again, I could be wrong.  Pretty positive that Glee will be ignored as well.

I don't watch enough comedy shows to make a full list of what I would nominate but I love Parks and Recreation and Community.  And, yes, unfortunately, I am predicting that Community is left off yet again.  But I hope I'm wrong.  I haven't seen it at all this season, but Modern Family is a perfectly fine show so I'm okay with it winning.


BEST ACTOR in a DRAMA SERIES:

Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Kelsey Grammer, Boss
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House
Damien Lewis, Homeland
Timothy Olyphant, Justified

Mad Men is another show I need to catch up on.  Same for Boss.  But both Hamm and Grammer are locks for nominations.  As is Lewis, who is absolutely phenomenal in Homeland, and Cranston.  I also think Olyphant is safe.  That leaves one slot left.  I chose Laurie since this is final chance to be nominated but it wouldn't surprise me to see it go to Steve Buscemi in Boardwalk Empire or Dustin Hoffman in Luck.  Michael C. Hall is another possibility.

I would keep Cranston, Lewis, Laurie and Olyphant.  And then go with Jason Isaacs in Awake and Andrew Lincoln in The Walking Dead.


BEST ACTRESS in a DRAMA SERIES:

Kathy Bates, Harry's Law
Glenn Close, Damages
Claire Danes, Homeland
Juliana Margulies, The Good Wife
Jessica Pare, Mad Men
Madeline Stowe, Revenge


Admittedly, I'm taking some huge risks for this category.  And I don't really have a reason for it.  It's probably wrong of me to not have Elisabeth Moss on the list or any of the Downton Abby girls.  But Revenge did get a lot of hype this year.  It's a very popular show.  The question, did I choose the wrong Revenge lady?  If  Revenge does get nominated will it be Stowe or Emily Van Camp?  I choose Stowe, but it could go either way.

Danes will probably win and she deserves it.  That said, it's way too bad that Emmy voters will once again snub my favorite leading lady on television: the terrific Ana Torv for her great work on Fringe.  :(


BEST ACTOR in a COMEDY SERIES:

Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Louie C.K., Louie
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Joe McHale, Community
Adam Scott, Parks and Recreation


Yes, another category in which I'm taking some major risks.  And I'm probably flat out wrong.  McHale is probably wishful thinking and Jim Parsons will probably, unfortunately, take it.


BEST ACTRESS in a COMEDY SERIES:

Laura Dern, Enlightened
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Lena Dunham, Girls
Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Veep
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

I'm probably crazy for leaving Tina Fey out.  But this is my guess.


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR in a DRAMA SERIES:

Josh Charles, The Good Wife
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bad
Jared Harris, Mad Men
Neal McDonough, Justified
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad


By far the toughest competition to call because there are SO many candidates!  It's absolutely insane how full this category is.  There are at least 10 other guys who have a legit chance of making it.  But only six slots to fill.

That said, it's a damn shame that, once again, Fringe deserves a slot but won't get it even John Noble is among the television elite IMO.  :(  The Walking Dead's Jon Bernthal also deserves a nomination.  He was so utterly fantastic this season.  Shane was one of the show's strongest characters in terms of writing and acting.


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS in a DRAMA SERIES:

Morena Baccarin, Homeland
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
Anna Gun, Breaking Bad
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men
Angelica Huston, Smash
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife


Again, I'm probably crazy for leaving out Maggie Smith, but this is my guess.


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR in a COMEDY SERIES:

Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Chris Colfer, Glee
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
Nick Offerman, Parks and Recreation
Ed O'Neil, Modern Family
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS in a COMEDY SERIES:

Kristen Bell, House of Lies
Alison Brie, Community
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Cloris Leachman, Raising Hope
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Kristin Wiig, Saturday Night Live


Brie is, I'm sure, wishful on my part, but I'm sticking with this.


Well that's it.  Nominations are announced in less than 30 minutes.  Later today, I'll write a follow up article on my thought's on the nominees.  Yes, I'm sure I'm way off in several of my picks.  But it wouldn't be so fun if I didn't take some chances!  :)


And a quick thought on the season premiere of Breaking Bad: in short, I liked it.  There were several memorable moments (Walt, Jesse and Mike teaming up to destroy some evidence and the last two scenes in which, for the first time ever on the show, Walt is actually a pretty menacing and intimidating presence).  The last scene was especially chilling.  The look on both Walt's face as well as Skylar's.  Good stuff.  That said, I didn't love it.  It was a slow start and not as great as last season's premiere, which was a truly intense and gripping premiere.  But the opening scene is intriguing and I'm excited about the direction the show is going.

Also, very excited about The Dark Knight Rises tonight.  But I wouldn't expect a review up until Saturday or Sunday.  I want to let the movie sit in my mind first and truly collect my thoughts before I attempt to write a review.