Wednesday, July 13, 2011

2011 Emmy Watch [Part 2]


Yesterday, I discussed my predictions for the acting categories for Drama series and today I'll dish out my bets on who will get the nominations for the Comedy series field on tomorrow's 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards nominations announcement.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Jane Lynch (Glee) [FOX]
Sofia Vergara (Modern Family) [ABC]
Julie Bowen (Modern Family) [ABC]
Jane Krakowski (30 Rock) [NBC]
Betty White (Hot in Cleveland) [TV Land]
Kristin Wiig (Saturday Night Live) [NBC]


Last year's winner and this year's Emmy host Jane Lynch is definitely a lock for a nomination and so as the "Modern" Family ladies. Perennial nominees Krakowski and Wiig are safe bets to repeat this year especially Wiig who is poised to follow the footsteps of Fey and Poehler after the box office success of "Bridesmaids" raised her Hollywood profile. Betty White is a shoo-in for a nomination for her TV comeback via "Hot in Cleveland", she already won a surprise SAG award earlier this year for this role and the Emmy voters simply love Betty.

Wildcards:

Mayim Bialik (The Big Bang Theory) [CBS]
Wendy Malick (Hot in Cleveland) [TV Land]

Bialik's character is basically a female Sheldon and she really hit it off not only with him but with the rest of the characters and added new layer to this show. Bialik's advantage is that most of her funny scenes are with Sheldon so there's a possibility that voters might notice her too. On the other hand, Malick is a respected sitcom veteran and she picked up a couple of Emmy nominations for her work on "Just Shoot Me. Betty White placed "Hot in Cleveland" in the awards map and Malick is the clear comedic standout on the show so if the Emmy voters would pour a lot of support for this show it's possible that there could be two "Hot in Cleveland" in the nominations.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Chris Colfer (Glee) [FOX]
Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) [CBS]
Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family) [ABC]
Ty Burrell (Modern Family) [ABC]
Ed O'Neill (Modern Family) [ABC]
Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) [NBC]

Last year's surprise nominee Colfer is now considered a lock and the frontrunner for the win after winning the Golden Globe earlier this year and grabbing a SAG nod earlier. I personally wish all four Modern Family actors will be nominated but I think that's tough to do. Last year's there was an outcry when O'Neill got shut out so I think the voters will make it up to him this year (plus he got a SAG nod too). Stonestreet won last year so he's a safe bet to return and while the Golden Globes snubbed Burrell, he picked a SAG and TCA nods so he has solid chances. NPH is a consistent nominee (and loser) and I don't think that streak will end this year as "Barney" has strong episodes on HIMYM the past season. My "wild guess" prediction for is Nick Offerman because I believe NBC's aggressive campaign for "Parks and Recreation" will pay off and Offerman's breakthrough performance will be recognized.

Wildcards:

Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family) [ABC]
Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men) [CBS]

With Burrel, Stonestreet and O'Neill having stronger chances on getting nominations that leaves Jesse Tyler Ferguson who was a surprise but deserving nominee last year. I think he's the most vulnerable to be left out but then again he was already a nominee last year so there's a support so let's wait and see. I think after the debacle "Two and a Half Men" experienced this year it would also affect consistent nominee Jon Cryer's chances of getting another nod this year but he was the "surprise" winner two years ago beating the Emmy host that year and presumed winner Neil Patrick Harris so they loved him so we should never count him out.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Laura Linney (The Big C) [Showtime]
Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie) [Showtime]
Toni Colette (United States of Tara) [Showtime]
Tina Fey (30 Rock) [NBC]
Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) [NBC]
Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly) [CBS]

The leading ladies of Showtime's pseudo-comedies will dominate the nomination circle. Showtime ladies already won the past two years with Collette and Falco and this year Linney will likely make it 3/3 for Showtime. Linney won all the Emmy nominations (three) she has received in her career so despite the SAG snub she's a lock for nod and possibly a win. Previous winner Fey will come back of course and Poehler was a surprise nominee last year and with a stronger season and Emmy campaign for "Parks and Recreation" this season she's a safe bet to return. My wild guess pick is Melissa McCarthy since she will announce the nominations tomorrow with Joshua Jackson from "Fringe" which is a good indicator for a possible nomination. For the past years, at least one of the announcers gets nominated and Jackson ha no chance at all to be nominated for "Fringe" (with such a competitive category in drama and the voters not too fond of sci-fi shows in general) so that leaves McCarthy but of course it is still possible that this will be the year that no one from the announcers will get a nod. However, McCarthy had a breakout performance in the box-office smash "Bridesmaids" so that could her chances.

Wildcards:

Lea Michelle (Glee) [FOX]
Patricia Heaton (The Middle) [ABC]

I would actually placed Michelle in my predictions if not for McCarthy announcing the nominees, it's still highly possible that she'll get a second nod if McCarthy won't get a slot but I would be shocked if she would bump off any of the Showtime and NBC ladies. Meanwhile, I predicted Heaton to be nominated last year given her Emmy track record with "Everybody Loves Raymond" but she got lost in the shuffle. "The Middle" is still a show that is under the radar but it has been gaining steady critical support and has increased in viewers so there's still a chance that the voters will rekindle their love for Heaton.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) [CBS]
Alec Baldwin (30 Rock) [NBC]
Steve Carell (The Office) [NBC]
Matt LeBlanc (Episodes) [Showtime]
Joel McHale (Community) [NBC]
Louis C.K (Louie) [FX]

This is the exact opposite of the Lead Actor in a Drama Series where the competition is so stiff that I listed down 11 actors that has a real shot of a nomination, in the comedy field meanwhile the competition is light that there only three locks for nominations: Last year's winner Parsons, two-time winner Baldwin and perennial nominee but always a loser Carell. LeBlanc will likely take the 4th slot as he played a parody of himself in "Episodes" and that show is a "behind-the-scenes" sitcom which the Emmy voters like (see 30 Rock) so he's a safe bet. My other two picks are purely wild guesses because the last two (or maybe three) slots are up in the air. My first pick is Joel McHale, last year I predicted him too because he announced the nominees with Sofia Vergara but he got shut out so I think maybe the voters will make it up to him this year. My second 'wild guess' pick is Louis C.K, if only his show was on HBO or even Showtime I'm sure he would easily get a nod but his show is on FX which hasn't fared well on the comedy side of the Emmy awards. But Louis' performance is acclaimed and aside from acting on that show Louis C.K also writes, edits, and directs this show too and that kind of versatility usually impresses the voters. Plus it also helps that C.K is a previous nominee for writing various comedy shows/specials.


Wildcards:

Matthew Morrison (Glee) [Fox]
Rob Lowe (Parks and Recreation) [NBC]

The choices are so slim in this category that last year's nominee Glee's Matthew Morrison still has a shot for a nomination for a role that is not a funny nor remarkable. He was not even the lead male character of the past season (Chris Colfer's Kurt was). Speaking of, Lowe's submission as lead for "Parks and Recreation" is just silly as he is clearly a supporting character on that show but to his credit he really did well on the show and if my hunch that NBC's aggressive campaign for "Parks and Recreation" will pay off there's a great chance that Lowe will join the party.


***

Tomorrow I'll discuss my predictions on which shows will get in the "magic six" of the Comedy and Drama series nominations.

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