The Big winner?...Read on...
We have what you've been waiting for right here: My own predictions of who/what will win this year's 60th Annual Emmys.
But first, fair warning: Do not take this list to your local bookie and place a bet; this could be right, or this could very well be wrong. I'm playing devil's advocate in a few cases here (see if you can guess which ones.) Reason? These lists from critics every season confidently predict who they'd really LIKE to win, and not necessarily who they THINK should win. The result - a yawning disconnect come awards time, a gnashing of teeth about how the Academy voters screwed up again, and so forth. I oughta know - I'm guilty of it too.
So this time, a departure: I'm gonna try to get inside the heads of voters themselves. Do I think "Mad Men" will win Best Drama tonight? Probably, but it's not what I think that matters; it's how the voters vote. Here are some alternate theories:
DRAMA SERIES:
"Boston Legal," ABC
"Damages," FX
"Dexter," Showtime
"House," Fox
"Lost," ABC
"Mad Men," AMC
(Upset! Yes, I fear "Mad Men" may not win this, for a couple reasons. It's far too low-rated, and TV's biggest awards show likes to reward shows with big numbers; hence, there's an inherent bias against "MM," even though it is the best of the field. I think the Academy is filled with a bunch of sentimental softies, and they'll wanna reward David Kelley and his last big show as it enters its last half-season, plus they love Spader, and Shatner, and..."Lost?" A magnificent season, but I really am not sure it'll pull one out here. Another strike against "Mad Men:" Producers/distributors Lions Gate and AMC; I doubt they have a lot of voting members...)
COMEDY SERIES:
"Curb Your Enthusiasm," HBO
"Entourage," HBO
"The Office," NBC
"30 Rock," NBC
"Two and a Half Men," CBS
(The Academy loves repeats and threepeast in this category...)
ACTOR, DRAMA SERIES:
Gabriel Byrne, "In Treatment"
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
Hugh Laurie, "House"
James Spader, "Boston Legal"
(They love four-peats too, but I honestly think Spader won't walk out with a fourth one - that WOULD be embarrassing.)
ACTRESS, DRAMA SERIES:
Glenn Close, "Damages"
Sally Field, "Brothers and Sisters"
Mariska Hargitay, "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit"
Holly Hunter, "Saving Grace"
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"
(Certainly my own personal fave, but don't count out Mariska!)
ACTRESS, COMEDY SERIES:
Christina Applegate, "Samantha Who?"
America Ferrera, "Ugly Betty"
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "New Adventures of Old Christine"
Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds"
(Medical issues gets the sympathy vote; plus, she was very good.)
ACTOR, COMEDY SERIES:
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Steve Carell, "The Office"
Lee Pace, "Pushing Daisies"
Tony Shalhoub, "Monk"
Charlie Sheen, "Two and a Half Men"
(I've given up trying to figure out this category, so I'll just go with the obvious choice; I suspect the voters did as well.)
SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY SERIES:
Jon Cryer, "Two and a Half Men"
Kevin Dillon, "Entourage"
Neil Patrick Harris, "How I Met Your Mother"
Jeremy Piven, "Entourage"
Rainn Wilson, "The Office"
(A great category, and I'm just spit-balling here; any of these could/should get the win, and I actually like Harris's chances a lot; I just think that tie goes to the guy who's established a precedent...)
SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA SERIES:
Ted Danson, "Damages"
Michael Emerson, "Lost"
Zeljko Ivanek, "Damages"
William Shatner, "Boston Legal"
John Slattery, "Mad Men"
(Another insanely competitive category, but Shat is so beloved, and "BL" is so over, and I can't imagine him not getting it...)
SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA SERIES:
Candice Bergen, "Boston Legal"
Rachel Griffiths, "Brothers and Sisters"
Sandra Oh, "Grey's Anatomy"
Dianne Wiest, "In Treatment"
Chandra Wilson, "Grey's Anatomy"
(Honestly, Chandra was only OK, it seems to me in an OK season, but the Academy probably feels it's gotta take care of "GA" in one of the major categories; Oh had a better season, but not quite the big emotional arc that Chandra did, so...)
SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY SERIES:
Kristin Chenoweth, "Pushing Daisies"
Amy Poehler, "Saturday Night Live"
Jean Smart, "Samantha Who?"
Holland Taylor, "Two and a Half Men"
Vanessa Williams, "Ugly Betty"
(Comedy series? The Academy bent ever so slightly the rules, I imagine, to get Amy into this cat.; she had a great season, and a memorable one. Plus...it's over!)