My Picks For This Years Emmys: Best Actress in A Comedy

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

Why bother? Julia Louis-Dreyfus has owned this category all decade, and that was before she’ll no doubt get eventual sympathy for her final year. Never mind that her character is generally more toxic and unpleasant than all the antiheroes in TV, or that she didn’t deserve at least two of the six Emmys she won. I think I can fill a category filled with desperate, funny and engaging comediennes without having to mention those two darlings I have at the CW. And I think I’ll try to do just that.

Pamela Adlon, Better Things

I’ve become more and more won over to this FX comedy’s bitter and sweet sensibilities dealing with Sam, as she tries to be a pleasant person in a world where everybody – including her own mother – is toxic. Watching Sam deal with the problems of her career, physical and psychological issues is not only bitterly amusing, but can often be very moving. And watching her journey to a place of peace with her daughters at the season finale and her 50^th birthday was deeply touching. I’m not quite prepared to recognize it as one of the best comedies, but Adlon’s been a really versatile talent for a very long time, and I hope she gets at least one nomination.

Kirsten Bell, The Good Place

Even though Bell got a Golden Globe nomination for her impressive work this year, she doesn’t seem to enter into contention for Best Actress. I am at an utter loss as to why. Eleanor has made the biggest leap forward of any of the characters in this series – the most deeply cynical person going in, she’s actually been willing to embrace goodness, find love with the unlikeliest of soulmates, and become so capable at her job that she embraced the role of architect in the season finale. And seriously, if the last ten minutes of that episode, where she had to face the greatest pain she’s had in eternities – having to have Chidi’s memory of their love erased for the good of mankind  - isn’t the kind of thing that cries out to be nominated for an Emmy, there’s something horribly wrong with the process. Add to this the fact that she’s been due a nomination since the days of Veronica Mars, and its easy to see why I’m pushing for her. Jeremy Bearemy get it done.

Alison Brie, GLOW

Perhaps its because GLOW really is an ensemble series that Brie hasn’t gotten the recognition that she so richly deserves for her superb performance as Ruth, the Method actress who is trying to earn her place on the show. Brie is often cast out of place as Ruth, as she tries to win back her best friend, and she is always fun to watch. But her episode where she ended up being forced to a casting couch situation – and then being bellowed at by Debbie for not going through with it for the good of the show – really resonates in the Me Too era.  Of the ‘Queen B’s’ of the comedic actress category, she is the least appreciated, and I hope they pay her back with a nomination.

Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Brosnahan has basically swept the critics awards up to this point, and having seeing Midge in the early episodes of this astonishing Amazon series, I can’t say I disagree. As Midge tries to build her career, dealing with the gradual revelation of it to her parents, and find herself in the midst of a love triangle she never felt possible, she becomes increasingly endearing. And of course, every time she opens her mouth, you find yourself in stitches. She’s not the best of Sherman-Palladion’s heroines, but she’s the trailblazer for all of them. For once, I hope the Emmys laziness of recognizing the previous years performer works for Brosnahan instead of Louis-Dreyfus cause I’d really like to see her up there again.

Alison Janney, Mom

Admittedly, it may be overkill asking for Janney to appear in this category as well – she has as many Emmys as Julia Louis-Dreyfus at this point, after all. But she continues to astonish with her ability for slapstick as the woman who has, to her own amazement, become the model of stability for all of the addicts around her, including her own daughter. As she tries to find her way to her own happiness, its rather remarkable to see how much she’s evolved, despite all the relapses and fallbacks along the way. Mom has come along way from the premise in Season 1, and it is a huge credit to Janney that it remains as funny and endearing as it is.

Issa Rae, Insecure

Yeah, I know its been a year since we last saw this particularly messy journey, but considering the Emmy has a long memory when it comes to Game of Thrones, why not show it for a comedy that deserves it? Issa is as much a model for being a black woman as Atlanta is for being a black man, and Rae is at least as talented as Glover in demonstrating just how bizarre things can be for her. (Anyone who has doubts about how Uber works should not watch the early episodes. This is a funny, messy series and Rae deserves to get all the credit she can. Another nomination here would be more than worthy.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin

I know what I promised at the beginning of this article, but come on, Emmy voters. I realize that Jane has never quite fit in with all the drama or comedy series, but Rodriguez so excels at both that you’d think she could get a nomination in either at this point. Hell, the five minute monologue she did in the season opener, where she kept unraveling and coming back together at the biggest twist the series has done so far – would get an Emmy for anybody else. She’s already won a Golden Globe. What has the CW ever done to make you think it doesn’t deserve recognition? This is your last chance (well, maybe they’ll be another one) to honor one of the great characters in TV. Please, please let them be able to scratch out ‘Virgin’ in the opening and replace it with ‘Emmy Nominee’.