OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR, COMEDY
Anthony Anderson, black-ish: 7-1
For playing: ‘Dre’ Johnson, the patriarch of the Johnson clan. Pro: Five years into black-ish’s run, Anderson Anderson
Don Cheadle, Black Monday: 13-2
For playing: Maurice Monroe, the coked-up, ever-scheming broker at
the center of the 1987 Stock Exchange meltdown. Pro: For all the criticism of the series – and I was one of the big
ones – one can’t deny Cheadle’s incredible ability to be both the cold-blooded,
utterly scheming conniver, and yet at the end of the first season, the only one
with a moral compass. Cheadle is one of the greatest actors of any medium, and
he deserves some recognition. Con: Black Monday was in many ways the
typical Showtime comedy – emphasizing extremes and disgusts for laughs – and
the Emmys has had trouble recognizing the good ones. Which, in all candor, Black Monday isn’t one.
Ted Danson, The Good Place
For playing, Michael, the otherworldly being from the afterlife,
who may be the only one who can save humanity. Pro: Danson has long since established himself as one of the true
legends of television, someone who is a master of both comedy and drama. And
Michael may be one of the greatest roles he’s ever played. A creature who’s
spent eternity trying to torment humanity, who has somehow managed to find a
way to realize that it may be worth saving, Michael stands as one of the most
amazing characters to come out of TV this decade. Plus, its been a real long
time since Danson was on the podium. I think he’s earned it. Con: In a perfect world, Danson would
have nothing between him and the Emmy. But as The Good Place would be the first to tell you, this is far from a
perfect world. Other suns may have eclipsed him.
Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method: 9-2
For playing: Sandy Kominsky, aging acting legend/teacher. Pro: Douglas
has been around such a long time (longer, even, than Danson) that we tend to
forget just how brilliant a comic actor he is. The Kominsky Method was one of the more entertaining comedies last
year, mainly because of Douglas ’ superb turn
as a man dealing with age and obsolescence, trying to help his best friend deal
with his wife’s death, finding love with someone age-appropriate, and dealing
with his prostate. It was a marvelous turn, well deserving of the Golden Globe
he won earlier this year. Con: A lot
of time has passed, and The Kominsky
Method, which also took the Golden Globe for Best Comedy, has lost a lot of
its forward momentum. It wasn’t really given the nominations it deserved, and
that might end up hurting Douglas ’ chances.
Bill Hader, Barry: 10-3
For playing: Barry Block/Berkman,
acting student/contract killer. Pro: I
really dropped the ball saying that Hader didn’t deserve the Emmy last year.
And I can say with certainty, he deserves it just as much as he did last year,
if not more. Dealing with the guilt of killing the detective chasing him,
trying to get out of the life he was in, while being pursued by the cops,
training an army, and then being betrayed by one of his closets friends. And
that’s before you consider ‘ronny-lily’, where he was at the center, or the
finale, in which all of his chickens came home to roost – and a level of
carnage that would’ve been big for Game
of Thrones unfolding. He deserves to be the favorite. Con: Will the Emmys choose to recognize someone a little older, and
just as funny? There are a lot of deserving nominees in this category.
Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek: 11-2
For playing: Johnny Rose, the patriarch of the family. Pro: It comes as one of the biggest
shocks in my life that somehow this is Levy, one of the greatest comic actors
in history, first Emmy nomination. He’s been making people laugh since SCTV and in this project – literally a
family affair – he continues to demonstrate that he’s one of the greatest. If
there was a sentimental favorite in this category, it’s him. Con: If there’s one thing I’ve come to
learn with certainty, the Emmys are not generally sentimental. Levy may have to
say: “It’s an honor just to be nominated.” Knowing him, he’ll make that funny.
PREDICTION
I’d like to see Danson finally win, but I think the odds are that
Hader will repeat. And in a rarity, I’m actually okay with that.
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDU
Christina Applegate, Dead to Me: 7-1
For playing: Jen, a tightly wound
widow. Pro: Applegate has been one
of the great and original comic voices of my lifetime, never playing the same
type of character twice. And her nomination over so many other brilliant
actresses (including several on Netflix) was one of the nicer joys of this
year. I’m always glad to see her competing. Con: That said, surprise nominees at the Emmys don’t usually win.
And Applegate has a lot of bad luck at the Emmys (even though she did win once). I just don’t see her
prevailing here
Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: 9-2
For playing: Midge, the title housewife/standup comedienne Pro: Everything
Brosnahan did last year, she did just as well this year. As she tried to pursue a career where she was
being blackballed, going to Paris, the Catskills, and on TV; inadvertently
coming out to her father (it actually might have been easier in the
alternative) and trying to dance between her not quite ex-husband and a new
suitor, Brosnahan remained as delightful. The awards people agree – she won
just about every award between last year’s Emmys and this one. I’m not sure why
she isn’t the favorite. Con: Oh,
right. Julia Louis-Dreyfus. I still
believe Brosnahan deserves it, but I’m the minority.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep: 17-5
For playing: Selina Meyer, the once and former president. Pro: For better or worse (and on this
show, it’s always worse) the Emmys
love her. And I have to admit, if the final episode of the series is the one
she submitted, it’s the one to go out on. To see that her ruthless ambition, so
brutal she would walk over her own daughter to get the presidency, pay off – and
yet still end up with nothing – was incredible. Plus, given everything that
happened with her health, could the six time winner be a sentimental favorite? Con: She didn’t win last year, and she
lost to Phoebe Waller-Bridge at the TCA awards. Would that be enough to deny
her one more win?
Natasha Lyonne, Russian Doll: 13-2
For playing: Nadia, a video game designer turning 36 again… and
again… and again. Pro: Like so many
former film actresses, Lyonne has found the perfect place to work in TV.
Working in concert with Amy Poehler, she stars and has created a dazzling
puzzle box of a series, and created one of the most truly original characters
on television. Trying to deal with dying over and over, trying to determine a
pattern was both terribly funny and moving. Not a lot of women in this category
could do this. Con: Is it too much
and too dark for the Emmys to reward? I’d say she might prevail for writing,
but there’s another hyphenate we have to talk about who may stop her
Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek: 6-1
For Playing: Moira Rose. Pro: If anything, O’Hara’s even more
deserving of an Emmy than Levy is. Same background, same great history, same
total lack of recognition from the Emmys. (Though if you saw For Your Consideration, maybe they did
it for a reason.) O’Hara is another one of favorite actresses, and for those of
us who saw her at the Critics Choice awards with Levy, she’s lost none of her
touch. Con: In addition to not being
named Julia, she’s also on a series that was basically ignored by the Emmys
until now. Sentimental favorite, but the Emmys… well, see Eugene Levy
Phoebe Waller-Bridge: Fleabag: 9-2
For: Title role… whatever that is. Pro: Waller-Bridge, the hyphenated hyphenate, created an incredible
comedy even by the comparison of other hyphenates. The self-aware, hard
drinking sexually robust found religion – well, a hot priest – realized that
there was a good person, and helped everybody find happiness, except sadly,
herself. There has definitely been momentum building for her the last month.
She took every imaginable prize from the TCAs in August. Combined with her work
on Killing Eve, if she doesn’t get at
least one Emmy, there is no justice. Con:
Like Brosnahan, the only argument against her is that she’s the wrong
hyphenated actress. But of the nominees in this category, she’s the most likely
to be the spoiler.
PREDICTION
Likely that Louis-Dreyfus will run
the table, but don’t rule out an upset by either Brosnahan or Waller-Bridge
(particularly the latter)
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