Often the Critics Choice can serve as a bellwether for the coming Emmys more than the past when it comes to comedy. They correctly foresaw Marvelous Mrs. Maisel victory in 2018 and picked Ted Lasso last year when all previous awards had gone to Schitt’s Creek. Considering that Hacks prevailed at the Golden Globes, there is a chance that if it anything can stop the Ted Lasso juggernaut (if you don’t consider those terms contradictory) it’ll happen here, especially given the high caliber of the nominated series.
Let’s get started.
OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
It is possible, given recent events, that Insecure, Hacks or even Reservation Dogs could pull out an upset here. But if critical love truly counts for something, it is my opinion that the critics will go with a series that has everything: Only Murders in the Building. It has arguably the best cast of any series. It works on so many levels – comedy, satire of a mystery and an actual mystery; satire of podcasts and stylistic it has works of art - remember the episode done with no spoken dialogue. I still think Ted Lasso has momentum, but if there is going to be an upset I think it will be murders.
Should Win: Only Murders in the Building.
Will Win: Ted Lasso/Murders.
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Jason Sudeikis continued domination in the Actor comes across one obstacle: this isn’t a category or indeed an awards show with a lot of repeats. The last actor to win back to back Best Actors was Jeffrey Tambor for Transparent and even that was more due to the timing of the awards than anything else.
I think the award will go to a critics' darling – Steve Martin for his superb work on Only Murders in the Building. It could go to Martin Short just as easily (if there was a call for a tie, it’s in this case) but overall I’m inclined to give the barest of edges to Steve Martin. This is one of his greatest performances and one of his most humane. I laughed as often as I was moved by it. Throw in the fact that he’s spent his entire career winning relatively few awards I think he’s entitled to this one.
Should Win: Martin.
Will Win: Martin/Sudeikis.
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
It shouldn’t be so easy. Issa Rae deserves some kind of prize for Insecure and maybe she’ll get one at the Emmys. I actually think Sandra Oh has earned this one for The Chair. And Selena Gomez’s work in Only Murders was a game changer.
But let’s not kid ourselves. Jean Smart is going to complete the sweep with her Best Actress for Hacks. Even if she hadn’t swept all the previous awards leading up or hadn’t given an extraordinary performance, the fact is she kind of owns the Critics Choice. She has taking two Supporting Actress prizes in two different category: Limited Series for Season 2 of Fargo (I still think she was robbed of an Emmy) and for Best Drama Series for Watchmen (one of the few categories the series didn’t end up winning an Emmy). She owns this awards show in a way that few other actors or actresses (with the exception of Regina King) really do. This is her awards, and she’s going to keep on winning.
Should Win/Will Win: Smart.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
This is where it starts get trickier because we have no really awards show to guide us. I’d actually like to see a dark horse come out here like Bowen Yang, who probably was robbed of an Emmy last year for SNL. I have a preference for Harvey Guillen for his superb work as Guillermo on What We Do in the Shadows which should start winning Emmys now.
For the moment, I’ll give the edge to Ted Lasso. Brett Goldstein is a wonderful actor who’s incredibly funny to watch. And let’s be honest having seen his acceptance speech at both the Emmys and the HCA, we all know how hysterically funny he can be when he wins. Hell, he might even bring Ray Romano on stage with him to say how proud he is to be able to talk to him this time.
Should Win: Guillen.
Will Win: Goldstein (but no really bad choices)
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
I always think there’s a possibility for a tie every time the Broadcast Critics meet. So for the first time trying to guess how these awards will go, I’m going to predict one. The winners will both be named Hannah: Einbinder for Hacks and Waddingham for Ted Lasso.
It’s not just that both these talented women were incredible in their respective series that makes me not want to choose between them; it’s that there’s precedent for this. When the HCA gave Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Comedy, they gave a tie to these very actresses probably for the exact same reasons I would. And since this is a show that critics are in charge, I think that this is where the lightning will strike.
Should Win/Will Win: Einbinder and Waddingham.
Tomorrow I wrap things up with Limited Series and Movie awards, as well as some of the other series in play.
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