My Emmy Winners Wish List

With so many of my favorite actors and actresses from the small screen, it’s hard to pick just one favorite in each category for tonight’s Emmy Awards. But I’m going to. I’ll be brave and put it out there. Here are MY picks in each of the major categories tonight.

This doesn’t indicate who I think will win, but who I would be thrilled to my toes, as a fan of television, to see walk away with the award tonight.

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES

• Big Love
• Breaking Bad
• Damages
• Dexter
• House
• Lost
• Mad Men

Defending my choice: Assuming it’s a stellar season, Emmy voters are going to honor LOST next year, after the series has ended.  While Hugh Laurie had an exceptional year, HOUSE wasn’t as breakthrough as the other series.  The real competition to MAD MEN is DAMAGES, but I’m hoping the Emmy voters looked past the big screen names and realize that this season of DAMAGES didn’t hold a candle to their inaugural season.

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES

• Entourage
• Family Guy
• Flight of the Conchords
• How I Met Your Mother
• The Office
• 30 Rock
• Weeds

Defending my choice: You think I’m going to bet against my favorite show?  Of course I want THE OFFICE to win?  Do I think it will?  No way. I think 30 ROCK is going to take it.  But THE OFFICE is still THE OFFICE and it would thrill me to see the show take home the big award.  If THE OFFICE doesn’t win, please please please let it be HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER!

LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

• Julia Louise Dreyfuss (The New Adventures of Old Christine)
• Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?)
• Sarah Silverman (The Sarah Silverman Show)
• Tina Fey (30 Rock)
• Toni Collette (The United States of Tara)
• Mary Louise Parker (Weeds)

Defending my choice: A tough category, no doubt, but I think it’s all about Tina.  Toni Collette took on a huge role in THE UNITED STATES OF TARA, but I would have liked to see her in the Drama category because that’s where her chops really came into play.

LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY

• Jermain Clement (Flight of the Conchords)
• Tony Shaloub (Monk)
• Steve Carell (The Office)
• Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
• Charlie Sheen (Two & a Half Men)
• Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)
  

Defending my choice: Since he’s been nominated, Steve Carell has never not been my choice.  I would be beyond happy if he won tonight, but if I have to choose I’m going with first time nominee, Jim Parsons.  What he is asked to do every week as Dr. Sheldon Cooper on THE BIG BANG THEORY is beyond fantastic. He is simply, brilliant. I’m more nervous/excited for this category than any others tonight.

LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

• Sally Field (Brothers & Sisters)
• Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer)
• Glenn Close (Damages)
• Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: SVU)
• Elizabeth Moss (Mad Men)
• Holly Hunter (Saving Grace)

Defending my choice: Kyra or Glenn are the obvious choices given how fabulous they are…not to mention their resume.  But I’d be smiling ear-to-ear if Elisabeth Moss smoked them all with a win tonight. She has such subtly and grace to her acting.  Just beautiful.

LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA

• Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)
• Michael C. Hall (Dexter)
• Hugh Laurie (House)
• Gabriel Byrne (In Treatment)
• Jon Hamm (Mad Men)
• Simon Baker (The Mentalist)

Defending my choice: This one was a toughie for me.  Jon Hamm got my red highlight only because he’s never won before.  For me it was between Hamm and Laurie.  Hugh had another fantastic year on HOUSE.  And to think about what freshness he brings to the role even after all these years.  But, I’ll go with Hamm.

Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

• Tracey Morgan (30 Rock)
• Jack McBrayer (30 Rock)
• Kevin Dillon (Entourage)
• Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother)
• Rainn Wilson (The Office)
• Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men)

Defending my choice: NPH FTW! Can he lose? A strong category, but I didn’t blink at this one.  It’s Neil’s year.

Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

• Jane Krakowski (30 Rock)
• Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies)
• Amy Poehler (SNL)
• Kristin Wiig (SNL)
• Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty)
• Elizabeth Perkins (Weeds)

Defending my choice: A long shot for sure, but from a pure emotional standpoint I want Cheno to walk tall (well as tall as she can) on to that stage and accept the Emmy on behalf of the brilliance that was the short lived PUSHING DAISIES.

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

• William Shatner (Boston Legal)
• Christian Clemenson (Boston Legal)
• Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad)
• William Hurt (Damages)
• Michael Emerson (Lost)
• John Slattery (Mad Men)

Defending my choice: Great category of actors, but no one brings what Michael Emerson brings as Ben on LOST. No one.

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

• Cherry Jones (24)
• Rose Byrne (Damages)
• Sandra Oh (Grey’s Anatomy)
• Chandra Wilson (Grey’s Anatomy)
• Dianne Weist (In Treatment)
• Hope Davis (In Treatment)

Defending my choice: Sadly, I’m not sure I even care that much about this particular category.  Chandra Wilson seems to be the only reason to watch GREY’S ANATOMY anymore so I’m hoping she will pull off the win.  Either way…eh.

Outstanding Reality Competition

• The Amazing Race
• American Idol
• Project Runway
• Top Chef

Defending my choice: It kills me that AMERICAN IDOL is on this list and not SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE. So sad.  In the absence of SYTYCD, I’m going to go with THE AMAZING RACE.  This show has never lost in the category, and there’s a good reason.  The production value, the competition – it’s a race around the world.  I watch all the other nominees and they just don’t compare.

Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy

• The Colbert Report
• The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
• The Late Show with David Letterman
• Real Time with Bill Maher
• Saturday Night Live

Defending my choice: A tough category for sure, but I’m going with THE DAILY SHOW despite some of it’s missteps since Obama took office.