Lead Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie
Jessica Biel, The Sinner
Laura Dern, The Tale
Michelle Dockery, Godless
Edie Falco, Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders
Regina King, Seven Seconds
Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Cult
Who will win: Laura Dern
Who should win: Laura Dern
Upset: Regina King, Sarah Paulson
Lowdown: Dern is simply phenomenal in HBO’s Sundance acquisition and won in the Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV movie category last year for “Big Little Lies.” Of course, King and Paulson are major Television Academy favorites this decade and area always a threat to win again. Dern should take it, but this is a category to watch for an upset.
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
Ted Danson, The Good Place
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Donald Glover, Atlanta
Bill Hader, Barry
William H. Macy, Shameless
Who will win: Donald Glover
Who should win: Donald Glover or Bill Hader
Upset: Bill Hader
Lowdown: Glover should repeat in this category, but Hader’s first season of “Barry” earned a plethora of unexpected nominations. If that comedy series turns out to be the “hot new thing” with the membership Hader could easily upset.
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Pamela Adlon, Better Things
Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Allison Janney, Mom
Issa Rae, Insecure
Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish
Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie
Who will win: Rachel Brosnahan
Who should win: Rachel Brosnahan, Pamela Adlon
Upset: Pamela Adlon
Lowdown: It should be a marvelous night for “Mrs. Maisel.” The breakout star of Amazon’s buzz worthy new dramedy should take this trophy, but will she be able to win next year when Julia Louis-Dreyfus returns for the final season of “Veep”?
Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Jason Bateman, Ozark
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Ed Harris, Westworld
Matthew Rhys, The Americans
Milo Ventimiglia, This Is Us
Jeffrey Wright, Westworld
Who will win: Sterling K. Brown
Who should win: Sterling K. Brown, Matthew Rhys
Upset: Matthew Rhys
Lowdown: The “This Is Us” star should go back-to-back in this category, but if voters are feeling nostalgic than Rhys, who completed the final season of “The Americans” this spring, could finally get into the winner’s circle.
Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Claire Foy, The Crown
Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale
Sandra Oh, Killing Eve
Keri Russell, The Americans
Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld
Who will win: Elisabeth Moss
Who should win: Elisabeth Moss, Sandra Oh, Keri Russell, Claire Foy
Upset: Sandra Oh
Lowdown: “Killing Eve’s” Oh has come on strong and could easily become the first Asian-American woman to win in this category (she’s already the first nominated). On the flip side, Moss once again turned in a remarkable turn in ”Handmaid’s Tale” and if enough of the general membership is watching it right just push her through.
Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series
Atlanta, “FUBU,” Donald Glover
Atlanta, “Teddy Perkins,” Hiro Murai
Barry, “Chapter One: Make Your Mark,” Bill Hader
The Big Bang Theory, “The Bow Tie Asymmetry,” Mark Cendrowski
GLOW, “Pilot,” Jesse Peretz
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “Pilot,” Amy Sherman-Palladino
Silicon Valley, “Initial Coin Offering,” Mike Judge
Who will win: Hiro Murai for “Teddy Perkins”
Who Should win: Hiro Murai for “Teddy Perkins”
Upset: Amy Sherman-Palladino for “Marvelous” pilot, Bill Hader for “Barry,” “Chapter One: Make Your Mark”
Lowdown: In theory, Murai should easily win this for one of the most lauded and memorable half hours of content this year. If there is an upset, it’s Sherman-Palladino or Hader for their fantastic pilots.
Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series
The Crown, “Paterfamilias,” Stephen Daldry
Game Of Thrones, “Beyond The Wall,” Alan Taylor
Game Of Thrones, “The Dragon And The Wolf,” Jeremy Podeswa
The Handmaid’s Tale, “After,” Kari Skogland
Ozark, “The Toll,” Jason Bateman
Ozark, “Tonight We Improvise,” Daniel Sackheim
Stranger Things, “Chapter Nine: The Gate,” The Duffer Brothers
Who will win: Alan Taylor, “Beyond the Wall”
Who Should win: Kari Skogland, “After” or Taylor
Upset: Kari Skogland, “After”
Lowdown: This is a two-horse race between Taylor and Skogland. The latter could take it, but something tells us the scope of Taylor’s work on “Game of Thrones” will find him in the winner’s circle.
Outstanding Directing For A Limited Series, Movie Or Dramatic Special
The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, “The Man Who Would Be Vogue,” Ryan Murphy
Godless, Scott Frank
Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert, David Leveaux, Directed by, Alex Rudzinski, Live Television Directed by
The Looming Tower, “9/11,” Craig Zisk
Paterno, Barry Levinson
Patrick Melrose, Edward Berger
Twin Peaks, David Lynch
Who will win: Ryan Murphy, “The Man Who Would Be Vogue”
Who Should win: David Lynch, “Twin Peaks”
Upset: David Lynch, “Twins Peaks”
Lowdown: There is really no reason why “Twin Peaks'” Lynch should lose here. Especially for the cinematic brilliance of the “Part 8” episode alone. Unfortunately, Emmy voters love Ryan Murphy and his work on this particular episodes of “Assassination” should earn him his fifth statue (and the sixth could come later in the night).
Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series
Atlanta, “Alligator Man,” Donald Glover
Atlanta, “Barbershop,” Stefani Robinson
Barry, “Chapter One: Make Your Mark, Alec Berg, Bill Hader
Barry, “Chapter Seven: Loud, Fast And Keep Going,” Liz Sarnoff
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “Pilot,” Amy Sherman-Palladino
Silicon Valley, “Fifty-One Percent,” Alec Berg
Who will win: Amy Sherman-Palladino, “Pilot”
Who Should win: Alec Berg, Bill Hader, “Chapter One: Mark Your Mark”
Upset: Donald Glover, “Alligator Man”
Lowdown: Glover could triumph here, but we’re convinced Sherman-Palladino’s incredibly witty and stylish dialogue will be too hard for the writer’s branch to resist.
Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series
The Americans, “Start,” Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg
The Crown, “Mystery Man,” Peter Morgan
Game Of Thrones, “The Dragon And The Wolf,” David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
The Handmaid’s Tale, “June,” Bruce Miller
Killing Eve, “Nice Face,” Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Stranger Things, “Chapter Nine: The Gate,” The Duffer Brothers
Who will win: Bruce Miller, “June”
Who Should win: Joel Fields and Joe Weinberg, “Start”
Upset: Joel Fields and Joe Weinberg, “Start,” Phoebe Waller-Bridge, “Nine Face”
Lowdown: In theory, Miller should repeat his win from last year, but the writing branch could send Fields, Weinberg and “The Americans” out with an Emmy win. Waller-Bridge could also be rewarded for her work on “Killing Eve.”
Outstanding Writing For A Limited Series, Movie Or Dramatic Special
American Vandal,” Clean Up,” Kevin McManus, Matthew McManus
The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, “House By The Lake,” Tom Rob Smith
Godless, Scott Frank
Patrick Melrose, David Nicholls
Twin Peaks, David Lynch, Mark Frost
USS Callister (Black Mirror), William Bridges, Charlie Brooker
Who will win: William Bridges, Charlie Booker
Who Should win: David Lynch, Mark Frost
Upset: Tom Rob Smith
Lowdown: We’re expecting “USS Callister (Black Mirror)” to triumph here, but the love for “Assassination” is so strong that Tom Rob Smith could easily take the trophy too.
