After years of fans crying foul, “The Americans” finally got some Emmy nomination love – but can the FX Cold War drama actually win? Will anyone break the “Veep” stranglehold on the comedy categories?
Before the Emmy Awards tonight (airing at 6 MDT on ABC), we take a look at the major match-ups and make some predictions:
“Downton Abbey” (PBS), “Game of Thrones” (HBO), “Mr. Robot” (USA), “House of Cards” (Netflix), “Homeland” (Showtime), “The Americans” (FX), “Better Call Saul” (AMC).
Will probably win: “The Americans.” Time for the TV academy to make up for lost time, given that they ignored this drama for so long.
Deserves to win: “Mr. Robot.” Say what you will about the current second season, but the first was an reminder of what it takes to create a groundbreaking new series.
Dark horse: “Game of Thrones.”
Rami Malek, “Mr. Robot” (USA); Kevin Spacey, “House of Cards” (Netflix); Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul” (AMC); Kyle Chandler, “Bloodline” (Netflix); Liev Schreiber, “Ray Donovan” (Showtime); Matthew Rhys, “The Americans” (FX).
Will probably win: Rami Malek.
Deserves to win: Bob Odenkirk.
Dark horse: Kevin Spacey.
Claire Danes, “Homeland” (Showtime); Viola Davis, “How to Get Away with Murder” (ABC); Taraji P. Henson, “Empire” (Fox); Tatiana Maslany, “Orphan Black” (BBC America); Robin Wright, “House of Cards” (Netflix); Keri Russell, “The Americans” (FX).
Will probably win: Viola Davis.
Deserves to win: Taraji P. Henson.
Dark horse: Keri Russell.
Jonathan Banks, “Better Call Saul” (AMC); Ben Mendelsohn, “Bloodline” (Netflix); Jim Carter, “Downton Abbey” (PBS); Peter Dinklage, “Game Of Thrones” (HBO); Kit Harington, “Game Of Thrones” (HBO); Michael Kelly “House Of Cards” (Netflix); Jon Voight, “Ray Donovan” (Showtime).
Will probably win: Peter Dinklage.
Deserves to win: Kit Harington.
Dark horse: Kit Harington.
Maura Tierney, “The Affair” (Showtime); Maggie Smith, “Downton Abbey” (PBS); Lena Headey, “Game Of Thrones” (HBO); Emilia Clarke, “Game Of Thrones” (HBO); Maisie Williams, “Game of Thrones” (HBO); Constance Zimmer, “UnREAL” (Lifetime).
Will probably win: Lena Headey.
Deserves to win: Maura Tierney.
Dark horse: Maggie Smith.
“Modern Family” (ABC); “Veep” (HBO); “Silicon Valley” (HBO); “Transparent” (Amazon); “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (Netflix); “Black-ish” (ABC); “Master of None” (Netflix).
Will probably win: “Veep.”
Deserves to win: “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.”
Dark horse: “Black-ish.”
William H. Macy, “Shameless” (Showtime); Jeffrey Tambor, “Transparent” (Amazon); Anthony Anderson, “Black-ish” (ABC); Will Forte, “Last Man on Earth” (Fox); Aziz Ansari, “Master of None” (Netflix); Thomas Middleditch, “Silicon Valley” (HBO).
Will probably win: Jeffrey Tambor.
Deserves to win: Anthony Anderson. It’s hard to stand out on a sitcom when you have kids as cute as the ones on “Black-ish,” but Anderson knocks it out of the park as the patriarch.
Dark horse: Aziz Ansari. Ansari’s nomination was a bit surprising (acting isn’t really the strong suit in “Master of None”), but if voters like him enough to put him in this tough category, he may walk away with the whole thing.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep” (HBO); Amy Schumer “Inside Amy Schumer” (Comedy Central); Lily Tomlin “Grace and Frankie” (Netflix); Ellie Kemper, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (Netflix); Tracee Ellis Ross, “Black-ish” (ABC); Laurie Metcalf, “Getting On” (HBO).
Will probably win: Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Deserves to win: Ellie Kemper.
Dark horse: Amy Schumer.
Andre Braugher, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (Fox); Keegan-Michael Key, “Key & Peele” (Comedy Central); Ty Burrell, “Modern Family” (ABC); Tituss Burgess, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (Netflix); Tony Hale, “Veep” (HBO); Louie Anderson, “Baskets” (FX); Matt Walsh, “Veep” (HBO).
Will probably win: Tony Hale.
Deserves to win: Andre Braugher.
Dark horse: Ty Burrell.
Niecy Nash, “Getting On” (HBO); Allison Janney, “Mom” (CBS); Kate McKinnon, “Saturday Night Live” (NBC); Gaby Hoffmann “Transparent” (Amazon); Judith Light, “Transparent” (Amazon); Anna Chlumsky, “Veep” (HBO).
Will probably win: Kate McKinnon.
Deserves to win: Allison Janney.
Dark horse: Judith Light.
“The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” (FX); “Fargo” (FX); “The Night Manager” (AMC); “Roots” (History); “American Crime” (ABC).
Will probably win: “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.”
Deserves to win: “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.”
Dark horse: “Fargo.”
“Luther” (BBC America); “All the Way” (HBO); “Confirmation” (HBO); “Sherlock: The Abominable Bride” (PBS); “A Very Murray Christmas” (Netflix).
Will probably win: “Confirmation.”
Deserves to win: “Confirmation.”
Dark horse: “A Very Murray Christmas.”
“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” (HBO); “Late Late Show With James Corden” (CBS); “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC); “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC); “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” (Crackle); “Real Time With Bill Maher” (HBO).
Will probably win: “Late Late Show With James Corden.”
Deserves to win: “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver.”
Dark horse: “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”
“Drunk History” (Comedy Central); “Inside Amy Schumer” (Comedy Central); “Key & Peele” (Comedy Central); “Portlandia” (IFC); “Documentary Now!” (IFC).
Will probably win: “Inside Amy Schumer.”
Deserves to win: “Key & Peele.”
Dark horse: Key & Peele.”
“The Amazing Race” (CBS); “Dancing With the Stars” (ABC); “Project Runway” (Lifetime); “Top Chef” (Bravo); “The Voice” (NBC); “American Ninja Warrior” (NBC).
Will probably win: “The Voice.”
Deserves to win: “Dancing With the Stars.”
Dark horse: “American Ninja Warrior.”
