Emmy Fantasy Nominations - Drama

Much like I did with the Comedy categories I am picking my “dream nominations” and making predictions for who I think will actually get nominated. Not too hard to predict since I am willing to bet there are certain shows Emmy voters simply don’t bother to check out.

Hugh Dancy

Best Actor Drama

My dream picks:

Steve Buscemi - Boardwalk Empire

Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad

Hugh Dancy - Hannibal

Michael C. Hall - Dexter

Kevin Spacey – House of Cards

Predictions: Kevin Bacon, Steve Buscemi, Bryan Cranston, Damian Lewis, Kevin Spacey

My picks include the usual suspects and this was one of the categories where I struggle the least. I was a little indecisive between Jon Hamm and Michael C. Hall (both deserving in my eyes) and the only surprising actor I included on my list was Hugh Dancy. He is incredible on Hannibal and that show deserves some recognition. Will it? Probably not. Instead I think Emmy voters will choose to nominate Kevin Bacon from The Following. Voters loooove movie stars. I also predict neither Michael C. Hall nor Jon Hamm will get nominated, since Damian Lewis will be taking that spot. A sure thing, I believe, is Kevin Spacey and I would definitely put him on my dream picks as well. I think Bryan Cranston will win, if not, Kevin Spacey and I am OK with either [but I am hoping for Cranston].

Katey Sagal

Best Actress Drama

My dream picks:

Claire Danes - Homeland

Vera Farmiga – Bates Motel

Ivana Milicevic – Banshee

Katey Sagal – Sons of Anarchy

Robin Wright – House of Cards

Predictions:  Connie Britton, Claire Danes, Robin Wright, Vera Farmiga and either Michelle Dockery/Julianna Margulies/Elizabeth Moss

I confess, last year I was tired of watching Homeland win EVERYTHING. But I am not over how awesome Claire Danes is on that show and I believe she still deserves to be nominated. Along with her, I loved the work of Vera Farmiga and Robin Wright. But my first pick and hopeful winner is without a doubt Katey Sagal. She won a Golden Globe for her role as Gemma Teller on Sons of Anarchy yet she has never been nominated for an Emmy. And when I say never, I mean NEVER! Not for Sons of Anarchy nor Married with Children… can you believe that? I CANNOT, she should be nominated every year and she should win, but… I am pretty sure Emmy voters don’t watch SOA [more on that later]. Finally I added one unusual name to my dream list: Ivana Milicevic, who really surprised me on Banshee this year. However, I can already see Banshee becoming the new amazing show that will never be recognized, much like SOA. I hope I am wrong on that account. I am sure instead of my bolder [but absolutely fair] picks, Emmy voters will go with predictable choices like Connie Britton and/or Julianna Margulies. Perfectly good actresses, but not the ones that had the biggest impact on TV this year.

Update July 9th, 2013 Since I wrote this list I finally got the time to watch Orphan Black and... yeah it's awesome as advertised. You know how I am always going on and on about John Noble playing two versions of himself on Fringe...well Tatiana Maslani plays like 10 on Orphan Black! And she is awesome at it. Not sure if I want to change my "Best Drama" dream picks [maybe include Orphan Black instead of Mad Men...], but I would definitely put Tatiana on my fantasy best actress nominations. Perhaps instead of Robin Wright or Vera Farmiga.

John Noble

Best Supporting Actor Drama

My dream picks:

Peter Dinklage – Game of Thrones

Walton Goggins - Justified

John Noble - Fringe

Mads Mikkelsen - Hannibal

Aaron Paul – Breaking Bad

Predictions: Aaron Paul, Mads Mikkelsen, James Purefoy, Mandi Patinkin, Bobby Cannavale

This was the IMPOSSIBLE category! It seriously was. I was pretty clear on who I wanted to ‘dream nominate’ for everything else but I was at a loss here. Why? I love too many supporting actors! I had around 30 actors on my “short-list”. Aaron Paul won last year and I absolutely think he deserves to be nominated again. The two supporting actors I love the most, Peter Dinklage and Walton Goggins, have been ignored from award ceremonies lately and that is unacceptable for me. They steal every single scene on their respective shows. Mads Mikkelsen should also be recognized for his amazing portrayal of Hannibal Lecter. It has to be hard to follow in the footsteps of Sir Antony Hopkins and come out on top. But ABOVE ALL John Noble SHOULD be nominated, and he SHOULD win according to me. I never understood why he was never recognized for one of the most amazingly brilliant performances in the history of television. He made us cry, laugh, cringe and made us forget the three + versions of Walter were played by the same actor. On top of that, he is a seasoned theater, movie and television actor. The only explanation is that Emmy voters would never bother to check out a sci-fi show like Fringe. It is the last year Fringe is eligible and if I am hoping for one nomination this is the one. Finally, if I could pick a 6^th spot (sometimes they do that) I would love it to go to someone like Hoon Lee from Banshee (one of the best new characters on TV), Gabriel Mann from Revenge or Austin Basis from Beauty and the Beast. And this might seem like a bizarre pick but 1) I love him, 2) He is in fact a great actor and 3) Emmys need a couple of utterly unexpected nominations to keep it interesting [same reason I want Sutton Foster to get a not]. I think it would be amazingly shocking to see someone on a CW show score a nod. Of course, God forbid Emmy voters from watching CW shows, which are in fact much better than the general perception people have of them. In reality, the only “dream pick” likely to get nominated is Aaron Paul. Maybe Mads Mikkelsen will get a somewhat surprising nod, but I am guessing they will go with the usuals plus James Purefoy sending me on a rage and wondering WHY WON’T THEY GIVE JOHN NOBLE AN EMMY?!

Best Supporting Actress Drama

Michelle Fairley on Game of Thrones

My dream picks:

Jennifer Carpenter

Michelle Fairley

Maggie Siff

Maggie Smith

Kate Mara

Predictions: Morenna Baccarin, Kate Mara, Elizabeth McGovern, Anna Gunn, Maggie Smith

This was a relatively easy category. Kate Mara is the newbie and I picked her because I was impressed with how she was able to hold her own opposite Kevin Spacey. Maggie Siff has been ignored along with the rest of the cast of Sons of Anarchy and that’s not OK. Michelle Fairley deserves ALL the awards after that shattering “Red Wedding” episode and it was Jennifer Carpenter’s year on Dexter. But this list wouldn’t be complete without the amazing Maggie Smith. Predictable? Repetitive? Whatever, she is simply too amazing. In reality Emmy voters may show more love for Downton and nominate Elizabeth McGovern as well, along with Morena Baccarin from Homeland and Anna Gunn from Breaking Bad.

Best Drama

Banshee

My dream picks:

Banshee

Game of Thrones

Breaking Bad

Sons of Anarchy

Mad Men

Predictions:  Boardwalk Empire, Breaking Bad, Downton Abbey, Homeland, Mad Men. I predict it is also possible that instead of nominating Downton Abbey they will go with the new BBC America original Orphan Black, which I haven’t had the chance to watch so I have no opining, but I hear it is incredible.

For me, Banshee was the most shocking, jaw-dropping, incredible new show of the season. I had zero expectations for it and it ended up blowing my mind! Will it get a nod? I could almost bet money that it won’t, which is what has been happening with my other favorite ignored show: Sons of Anarchy. I also believe Breaking Bad and Mad Men are two of the best shows in TV history and since I am not put off by fantasy or science fiction like Emmy voters I would argue Game of Thrones should be nominated as well. Out of my 5 picks I predict only Breaking Bad and Mad Men will score nods; and I am even sensing interest in Mad Men is waning, so I wouldn’t be that shocked if they didn’t nominate it. The rest of the awards will go to the usual HBO and Showtime [and sadly I am not talking about Dexter] shows, plus Downton Abbey or a new show.

You may also want to read:

Emmy Fantasy Nominations - Comedy categories

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TVEmpress

The TV Empress is a Media Management graduate, screenwriter in the making (and financial engineer in the meantime). She has serious plans to take over global television. You can follow the TVEmpress on twitter @TVRepublik