The 68th Primetime Emmy Awards will be announced this Sunday, September 18, and broadcast on ABC. We love to talk television so here are our thoughts on the nominees!
Outstanding Drama Series
Nominees: The Americans (FX), Game of Thrones (HBO), House of Cards (Netflix), Downton Abbey (PBS), Better Call Saul (AMC), Mr. Robot (USA), Homeland (Showtime)
Anika: For three years I’ve been saying “I want The Americans to win” and it was impossible because the series was not nominated until now. I want The Americans to win! If not, then I want Mr. Robot to win. If not, I want Game of Thrones to win because it won last year and this season was much better than last. If any of these other wins, I’ll be mad.
Sam: Huh, I have watched four episodes of Mr. Robot, but otherwise haven’t seen any of the current seasons of any of these. Which is weird, because I’ve watched some great drama series this year. Or maybe that’s not weird. I never really agree with the Academy of Anything. Was Jessica Jones not eligible for some reason?
Outstanding Comedy Series
Nominees: Veep (HBO), Transparent (Amazon), Silicon Valley (HBO), Modern Family (ABC), Master of None (Netflix), Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix), Black-ish (ABC)
Anika: I don’t watch comedy so I’ve only seen Veep, which I support winning. But I’m rooting for Black-ish based on all the articles I read about its Black Lives Matter episode.
Sam: Yeah, Black-ish should win for a while host of reasons. I quit out of Transparent this year after watching terrible people be terrible got too terrible (honestly, I know there are thousand thinkpieces on it, but can someone fix the categories of the Emmys?). And Kimmy Schmidt was also not as great in its second season. I’ve heard good things about Silicon Valley, I thought Master of None was fine and important, I love Veep but I don’t mind if it loses to Black-ish, and why is Modern Family even still on there? It’s barely modern anymore.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Nominees: Kyle Chandler (Bloodline), Rami Malek (Mr. Robot), Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul), Matthew Rhys (The Americans), Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan), Kevin Spacey (House of Cards)
Anika: RAMI MALEK. He is a genius. Truly, I can’t ever look away. Matthew Rhys also 100% deserves this.
Sam: I am once again useless, but I imagine Rami Malek is the most deserving here, based on those four episodes and nothing else.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Nominees: Viola Davis (How to Get Away With Murder), Claire Danes (Homeland), Taraji P. Henson (Empire), Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black), Keri Russell (The Americans), Robin Wright (House of Cards)
Anika: This is actually pretty hard. I can support all of them, Tatiana Maslany and Keri Russell slightly more than Viola Davis and Taraji P. Henson and them more than Claire Danes and Robin Wright.
Sam: Wow, once again I have not watched current seasons of any of these. I sort of vote Tatiana Maslany on principle, but I get a sense that any of them would deserve a win.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Nominees: Anthony Anderson (Black-ish), Aziz Ansari (Master of None), Will Forte (The Last Man on Earth), William H. Macy (Shameless), Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley), Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent)
Anika: Having seen zero of these performances I support Anthony Anderson because he was a fave on Law and Order.
Sam: I’d put in a ballot for Anthony Anderson or Aziz Ansari, so I guess whichever AA wins is AA+ for me. Har har.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Nominees: Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep), Laurie Metcalf (Getting On), Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish), Amy Schumer (Inside Amy Schumer), Lily Tomlin (Grace and Frankie)
Anika: I mean, Julia Louis-Dreyfus is brilliant but she also has lots of Emmys already.
Sam: Lily Tomlin all day every day. Actually, Tracee Ellis Ross is also great. I just love Lily Tomlin so much. Actually, they’re all really great. Women in comedy rule
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Nominees: Jonathan Banks (Better Call Saul), Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), Kit Harington (Game of Thrones), Michael Kelly (House of Cards), Ben Mendelsohn (Bloodline), Jon Voight (Ray Donovan)
Anika: I’m so proud of Kit Harrington for being on this list. But Peter Dinklage is the clear winner in that race, and my gut says the whole race, but I haven’t seen two (Banks and Mendelsohn) and dislike the other (Kelly and Voight).
Sam: Listen, I’m going to get real salty for a second and say Dinklage would deserve an Emmy ONLY for his soliloquy in the courtroom in, idek, what season was that? Four? His accent is terrible and it has consistently been one of the things that drags Game of Thrones down for me. It’s like “sexual abuse of women, no people of color, Dinklage’s accent” in that order. Putting that out there in the universe because I don’t think I ever have before and what better forum? That said, I didn’t watch this seasons (mostly because of the first thing on that list) so maybe he was amazing. I just really like Jonathan Banks, but I’m sure they’re all deserving. #samrant
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Nominees: Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones), Lena Headey (Game of Thrones), Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey), Maura Tierney (The Affair), Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones), Constance Zimmer (UnREAL)
Anika: This category is impossible! Probably the Dames of Thrones will cancel each other out (I’d personally rank them Headey-Clarke-Williams) but then maybe Constance Zimmer will get the win she entirely deserves (this is for season one, remember, so there’re no argument) and although I want one of those four to win, it’s not like I can be that upset about Maura Tierney or Maggie Smith.
Sam: The only one of these I’ve seen is UnREAL, and Constance Zimmer was amazing, so this one’s easy for me.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Nominees: Louie Anderson (Baskets), Andre Braugher (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Ty Burrell (Modern Family), Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Tony Hale (Veep), Keegan-Michael Key (Key and Peele), Matt Walsh (Veep)
Anika: I pick Andre Braugher. I haven’t seen the series, I just pick Andre Braugher on principle (and he’s another Law and Order alum).
Sam: This is a theme with me, I quit Brooklyn Nine-Nine this year. Or last year? Whatever year Jake and Santiago got together. Andre Braugher is awesome though. Anyway, Titus Burgess is probably the best part of UKS (though Ellie Kemper and Carole Kane are pretty great) and I love Key and Peele, so either of those would be great choices.
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Nominees: Anna Chlumsky (Veep), Gaby Hoffmann (Transparent), Allison Janney (Mom), Judith Light (Transparent), Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live), Niecy Nash (Getting On)
Anika: Kate McKinnon for Ghostbusters.
Sam: Kate McKinnon for my girlfriend.
Outstanding Limited Series
Nominees: American Crime (ABC), Fargo (FX), The Night Manager (AMC), The People v. O.J. Simpson (FX), Roots (History)
Anika: I’ve seen none of these.
Sam: I have also seen none of these, though I’ve heard good things about three of them. Eesh, I need to catch up on TV.
Outstanding Television Movie
Nominees: A Very Murray Christmas (Netflix), All the Way (HBO), Confirmation (HBO), Luther (BBC One), Sherlock: The Abominable Bride (PBS)
Anika: I’ve seen two of these and Confirmation beats Sherlock.
Sam: I mean. Luther. Duh?
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Television Movie
Nominees: Bryan Cranston (All the Way), Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock: The Abominable Bride), Idris Elba (Luther), Cuba Gooding Jr. (The People v. O.J. Simpson), Tom Hiddleston (The Night Manager), Courtney B. Vance (The People v. O.J. Simpson)
Anika: I’ve only seen Cumberbatch so I can’t compare these performances but this list is packed. I’d probably vote for Idris Elba.
Sam: My vote is Idris Elba just so he wins and social media melts into a pool.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Television Movie
Nominees: Kirsten Dunst (Fargo), Felicity Huffman (American Crime), Audra McDonald (Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill), Sarah Paulson (The People v. O.J. Simpson), Lili Taylor (American Crime), Kerry Washington (Confirmation)
Anika: Well, I want it to be between Sarah Paulson and Kerry Washington because of this fanvid.
Sam: Uh, I love Audra McDonald? I love Sarah Paulson, too, and she’s bringing Marcia Clark to the ceremony so her winning would be kind of neat.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Television Movie
Nominees: Sterling K. Brown (The People v. O.J. Simpson), Hugh Laurie (The Night Manager), Jesse Plemons (Fargo), David Schwimmer (The People v. O.J. Simpson), John Travolta (The People v. O.J. Simpson), Bokeem Woodbine (Fargo)
Anika: I choose Hugh Laurie because he never got one for House and that is just not fair.
Sam: Yeah, that makes sense. I’m starting to worry I’m totally unqualified to share my opinions on this year’s Emmys…
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Television Movie
Nominees: Kathy Bates (American Horror Story: Hotel), Olivia Colman (The Night Manager), Regina King (American Crime), Melissa Leo (All the Way), Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story: Hotel), Jean Smart (Fargo)
Anika: Me, too. Look at all these shows I don’t watch. I pick Regina King.
Sam: I pick Olivia Colman because she was in Look Around You and I love Look Around You.
Best Variety Talk Series
Nominees: Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee (Crackle), Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC), Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO), The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS), Real Time With Bill Maher (HBO), The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC)
Anika: I mainly watch stuff like this via gifsets on tumblr. . .
Sam: Ugh, why is Samantha Bee not on here? Don’t answer that, it’s rhetorical, I know the reason. Anyway, John Oliver’s show is consistently great and James Corden is super fun and charming and I wouldn’t be mad if either of them won.
Best Variety Sketch Series
Nominees: Documentary Now! (IFC), Drunk History (Comedy Central), Inside Amy Schumer (Comedy Central), Key & Peele (Comedy Central), Portlandia (IFC), Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Anika: I got nothing. I am humorless.
Sam: Inside Amy Schumer, because that ’12 Angry Men’ sketch was amazing. But almost everything Key & Peele does is great, so either of those?
Best Reality Competition
Nominees: The Amazing Race (CBS), American Ninja Warrior (NBC), Dancing With the Stars (ABC), Project Runway (Lifetime), Top Chef (Bravo), The Voice (NBC)
Anika: The British Baking Show.
Sam: Yeah, Cutthroat Kitchen.
Best Writing for a Drama Series
Nominees: The Americans, “Persona Non Grata” (FX), Written by Joel fields, Joe Weisenberg, Downton Abbey, “Episode 8” (PBS), Writen by Julian Fellowes, Game of Thrones, “Battle Of The Bastards” (HBO), Written by David Benioff, D. B. Weiss, The Good Wife, “End” (CBS), Written by Robert King, Michelle King, Mr. Robot, “eps1.0_hellofriend.mov” (USA), Written by Sam Esmail, UnREAL, “Return” (Lifetime), Written by Marti Noxon, Sarah Gertrude Shapiro
Anika: I’d be happy with The Americans, The Good Wife, Mr. Robot, or UnREAL.
Sam: No real horse in this race. The writing on UnREAL is so good, but the same can be said for all of these, I’m sure.
Best Writing for a Comedy Series
Nominees: Catastrophe, “Episode 1” (Amazon), Written by Rob Delaney, Sharon Horgan, Master of None, “Parents” (Netflix), Written by Aziz Ansari, Alan Yang, Silicon Valley, “Founder Friendly” (HBO), Written by Dan O’Keefe, Sillicon Valley, “The Uptick” (HBO), Written by Alec Berg, Veep, “Morning After” (HBO), Written by Alec Berg, Veep, “Mother”(HBO), Written by Alex Gregory, Peter Huyck
Anika: Have I mentioned I don’t do comedy?
Sam: I just want to see Rob Delaney’s acceptance speech, so.
Final Thoughts
Anika: To be honest, I’m mostly looking forward to what people wear and the livestream of the backstage bar (I can’t watch ABC live so). I want certain people to win for personal or sociopolitical reasons but I don’t have much stake artistically.
Sam: Apparently most of the TV I watch is either not current or not recognized by the Emmys. I can’t tell if that’s more of a critique of me or of the Emmys, because I’ve always felt pretty on the ball as far as TV goes, in this peak TV era. But hey. I’m just glad The Big Bang Theory isn’t nominated for stuff.
