So here we go now with the drama categories. This is a little tougher, because there are some genuine wild cards here, with several viable contenders in every category.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
• Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
• Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
• Jon Hamm, Mad Men
• Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom
• Woody Harrelson, True Detective
• Matthew McConaughey, True Detective
So, this would appear to be between Matthew McConaughey for True Detective and Bryan Cranston for Breaking Bad's final season. The thing is, because of McConaughey's star power, the fact that he just won the Oscar, this is his only chance to win the Emmy due to True Detective's one-off season, and he's a big movie star deigning to come down to TV- I kinda think he's got it in the bag. But if they're actually voting strictly on the episodes, which they sometimes do (see how Jeff Daniels won last year), then Cranston should blow everyone else out of the water. The episode he sent in was the best episode in the entire history of Breaking Bad. But I don't know if they can bring themselves to vote on just the episode when there's such a big movie star name on the ballot.
Winner: Matthew McConaughey
Alternate: Bryan Cranston
Dark Horse: Woody Harrelson (who knows, maybe the two different True Detective episodes will actually help the beloved TV vet Harrelson and not McConaughey. I'd say it's possible, but not likely).
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
• Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
• Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
• Claire Danes, Homeland
• Robin Wright, House of Cards
• Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex
• Kerry Washington, Scandal
Ok, now this one is a complete shot in the dark. Seriously, any one of these six women could win here, based on the episodes themselves, and various external factors that each have going for them. Claire Danes is a two time winner here, and her episode is great, but Homeland as a whole has fallen off the Emmy radar this year. Julianna Margulies is also a two time winner, and The Good Wife had a great season, although it was snubbed in series. Robin Wright has a hot show right now but sent in an episode that she wasn't in much of, and Kerry Washington may be seen as overdue, especially because there still has not been a black actress to win this category to date. Dockery actually has a pretty good episode here for once, and Downton is still a series nominee when most of these other shows aren't, and finally there's Lizzy Caplan, the newcomer, who also has a good episode and might be seen as something of a discovery, being the only first time nominee. Danes and Margulies might be the safer bets, but I'm gonna go out on a limb here.
Winner: Lizzy Caplan (that's right, I'm choosing the newbie, betting that she's going to stand out against all the other repeaters, but I'm consciously taking a big risk with this prediction)
Alternate: Julianna Margulies
Dark Horse: Danes, Wright, Washington or Dockery (no true dark horse- like I said, I think all of them have an about equal chance of winning)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
• Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
• Jim Carter, Downton Abbey
• Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
• Josh Charles, The Good Wife
• Mandy Patinkin, Homeland
• Jon Voight, Ray Donovan
The guys that sent in the best episodes this year in this category were Aaron Paul and Peter Dinklage, with Mandy Patinkin as the spoiler. I'm torn between Dinklage and Paul- on the one hand, this is Breaking Bad's last year and it's an episode that's similar to the ones Paul won for in the past, but Peter Dinklage has a great speech at the end of his episode that's even better and more dramatic than the one he won for back in the first season of Game of Thrones. I'm going to have to flip a coin.
Winner: Aaron Paul (good will for the final season will carry him through)
Alternate: Peter Dinklage
Dark Horse: Mandy Patinkin (he's really a lead in his episode and I think it's the best one he's ever submitted, but we'll see if there's any affection left for Homeland at all).
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
• Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad
• Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
• Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey
• Lena Headey, Game of Thrones
• Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
• Christina Hendricks, Mad Men
I'm going to bet on Anna Gunn in this category, because she also sent in "Ozymandias," the best Breaking Bad episode ever, and she's heartbreaking in it, so I think she'll win for the second year in a row. Realistic alternatives besides her would be Christine Baranski, Maggie Smith (never count her out) and Joanne Froggatt, who had a very dramatic episode this past season as well. But I think Anna Gunn will pull this one out.
Winner: Anna Gunn
Alternate: Christine Baranski
Dark Horse: Joanne Froggatt
