Finally today we’re talking about series predictions. For all series, meaning drama, comedy, limited, variety/talk, variety/sketch and reality/competition. Let’s get to it.
BEST DRAMA SERIES
The Crown will finally gets its due
The Boys
Bridgerton
The Crown
The Handmaid’s Tale
Lovecraft Country
The Mandalorian
Pose
This is Us
I think this is a very easy call for The Crown, which will finally give Netflix its first Emmy win for series, believe it or not. Season 4 of The Crown was its most popular season, and the love for it spread throughout the industry last winter, where it won all kinds of guild awards, as well as critics ones. It also won four Emmys already at creative arts last weekend, where it took editing, cinematography, guest actress (Claire Foy for a less than two minute scene!) and casting. I think it’s in the bag.
Winner: The Crown
Alternate: The Mandalorian (won the most creative arts awards last week, but it did last year too- it’s a very tech heavy show)
Dark Horse: Pose (this was its final season and it also won three last week in a surprise showing)
BEST COMEDY SERIES
A hit right out of the gate for Apple TV+
black-ish
Cobra Kai
Emily in Paris
Hacks
The Flight Attendant
The Kominsky Method
Pen 15
Ted Lasso
Just as easy a call. Ted Lasso won everything it needed and was expected to get at creative arts last week, and there’s really no alternative with as much momentum behind it. Hacks came in second in the nominations but I see no reason to think Lasso won’t run the table here for its first season, especially as its buzz has only increased with the second season currently airing (which is just as good if not better).
Winner: Ted Lasso
Alternate: Hacks
Dark Horse: The Flight Attendant
BEST LIMITED SERIES
After years of not winning top series awards, Netflix will likely get two this weekend
I May Destroy You
Mare of Easttown
The Queen’s Gambit
The Underground Railroad
WandaVision
Now this one I would have thought was more of a race before The Queen’s Gambit’s utter domination at Creative Arts last weekend (it won 9 trophies) put it in a position to possibly break the record for most ever Emmy wins for a limited series (which belongs to 2008’s John Adams). I don’t think it will, but the fact that it’s that loved means there’s virtually no chance it doesn’t win here. I’m almost second guessing my Kate Winslet prediction now.
Winner: The Queen’s Gambit
Alternate: WandaVision
Dark Horse: I May Destroy You (this won a couple of unexpected tech awards as well, but I think its best chance is in writing)
BEST VARIETY/TALK SERIES
The voters won’t stray from John Oliver yet
Conan
The Daily Show With Trevor Noah
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Once again, I really can’t predict anything other than John Oliver, because the Emmys just don’t tend to switch things up in this category, no matter who else deserves it more (cough, Trevor Noah, cough). Oliver did the least amount of creative format shifting during the pandemic, but the voters don’t seem to care about that for some reason. I can’t predict someone else until he actually loses.
Winner: Last Week Tonight
Alternate: The Late Show
Dark Horse: Conan (possible last season kudos?)
BEST VARIETY/SKETCH SERIES
I suppose there’s some chance SNL won’t win this, but I doubt it
A Black Lady Sketch Show
Saturday Night Live
Don’t ask me why there’s only two nominees here. Like variety/talk, this category always goes to SNL, or at least it has since its first two awards were given out to the final seasons of Key and Peele and Inside Amy Schumer. Nothing else besides this has won since then, which tells me they really don’t watch these shows, but A Black Lady Sketch Show did win a tech award last weekend (then again, SNL won 7). So yeah, I can’t go for anything else.
Winner: SNL
Alternate: well, the only other show, obviously
BEST REALITY COMPETITION SERIES
Going with the award winning host’s series
The Amazing Race
Nailed It!
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Top Chef
The Voice
I’m just gonna go with RuPaul again. The same show tends to win this a lot and he always wins the host award now, so I assume it’s his show as well. I haven’t really sensed some pop cultural focus back towards any of these other shows or anything lately either.
Winner: Drag Race
Alternate: Top Chef
Dark Horse: The Voice
