Whose Win Is It EMMY- way

Happy Emmy Nominations Day!

However you chose to celebrate (I hope you used one of your floating holidays to get off work), I'm sure you've already read a million other predictions about who will be taking those shiny, pointy awards home this September, but trust me, I've got the definitive list to help you win your office's Emmy pool*, plus my own fantasy winners for each of the major categories.

*If your office has an Emmy pool, they sound like a wonderful bunch of people who really have their priorities straight. Where can I apply?
 
Now allow me to put on my sparkly Ms. Cleo head-wrap and start seeing into our award show future! Below are the nominees (which were announced this morning by Aaron Paul of Breaking Bad and best award show host ever, Neil Patrick Harris!) and my predicted winners in blue. I only included the 10 major categories, but check here for the full list.

Outstanding Comedy Series:
"30 Rock" (NBC)
"The Big Bang Theory"(CBS)
"Girls" (HBO)
"Louie" (FX)
"Modern Family" (ABC)
"Veep" (HBO)

Liz's Dream Pick: New Girl  

This is a tough one, but I'm thinking 30 Rock might take it home this year for it's heartfelt and hilarious final season. I just can't believe New Girl wasn't even nominated! The second season of this wacky, character-driven series was pure genius throughout, especially the final three brilliant episodes. Plus, come on, Emmy voters - any show that can make a person fall off a chair with excitement (this happened) should get shown some love. 

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series:
Jason Bateman, "Arrested Development"
Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"
Matt LeBlanc, "Episodes"
Don Cheadle, "House of Lies"
Louis C.K., "Louie"
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock

Liz's Dream Pick: Jake Johnson (New Girl)  

I love me some Jack Donaghy, but I gotta give Jake Johnson's man-child bartender, Nick, my dream vote here. This season was all about Nick and Jess, and it wouldn't have been half as good without Johnson's consistently funny and vulnerable performance. 
 

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series:
Laura Dern, "Enlightened"
Lena Dunham, "Girls"
Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"
Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation"
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep"

Liz's Dream Pick: Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)  

This one's probably going to last year's winner (and Emmy record breaker) Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and while I'd also be thrilled with a Tina Fey or Edie Falco win, Amy Poehler has never won an Emmy for her portrayal of Leslie Knope and that is a damn shame. She more than deserves a win after her performance this year. Need proof? Watch this scene (spoiler for anyone who hasn't seen season five) which made me cry like a baby.

 

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series:
Adam Driver, "Girls"
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, "Modern Family"
Ed O'Neill, "Modern Family"
Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"
Bill Hader, "Saturday Night Live"
Tony Hale, "Veep"

Liz's Dream Pick: Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation)

It is inexcusable that Nick Offerman didn't get nominated for his portrayal of everyone's favorite mustachioed cultural icon, Ron Swanson. I'll just have to hope for a Golden Globe nod next year, but until then I'll be eating my weight in breakfast foods to dull the pain.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series:
Mayim Bialik, "The Big Bang Theory"
Jane Lynch, "Glee"
Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"
Julie Bowen, "Modern Family"
Merritt Wever, "Nurse Jackie"
Jane Krakowski, "30 Rock"
Anna Chlumsky, "Veep"

Liz's Dream Pick: Merritt Wever (Nurse Jackie) 

I have a feeling this one is going to Modern Family star, Sofia Vergara, but as much as I love her, the show really hasn't been on it's game this season. As Zoey, the colorful-scrub-wearing nurse and heart of All Saints Hospital, Merritt Wever has proven herself to be a comic genius. She also had an excellent turn on New Girl this year as Schmidt's take-no-nonsense college girlfriend, Elizabeth. 

 

Outstanding Drama Series:
"Breaking Bad" (AMC)
"Downton Abbey" (PBS)
"Game of Thrones" (HBO)
"Homeland" (Showtime)
"House of Cards" (Netflix)
"Mad Men" (AMC)

Liz's Dream Pick: Parenthood  

I know, I know. This will never happen, but that's why these are dream picks, people! Parenthood was so incredible this season that it wouldn't have surprised me if it squeaked into the top six, but against such tough competition (like most-likely-winner, Game of Thrones), I'll just have to hold out hope that the SAG awards will recognize this incredibly sweet and real series for best ensemble performance. 


Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series:
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Hugh Bonneville, "Downton Abbey"
Damian Lewis, "Homeland"
Kevin Spacey, "House of Cards"
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
Jeff Daniels, "The Newsroom"

Liz's Dream Pick: William H. Macy (Shameless) 

Poor Jon Hamm never wins, and Damian Lewis got it last year when Homeland was on top of it's game, so I'm going with Bryan Cranston for the win here. I'd love to see a nod for William H. Macy as Frank on Shameless, but he might be a little too realistically disgusting for most Emmy voters to get on board.

 
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series:
Vera Farmiga, "Bates Motel"
Michelle Dockery, "Downton Abbey"
Claire Danes, "Homeland"
Robin Wright, "House of Cards"
Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men"
Connie Britton, "Nashville"
Kerry Washington, "Scandal"

Liz's Dream Pick: Emmy Rossum (Shameless)

Another tough category! I'm going with a win for Claire Danes again because her amazing performance elevated what many felt to be a mediocre second season of Homeland, and Emmy voters love to give repeat awards. Still, in a perfect world, Emmy Rossum would have at least gotten recognized for her incredible performance as Fiona on Shameless - it would be easy to overplay this role but Rossum does it perfectly, and has made me cry on more than one occasion. (I'm starting to sound like I cry at the drop of a hat in this post, but I swear, I don't! I'm tough as nails! I'm...Ok I'm a big softy - doesn't make her acting any less awesome!)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series:
Bobby Cannavale, "Boardwalk Empire"
Jonathan Banks, "Breaking Bad"
Aaron Paul, "Breaking Bad"
Jim Carter, "Downton Abbey"
Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones"
Mandy Patinkin, "Homeland"

Liz's Dream Pick: Mandy Patinkin, "Homeland"

This one is most likely going to the very deserving Peter Dinklage, but I'd like to see a win for Homeland's Mandy Patinkin. He was excellent this past season, and the man is long overdue - he hasn't won an Emmy since Chicago Hope in 1995! 

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:
Anna Gunn, "Breaking Bad"
Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey"
Emilia Clarke, "Game of Thrones"
Christine Baranski, "The Good Wife"
Morena Baccarin, "Homeland"
Christina Hendricks, "Mad Men"

Liz's Dream Pick:  Monica Potter (Parenthood) 

I honestly have no idea who will win here, but I'm wishfully picking Christina Hendricks in the hopes that she'll get her due. Meanwhile, in fantasy land, I'm picking who I think did the absolute best job in this category, and that's Parenthood's Monica Potter. I'm not the only one who thinks it's ridiculous that she wasn't nominated after her extremely moving performance as cancer survivor, Kristina Braverman. And yes, this made me cry too, but what am I, made of stone? 

So there you have it. All of my professional predictions (and pipe dreams). Now we'll just have to wait two months to find out if I'm right!

Neil Patrick Harris hosts the 65th Annual Emmy Awards on September 22nd at 8PM on CBS.



Check back next week for THE LONG AWAITED RETURN OF WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY (Yay!) plus more fun with game-playing celebs on NBC's new show, Hollywood Game Night.