As the recent television renaissance continues to produce countless high-quality, must-watch shows available through seemingly unlimited streaming options, the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards will pit some of TV’s greatest series against each other for some intense competition.
This year, the awards will air Sunday on FOX, featuring the network’s own Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Andy Samberg as the host.
Looking back on this year of television, a few new shows have popped onto screens everywhere, while many viewers have also had to face the end of their favorite series — dramas and comedies alike. Mad Men ended its expansive seven-season run on May 17. Although the show won four consecutive Emmys for its first four seasons, Mad Men has recently faced a dry spell. The question arises: Did this final season prove strong enough to earn the show a send-off Emmy?
Also ending after seven seasons, Parks and Recreation aired its final episode on Feb. 24, and viewers had to say goodbye to Pawnee’s cast of quirky, comedic characters.
Despite various nominations, Parks and Recreation has yet to earn an Emmy and continues to face steep competition this year against shows like Veep and Modern Family. Nevertheless, Amy Poehler is also nominated for her role as Leslie Knope and could potentially take home the gold.
At the same time, viewers won’t see Orange is the New Black being awarded for its laughs this year. The Emmys have ruled that the drama-comedy set in a women’s prison will have to stick to the drama genre and face competition like Game of Thrones and Mad Men.
Notably, this award show also marks the first year without Breaking Bad dominating the drama categories. Although its follow-up series Better Call Saul is nominated, this spin-off does not have the same power as the original, thus leaving this year’s drama categories open to new faces.
All these facts considered, The News-Letter has predicted this year’s winners. Here are the 2015 Primetime Emmy Award Nominees:
Outstanding Drama
Series
Better Call Saul (AMC)
Downton Abbey (PBS)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
Homeland (Showtime)
House of Cards (Netflix)
Mad Men (AMC)
Orange is the New Black (Netflix)
Predicted Winner: Game of Thrones or Mad Men
This category has some of television’s best dramas competiting for one award. Game of Thrones raised the stakes to exciting new heights in its fifth season, but Mad Men also ended on a solid note for such a long-spanning series. This category remains a draw.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Bob Odenkirk: Better Call Saul
Kyle Chandler: Bloodline
Kevin Spacey: House of Cards
Jon Hamm:Mad Men
Liev Schreiber: Ray Donovan
Jeff Daniels: The Newsroom
Predicted Winner:
Jon Hamm
This is Jon Hamm’s year. Hamm has been rightfully nominated for a staggering 16 Emmys since Mad Men’s beginning but has yet to win one for his portrayal of the highly complicated ad man Don Draper. If Hamm loses, this might just be the ultimate snub of all awards show history.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Taraji P. Henson: Empire
Claire Danes: Homeland
Robin Wright: House of Cards
Viola Davis: How to Get Away with Murder
Elisabeth Moss: Mad Men
Tatiana Maslany: Orphan Black
Predicted Winner:
Viola Davis
This category features some strong, powerful female characters that have all helped to make strides in television representation. Nevertheless, Viola Davis brought a wide range of emotions in ABC’s newest legal drama How to Get Away with Murder. Taraji P. Henson remains a close second, as her show Empire, which airs on FOX, was snubbed this year.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Jonathan Banks: Better Call Saul
Ben Mendelsohn: Bloodline
Jim Carter: Downton Abbey
Peter Dinklage: Game of Thrones
Michael Kelly: House of Cards
Alan Cumming: The Good Wife
Predicted Winner:
Peter Dinklage
Given his solid past nominations and having won the award in 2011, Dinklage and his work on this season of Game of Thrones looks like the obvious choice.
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Joanne Froggatt: Downton Abbey
Lena Headey: Game of Thrones
Christina Hendricks: Mad Men
Emilia Clarke: Game of Thrones
Uzo Aduba: Orange is the New Black
Christine Baranski: The Good Wife
Predicted Winner:
Uzo Aduba
Taking on her role as “Crazy Eyes,” Aduba does a masterful job of exploring a character far outside the realm of normal while also adding genuine humor to scenes.
Outstanding Comedy Series
Louie (FX)
Modern Family (ABC)
Parks and Recreation (NBC)
Silicon Valley (HBO)
Transparent (Amazon Instant Video)
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)
Veep (HBO)
Predicted Winner:
Veep
Although Parks and Recreation ended its run this year, and The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt gave Netflix a hilarious, quirky and binge-watchable new series, the win has to go to Veep. The HBO show has remained consistently funny and is set to take home another Emmy.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson: Black-ish
Matt LeBlanc: Episodes
Don Cheadle: House of Lies
Louis C.K.: Louie
William H. Macy: Shameless
Will Forte: The Last Man on Earth
Jeffrey Tambor: Transparent
Predicted Winner:
Jeffrey Tambor
Having already won the award for Best Actor in a Television series at the 72nd Golden Globe Awards, Jeffery Tambor looks like this year’s solid frontrunner. Overall this category features some new comedic talents such as Anthony Anderson’s role as father Dre Johnson in ABC’s newest hit comedy Black-ish. Louis C.K., however, remains a veteran of this category but has only received Emmy awards for writing credits, not as a lead male role.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Lily Tomlin: Grace and Frankie
Amy Schumer: Inside Amy Schumer
Edie Falco: Nurse Jackie
Amy Poehler: Parks and Recreation
Lisa Kudrow: The Comeback
Julia Louis-Dreyfus: Veep
Predicted Winner:
Amy Poehler
Again, this is a category filled with some hilarious leading funny-women. Julia Louis-Dreyfus looks to be the strongest competitor, but Poehler’s final season as the persevearing Leslie Knope may just take home the Emmy this year.
The Creative Arts Emmys took place this year on Sept. 12. This preliminary event is specifically designed to award the technical side of television including makeup, costuming, choreography and musical direction and can sometimes suggest which shows will win in the Primetime Emmys. The biggest winner of the night was Game of Thrones, which won eight awards in categories like visual effects and stunt work. Another big winner was American Horror Story: Freak Show, which is also nominated for several awards in the major categories including Best Supporting Actress for Jessica Lange.
