Predicting the Winners of the 2018 Emmys

And the Nominees are...



*Atlanta
*Barry
*Black-ish
*Curb Your Enthusiasm
*GLOW
*The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
*Silicon Valley
*Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

And the Emmy goes to...

**Atlanta**

In the largest field that this category has ever seen, only two have an legitimate shot at winning; Atlanta and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Historically speaking, both are at something of a disadvantage; against Atlanta, that fact that only "straight-up" comedies have won this thing, and against Mrs. Maisel is that fact that no one-hour series has ever taken this prize (only three have ever been nominated). Nomination-wise, both are pretty close there, too; Atlanta snagged 16 while Mrs. Maisel nabbed 14, including both scoring three acting nods apiece, and getting into both writing and directing categories. This is likely a very close race, but I expect momentum to carry a fair amount of weight, which I believe tips this one in favor of Atlanta.

It was released four months later than Maisel, meaning it's fresher in voters minds, and it's seems to have only grown in appreciation since last year; it went from six nominations for season one, to 16 for season two. Add to that Donald Glover's increased visibility, and that of almost all of the entire main cast, and that belief that many have that it was snubbed last season, and I think it'll have the power to notch it's first win. If there is one thing that truly tips me over to the series' side this year, it's the multiple writing and directing nominations; while the entirety of Emmys history is split over this stat, the last three series to do this have won (Veep for the past two years, and 30 Rock in 2009). Again, Mrs. Maisel's broader, friendlier storytelling may make it the choice to many over Atlanta's more surreal, nightmarish production, but Atlanta feels like it's got more hype at the moment.

Power Rankings
1. Atlanta
2. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
3. Barry
4. Black-ish
5. Curb Your Enthusiasm
6. Silicon Valley
7. GLOW
8. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

And the Nominees are...



*The Americans
*The Crown
*Game of Thrones
*The Handmaid's Tale
*Stranger Things
*This Is Us
*Westworld


And the Emmy goes to...

**The Handmaid's Tale**

Like it's comedic sibling, this category really comes down to two nominees (though there's more room for a third-party upset here than above); Game of Thrones and The Handmaid's Tale. Both are coming off of wins (Handmaid's won last year while Game of Thrones was on Hiatus after two consecutive wins), and both have notched over 20 nominations this year. Both are also, however, coming off of seasons that many felt were a step down from their previous, winning one; this is good for The Handmaid's Tale. While it's social relevance was likely already enough to score it it's second straight, the fact that GOT wasn't on fire in season seven means that many will likely just check it off to look good. Plus, voters here are incredibly lazy; of the ten series that have won this award in the last twenty years, only four have not followed up a win with a second consecutive win (The Sopranos won two, but it went on hiatus after a fifth season win, only to lose two years later for the first half of it's final season). While there is a possibility that The Americans final season, or SAG-winner This Is Us could sneak in if the two heavyweights split, it's likelier that it'll be one of the top two. Game of Thrones will win big next year for it's finale; The Handmaid's Tale will take it's second (I think; watch me be wrong).

Power Rankings
1. The Handmaid's Tale
2. Game of Thrones
3. The Americans
4. This Is Us
5. The Crown
6. Stranger Things
7. Westworld

And the Nominees are...



*The Alienist
*The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
*Genuis: Picasso
*Godless
*Patrick Melrose

And the Emmy goes to...

**The Assassination of Gianni Versace**

In a rather bland field, Versace looks to be the runaway favorite to take the prize. Godless is probably the closest (it scored 12 nods and westerns have always been successful in this category), with Patrick Melrose, a surprise nominee, having a slim shot too, but this looks like another winner for Ryan Murphy.

Power Rankings
1. American Crime Story
2. Godless
3. Patrick Melrose
4. Genius: Picasso
5. The Alienist

And the Nominees are...



*Black Mirror: USS Callister
*Fahrenheit 451
*Flint
*Paterno
*The Tale

And the Emmy goes to...

**Black Mirror: USS Callister**

With seven nominations, "USS Callister" is Black Mirror's most nominated installment, and the only of the five nominees here that has any broad appeal. The Tale is the most heralded of the bunch critically, but the fact that it could only score two nominations (neither in writing or directing) gives me the sense that no one really wanted to watch it, but went ahead and wrote it in. There could be an upset, but this looks like another win for Black Mirror.

Power Rankings
1. Black Mirror: USS Callister
2. The Tale
3. Paterno
4. Fahrenheit 451
5. Flint

And the Nominees are...



*The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
*Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
*Jimmy Kimmel Live!
*Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
*The Late Late Show with James Corden
*The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

And the Emmy goes to...

**Last Week Tonight with John Oliver**

Oliver's won the past two in a row, and there's nothing that really hints that it won't go for a third. Full Frontal and The Late Show are strong contenders here, each either matching or expanding on their nomination totals from last year and continuing to grab the zeitgeist, but voters here are often complacent, and Last Week Tonight's once-a-week, HBO prestige gives it the air of the best.

Power Rankings
1. Last Week Tonight
2. Full Frontal
3. The Late Show
4. Jimmy Kimmel Live!
5. The Late Late Show
6. The Daily Show

And the Nominees are...



*At Home with Amy Sedaris
*Drunk History
*I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman
*Portlandia
*Saturday Night Live
*Tracey Ullman's Show

And the Emmy goes to...

**Saturday Night Live**

SNL by a mile.

And the Nominees are...



*Pamela Adlon- Better Things
*Rachel Brosnahan- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
*Allison Janney- Mom
*Issa Rae- Insecure
*Tracee Ellis Ross- Black-ish
*Lily Tomlin- Grace and Frankie

And the Emmy goes to...

**Rachel Brosnahan- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel**

Four returning nominees will likely be no match for Brosnahan, who's breakout work on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel propelled the series to fourteen nominations (great writing, absolutely, but it doesn't work without a pitch-perfect lead). None of the other five women seem to have the momentum that she has, though Janney could ride her Oscar win to an upset (highly unlikely though).

Power Rankings
1. Rachel Brosnahan- "Thank You and Good Night"
2. Allison Janney- "Phone Confetti and a Wee Dingle"
3. Tracee Ellis Ross- "Elder. Scam."
4. Pamela Adlon- "Eulogy"
5. Issa Rae- "Hella Great"
6. Lily Tomlin- "The Home"

And the Nominees are...



*Antonio Banderas- Genius: Picasso
*Darren Criss- The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
*Benedict Cumberbatch- Patrick Melrose
*Jeff Daniels- The Looming Tower
*John Legend- Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert
*Jesse Plemons- Black Mirror: USS Callister

And the Emmy goes to...

**Darren Criss- The Assassination of Gianni Versace**

Criss has, seemingly, had this in the bag since January, but the fact that Patrick Melrose over-performed makes Cumberbatch a genuine threat. He was already running second; now he may be neck-and-neck. If Cumberbatch didn't already have one, I'd go with him, but he won four years ago for Sherlock, and Criss's breakthrough work is exceedingly noteworthy; it doesn't hurt that Ryan Murphy productions always do very well with acting awards (the last American Crime Story took three out of four acting categories; AHS has four acting winners). Either way it's very close (though a surprise like Legend sliding in isn't out of the question).

Power Rankings
1. Criss
2. Cumberbatch
3. Legend
4. Banderas
5. Plemons
6. Daniels

And the Nominees are...



*Claire Foy- The Crown
*Tatiana Maslany- Orphan Black
*Elisabeth Moss- The Handmaid's Tale
*Sandra Oh- Killing Eve
*Keri Russell- The Americans
*Evan Rachel Wood- Westworld

And the Emmy goes to...

**Elisabeth Moss- The Handmaid's Tale**

It looks to be another close race for Best Actress in a Drama, but I'm expecting the title Handmaid of one of TV's biggest contenders to take her second. Moss continued to do outstanding work in the rough slog that was the series' second season, getting standout moments in every episode. It's a performance so good that it elevated an entire season (one that really didn't deserve the praise it got). Her second win is not a guarantee though; this category has only gone back-to-back once this decade (Claire Danes for Homeland), and this is arguably a stronger field than last year. This will be Foy's last nod for The Crown, and she's got a lot in her favor; it was a great performance, the drama surrounding her salary could garner support in an era of #MeToo, and her recent SAG win (over Moss even) suggests that she has a lot of support from the most important voting branch. Russell, too, could ride a wave of support for her final season on The Americans, as could Oh, who pulled off a somewhat surprising nomination from a mountain of support for the critical smash Killing Eve.

Power Rankings
1. Elisabeth Moss- "The Last Ceremony"
2. Claire Foy- "Dear Mrs. Kennedy"
3. Keri Russell- "The Summit"
4. Sandra Oh- "I Have a Thing About Bathrooms"
5. Tatiana Maslany- "To Right the Wrongs of Many"
6. Evan Rachel Wood- "Reunion"

And the Nominees are...



*Anthony Anderson- Black-ish
*Ted Danson- The Good Place
*Larry David- Curb Your Enthusiasm
*Donald Glover- Atlanta
*Bill Hader- Barry
*William H. Macy- Shameless

And the Emmy goes to...

**Donald Glover- Atlanta**

A rather weak category that headlined by two superb performances; this category is coming down to Glover and Hader. This really is, likely, the strongest match-up of the night; both are clearly favorites this year, scoring nomination in writing and directing (hell, their even going head-to-head in Comedy Guest Actor), and both have picked perfect submissions, with Glover going with "Teddy Perkins", and Hader selecting the brutal "Chapter Seven" (i.e. the winner here would've probably competed for drama acting too). It's very close, but my head is telling me to go with Glover; this category has an especially high rate of repeat winners, with seven since 1990 (14 years, including years where winners won more than one nonconsecutively). Atlanta also looks to have a little more momentum than Barry (the former is much more likely to win top prize), and HBO has a surprising cold streak in this category. Glover is, also, just on fire lately, including Atlanta and his work as Childish Gambino. Either way, it's a close category.

Power Rankings
1. Donald Glover- "Teddy Perkins"
2. Bill Hader- "Chapter Seven: Loud, Fast, and Keep Going"
3. Ted Danson- "Dance Dance Resolution"
4. Anthony Anderson- "Advance to Go (Collect $200)"
5. Larry David- "Fatwa!"
6. William H. Macy- "Sleepwalking"

And the Nominees are...



*Jessica Biel- The Sinner
*Laura Dern- The Tale
*Michelle Dockery- Godless
*Edie Falco- Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders
*Regina King- Seven Seconds
*Sarah Paulson- American Horror Story: Cult

And the Emmy goes to...

**Laura Dern- The Tale**

One of the least-talked about races of the night, this one is likely to come down to Biel and Dern. Dern is, certainly, the favorite; her work in The Tale probably would've been up for an Oscar if it had gone theatrical, and she's become a favorite within the industry. That said, voters may feel whiplash from her winning just last year, or simply may have not gotten around to seeing the film, and could be looking to go with someone new, which is likely where Biel comes in. She was the favorite for about ten months, until Dern came in, and her work in The Sinner is career best. If The Tale had gone to theaters, this would've been an easy win for Biel. There is also the possibility that voters may give previous nominee Dockery her first, or go with recent favorite/winner King (Falco and Paulson have no shot/probably shouldn't be here).

Power Rankings
1. Dern
2. Biel
3. Dockery
4. King
5. Paulson
6. Falco

And the Nominees are...



*Jason Bateman- Ozark
*Sterling K. Brown- This Is Us
*Ed Harris- Westworld
*Matthew Rhys- The Americans
*Milo Ventimiglia- This Is Us
*Jeffrey Wright- Westworld

And the Emmy goes to...

**Matthew Rhys- The Americans**

A closer, more consolidated race than last year; this year's winner seems more up in the air than it has of late. Brown won last year, and could very well take his third straight Emmy, but This Is Us wasn't quite as good to him this season as it was last year; still giving exceptional work, but his costars, arguably, had the meatier material this year. Ventimiglia had a lot of material that you could call "For Your Consideration"-esqu; less monologues and more genuine character moments, grounding the myth that his character had become in season one. I think that this increase in award-worthy content for him will lead to more vote-splitting this year, and pave the way for a new winner. Of the remaining four, I can't imagine that voters won't be split by the Westworld pair; while Wright is quite well-liked, scoring a second nomination for the series, Harris had the showier material. That leaves Bateman and Rhys, and Rhys's narrative just looks stronger; it's The American's final season, and his show scored a series nod (which has helped the winner here all but six times in the past 20 years). It's a toss-up, but I think that Rhys wins a goodbye Emmy over some very formidable competition.

Power Rankings
1. Matthew Rhys- "START"
2. Sterling K. Brown- "Number Three"
3. Milo Ventimiglia- "The Car"
4. Jason Bateman- "The Toll"
5. Jeffrey Wright- "The Passenger"
6. Ed Harris- "Vanishing Point"

And the Nominees are...



*Zazie Beetz- Atlanta
*Alex Borstein- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
*Aidy Bryant- Saturday Night Live
*Betty Gilpin- GLOW
*Leslie Jones- Saturday Night Live
*Kate McKinnon- Saturday Night Live
*Laurie Metcalf- Roseanne
*Megan Mullally- Will & Grace

And the Emmy goes to...

**Alex Borstein- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel**

With eight nominees, there is always a chance that voting gets nutty and a totally surprising winner emerges. The reality is, however, that this'll probably come down to one of four women; Borstein, McKinnon, Metcalf and Mullally. The latter three are all multiple winners, and each obviously have big fan bases; McKinnon's won for the past two years, Mullally took two for Will & Grace's original run and is the only member of the cast to return with a nomination, and Metcalf is a three-time winner who was strong enough to emerge from the clusterfuck that was Roseanne's tenth season. That stink of Roseanne is part of the reason that I'm not sure about Metcalf; who wants to award a show with a crazt-racist as it's star, no matter how much they love Metcalf. I also think that she and Mullally are going to split votes; both are previous winners, arguably, riding on a wave of nostalgia and voter respect.

That leads me to Borstein and McKinnon, and I'm leaning slightly to the latter. McKinnon's won the past two, and while it's obvious that she's got a lot of respect, the years that she won for were essentially ordained; 2016 and 2017, she was riding high off of here Hillary Clinton impression, and it's impact on pop culture. Also, the field's weren't the strongest, with last year's crop being downright boring, and a third straight win for here would probably seem dull to many voters. Borstein, however, is coming off of a very strong year on Mrs. Maisel, one that saw here stealing a number of scenes from likely lead winner Rachel Brosnahan. Add in the fact that she's a multi-nominee this year, and I think many will be swayed by both her work, and the feeling that she is due for recognition.

Power Rankings
1. Alex Borstein- "Doink"
2. Kate McKinnon- "Host: Bill Hader"
3. Laurie Metcalf- "No Country for Old Women"
4. Megan Mullally- "Rosario's Quinceanera"
5. Betty Gilpin- "Debbie Does Something"
6. Zazie Beetz- "Helen"
7. Leslie Jones- "Host: Donald Glover"
8. Aidy Bryant- "Host: Chadwick Boseman"

And the Nominees are...



*Jeff Daniels- Godless
*Brandon Victor Dixon- Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert
*John Leguizamo- Waco
*Ricky Martin- The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
*Édgar Ramírez- The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
*Michael Stuhlbarg- The Looming Tower
*Finn Wittrock- The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

And the Emmy goes to...

**Jeff Daniels- Godless**

The last installment of American Crime Story scored the same number of nominations here, and eventually walked away with the Emmy. The difference between then and now, though, is simple; Sterling K. Brown was the clear breakout of O.J., and this installment just doesn't. Conventional wisdom would tell you that Ramírez who be the frontrunner of the bunch; he's the most well-known of the three, and he's playing the title victim. That said, the Versace material often felt forced to most, and he, nor Martin, never actually get much juicy material to play with. Wittrock gets an episode long showcase, and could benefit from that (he has been nominated here before), but it doesn't really seem like he has much momentum (the Versace stuff, while not particularly strong, casts a long shadow).

Looking at the rest of the nominees, it becomes clear that Daniels is the likely favorite. He's already got actor support (he scored a SAG nod), and he's got the flashiest, scene-stealing role as the villain of Godless. The fact that he also has another nomination for his work on The Looming Tower tells me that he's an actor with a lot of industry respect, and that he'll be able to take the prize. It's not a done deal though, as ACS could gain steam, or relative-unknown Brandon Victor Dixon could pull a stunner and win for his breakout work on Superstar (he was often sited as the special's finest performer).

Power Rankings
1. Jeff Daniels- "An Incident at Creede"
2. Édgar Ramírez- "Ascent"
3. Brandon Victor Dixon
4. Finn Wittrock- "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
5. Michael Stuhlbarg- "9/11"
6. Ricky Martin- "The Man Who Would Be Vogue"
7. John Leguizamo- "The Strangers Across the Street"

And the Nominees are...



*Alexis Bledel- The Handmaid's Tale
*Millie Bobby Brown- Stranger Things
*Ann Dowd- The Handmaid's Tale
*Lena Headey- Game of Thrones
*Vanessa Kirby- The Crown
*Thandie Newton- Westworld
*Yvonne Strahovski- The Handmaid's Tale


And the Emmy goes to...

**Yvonne Strahovski- The Handmaid's Tale**

Another crapshoot of a race that could, feasibly, go to any of the seven women nominated. Looking them over though, and three names pop up as being the most likely; Dowd, Newton and Strahovski. Dowd was last year's surprise winner, a true stunner, but consecutive winners are rare for this category, with only six women winning back-to-back (though there have been repeat winning who've lost in between wins), three of which have happened in this century (Allison Janney, Blythe Danner, Anna Gunn). I will contest though, none no repeat winner ever had contenders as strong as this one, and Dowd's infrequent screentime, compared to costars here, may work against her. She is a highly-respected character actress though, so she has a very strong shot at repeating. If they are wanting to go with a Handmaid this year, I think it'll be Strahovski; even when given conflicting material throughout the season, she nailed it, and often may you feel sympathy for such a vile character. Newton could also surprise this time though; she was last year's favorite, and this could be the last time to reward her before Meryl Streep comes in next year and wins her legally mandated trophy. It's a close one, but my gut is going strongly with Strahovski.

Power Rankings
1. Yvonne Strahovski- "Women's Work"
2. Thandie Newton- "Akane no Mai"
3. Ann Dowd- "June"
4. Vanessa Kirby- "Beryl"
5. Lena Headey- "The Dragon and the Wolf"
6. Alexis Bledel- "Unwomen"
7. Millie Bobby Brown- "Chapter Three: The Pollywog"

And the Nominees are...



*Louie Anderson- Baskets
*Alec Baldwin- Saturday Night Live
*Tituss Burgess- Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
*Bryan Tyree Henry- Atlanta
*Tony Shalhoub- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
*Kenan Thompson- Saturday Night Live
*Henry Winkler- Barry

And the Emmy goes to...

**Henry Winkler- Barry**

This category really is a spoil of riches. I'd say it's a pretty close race between Henry, Shalhoub and Winkler, with Thompson possibly playing a spoiler. Any of them could win, but my gut is saying that they give veteran actor Winkler his due. He's been nominated five previous times over the past forty years, and his work on Barry was a consistent comedic highlight. Shalhoub could, obviously, take it; he too was a scene-stealer, but he's also an Emmy favorite, winning three over Monk's eight seasons (which he was nominated for every season). Henry, also, continued to exceptional work on Atlanta, owning all of the material he was given this season. This is just a tough one to call.

Power Rankings
1. Henry Winkler- "Chapter Four: Commit ... to YOU"
2. Tony Shalhoub- "Thank You and Good Night"
3. Brian Tyree Henry- "Woods"
4. Kenan Thompson- "Host: John Mulaney"
5. Alec Baldwin- "Host: Donald Glover"
6. Tituss Burgess- "Kimmy and the Beest!"
7. Louie Anderson- "Thanksgiving"

And the Nominees are...



*Sara Bareilles- Jesus Christ Superstar in Concert
*Penelope Cruz- The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
*Judith Light- The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
*Adina Porter- American Horror Story: Cult
*Merritt Wever- Godless
*Letitia Wright- Black Mirror: Black Museum

And the Emmy goes to...

**Judith Light- The Assassination of Gianni Versace**

In an okay, but somewhat flat, category, odds are that it'll come down to one of the two Versace women. Smart money is on Cruz, as she's the bigger star and she's playing the more recognizable person (famous people playing famous people = awards), but my gut, however, is leading me in Light's direction. She gives an exceptionally emotional performance in "A Random Killing", honestly eclipsing anything that Cruz does in here entire screentime combined, she's a veteran TV actress, and she's proved to be an Academy favorite as of late (she scored two consecutive nods for her work on Transparent, before that series hit the fan). There's always the potential that both split votes, and Wever's strong work on Godless could always sneak in. I'm going with Light, but this is always a category that goes a little nuts.

Power Rankings
1. Judith Light- "A Random Killing"
2. Penelope Cruz- "Ascent"
3. Merritt Wever- "The Ladies of La Belle"
4. Sara Bareilles
5. Letitia Wright- "Black Museum"
6. Adina Porter- "11/9"

And the Nominees are...



*Nikolaj Coster-Waldau- Game of Thrones
*Peter Dinklage- Game of Thrones
*Joseph Fiennes- The Handmaid's Tale
*David Harbour- Stranger Things
*Mandy Patinkin- Homeland
*Matt Smith- The Crown

And the Emmy goes to...

**David Harbour- Stranger Things**

A solid, if rather wide open field; Harbour looks to have a narrow lead here. His growing paternal warmth in the second season was on of the series' best received plot developments, and eventually earned him the all-important SAG nod. That said, this is a category that loves to reward previous winners, and Dinklage is an Academy favorite and the most nominated man ever for this category. It's a lazy choice, but one that could certainly happen. If voters do want to finally award some other than Dinklage from the GOT cast, Coster-Waldau is finally entering the fray with his first nomination. His character has had the greatest evolution of any other on the show, and voters may finally reward him for making it believable. Smith and Fiennes have solid shots as well, though their characters may be such unlikable pricks that voters are lured by the ones that they root for.

Power Rankings
1. David Harbour- "Chapter Four: Will the Wise"
2. Peter Dinklage- "The Dragon and the Wolf"
3. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau- "The Spoils of War"
4. Matt Smith- "Mystery Man"
5. Joseph Fiennes- "First Blood"
6. Mandy Patinkin- "Species Jump"

And the Nominees are...



*Mark Cendrowski- The Big Bang Theory (Episode: "The Bow Tie Asymmetry")
*Donald Glover- Atlanta (Episode: "FUBU")
*Bill Hader- Barry (Episode: "Chapter One: Make Your Mark"
*Mike Judge- Silicon Valley (Episode: "Initial Coin Offering")
*Hiro Murai- Atlanta (Episode: "Teddy Perkins")
*Jesse Peretz- GLOW (Episode: "Pilot")
*Amy Sherman-Palladino- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Episode: "Pilot")

And the Emmy goes to...

**Hiro Murai- Atlanta**

It's an expanded class in this category, but its Murai's work on "Teddy Perkins" that has jumped to the top of the pack. The episode is the most instantly recognizable of the seven nominees, and one of the most revered episodes of television in recent memory. The TV Academy could blow this though, and go for a big name; Glover won this last year, and "FUBU" is a strong directorial achievement, while they may also feel that this is the best category to recognize Hader's work. "Teddy Perkins" is, however, the favorite.

Power Rankings
1. "Teddy Perkins"
2. "FUBU"
3. "Chapter One: Make Your Mark"
4. "Pilot (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)"
5. "Pilot (GLOW)"
6. "Initial Coin Offering"
7. "The Bow Tie Asymmetry"

And the Nominees are...



*Jason Bateman- Ozark (Episode: "The Toll")
*Stephen Daldry- The Crown (Episode: "Paterfamilias")
*The Duffer Brothers- Stranger Things (Episode: "Chapter Nine: The Gate")
*Jeremy Podeswa- Game of Thrones (Episode: "The Dragon and the Wolf")
*Daniel Sackheim- Ozark (Episode: "Tonight We Improvise")
*Kari Skogland- The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "After")
*Alan Taylor- Game of Thrones (Episode: "Beyond the Wall")

And the Emmy goes to...

**Alan Taylor- Game of Thrones**

Another category where both Game of Thrones and The Handmaid's Tale are coming off of wins. Last year, Tale scored two nods here, and won for it's pilot episode. GOT won twice in a row in 2015 and 2016, for epic episodes "Mother's Mercy" and "Battle of the Bastards". This year, Thrones once again comes in with two nods, while Handmaid's Tale only scored one off of the two they submitted. Conventional wisdom splits here; Thrones scored two nods, so it has the advantage, or Handmaid's only has one, so there will be no vote splitting. Both are valid lines of thinking; nearkly every episode of GOT's seventh season had a huge set piece, and none really established themselves as the runaway achievement that was destined to win here ("The Spoils of War" could've, but it was carelessly snubbed here). That said, this category has been very nice to shows with multiple nominations here, giving it to them for the past three years, and four out of four times this decade; it does show strong support for these series.

While Skogland's work here is considered the favorite to many, I think that the large scale of Game of Thrones filmmaking will sway enough votes. Of the two episodes here, "Beyond the Wall" is, likely, the larger episode, with more expansive action and effects, and Taylor is a previous winner who's likely got a lot of backing across the various voting branches (he's a TV directing veteran). I think it also hurts that "After" doesn't have the heft that either of last years Handmaid's Tale nominees did, nor as much as other episodes that Skogland directed in the second season ("Baggage" or "Other Woman" would've been better selections). The fact that she's the only woman here, in a year post-#metoo, could certainly make a huge impact on her chances. This is a very close race.

Power Rankings
1. "Beyond the Wall"
2. "After"
3. "The Dragon and the Wolf"
4. "Chapter Nine: The Gate"
5. "The Toll"
6. "Paterfamilias"
7. "Tonight We Improvise"

And the Nominees are...



*Edward Berger- Patrick Melrose
*Scott Frank- Godless
*David Leveaux & Alex Rudzinski- Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert
*Barry Levinson- Paterno
*David Lynch- Twin Peaks
*Ryan Murphy- The Assassination of Gianni Versace (Episode: "The Man Who Would Be Vogue")
*Craig Zisk- The Looming Tower (Episode: "9/11")

And the Emmy goes to...

**David Lynch- Twin Peaks**

This is a tough category to call. Had Twin Peaks gotten a limited series nomination, I'd have called him a lock, but it's miss certainly impacts his chances; only four times has a winner here not directed a limited series/TV Movie nominee, and it hasn't happened since the early 1980s. Does this mean he's out? No, and I'm still picking him; he's the biggest name here, and this is a category that favors big names, as is it a category that favors directors who helm entire series. Three of those directors are here this year; Berger, Frank and Lynch. Of those, Berger's isn't big enough to really compete, leaving Frank and Lynch. My thinking is that they'll weigh Franks epic seven-parter less than they do Lynch's 18 installments.

What of the others then? Well, Murphy honestly looks to be the closest challenger, as his Versace is the heavy favorite and his name carries weight. He only directed one episode of the nine-part series this time, and I expect that voters will won't to give it to someone with an auteur's influence. A genuine spoiler here could be Superstar, as the degree of difficulty, it was a live musical, could earn Leveaux and Rudzinski a great deal of respect. I'm sticking with Lynch, but it wouldn't surprise me to get this wrong.

Power Rankings
1. Twin Peaks
2. "The Man Who Would Be Vogue"
3. Jesus Christ
4. Godless
5. Patrick Melrose
6. Paterno
7. "9/11"

And the Nominees are...



*Andre Allen- Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (Episode: "Episode 2061")
*Carrie Brownstein- Portlandia (Episode: "Riot Spray")
*Jim Hoskinson- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (Episode: "Episode 438")
*Don Roy King- Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Donald Glover")
*Tim Mancinelli- The Late Late Show with James Corden (Episode: "Episode 0416")
*Paul Pennolino- Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Episode: "Episode 421")

And the Emmy goes to...

**Don Roy King- Saturday Night Live**

Power Rankings
1. "Host: Donald Glover"
2. "Episode 421"
3. "Episode 0416"
4. "Riot Spray"
5. "Episode 438"
6. "Episode 2061"

And the Nominees are...



*Alec Berg- Silicon Valley (Episode: "Fifty-One Percent")
*Alec Berg & Bill Hader- Barry (Episode: "Chapter One: Make Your Mark")
*Donald Glover- Atlanta (Episode: "Alligator Man")
*Stefani Robinson- Atlanta (Episode: "Barbershop")
*Liz Sarnoff- Barry (Episode: "Chapter Seven: Loud, Fast and Keep Going")
*Amy Sherman-Palladino- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Episode: "Pilot")

And the Emmy goes to...

**Amy Sherman-Palladino- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel**

This category has followed a similar pattern for the past two years; two shows take up four spots, and the remaining two are taken by one show that has no chance of winning, and the eventual winner. This year, Atlanta and Barry are the multi-nominees, Silicon Valley is, as always, the loser, and I'm placing my money (not really) on Mrs. Maisel being the winner. It has superb dialogue, strong plotting, and beautifully sets up the series to come. It is also, among other things, hilarious, which likely gives it a leg up on the competition; pure comedy often trounces the more dramatically tinged. That's not to say this is a lock; Atlanta is such a smart, specific show that it's storytelling could be rewarded. If it were to win, it'd probably be name-brand Glover's "Alligator Man" that takes it (though why he didn't submit an obvious winner like "Teddy Perkins" here is beyond me). Barry is in a similar boat, though I expect it to split more votes; Berg and Hader are instantly recognizable names, which'll score them a few votes, but Sarnoff's "Chapter Seven" is the series' crowning achievement so far, which will take the wind out of "Chapter One"'s sails.

Power Rankings
1. "Pilot"
2. "Alligator Man"
3. "Chapter One: Make Your Mark"
4. "Chapter Seven: Loud, Fast and Keep Going"
5. "Barbershop"
6. "Fifty One Percent"

And the Nominees are...



*David Benioff & D.B. Weiss- Game of Thrones (Episode: "The Dragon and the Wolf")
*The Duffer Brothers- Stranger Things (Episode: "Chapter Nine: The Gate")
*Joel Fields & Joe Weisberg- The Americans (Episode: "START")
*Bruce Miller- The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "June")
*Peter Morgan- The Crown (Episode: "Mystery Man")
*Phoebe Waller-Bridge- Killing Eve (Episode: "Nice Face")

And the Emmy goes to...

**Joel Fields & Joe Weisberg- The Americans**

While Game of Thrones and The Handmaid's Tale are likely to duke it out for the top prize, I think The Americans will be able to best them both in writing. This is the series' last shot to take home an award; while the TV Academy have been known to be rather cold-hearted to shows in their final seasons, they've broken trend in the writing category. Breaking Bad, Friday Night Lights and The Sopranos all won for their final seasons (the last two for their finales). Of those, the middle winner has me feeling solid; Breaking Bad and The Sopranos were essentially guaranteed their victories, and came into their Emmys as the favorites to win Best Drama. Friday Night Light, however, came in as an underdog, in a year that had no clear frontrunner (Mad Men won it's fourth, but it was a close race with Boardwalk Empire, and a stale writing category (Mad Men had already won three straight). GOT and Tale have taken this category for the past three year (2015 and 2016 for Thrones; 2017 for Handmaid's), including the same potential winners (Benioff, Weiss, and Miller); I think that voters will see this, as well as the fact that this is the end for The Americans, and give Fields and Weisberg a goodbye hug.

Power Rankings
1. "START"
2. "June"
3. "The Dragon and the Wolf"
4. "Nice Face"
5. "Mystery Man"
6. "Chapter Nine: The Gate"

And the Nominees are...



*William Bridges & Charlie Brooker- Black Mirror: USS Callister
*Scott Frank- Godless
*Mark Frost & David Lynch- Twin Peaks
*Kevin McManus & Matthew McManus- American Vandal (Episode: "Clean Up")
*David Nicholls- Patrick Melrose
*Tom Rob Smith- The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (Episode: "House by the Lake")

And the Emmy goes to...

**William Bridges & Charlie Brooker- Black Mirror: USS Callister**

If Black Mirror could provide a bump in the road for a Big Little Lies sweep here last year, I feel like it should beat the lesser American Crime Story. That said, the fact that Tom Rob Smith wrote the whole of Versace, telling the story in reverse, will likely extend him a lot of respect from voters. As could Nicholls' work, condensing the Melrose book series to five one-hour episodes. Of those three, I still think that "USS Callister"'s wit and spinning of classic sci-fi tropes (while also critiquing male-nerd entitlement, among other things) will win the day, but it's a very close race.

Power Rankings
1. "USS Callister"
2. "House by the Lake"
3. Patrick Melrose
4. Godless
5. Twin Peaks
6. "Clean Up"

And the nominees are...

*Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
*Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
*Late Night with Seth Meyers
*The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
*Saturday Night Live

**Last Week Tonight with John Oliver**

Power Rankings
1. Last Week Tonight
2. Full Frontal
3. Late Show
4. Saturday Night Live
5. Late Night

Best Reality-Competition Program
**RuPaul's Drag Race**


Best Structured Reality Program
**Queer Eye**


Best Unstructured Reality Program
**United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell**


Best Variety Special (Live)
**Jesus Christ Superstar in Concert**


Best Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)
**The Carol Burnett 50th Anniversary Special**


Best Informational Series or Special
**Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown**


Best Documentary or Nonfiction Series
**Wild Wild Country**


Best Documentary or Nonfiction Special
**Icarus**


Best Animated Program
**Bob's Burgers (Episode: "V For Valentine-detta")**


Best Short-Format Animated Program
**Steven Universe (Episode: "Jungle Moon")**


Best Children's Program
**A Series of Unfortunate Events**


Best Short Form Comedy or Drama Series
**An Emmy for Megan**


Best Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series
**Anthony Bourdain: Explore Parts Unknown**


Short Form Variety Series
**Creating Saturday Night Live**


Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking
**Jane**


Best Original Interactive Program
**Blade Runner 2049: Memory Lab**


Best Interactive Program
**Last Week Tonight with John Oliver**


Best Creative Achievement in Interactive Media Within a Scripted Program
**Westworld: Chaos Takes Control Interactive Experience**


Best Creative Achievement in Interactive Media Within an Unscripted Program
**The Oscars: All Access**

Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
**Bill Hader- Saturday Night Live**


Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
**Jane Lynch- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel**


Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series
**Diana Rigg- Game of Thrones**


Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series
**Ron Cephas Jones- This Is Us**


Best Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series
**James Corden- James Corden's Next James Corden**


Best Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series
**Megan Amram- An Emmy for Megan**


Best Character Voice-Over Performance
**Seth MacFarlane- Family Guy (Episode: "Send in Stewie, Please")**


Best Narrator
**David Attenborough- Blue Planet II**

Best Casting for a Comedy Series
**GLOW**


Best Casting for a Drama Series
**Game of Thrones**


Best Casting for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special
**The Assassination of Gianni Versace**


Best Casting for a Reality Program
**Born This Way**


Best Choreography
**Chloe Arnold- The Late Late Show with James Corden (Routines: "The Greatest Showman"/"Crosswalk the Musical On Broadway")**

Best Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Series
**Gary Baum- Will & Grace (Episode: "A Gaye Olde Christmas")**


Best Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (Half-Hour)
**Christian Sprenger- Atlanta (Episode: "Teddy Perkins")**


Best Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One-Hour)
**Colin Watkinson- The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "June")**


Best Cinematography for a Limited Series or Movie
**Steven Meizler- Godless (Episode: "An Incident At Creede")**


Best Cinematography for Nonfiction Programming
**Gavin Thurston- Blue Planet II (Episode: "The Deep**)


Best Cinematography for Reality Programming
**Michael Jacob Kerber- RuPaul's Drag Race (Episode: "10s Across the Board")**

Best Commercial
**"Alexa Loses Her Voice"**


Best Costumes for a Period Series
**The Crown (Episode: "Dear Mrs. Kennedy")**


Best Costumes for a Fantasy/Sci-Fi Series
**Game of Thrones (Episode: "Beyond the Wall")**


Best Costumes for a Contemporary Series
**The Assassination of Gianni Versace (Episode: "The Man Who Would Be Vogue")**


Best Costumes for a Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Series
**RuPaul's Drag Race (Episode: "10s Across the Board")**

Best Directing for Nonfiction Programming
*Bryan Fogel- 13th**


Best Directing for a Variety Special
**Glenn Weiss- 90th Academy Awards**


Best Directing for a Reality Program
**Bertram van Munster- The Amazing Race**

Best Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series
**GLOW (Episode: "Pilot")**


Best Hairstyling for a Multi-Camera Series or Special
**Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert**


Best Hairstyling for a Limited Series or Movie
**The Assassination of Gianni Versace**


Best Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program
**RuPaul Charles- RuPaul's Drag Race**


Best Lighting Design / Lighting Direction for a Variety Series
**The Voice (Episode: "Live Finale (Part 1)")**


Best Lighting Design / Lighting Direction for a Variety Special
**Super Bowl LII Halftime Show Starring Justin Timberlake**

Best Main Title Design
**Westworld**


Best Make-up for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic)
**Game of Thrones (Episode: "The Dragon and the Wolf")**


Best Make-up for a Multi-Camera Series or Special (Non-Prosthetic)
**Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Tina Fey")**


Best Make-up for a Limited Series or Movie (Non-Prosthetic)
**American Horror Story: Cult**


Best Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Limited Series, Movie, or Special
**Game of Thrones (Episode: "The Dragon and the Wolf")**

Best Music Composition for a Series
**Ramin Djawadi- Game of Thrones (Episode: "The Dragon and the Wolf")**


Best Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special
**Daniel Pemberton- Black Mirror: USS Callister**


Best Music Direction
**Elton John: I'm Still Standing - A Grammy Salute**


Best Original Music and Lyrics
**Saturday Night Live- "Come Back Barack" (Episode: "Host: Chance the Rapper")**


Best Music Supervision
**Sean O'Meara- Westworld (Episode: "Akane no Mai")**


Best Original Main Title Theme Music
**Carlos Rafael Rivera- Godless**

Theme

Best Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series
**Katie Weiland- Game of Thrones (Episode: "The Spoils of War")**


Best Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series
**Jeff Buchanan- Barry (Episode: "Chapter Seven: Loud, Fast and Keep Going")**


Best Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Limited Series or Movie
**Duwayne Dunham, Brian Berdan, Jonathan P. Shaw, Justin Krohn, Jason W.A. Tucker, David Lynch- Twin Peaks (Episode: "Part 8")**


Best Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series
**Peter Beyt- Will & Grace (Episode: "Grandpa Jack")**


Best Picture Editing for Variety Programming
**Anthony Miale- Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Segment: "Wax President Harding")**


Best Picture Editing for Nonfiction Programming
**Neil Meiklejohn- Wild Wild Country (Episode: "Part 3")**


Best Picture Editing for a Structured or Competition Reality Program
**Jamie Martin, John Lim, Drew Forni and Michael Roha- RuPaul's Drag Race (Episode: "10s Across the Board")**


Best Picture Editing for an Unstructured Reality Program
**Rob Butler, Alexandra Moore, Ben Bulatao, Josh Earl, Greg Cornejo- Deadliest Catch (Episode: "Battle Lines")**

Best Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More)
**Twin Peaks**


Best Production Design for a Narrative Period or Fantasy Program (One Hour or More)
**Game of Thrones (Episode: "Dragonstone")**


Best Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour of Less)
**GLOW (Episode: "The Dusty Spur")**


Best Production Design for a Variety, Nonfiction, Reality, or Reality-Competition Series
**Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Bill Hader")**


Best Production Design for a Variety, Nonfiction, Event, or Award Special
**Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert**

Best Sound Editing for a Series (One-Hour)
**Game of Thrones (Episode: "The Spoils of War")**

Best Sound Editing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special
**Godless (Episode: "Homecoming")**

Best Sound Editing for a Series (Half-Hour) and Animation
**Star Wars Rebels (Episode: "A World Between Worlds")**

Best Sound Editing for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera)
**The Vietnam War (Episode: "Episode 6: Things Fall Apart (January 1968-July 1968)")**

Best Sound Mixing for Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour)
**Game of Thrones (Episode: "Beyond the Wall")**

Best Sound Mixing for a Limited Series or Movie
**Fahrenheit 451

Best Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation
**Barry (Episode: "Chapter Seven: Loud, Fast and Keep Going")**

Best Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special
**Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert**

Best Sound Mixing for Nonfiction Programming
**The Defiant Ones (Episode: "Episode 1")**

Best Special Visual Effects
**Game of Thrones (Episode: "Beyond the Wall")**


Best Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role
**The Alienist (Episode: "The Boy on the Bridge")**


Best Stunt Coordination for a Comedy Series
**GLOW**


Best Stunt Coordination for a Drama Series
**Game of Thrones**

Best Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Series
**Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Donald Glover")**

Best Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special
**Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert**

Best Writing for Nonfiction Programming
**Icarus**

Best Writing for a Variety Special
**Full Frontal with Samantha Bee: The Great American* Puerto Rico (*It's Complicated)**