We’re less than one week away from the biggest night in television — the Primetime Emmy Awards! This year the ceremony will air live Sunday August 29 at 8pm on NBC and honor the best small screen achievements … or attempt to.
Yes, because history has proven that the right actor or actress doesn’t always take home the trophy, we want to make your Emmy ballots as spot-on as possible. To that end, PopWrap will break down one of the five major categories — Best Actor & Actress in a Drama, Best Actors & Actress in a Comedy, Best Supporting Actor & Actress in a Drama, Best Supporting Actor & Actress in a Comedy and Best Comedy & Drama Series — every day this week.
Yesterday we kicked things off with Best Supporting Actor & Actress in a Comedy [read our picks here] — today we take a look at their dramatic counterparts. And the nominees are…
John Slattery, “Mad Men”
Aaron Paul, “Breaking Bad”
Martin Short, “Damages”
Terry O’Quinn, “Lost”
Michael Emerson, “Lost”
Andre Braugher, “Men of a Certain Age”
Will win: Terry O’Quinn
Terry snagged this award in 2007 and I suspect the dynamic multiple personality performance “Lost’s” final season required of him will bring about the same result. He not only filled FLocke with a chilling, dark rage but imbued his flashsideways incarnation with a warmth we’ve never seen from John — or Terry — before.
Should win: Aaron Paul
With all of the acting love being showered on his “Breaking Bad” co-star Bryan Cranston over the last two seasons, it seems like Aaron’s shaping up to be the perennial bridesmaid despite delivering equally compelling work week after week.
Potential upset: Andre Braugher
He’s already won two Emmy’s — in 1998 & 2006 — and since his nomination came as something of a surprise, his win could do the same.
Sharon Gless, “Burn Notice”
Christine Baranski, “The Good Wife”
Christina Hendricks, “Mad Men”
Rose Byrne, “Damages”
Archie Panjabi, “The Good Wife”
Elisabeth Moss, “Mad Men”
Will win: Christina Hendricks
Although Joan Holloway Harris saw her screentime drastically reduced last season, every moment she filled the screen inevitably became an episode highlight. While I can’t say enough good things about her accordion performance, Christina smartly submitted the tractor episode, which was undoubtedly Joan’s shining moment.
Should win: Elisabeth Moss
Don’t take the fact Elisabeth was bumped from the lead to supporting category as an indication of anything other than strategy. Peggy was still the best serviced female character on “Mad Men,” snagging an equal number of storylines in and out of Sterling Cooper. Plus, she delivered a t-shirt ready catchphrase: “I’m Peggy Olson, and I want to smoke some marijuana.”
Potential upset: Archie Panjabi
I am readily aware that the above selections violate the rule I set forth yesterday — multiple nominees from the same show cancel one another out — so perhaps that why I keep finding myself visualizing Archie’s stunned walked to the podium.
Who do you want to win?
Photo: Getty Images; AMC; FX; ABC; TNT; USA; CBS