It's Emmy Time again!

It's that time of year again... Time for the 2011 Emmy Awards. When the actors, writers, producers and below the line folks slap each other on the back and congratulate each other for creating great ways for people to waste time, and ignore what's happening in the world, even if only for 22 minutes at a time. However, I never miss it, as it is one of my most favorite nights of the year. I'm going to try to live -blog again this year, but in case I don't quite make it, here are my picks for the top awards. It includes both my picks and what the TV academy will choose in all their wisdom. Sometimes we agree, but more often we don't. Such is life.


Outstanding Comedy
Glee
30 Rock
Modern Family
Parks & Recreation
The Big Bang Theory
The Office

Who Should Win: Parks & Recreation
Who Will Win: Modern Family
Parks & Recreation is bar none the best comedy out there, but I get the feeling that the Academy still doesn't know it exists. And, Parks & Rec deserves it if only to make up for the horrible absence of Nick Offerman's Ron Swanson.



Outstanding Drama
Boardwalk Empire
Dexter
Friday Night Lights
Game of Thrones
Mad Men
The Good Wife

Who Should Win: Friday Night Lights
Who Will Win: Mad Men
I know, I know, all the pundits said that Mad Men had a great season, and I don't disagree, but Friday Night Lights made me laugh, cry and care about these characters. And, if I want Friday Night Lights to win so that the next network isn't afraid to take a chance on a show like this, then so be it. Mad Men will be around for another two years.


Outstanding Reality Show
American Idol (Fox)
Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
Project Runway (Lifetime)
So You Think You Can Dance (FOX)
The Amazing Race (CBS)
Top Chef (Bravo)

Who Should Win: Amazing Race
Who Will Win: Amazing Race
This is the only reality show that doesn't bore me at some point in the season, and the Academy clearly likes it.


Lead Actor in a Comedy
Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)
Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory)
Louis C.K. (Louie)
Matt LeBlanc (Episodes)
Stave Carrell (The Office)

Who Should Win: Louis C.K.
Who Will Win: Alec Baldwin
Since the Big Bang crew will probably split the vote, the voters probably don't see Louis as anything more than a stand-up comedian trying to act and I will be horrified if Matt LeBlanc gets, I think this is really a race between Baldwin and Carrell, and I think Baldwin takes it in a close one. Though, I would like Carrell to win it for his swan song. Over the past several years, he really made me like Michael Scott to the extent that I will miss this fictional character in this next season's The Office.

Lead Actress in a Comedy
Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)
Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie)
Laura Linney (The Big C)
Martha Plimpton (Raisint Hope)
Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly)

Who Should Win: Amy Poehler
Who Will Win: Laura Linney
An awful lot of Parks & Recreation creative success over the past two years can be attributed to the sheer likeability of Amy Poehler, but we all know how much the Academy likes their premium cable stars. That said, I would not be sad if Martha Plimpton wins it, because she's great on Raising Hope (as is the rest of that cast).



Supporting Actor in a Comedy
Chris Colfer (Glee)
Ed O'Neill (Modern Family)
Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family)
Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family)
Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men)
Ty Burrell (Modern Family)

Who Should Win: Ed O'Neill
Who Will Win: Jon Cryer
This is a tough one. I really think that Modern Family will be splitting the vote, making it a race between Chris Colfer and Jon Cryer. I think Jon Cryer will win this as an atta-boy for having survived several years working with Charlie Sheen.


Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Betty White (Hot in Cleveland)
Jane Krakowski (30 Rock)
Jane Lynch (Glee)
Julie Bowen (Modern Family)
Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live)
Sofia Vergara (Modern Family)

Who Should Win: Jane Krakowski
Who Will Win: Sofia Vergara
Another tough category. I've like Julie Bowen since her "Ed" days, but I think in a head to head matchup with her co-star, Sofia Vergara wins it. Jane Lynch is often the best thing about Glee, but a little Sue Sylvester goes an awful long way, and I think they overused her this season. Though, she is hosting the awards show, and if she doesn't win, that could make for an awkward ceremony (as the supporting awards are usually the first to be announced. Fore me, its between Jane Krakowski and Kristen Wiig, and while Wiig is reliant on good sketches (which at times seem hard to come by on SNL), Krakowski has a more solid writing staff behind her, and so has a more solid output.


Lead Actor in a Drama
Hugh Laurie (House)
Jon Hamm (Mad Men)
Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights)
Michael C. Hall (Dexter)
Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire)
Timothy Olyphant (Justified)

Who Should Win: Kyle Chandler
Who Will Win: Jon Hamm
I know Jon Hmm is great and I don't care. Kyle Chandler (and Connie Britton) were the reasons I tuned into Friday Night Lights, as Mr. and Mrs. Coach tied the show together. However, I readily admit that this is an awfully tough category, and I can make a case of any of the nominees to walk away with the statue.

Lead Actress in a Drama
Connie Britton (Friday Night LIghts)
Eisabeth Moss (Mad Men)
Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife)
Kathy Bates (Harry's Law)
Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: SVU)
Mireille Enos (The Killing)

Who Should Win: Connie Britton
Who Will Win: Julianna Margulies
This is a horse race between Julianna Margulies and Elisabeth Moss, but since Margulies carries carries the show, I'm giving it to her. However, I do hope that Britton wins, because I will miss her Mrs. Coach. And, I don't see myself watching more than a couple of episodes of her new show on FX.

Supporting Actor in a Drama
Alan Cumming (THe Good Wife)
Andre Braugher (Men of a Certain Age)
Josh Charles (The Good Wife)
Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones)
Walton Goggins (Justified)
John Slattery (Mad Men)

Who Should Win: Alan Cumming
Who Will Win: Walton Goggins
Another tough category. Ordinarily I'd give it to Alan Cumming because he always brings it, but I'm afraid he will split the vote with his co-star. As much as I'd like Andre Braugher to win, because he is routinely the best thing on-screen, I think Walton Goggins is going to take it home.



Supporting Actress in a Drama
Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife)
Christina Hendricks (Mad Men)
Christine Baranski (The Good Wife)
Kelly MacDonald (Boardwalk Empire)
Margo Martindale (Justified)
Michelle Forbes (The Killing)

Who Should Win: Archie Panjabi
Who Will Win: Kelly MacDonald
Okay, I'll say it, this has been a pretty good year for television, as once again we have a category that is hard to pick a winner of. Archie Panjabi won last year and while I would love to see her win again, I think she and Baranski are going to split the vote (which seems to be a pattern this year). Christina Hendricks is always good, but I think this season she plain didn't have enough to do. Kelly MacDonald will take the only acting award for Boardwalk Empire.