Emmy Nomination Predictions

The nominations for the Emmy Awards are announced this Thursday morning (July 16th), so I though I'd give a try as guessing the nominees in the major series and acting categories. This year the categories have expanded to fit six nominees, which would suggest some surprises, but it's the Emmys, so the nominees will ultimately remain boring.

Drama Series:
24
Boston Legal
Damages
House
Lost
Mad Men

Essentially the same line-up as last year, except switching out Dexter for 24, which wasn't eligible last year. Most people are predicting True Blood to make the cut, but I have my doubts, seeing as it would have to jump the hurdles of being both a genre series and extremely gay. I consider both Breaking Bad and In Treatment as runners-up, which might take the place of either 24 or Lost.

Lead Actor, Drama:
Gabriel Byrne - In Treatment
Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad
Jon Hamm - Mad Men
Michael C. Hall - Dexter
Hugh Laurie - House
James Spader - Boston Legal

I simply guessed the same group of men as last year, but of those men, I consider only Hamm and Hall to be locks. Michael Chiklis, Kiefer Sutherland and Simon Baker have just as much chance at getting nods as the other four men. I also wouldn't be completely shocked by a surprise sympathy nomination for Patrick Swayze.

Least Actress, Drama:
Patricia Arquette - Medium
Glenn Close - Damages
Mariska Hargitay - Law & Order: SVU
Holly Hunter - Saving Grace
Sally Field - Brothers & Sisters
Kyra Sedgwick - The Closer

Look, I'm happy for the fact television is providing middle-aged actresses with prominent roles, and the Emmys are willing to notice them, but can we get a better group of nominees. The two best leading lady performances were given by Mary McDonnell and January Jones, yet I fear both will go unrecognized. McDonnell's snub will sting the most, seeing as it will be the fifth year in a row she'll go unnominated for one of the best performances on television ever.

Supporting Actor, Drama:
Jeremy Davies - Lost
Michael Emerson - Lost
William Hurt - Damages
John Mahoney - In Treatment
William Shatner - Boston Legal
John Slattery - Mad Men

Rather than going for more interesting performances by lesser known actors - Aaron Paul, Lucian Msamati, Ryan Kwanten, Michael Cudlitz - the Emmy voters will likely go for bigger named stars. I'm pretty sure about all my guesses, except for Davies, who could just as easily be replaced with John Larroquette or Josh Holloway.

Supporting Actress, Drama:
Candice Bergen - Boston Legal
Marcia Gay Harden - Damages
Katherine Heigl - Grey's Anatomy
Sandra Oh - Grey's Anatomy
Dianne Wiest - In Treatment
Chandra Wilson - Grey's Anatomy

For the most part, this is a boring line-up, and as much as I like Oh and Wilson, I don't feel they should be nominated year after year. If one of these actresses were to be passed over, I fear it would be Harden, who actually gave the best supporting performance this past television season, but then, who would replace her - Hope Davis, Rachel Griffiths, Alison Bill, Cherry Jones, Jane Kaczmarek?

Comedy Series:
30 Rock
The Big Bang Theory
Entourage
How I Met Your Mother
The Office
Two and a Half Men

I highly doubt CBS will garner three nods in this category, but what are the other options? Pushing Daisies was ignored last year, despite a slew of other nominations, so I'm guessing it won't get a nod this year. The only other serious choices would be Flight of the Concords or a Desperate Housewives return, though it would be a total kick if the Emmy voters went outside the box and gave a nomination to something like Chuck or Parks & Recreation.

Lead Actor, Comedy:
Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock
Steve Carrell - The Office
Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory
Lee Pace - Pushing Daisies
Tony Shaloub - Monk
Charlie Sheen - Two and a Half Men

This category should to be a lot more fun than it is. Sheen and Shaloub again? I'm just hopin Pace can hold on to that nomination, and not be replaced by Johnny Galecki, which I believe might happen. I usually like Galecki, and loved him on Roseanne, but he seems to just get steam-rolled by the rest of the Big Bang cast. My biggest fear is one of the Entourage leading men making it into this category. That's scary just thinking about it.

Lead Actress, Comedy:
Christina Applegate - Samantha Who?
America Ferrara - Ugly Betty
Tina Fey - 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus - The Old Adventures of New Christine
Mary-Louise Parker - Weeds
Amy Poehler - Parks & Recreation

A typical group of ladies, with the addition of Poehler for her first starring role. I wonder if Toni Collette might make an appearance, replacing Applegate or Ferrara. What about the Desperate Housewives? With a rejuvenated season (though, really only the first half seemed fresh) might one of them get a nod. If so, expect it to be Felicity Huffman, though Eva Longoria Parker was the real best-in-show. Plus, there's always Debra Messing waiting in the wings.

Supporting Actor, Comedy:
Jon Cryer - Two and a Half Men
Kevin Dillon - Entourage
Neil Patrick Harris - How I Met Your Mother
Tracy Morgan - 30 Rock
Jeremy Piven - Entourage
Rainn Wilson - The Office

It would be nice if John Krasinski finally got nominated, but I doubt it will ever happen, since he's the cute guy on the series. Actually do we even need this category, considering we all know Piven will win for the fourth time in a row? Piven can pretty much guarantee winning the award until either he takes his name out of submission (the respectable thing) or the show ends.

Supporting Actress, Comedy:
Judy Davis - The Starter Wife
Kristin Chenoweth - Pushing Daisies
Amy Poehler - Saturday Night Live
Jean Smart - Samantha Who?
Holland Taylor - Two and a Half Men
Vanessa Williams - Ugly Betty

This is probably the most wide open category with several serious contenders. Besides these women, you also have Conchata Ferrell, Jenna Fischer, Kristin Wiig, Dana Delaney, Swoozie Kurtz, Jaime Pressly, Elizabeth Perkins, Tracey Ullman (her category placement is weird) and Jane Krakowski. Krakowski definitely deserves a nod, but I fear she'll be passed over again, even though she had more screen time this season. Judy Davis is my completely-out-there guess, but I figure since she won last year for the same role in the mini-series/tv movie category, she has a decent shot at a nod this year.

Screen God Top 5 - Ralph Fiennes

1. Schindler's List (Steven Spielberg, 1993)

2. Quiz Show (Robert Redford, 1994)

3. The English Patient (Anthony Minghella, 1996)

4. The Constant Gardener (Fernando Meirelles, 2005)

5. Strange Days (Kathryn Bigelow, 1995)

Sunday Blessings - Jeremy Renner

This week's Sunday Blessings is devoted to actor Jeremy Renner, currently starring in the Kathryn Bigelow directed, Iraq war film, The Hurt Locker. Renner may seem an odd choice; he's doesn't fit the standard of beauty - his face is kind of short, the eyes set wide apart -but it works on him, and I find the man rather sexy. He's also a few years older than he looks. While looking for info on Renner, I found he was 38 years of age, yet I would have sworn he wasn't a day over 30/31. I'm guessing it's the babyface that makes him seem younger. Anyway, the actor first made an impact in the film industry playing serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer in Dahmer, a film which I have yet to see, though everyone keeps telling me to do so. Following the performance he garnered supporting roles in S.W.A.T., North Country, The Assassination of Jesse James..., and 28 Weeks Later, and while I always seemed to notice him - "oh, hey it's that guy" - it wasn't until the "zombie" movie that he truly grabbed my attention. In the film Renner gave a better performance than required (true of most of the cast), and he came off far sexier than before. I'm guessing it was the short-cropped hair and military uniform that did it for me. Plus, I love a man who can handle a large weapon. Renner also recently starred in the ABC drama series The Unusuals, about a group of New York City cops, giving a great performance. It would be nice if Emmy voters gave him an Emmy nomination, but I can pretty much guarantee that won't happen, considering the series' lack of success. As for The Hurt Locker, the film is gathering much accolades and awards buzz, but it's still early in the year, so whether or not that translates into actual Oscar nods remains to be seen. At least the film's critical success will provide Renner with more opportunities in the industry. Well, one hopes as much. Amen.

Hardy from Miami Social

Everytime I saw a commercial for the upcoming Bravo reality series Miami Social, I grew more and more convinced cast member Hardy seemed familiar, especially with that name. Then I remembered he was on the second season of Big Brother (yes, I actually watched the program when it first started). He was sexy, in a himbo sort of way, almost always appearing shirtless. I also remembered after appearing on the show, it came out he had appeared in a softcore film. I don't know why, but that makes me chuckle. As for Miami Social, I don't know if I'm going to watch it. Just from the commercials, I can already tell I'd have the urge to push these people off a cliff. Yeesh. Anyway, here are some images of Hardy from his "film." Ha.

Ryan Reynolds Is the Green Lantern

from Variety: Ryan Reynolds has landed the role of Hal Jordan in the upcoming Green Lantern film. It's not an inspiring choice for the role. I'd actually prefer Bradley Cooper who was also in the running or Nathan Fillion. I also don't understand why Reynolds needs to carry two superhero franchises simultaneously - Deadpool being the other. There seems to be this need by every upcoming actor to appear in as many franchises as possible - Christian Bale, Shia Labeouf, and now Reynolds. Spread the wealth! I'm now more interested in who the producers cast for the rest of the Green Lantern Corps, and there better be a Green Lantern Corp, since it's the best part of the series.

Bradley's crying because he didn't get the part.

"End" of the Week - Seann William Scott

From the straight-to-DVD movie Balls Out: Gary the Tennis Coach. They should have at released it in theatres for a limited time. That behind deserves to be seen on the big screen.

Adrien Brody's Man Cleavage

Oh Mr. Brody, we all know you're hot (in an offbeat sort of way) and you have a rocking body, but that doesn't excuse unappealing fashion choices. If you want to show off some skin and make a statement, go shirtless or just wear a wifebeater. You'd get the same point across without looking like a gay Japanese teenager.