EMMY PREDICTIONS
DRAMA SERIES
“Andor” “Better Call Saul” “The Crown” “House of the Dragon” “Succession” “The White Lotus” “The Last of Us” “Yellowjackets” Predicted winner: “Succession.” This one’s almost a nobrainer, given the HBO series’ popularity and riveting storyline that, in the buzzy f inale, crowned a successor to the Waystar Royco empire. A show everyone was, and still is, talking about. That said, I think “The Last of Us” deserves to win for its dystopian horror with unexpected emotional connections and an edge-of-your seat pace.”
COMEDY SERIES
“Abbott Elementary” “Barry” “The Bear” “Jury Duty” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” “Only Murders in the Building” “Ted Lasso” “Wednesday” Predicted winner: “The Bear” I didn’t think Season 2 was all that — “Barry” is a far superior series — but the show’s rabid fans disagree. Voters will bestow a statuette, if only for the reams of good press the series generated.
BEST ACTOR, DRAMA Jeff Bridges,
“The Old Man” Brian Cox, “Succession” Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul” Pedro Pascal, “The Last of Us” Jeremy Strong, “Succession” Predicted winner: Jeremy Strong His riveting performance deserves an Emmy. And, let’s face it, is there another performer in this category who made more headlines for their “method” acting? Whatever he did, it worked.
BEST ACTRESS, DRAMA
Sharon Horgan, “Bad Sisters” Melanie Lynskey, “Yellowjackets” Elisabeth Moss, “The Handmaid’s Tale” Bella Ramsey, “The Last of Us” Keri Russell, “The Diplomat” Sara Snook, “Succession” Predicted winner: Melanie Lynskey. I just have a feeling about this one. We’ve seen enough of Elisabeth Moss already in a series that should’ve ended two seasons ago.
BEST ACTOR, COMEDY
Bill Hader, “Barry” Jason Segel, “Shrinking” Martin Short, “Only Murders in the Building” Jason Sudeikis, “Ted Lasso” Jeremy Allen White, “The Bear” Predicted winner: Jeremy Allen White I wouldn’t exactly brand “The Bear” as a comedy, but it’s hard to take your eyes off of White when he’s celebrating, ruminating or melting down as Carmy Berzatto.
BEST ACTRESS, COMEDY Christina Applegate, “Dead to Me” Rachel Brosnahan, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary” Natasha Lyonne, “Poker Face” Jenna Ortega, “Wednesday” Predicted winner: Natasha
Lyonne. It’s her time to shine. And why are we still talking about “Maisel”? Sheer laziness on the part of Academy voters.