The 70th Emmy Awards Nominees and Our Predictions!

Morning!! Yesterday, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced its full list of Nominees for the 70th Emmy Awards.

Winners will be announced on Monday, September 17, 2018 at 8pm (ET) on NBC (the Creative Arts Emmy Awards will air Saturday, September 15 at 8pm (ET) on FXX).

You can read the full list of Nominees here, BUT, read on for our feelings on who should win a brief selection of categories (not who will win – I don’t have a say in that … yet).

Photo: Television Academy

Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series
Atlanta, “FUBU,” Donald Glover, Directed by
Atlanta, “Teddy Perkins,” Hiro Murai, Directed by
Barry, “Chapter One: Make Your Mark,” Bill Hader, Directed by
The Big Bang Theory, “The Bow Tie Asymmetry,” Mark Cendrowski, Directed by
GLOW, “Pilot,” Jesse Peretz, Directed by
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “Pilot,” Amy Sherman-Palladino, Directed by
Silicon Valley, “Initial Coin Offering,” Mike Judge, Directed by
PCR’s Pick: The Big Bang Theory, “The Bow Tie Asymmetry,” Mark Cendrowski, Directed by (ALWAYS PICK BBT!!)

Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series
The Crown, “Paterfamilias,” Stephen Daldry, Directed by
Game Of Thrones, “Beyond The Wall,” Alan Taylor, Directed by
Game Of Thrones, “The Dragon And The Wolf,” Jeremy Podeswa, Directed by
The Handmaid’s Tale, “After,” Kari Skogland, Directed by
Ozark, “The Toll,” Jason Bateman, Directed by
Ozark, “Tonight We Improvise,” Daniel Sackheim, Directed by
Stranger Things, “Chapter Nine: The Gate,” The Duffer Brothers, Directed by
PCR’s Pick:  Game Of Thrones, “The Dragon And The Wolf,” Jeremy Podeswa, Directed by 

Outstanding Directing For A Limited Series, Movie Or Dramatic Special
The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, “The Man Who Would Be Vogue,” Ryan Murphy, Directed by
Godless, Scott Frank, Directed by
Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert, David Leveaux, Directed by
Alex Rudzinski, Live Television Directed by
The Looming Tower, “9/11,”Craig Zisk, Directed by
Paterno, Barry Levinson, Directed by
Patrick Melrose, Edward Berger, Directed by
Twin Peaks, David Lynch, Directed by
PCR’s Pick: Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert, David Leveaux, Directed by
Alex Rudzinski, Live Television Directed by 

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
Atlanta, Donald Glover as Earnest Marks
Barry, Bill Hader as Barry
black-ish, Anthony Anderson as Andre Johnson
Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry David as Himself
The Good Place, Ted Danson as Michael
Shameless, William H. Macy as Frank Gallagher
PCR’s Pick: Barry, Bill Hader as Barry (I didn’t expect to like this show but I found it funny and earnest and Hader is as likable as ever.)

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
The Americans, Matthew Rhys as Philip Jennings
Ozark, Jason Bateman as Marty Byrde
This Is Us, Sterling K. Brown as Randall Pearson
This Is Us, Milo Ventimiglia as Jack Pearson
Westworld, Ed Harris as The Man in Black
Westworld, Jeffrey Wright as Bernard
PCR’s Pick: Westworld, Jeffrey Wright as Bernard (I really like everyone in this category and its hard for me not to choose Matthew Rhys for his final season of The Americans but Jeffrey Wright was absolutely maazing in Westworld!)

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Series Or Movie
The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, Darren Criss as Andrew Cunanan
Genius: Picasso, Antonio Banderas as Pablo Picasso
Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert, John Legend as Jesus Christ
The Looming Tower, Jeff Daniels as John O’Neill
Patrick Melrose, Benedict Cumberbatch as Patrick Melrose
USS Callister (Black Mirror), Jesse Plemons as Robert Daly
PCR’s Pick:  Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert, John Legend as Jesus Christ (JCS Was an amazing spectacle and legend was the driving force for that success).

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
Better Things, Pamela Adlon as Sam Fox
black-ish, Tracee Ellis Ross as Rainbow Johnson
Grace And Frankie, Lily Tomlin as Frankie Bergstein
Insecure, Issa Rae as Issa Dee
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Rachel Brosnahan as Miriam ‘Midge’ Maisel
Mom, Allison Janney as Bonnie Plunkett
PCR’s Pick:  The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Rachel Brosnahan as Miriam ‘Midge’ Maisel (Funny show that deserves the Emmys Love!).

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
The Americans, Keri Russell as Elizabeth Jennings
The Crown, Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II
The Handmaid’s Tale, Elisabeth Moss as Offred / June Osborne
Killing Eve, Sandra Oh as Eve Polastri
Orphan Black, Tatiana Maslany as Sarah Manning and 8 million other characters
Westworld, Evan Rachel Wood as Dolores
PCR’s Pick:  The Crown, Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II (Foy gave a masterclass in acting in S2 of The Crown. best performance of anyone this year).

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Series Or Movie
American Horror Story: Cult, Sarah Paulson as Ally Mayfair-Richards
Godless, Michelle Dockery as Alice Fletcher
Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders, Edie Falco as Leslie Abramson
Seven Seconds, Regina King as Latrice Butler
The Sinner, Jessica Biel as Cora Tannetti
The Tale, Laura Dern as Jennifer
PCR’s Pick:  Godless, Michelle Dockery as Alice Fletcher (everyone in Godless deserves Emmys love!).

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Atlanta, Brian Tyree Henry as Alfred ‘Paper Boi’ Miles
Barry, Henry Winkler as Gene Cousineau
Baskets, Louie Anderson as Christine Baskets
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Tony Shalhoub as Abe Weissman
Saturday Night Live, Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump
Saturday Night Live, Kenan Thompson as Various Characters
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Tituss Burgess as Titus Andromedon
PCR’s Pick:   Barry, Henry Winkler as Gene Cousineau (Winkler is doing some of his best work in Barry – watch for him alone).

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
The Crown, Matt Smith as Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Game Of Thrones, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jaime Lannister
Game Of Thrones, Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister
The Handmaid’s Tale, Joseph Fiennes as Commander Waterford
Homeland, Mandy Patinkin as Saul Berenson
Stranger Things, David Harbour as Jim Hopper
PCR’s Pick:  The Crown, Matt Smith as Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (this is another category where I love all of these performances but if Foy was the best performance of this year, Smith was a close second in his second season playing the aggrieved and restless Prince Philip).

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Limited Series Or Movie
The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, Ricky Martin as Antonio D’Amico
The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, Edgar Ramírez as Gianni Versace
The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, Finn Wittrock as Jeffrey Trail
Godless, Jeff Daniels as Frank Griffin
Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert, Brandon Victor Dixon as Judas
The Looming Tower, Michael Stuhlbarg as Richard Clarke
Waco, John Leguizamo as Jacob Vazquez
PCR’s Pick:   Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert, Brandon Victor Dixon as Judas (Dixon was an unexpected delight in JCS – as much fun to listen to as Legend!).

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Atlanta, Zazie Beetz as Van
GLOW, Betty Gilpin as Debbie Eagan
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Alex Borstein as Susie
Roseanne, Laurie Metcalf as Jackie Harris
Saturday Night Live, Aidy Bryant as Various Characters
Saturday Night Live, Leslie Jones as Various Characters
Saturday Night Live, Kate McKinnon as Various Characters
Will & Grace, Megan Mullally as Karen Walker
PCR’s Pick:  Roseanne, Laurie Metcalf as Jackie Harris (Laurie Metcalf should win all the awards always).

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
The Crown, Vanessa Kirby as Princess Margaret
Game Of Thrones, Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister
The Handmaid’s Tale, Alexis Bledel as Ofglen
The Handmaid’s Tale, Ann Dowd as Aunt Lydia
The Handmaid’s Tale, Yvonne Strahovski as Serena Joy
Stranger Things, Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven
Westworld, Thandie Newton as Maeve
PCR’s Pick:  Stranger Things, Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven (a tough category filled with brilliant performances — MBB as Eleven is what makes that show work)

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Limited Series Or Movie
American Horror Story: Cult, Adina Porter as Beverly Hope
The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, Penélope Cruz as Donatella Versace
The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, Judith Light as Marilyn Miglin
Black Museum (Black Mirror), Letitia Wright as Nish
Godless, Merritt Wever as Mary Agnes
Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert, Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene
PCR’s Pick:  Godless, Merritt Wever as Mary Agnes (I actually think I liked Weaver’s performance in Godless more than Dockery’s so I have to give her the vote here).

Outstanding Comedy Series
Atlanta • FX Networks
Barry • HBO
black-ish • ABC
Curb Your Enthusiasm • HBO
GLOW • Netflix
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel • Prime Video
Silicon Valley • HBO
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt • Netflix
PCR’s Pick:  Barry • HBO (quiet and hysterical, Barry was my favorite unexpected enjoyment of this last TV season).

Outstanding Drama Series
The Americans • FX Networks
The Crown • Netflix
Game Of Thrones • HBO
The Handmaid’s Tale • Hulu
Stranger Things • Netflix
This Is Us • NBC
Westworld • HBO
PCR’s Pick:  The Crown • Netflix (I’d like to give The Americans the nod here for their swan song but The Crown S2 was just too damn good!).

Outstanding Limited Series
The Alienist • TNT
The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story • FX Networks
Genius: Picasso • National Geographic
Godless • Netflix
Patrick Melrose • Showtime
PCR’s Pick:   The Alienist • TNT (Godless is a close second pick for me but The Alienist was freaking amazing!).

Outstanding Television Movie
Fahrenheit 451 • HBO
Flint • Lifetime
Paterno • HBO
The Tale • HBO
USS Callister (Black Mirror) • Netflix
PCR’s Pick:  USS Callister (Black Mirror) • Netflix (I LOVE all things Black Mirror!)

Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series
Atlanta, “igator Man,”Donald Glover, Written by
Atlanta, “Barbershop,” Stefani Robinson, Written by
Barry, “Chapter One: Make Your Mark,” Alec Berg, Written by
Bill Hader, Written by
Barry, “Chapter Seven: Loud, Fast And Keep Going,” Liz Sarnoff, Written by
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “Pilot,” Amy Sherman-Palladino, Written by
Silicon Valley, “Fifty-One Percent,” Alec Berg, Written by
PCR’s Pick:  Barry, “Chapter One: Make Your Mark,” Alec Berg, Written by
Bill Hader, Written by (the pilot sucked your right into Barry’s world).

Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series
The Americans, “Start,” Joel Fields, Written by
Joe Weisberg, Written by
The Crown, “Mystery Man,” Peter Morgan, Written by
Game Of Thrones, “The Dragon And The Wolf,” David Benioff, Written by
D.B. Weiss, Written by
The Handmaid’s Tale, “June,” Bruce Miller, Teleplay by
Killing Eve, “Nice Face,” Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Written by
Stranger Things, “Chapter Nine: The Gate,” The Duffer Brothers, Written by
PCR’s Pick:  Killing Eve, “Nice Face,” Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Written by (I don’t know that there was better writing on TV this season than in Killing Eve)

Outstanding Writing For A Limited Series, Movie Or Dramatic Special
American Vandal, “Clean Up,” Kevin McManus, Written by and Matthew McManus, Written by
The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, “House By The Lake,” Tom Rob Smith, Written by
Godless, Scott Frank, Written by
Patrick Melrose, David Nicholls, Written by
Twin Peaks, David Lynch, Written by and Mark Frost, Written by
USS Callister (Black Mirror), William Bridges, Written by and Charlie Brooker, Written by
PCR’s Pick:  Godless, Scott Frank, Written by (Godless – a must watch for a day you’re looking to binge something new)!

 

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