Emmy Guide 2020: Comedy and Variety

COMEDY SERIES
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
Dead to Me (Netflix)
The Good Place (NBC)
Insecure (HBO)
The Kominsky Method (Netflix)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime)
Schitt’s Creek (Pop)
What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Should and will win: Schitt’s Creek
Could win: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Should have been nominated: The Great (Hulu)

The skinny: It’s been a long time coming. While it’s sad The Good Place never got its due, Schitt’s Creek was the warmest, most open show on TV for six seasons. It will be a night of worthy sweeps.

While I was glad to see What We Do in the Shadows get some love, it’s sad The Great didn’t get the same attention.

COMEDY ACTOR
Anthony Anderson, black-ish
Don Cheadle, Black Monday
Ted Danson, The Good Place
Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method
Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Ramy Youssef, Ramy

Should win: Ted Danson
Could win: Ramy Youssef
Will win: Eugene Levy
Should have been nominated: Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm

The skinny: While I still think Danson should have won for giving the evil Michael a soul (metaphorically and literally), Levy is almost certain to win. As the straight man in the ensemble, he doesn’t have as many chances for memorable catchphrases and moments, but he’s been one of the funniest people on earth for decades. It’s time.

COMEDY ACTRESS
Christina Applegate, Dead to Me
Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Linda Cardellini, Dead to Me
Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek
Issa Rae, Insecure
Tracee Ellis Ross, black-ish

Should and will win: Catherine O’Hara
Could win: Rachel Brosnahan
Should have been nominated: Elle Fanning, The Great

The skinny: It seemed like she was close last year. This year, nothing is standing in the way of the great Moira Rose.

COMEDY SUPPORTING ACTOR
Mahershala Ali, Ramy
Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method
Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Sterling K. Brown, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
William Jackson Harper, The Good Place
Dan Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Kenan Thompson, Saturday Night Live

Should win: William Jackson Harper
Could win: Dan Levy
Will win: Mahershala Ali
Should have been nominated: Walton Goggins, The Righteous Gemstones

The skinny: A wide-open race. I don’t think the love for Schitt’s Creek will extend to the Rose children, but it’s certainly possible. I think anyone has a legitimate shot here, but I’m going with Ali, who’s won two Oscars in the last five years and should have won last year for True Detective.

But this category is missing one shiny piece: Walton Goggins as Uncle Baby Billy. The man got struck by lightning and sang about running through the house with a pickle in his mouth. What more do voters want?

COMEDY SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
D’Arcy Carden, The Good Place
Betty Gilpin, GLOW
Marin Hinkle, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
Annie Murphy, Schitt’s Creek
Yvonne Orji, Insecure
Cecily Strong, Saturday Night Live

Should win: D’Arcy Carden
Could win: Alex Borstein
Will win: Yvonne Orji
Should have been nominated: Phoebe Fox, The Great

The skinny: While I would love for D’Arcy Carden to finally get her due, I think it’s Orji – as Insecure’s sparkplug – who has the momentum this year. But don’t be shocked if Borstein takes it for a third straight year.

Yet Phoebe Fox outdoes all of the ladies here. Her performance as disgraced lady Marial is one of my favorites of the year.

COMEDY WRITING
The Good Place (“Whenever You’re Ready”)
The Great (“The Great”)
Schitt’s Creek (“Happy Ending”)
Schitt’s Creek (“The Presidential Suite”)
What We Do in the Shadows (“Ghosts”)
What We Do in the Shadows (“On the Run”)

Should win: The Good Place
Could win: What We Do in the Shadows (“On the Run”)
Will win: Schitt’s Creek (“Happy Ending”)
Should have been nominated: Silicon Valley (“Exit Event”)

The skinny: An embarrassment of riches here. The Good Place‘s finale left me sobbing and What We Do in the Shadows‘ Jackie Daytona episode left me in stitches. But it’s the wonderful Schitt’s Creek finale that’s going to win.

COMEDY DIRECTING
The Great (“The Great”)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (“It’s Comedy or Cabbage”)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (“Marvelous Radio”)
Modern Family (“Finale, Part 2”)
Ramy (“miakhalifa.mov”)
Schitt’s Creek (“Happy Ending”)
Will & Grace (“We Love Lucy”)

Should win: The Great
Could win: Ramy
Will win: Schitt’s Creek
Should have been nominated: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (“The Janitor Always Mops Twice”)

The skinny: Don’t overthink it. Schitt’s Creek has this one in the bag.

VARIETY TALK SERIES
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS)
Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)

Should and will win: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Could win: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Should have been nominated: Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)

The skinny: No surprises here. Oliver is the best in the biz, and he’ll win for the fifth straight year.

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