2019 Emmy Picks: Drama

I have some time this summer, so I’m resurrecting this series where I try to predict who will be the nominees at this year’s Emmy Awards. With a lot of last year’s nominees ineligible, in theory it will be easy to predict who the Academy will make room for. But it probably won’t, especially in loaded categories like Actress in a Drama Series. Check out my picks for the Drama categories below.

The Night King on Game of Thrones
DRAMA SERIES
Better Call Saul (AMC)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
Homecoming (Amazon)
Killing Eve (BBC America)
Ozark (Netflix)
Succession (HBO)
This Is Us (NBC)

Potential Spoilers:
Billions (Showtime) – never nominated
Bodyguard (Netflix) – new show
Pose (FX) – new show

Ineligible: The Americans, The Crown, The Handmaid’s Tale, Stranger Things, Westworld

In my dreams: N/A

The skinny: With The Americans over and everyone else delayed or getting out of Game of Thrones‘ way, this category is wide open. There should be plenty of room for last year’s favorites that missed the cut here (Killing Eve, Ozark) and new shows (Homecoming, Succession), plus Better Call Saul, which was ineligible last year. While there’s plenty of love for Pose and Bodyguard, I think the power of HBO and Amazon will hold those new shows back. But of course, none of this matters, because Game of Thrones is winning yet again.

Richard Madden in Bodyguard
ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jason Bateman, Ozark
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Kit Harington, Game of Thrones
Richard Madden, Bodyguard
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Billy Porter, Pose

Potential Spoilers:
Kevin Costner, Yellowstone (1 win for Actor in a Limited Series for Hatfields & McCoys)
Brian Cox, Succession (1 win for Supporting Actor in a Limited Series for Nuremburg)
Stephan James, Homecoming (never nominated)
Jeremy Strong, Succession (never nominated)
Milo Ventimiglia, This Is Us (2)

Ineligible: Ed Harris, Matthew Rhys, Jeffrey Wright

In my dreams: Rufus Sewell, The Man in the High Castle

The skinny: I genuinely have no idea who might win this year, but I’m pretty confident in this line-up. I think Ventimiglia’s reduced role this season means he’ll lose his slot, leaving room for newbies like Richard Madden and Billy Porter.

Julia Roberts in Homecoming
ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jodie Comer, Killing Eve
Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones
Laura Linney, Ozark
Mandy Moore, This Is Us
Sandra Oh, Killing Eve
Julia Roberts, Homecoming

Potential Spoilers:
Christine Baranski, The Good Fight (6 nominations for this role on The Good Wife)
Sarah Snook, Succession (never nominated)
Robin Wright, House of Cards (5)

Ineligible: Claire Foy, Tatiana Maslany, Elisabeth Moss, Keri Russell, Evan Rachel Wood

In my dreams: Keeley Hawes, Bodyguard

The skinny: Another wide-open race, which means Jodie Comer and Mandy Moore will finally get their due. But House of Cards‘ limp finish means Robin Wright is toast. Now can it be a tie between Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh?

Peter Dinklage in Game of Thrones
SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul
Bobby Cannavale, Homecoming
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Game of Thrones
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Giancarlo Esposito, Better Call Saul
Justin Hartley, This Is Us

Potential Spoilers:
Kieran Culkin, Succession (never nominated)
Asia Kate Dillon, Billions (never nominated)
Matthew Macfadyen, Succession (never nominated)
Alan Ruck, Succession (never nominated)

Ineligible: Joseph Fiennes, David Harbour, Mandy Patinkin, Matt Smith

In my dreams: Shea Whigham, Homecoming

The skinny: It is well past time for Banks to get his, which means Dinklage is bound to win once again. (To be fair, no above-the-line talent involved in this season of Game of Thrones deserves an Emmy.) I think the Succession bros cancel each other out, but Macfadyen has the showiest role and thus might sneak in ahead of Justin Hartley.

Maisie Williams in Game of Thrones
SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Julia Garner, Ozark
Lena Headey, Game of Thrones
Chrissy Metz, This Is Us
Rhea Seehorn, Better Call Saul
Sophie Turner, Game of Thrones
Maisie Williams, Game of Thrones

Potential Spoilers:
Gwendoline Christie, Game of Thrones (never nominated)
Susan Kelechi Watson, This Is Us (never nominated)

Ineligible: Alexis Bledel, Millie Bobby Brown, Ann Dowd, Vanessa Kirby, Thandie Newton, Yvonne Strahovski

In my dreams: Fiona Shaw, Killing Eve

The skinny: They’re really gonna nominate three ladies for Game of Thrones and one of them isn’t going to be Gwendoline Christie. What a damn shame. At least Rhea Seehorn will finally get a long overdue nod. Almost the entire slate will be new this year, which will hopefully keep this category unpredictable.

Subtle symbolism in Game of Thrones
WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
Better Call Saul (“Wiedersehen”)
Bodyguard (“Episode 1”)
Game of Thrones (“The Iron Throne”)
Homecoming (“Stop”)
Killing Eve (“Nice and Neat”)
Succession (“Nobody Is Ever Missing”)

Potential Spoilers:
Better Call Saul (“Breathe” / “Quite a Ride” / “Something Beautiful” / “Talk” / “Winner”)
The Handmaid’s Tale (“Holly” / “The Word”)
Pose (Pilot episode)
This Is Us (“R&B”)

Ineligible: The Americans, The Crown, Stranger Things

In my dreams: Orange Is the New Black (“Be Free”)

The skinny: Feeling pretty confident in this line-up, though of course you could sub in any Better Call Saul episode. I can’t recall ever seeing a show submit a post-deadline episode in an off-cycle year like The Handmaid’s Tale is doing, so I doubt that will pay off.

A rare clear shot in Game of Thrones
DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
Better Call Saul (“Coushatta”)
Bodyguard (“Episode 1”)
Game of Thrones (“The Iron Throne”)
Game of Thrones (“The Long Night”)
Homecoming (“Protocol”)
Ozark (“Reparations”)
Pose (“Mother of the Year”)

Potential Spoilers:
Better Call Saul (“Breathe” / “Pinata” / “Quite a Ride” / “Smoke” / “Something Beautiful” / “Something Stupid” / “Talk”)
Game of Thrones (“The Last of the Starks”)
The Handmaid’s Tale (“Holly”)
Killing Eve (“Desperate Times” / “Nice and Neat”)
Ozark (“Game Day” / “One Way Out” / “Stag”)
Snowfall (“Education”)
Succession (“Nobody Is Ever Missing”)

Ineligible: The Crown, Stranger Things

In my dreams: This Is Us (“Vietnam”)

The skinny: They’re really going to give this to the episode of Game of Thrones no one could see, aren’t they?

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