With virtually all FYC events canceled and almost all productions halted, voters theoretically have had a lot more time to see more shows. And with new rules regarding the number of nominees in each category (which I still don’t fully understand), there’s the possibility of newcomers and frequently overlooked performers will finally get the attention they deserve. So here’s what I think will be nominated this year.

LIMITED SERIES
Hollywood (Netflix)
Mrs. America (Hulu)
The Plot Against America (HBO)
Unbelievable (Netflix)
Watchmen (HBO)
Potential surprises:
Defending Jacob (AppleTV+)
I Know This Much Is True (HBO)
Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu)
The Loudest Voice (Showtime)
Normal People (Hulu)
In my dreams: Briarpatch (USA)
The skinny: There were plenty of worthy limited series this past year (though not enough to have more than five nominees, but that’s another story). But this everyone who’s not Damon Lindelof should be happy just to be nominated. It’s too bad my beloved Briarpatch won’t be one of them.

TV MOVIE
American Son (Netflix)
Bad Education (HBO)
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (Netflix)
Transparent Musicale Finale (Prime)
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend (Netflix)
Potential surprises:
Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings: These Old Bones (Netflix)
Patsy and Loretta (Lifetime)
Togo (Disney+)
In my dreams: Into the Dark: Culture Shock (Hulu)
The skinny: A lot of epilogues to previous Emmy nominated shows here, plus one adaptation of a Broadway play and a movie that actually played at TIFF last year and was destined for theaters, but HBO won the bidding war so it’s technically a TV movie. It’s also the best of the bunch.

ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Russell Crowe, The Loudest Voice
Chris Evans, Defending Jacob
Jeremy Irons, Watchmen
Hugh Jackman, Bad Education
Aaron Paul, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
Mark Ruffalo, I Know This Much Is True
Potential surprises:
Sacha Baron Cohen, The Spy
Matthew Macfadyen, Quiz
Paul Mescal, Normal People
Jeremy Pope, Hollywood
In my dreams: Nick Offerman, Devs
The skinny: A truly impressive line-up of Oscar winners and nominees, plus one of the biggest movie stars in the world. But Ruffalo has this locked up.

ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Cate Blanchett, Mrs. America
Kaitlyn Dever, Unbelievable
Regina King, Watchmen
Kerry Washington, Little Fires Everywhere
Merritt Wever, Unbelievable
Reese Witherspoon, Little Fires Everywhere
Potential surprises:
Michelle Dockery, Defending Jacob
Daisy Edgar-Jones, Normal People
Shira Haas, Unorthodox
Kathryn Hahn, Mrs. Fletcher
Zoe Kazan, The Plot Against America
Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend
Helen Mirren, Catherine the Great
Amy Poehler, A Parks and Recreation Special
Octavia Spencer, Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker
Kerry Washington, American Son
In my dreams: Rosario Dawson, Briarpatch
The skinny: A lot of huge names duking it out for a finite number of spots (and I suppose it’s possible we get 7-8 here, thus increasing the number of nominees in the Lead Actor category… I think), but this is a two-person race between Regina King and Cate Blanchett. Both are giving the best performances on TV and anchored their sprawling series. I give King the slimmest of leads right now.
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