Recently, the Emmy's released every person and show eligible in all of their categories for the 2014 Primetime Emmy's for their nomination ballot. This post is dedicated to everything related to Outstanding Lead Actor in both the comedy and drama series categories. It will be both who I think will actually earn a nomination as well as who I think deserves to earn a nomination. However, there is one main ground rule- I have to go off of the actual Emmy nomination ballot. Which means that if the actor isn't actually eligible to earn a nomination in real life, then he's not eligible to be mentioned in this post. Makes sense, doesn't it? Let's begin!
DRAMA
WHO I THINK WILL GET AN EMMY NOMINATION:
- Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)
- Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey)
- Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey)
- Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom)
- Jon Hamm (Mad Men)
- Kevin Spacey (House of Cards)
COLD HARD LOCKS: Cranston, Daniels, Hamm, McConaughey
STRONG EDUCATED GUESS: Bonneville, Spacey
WHAT I'M PROBABLY WRONG ABOUT: Martin Sheen (Masters of Sex) not earning a nomination
Last year, Bryan Cranston, Damien Lewis, Jeff Daniels, Jon Hamm, Kevin Spacey, and Hugh Bonneville all earned nominations, and the unfortunate thing for everyone is that they are all eligible again this year in this category.
Bryan Cranston and Matthew McConaughey are going to duke it out to determine who wins it all, which means both are locks to earn a nomination in 2014. Jeff Daniels won this category last year, which means he's also a lock to return. After that, it's really all a crap shoot with eight guys making legitimate cases to earn a nomination for only three spots.
I think on the next tier is Jon Hamm and Hugh Bonneville. Hamm has earned a nomination every single year Mad Men has been eligible, and I think he'll only fail to earn a nomination when the AMC drama goes off the air. Hugh Bonneville has earned two straight nominations, and the Emmy's absolutely fucking love Downton Abbey. So while TV critics and those who predict this stuff (like myself) may personally dislike the show and thinks it needs to make way for better and more deserving candidates, our feelings our irrelevant because we don't have Emmy votes. I think I might be the only person who predicts Bonneville will earn a nomination here, and I personally hope to be wrong because that mean someone more deserving will earn a nod, but I will never underrate the Emmy's love for Downton Abbey.
I think the last spot goes to Kevin Spacey because he's won two Oscars and he earned a nomination last year.
Martin Sheen, two-time Oscar nominee Woody Harrelson (True Detective), three-time Emmy winner James Spader (The Blacklist), 2012 Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series winner Damien Lewis (Homeland), and two-time Emmy nominee in this category Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire) all have legitimate chances to earn a nomination and all will be legitimate snubs if they don't earn a nomination.
Bryan Cranston and Matthew McConaughey are going to duke it out to determine who wins it all, which means both are locks to earn a nomination in 2014. Jeff Daniels won this category last year, which means he's also a lock to return. After that, it's really all a crap shoot with eight guys making legitimate cases to earn a nomination for only three spots.
I think on the next tier is Jon Hamm and Hugh Bonneville. Hamm has earned a nomination every single year Mad Men has been eligible, and I think he'll only fail to earn a nomination when the AMC drama goes off the air. Hugh Bonneville has earned two straight nominations, and the Emmy's absolutely fucking love Downton Abbey. So while TV critics and those who predict this stuff (like myself) may personally dislike the show and thinks it needs to make way for better and more deserving candidates, our feelings our irrelevant because we don't have Emmy votes. I think I might be the only person who predicts Bonneville will earn a nomination here, and I personally hope to be wrong because that mean someone more deserving will earn a nod, but I will never underrate the Emmy's love for Downton Abbey.
I think the last spot goes to Kevin Spacey because he's won two Oscars and he earned a nomination last year.
Martin Sheen, two-time Oscar nominee Woody Harrelson (True Detective), three-time Emmy winner James Spader (The Blacklist), 2012 Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series winner Damien Lewis (Homeland), and two-time Emmy nominee in this category Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire) all have legitimate chances to earn a nomination and all will be legitimate snubs if they don't earn a nomination.
IF I HAD AN EMMY BALLOT:
- Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)
- Jon Hamm (Mad Men)
- Martin Sheen (Masters of Sex)
- Matthew McConaughey (True Detective)
- Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire)
- Woody Harrelson (True Detective)
POTENTIAL OBVIOUS SNUB: Everyone who's not nominated
Outside of Damien Lewis (who's not even truly a lead actor anymore on a bad show), James Spader (I just personally haven't seen The Blacklist), and Hugh Bonneville (Fuck Downton Abbey), everyone who's name I've previously mentioned in this post who doesn't actually get nominated can be considered a "snub". This is just a super, super deep field this year.
Outside of Damien Lewis (who's not even truly a lead actor anymore on a bad show), James Spader (I just personally haven't seen The Blacklist), and Hugh Bonneville (Fuck Downton Abbey), everyone who's name I've previously mentioned in this post who doesn't actually get nominated can be considered a "snub". This is just a super, super deep field this year.
COMEDY
WHO I THINK WILL GET AN EMMY NOMINATION:
- Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
- Don Chedle (House of Lies)
- Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)
- Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory)
- Louis C.K. (Louie)
- Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory)
- Louis C.K. (Louie)
- Matt LeBlanc (Episodes)
ACTOR WHO COULD PLAY SPOILER: Michael J. Fox (The Michael J. Fox Show)
ACTOR WHO COULD PLAY SPOILER: Michael J. Fox (The Michael J. Fox Show)
COLD HARD LOCKS: Chedle, Parsons, LeBlanc, Louis C.K.
STRONG EDUCATED GUESS: Andy Samberg
WHAT I'M PROBABLY WRING ABOUT: Johnny Galecki earning the "sixth nomination spot"
Jim Parsons has won this award four times in the past five years, and he's not only a lock to earn a nomination in 2014, but he's a lock to win it all. Louis C.K. and Don Chedle have been nominated in this category for the past two years (it's been 3 in a row for Louis C.K.) and they're also locks. Matt LeBlanc wasn't nominated in 2012, but he was nominated in 2011 and 2013, and in this extremely weak year, I'd be stunned if he doesn't earn another one this year.
The other two spots are completely up in the air. Alec Baldwin (30 Rock) and Jason Bateman (Arrested Development) earned a nomination here last year, but obviously neither are eligible again this year. I think one of those free spots is guaranteed to go to Golden Globe winner Andy Samberg for his work on Brooklyn Nine-Nine. As for the "sixth spot," I have absolutely no idea.
The other two spots are completely up in the air. Alec Baldwin (30 Rock) and Jason Bateman (Arrested Development) earned a nomination here last year, but obviously neither are eligible again this year. I think one of those free spots is guaranteed to go to Golden Globe winner Andy Samberg for his work on Brooklyn Nine-Nine. As for the "sixth spot," I have absolutely no idea.
The previous former nominees of this category include Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men), Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Steve Carell (The Office), Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory), Matthew Morrison (Glee), and Tony Shalhoub (Monk). Curb, The Office, and Monk are not even on the air anymore, Matthew Morrison didn't make himself eligible is any category this year, and Charlie Sheen isn't around anymore to help paint Jon Cryer in a positive light in the eyes of Emmy voters. While Cryer, a former winner, certainly isn't outside the realm of possibility, I think the only name on this list that has a shot to earn back a nomination is Johnny Galecki. The Big Bang Theory is a huge hit which helps Galecki, but he hasn't earned a nomination since 2011 and people have started to realize that Sheldon (played by Jim Parsons) is the true star of the show.
The Crazy Ones is was a moderate hit in its rookie (and only) season, but it's lead actor Robin Williams is a movie star, an Oscar winner, and earned a Golden Globe nomination for his work on the CBS sitcom. However, he was also on a show that got cancelled, and I can't imagine Emmy voters (or really anyone) being a huge The Crazy Ones fan. The Showtime show Shameless made the move from drama to comedy this year, so it's lead actor Williams H. Macy is now eligible in this category for the first time. And while Macy is most certainly a movie star, but he's not nearly the household name Robin Williams is. While William H. Macy is legitimately in the running, I think Robin Williams gets a nomination ahead of him.
The dark horse looming over everything is Michael J. Fox (The Michael J. Fox Show). Never, ever, ever discount Michael J. Fox come TV award season. I don't care how good or bad his TV show is, this is Michael motherfucking J. Fox we're talking about. The Back to the Future actor has 15 Primetime Emmy nominations and five total wins between his work on Family Ties and Spin City while also guest starring on shows like Boston Legal, Rescue Me, and The Good Wife. Plus, he earned a Golden Globe nomination for his work on the show. As infuriating as it would be if Fox earned a nomination here, it won't be shocking.
The dark horse looming over everything is Michael J. Fox (The Michael J. Fox Show). Never, ever, ever discount Michael J. Fox come TV award season. I don't care how good or bad his TV show is, this is Michael motherfucking J. Fox we're talking about. The Back to the Future actor has 15 Primetime Emmy nominations and five total wins between his work on Family Ties and Spin City while also guest starring on shows like Boston Legal, Rescue Me, and The Good Wife. Plus, he earned a Golden Globe nomination for his work on the show. As infuriating as it would be if Fox earned a nomination here, it won't be shocking.
IF I HAD AN EMMY BALLOT:
- Adam DeVine (Workaholics)
- Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation)
- Anders Holm (Workaholics)
- Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation)
- Anders Holm (Workaholics)
- Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
- Blake Anderson (Workaholics)
- Blake Anderson (Workaholics)
- Joel McHale (Community)
There's a butt load of shows (Louie, Orange Is The New Black, Shameless) that are in this category that probably don't deserve to be, so if I had an Emmy ballot for this category, I would just dominate my ballot with shows I think are the funniest on television. I absolutely love Workaholics and since all three of its leads are eligible in this category, I'd nominate all three of them- kind of like the Modern Family effect. I'd also nominate Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele) here if either man correctly placed themselves in this category (they're both eligible in the Supporting Actor category).
There's a butt load of shows (Louie, Orange Is The New Black, Shameless) that are in this category that probably don't deserve to be, so if I had an Emmy ballot for this category, I would just dominate my ballot with shows I think are the funniest on television. I absolutely love Workaholics and since all three of its leads are eligible in this category, I'd nominate all three of them- kind of like the Modern Family effect. I'd also nominate Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele) here if either man correctly placed themselves in this category (they're both eligible in the Supporting Actor category).
POTENTIAL OBVIOUS SNUB: Joel McHale (Community)
I think Community has only gotten one major Primetime Emmy nomination in its five run, and that was for Outstanding Writing. It's a shame Emmy voters missed out on a smart and funny show. At the helm of it all is stand up Joel McHale, a man more than capable of being funny who is also able to bring the drama as well. McHale's Jeff Winger really matured in this fifth season after graduating and dealing with life outside of being a lawyer.
I think Community has only gotten one major Primetime Emmy nomination in its five run, and that was for Outstanding Writing. It's a shame Emmy voters missed out on a smart and funny show. At the helm of it all is stand up Joel McHale, a man more than capable of being funny who is also able to bring the drama as well. McHale's Jeff Winger really matured in this fifth season after graduating and dealing with life outside of being a lawyer.
DOES BRYAN CRANSTON DESERVE TO GO OUT A WINNER IN HIS LAST YEAR OF ELIGIBILITY, OR DOES MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY DESERVE TO GO HALFWAY TO EGOT IN A SINGLE YEAR?
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