John Goodman, "Treme"

Nomination Status: Probably the best shot for "Treme," but also probably on the outside

In His Favor: Goodman has a big, showy part on a well regarded show and he's the best known actor on said show. On a show often notable for understated character turns, Goodman has the larger-than-life character you can't miss. [Yes. Those two sentences said roughly the same thing, but it's a point that seems to require repeating.] He's also an Emmy favorite, with 10 nominations and one win (for his "Studio 60" guest spot) to his credit.

Working Against Him: A fun (and depressing) game: Count the number of acting Emmy nominations for David Simon's "The Corner," "The Wire" and "Generation Kill." It won't take you very long. The answer is "zero." Simon does ensembles in which everybody is part of a tapestry, so it's sometimes hard for individuals to stand out. It doesn't help that few shows in the Emmy race have a smaller audience than "Treme."