Emmy Nomination Preview 2012 - Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy
Lena Dunham, Zooey Deschanel, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and more charge a stacked category
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy
Attrition: We've got a bit of a problem here. All six nominees return for another shot at this category, including winner Melissa McCarthy. However, by my very conservative count, there are at least four new candidates who all have STRONG claims on nominations for a variety of reasons. And then there are two or three new contenders who *I* would strongly consider giving votes to if I had votes. It's reasonable to look at that Top 6 and imagine a minimum of two or three dropping out of the category and very plausibly three or four, including last year's winner. And it's not like the six women nominated LAST year weren't worthy. So... Yeah. I'm less sure of my predictions in this category than any other gallery I've done so far.
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June 25, 2012 at 2:09AM EST Reply to CommentPersonally I'd give it to Krysten Ritter. She came out of almost nowhere and had such confidence and was often extremely funny on Apt 23. Her costars were fun but she was like this ball of energy that put this show on the map.
David
June 25, 2012 at 2:32AM EST Reply to CommentShame that Mary-Louise Parker doesn't even warrant a slide. Her performance has always been phenomenal, regardless of what anyone makes of the overall quality of Weeds. I think Nancy Botwin is a character that should have an Emmy, but the time has obviously passed years ago.
dan David - I always love Mary-Louise Parker and I've been a supporter of hers and the show's later into its run than most critics, but the time for Emmy nods for that show has passed. She *does* have a better chance of being nominated than Rachel Bilson, but I like to keep these galleries fresh and unpredictable...
June 25, 2012 at 12:17PM EST-Daniel
David Not at all a critique of your work as much as a lament that you've accurately represented that she has no shot anymore.
June 25, 2012 at 12:30PM ESTAlso I was more than down for the inclusion of the Bilson slide.
Mike
June 25, 2012 at 3:00AM EST Reply to CommentThis is a pretty brave gallery Dan... betting against Laura Dern AND Edie Falco AND Laura Linney? At the Emmys?! Seriously though, this category is wide open from top to bottom (although I'd feel pretty confident predicting Fey, Poehler, and Louis-Dreyfus).
Lili Fey, Poehler, and Louis-Dreyfus are safe. I have no idea who will be the other three.
June 25, 2012 at 8:11AM ESTdan Mike - In most of the other galleries so far, I've been reasonably confident of getting 5-of-6 nominees. In this gallery, I could just as easily go 3-for-6 or 6-for-6. Total crapshoot and I don't like excluding the three actresses you mentioned. The idea that all three will be snubbed is hard for me to handle either...
June 25, 2012 at 12:16PM EST-Daniel
gregel
June 25, 2012 at 4:45AM EST Reply to CommentI am not convinced on Dunham. I think she gets a writing or directing nod instead.
Lili I'd vote for "All Adventurous Women Do" to win Best Writing for a Comedy Series.
June 25, 2012 at 8:07AM ESTPaul G.
June 25, 2012 at 7:05AM EST Reply to CommentThe Kat Dennings write-up has to be a dare right?
You've got: ample, major, huge, full and too big, right next to a picture of Kat's cleavage.
Barry Kat Dennings would definitely make it into the 'Breast Actress' category along with Christina Hendricks and 4 others that I can't think of at the minute. Suggestions are of course most welcome.
June 25, 2012 at 6:06PM ESTSAULO @BARRY What about Sofia Vergara and Katey Sagal??
June 25, 2012 at 8:14PM ESTJohn
June 25, 2012 at 10:26AM EST Reply to CommentDaniel - Thank you so much for using 'eponymous' rather than 'titular' in the write up for Krysten Ritter. Huge pet peeve of mine, and it is great not having to cringe while reading.
dan John - It's one of my pet peeves as well... I have a wide assortment of mistakes/traps that I fall into, but that isn't one of 'em...
June 25, 2012 at 12:14PM EST-Daniel
Chinny I think "titular" would've been more appropriate in the Kat Dennings slide, amirite?
June 25, 2012 at 8:21PM ESTPaul G. knows what I'm talkin' about.
Madison
June 25, 2012 at 1:19PM EST Reply to CommentIs Hart of Dixie a comedy?
dan Madison - I say yes. Nobody watches it for the weekly medical procedural stuff. Viewers watch it as a quirky romantic comedy.
June 25, 2012 at 5:58PM EST-Daniel
youngjt80
June 25, 2012 at 4:12PM EST Reply to CommentI don't get why shows like Girls, Enlightened and Nurse Jackie are considered comedies. Is it because they only have a 30 minute running time? Can somebody explain that to me? It would be much more appropriate to submit them in the drama categories. If Lena Dunham wins over JLD it would be a shame.
dan YoungJT80 - It's mostly the half-hour running time. That being said, "Girls" is a comedy. "Nurse Jackie" was more of a comedy when it started, but has mostly ceased to be. "Englightened" is... well, it's different things each week.
June 25, 2012 at 5:57PM EST-Daniel
Jonathan
June 25, 2012 at 4:58PM EST Reply to CommentThere is absolutely, positively ZERO chance that both Zooey Deschanel AND Lena Dunham are nominated. I'd bet Dan's life on it.
dan Jonathan - I... don't think you get to stake my life in a wager.
June 25, 2012 at 5:56PM ESTAnd, like I said, I don't like these picks especially much. They're just what I was left with after staring at the candidates for a long, long time...
-Daniel
Paul C
June 25, 2012 at 4:58PM EST Reply to CommentMelissa McCarthy's joke of a win last year means I am bracing myself for Poehler unfortunately coming up short yet again. I think Julia Louis-Dreyfus is the favourite (hypothetical betting-odds wise) to win.
But yeah, refreshingly strong and deep category.
SAULO Amy Poehler is responsible for the best moment of the Emmy telecast not only last year but also the year before. She leads the most talented ensemble on TV's funniest show. She did more than 20 episodes and even wrote and directed one of the best episodes of the year. Amy should have already won an Emmy for this role.
June 25, 2012 at 8:33PM ESTJulia Louis-Dreyfus can wait. She will have at least 3 more years as Veep - or 7 if they get re-elected.
Jaxemer11
June 26, 2012 at 2:25AM EST Reply to CommentIt's unfortunate that Patricia Heaton gets overlooked. She does really good work in The Middle. So does Eden Shur. It isn't the best show in the world, but Heaton and Shur are both terrific.