Michelle Dockery, "Downton Abbey"

Nomination Status: Even if "Downton Abbey" has crazy support this season, she's still second in line in her own cast for a nomination in this category.

In Her Favor: I think that Michelle Dockery's Lady Mary had several of the best, most satisfying narrative arcs in the second season of "Downton Abbey." We got a better and better sense of the constraints being put on Lady Mary and her willing to sacrifice her heart for an increasingly outmoded sense of decorum. Dockery's performance is still chilly, but she had opportunities to display a little thawing.

Working Against Her: For reasons relating to familiarity and properly patriotism, domestic award groups have decided that Elizabeth McGovern gets first dibs on any and all "Downton Abbey" lead acting honors. This makes very little sense to me, but it appears to be the way of the world. So unless "Downton Abbey" gets like 20 total nominations, Dockery won't stand a chance.