Emmy Picks, Predictions, Unsung Heroes & Oh-No-Nos – 2017

Is it just me, or has it been a really good year for telly? There’s been some great stuff on, or so I thought, at least. A few great new shows and some old favourites still going strong. Lovely stuff, just what we want to see, right? Right?

Oh, you want me to just get on with it? Fair enough. Here goes nothing.

1. Outstanding Comedy Series
Nominated: Atlanta, Black-ish, Master Of None, Modern Family, Silicon Valley, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Veep

Not much is new here – debut show Atlanta replaces Transparent among the nominees. A fair few are contenders, but with Veep and Modern Family the only shows to win since 2009, and both of them having had strong seasons, I doubt we’ll see any of the young upstarts take their crown.
I wasn’t sure about Atlanta at first, but it grew on me as the season went on. Strangely, though, it wasn’t Earn, the character played by creator Donald Glover, that won me over – it was Paper Boi, his cousin whose rap career he manages, played by Brian Tyree Henry. It still feels a little raw, as many shows do with a short first season, trying to find their feet. It’s not quite in the realm of Outstanding Comedy Series for me, but it’s certainly got the potential to get there.
Once again, I’d like to see Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt win the award. I love a laugh, me, and there are plenty of them here. There were a couple of times this series I thought the standard slipped a little, but overall, I thought it was still top notch. A stellar cast and a solid creative team behind it never hurts.
Another 30 Rock alumnus, Tracey Wigfield, has a show of her own now, which hit the ground running this year. Great News centres on Katie Wendelson, a news producer whose mother gets an internship at her station. The humour is very much in the mould of 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, taking place in a world much like our own but just a little bit weirder. If you like either of the aforementioned shows, give this one a go.

My Pick – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
My Prediction – Veep
My Unsung Hero – Great News
My Oh-No-No – None

2. Outstanding Drama Series
Nominated: Better Call Saul, The Crown, The Handmaid’s Tale, House Of Cards, Stranger Things, This Is Us, Westworld

I heard plenty of positive things about The Handmaid’s Tale, but I haven’t watched it yet because I’d like to read the book first, and I haven’t been able to fit it in (more on that later). I also haven’t watched The Crown, because yuck. Otherwise, a very strong crop this year, with five brand new shows among the nominees in a category that is not easy to break into.
Westworld, which feels like ages ago now, is one of the most original drama series I have seen for quite a few years. The premise seemed simple enough, and I was sceptical about it justifying its hype, but it certainly does. An excellent, thought-provoking piece of television, full of terrific performances not all of which could be recognised with a nomination.
Stranger Things was probably the next most talked about of the shows here, and rightly so. I believe it was me who described it as “Twin Peaks meets Freaks And Geeks,” which is not bad as descriptions go, I’m sure you’ll agree. If you’re looking for something more succinct, you could call it Twin Freaks or Peaks And Geeks, or something like that. Or have a thought of your own for a change. Anyway, onto the show itself. I was annoyed by the pacing of it at first, but after a few episodes, I got what they were doing. I liked what they were doing. In fact, it was the only way to do it that made any sense. Tension was built as characters were developed. It’s just full of good people doing good things goodly, which, despite my cynicism, is good to see every now and then. Particular credit must go to the young actors, all of whom were extremely impressive. Few shows have trusted teenagers with such important parts and so much of the screen time, but it certainly paid off. Good for them. The grown-ups were also fine.
This season of House Of Cards was entertaining without being hugely impressive. The show has always been a bit larger than life, but the stories are becoming increasingly hard to swallow. It doesn’t seem to be running out of steam or ideas, and I’m certainly not calling for it to be axed. I think it still has plenty to give in the coming years, with storylines reaching back to the beginning, but I felt this offering was a little flat, and probably the weakest of those nominated (that I’ve seen). However, it is notable as being the first time since The West Wing wrapped that people have gazed wistfully at a TV president.
It’s very easy to write off Better Call Saul as being a silly show, inferior to its parent. And it’s true, the Breaking Bad spin-off is not the same kind of television, but it was never supposed to be. By focusing on the comic relief character of the latter, the former was always going to be a bit less serious, a bit more relaxed. But that doesn’t mean the stakes aren’t high and the stories aren’t well-woven. This season saw the return of a much-loved and much-feared Breaking Bad character, giving us a bit more insight into the relationships and backstory of the supporting yet crucial players in Albuquerque’s drug/legal/commercial-making/fried chicken scene. And, of course, the ongoing deterioration of Jimmy’s relationship with his evil, evil brother. Definitely worth watching for anyone who didn’t hate Saul, and anyone who did, well, I don’t know what to say to you.
For my pick this year, I’ve gone with the NBC drama This Is Us. It’s the first time in a decade the Peacock has a show nominated in this category, and it’s easy to see why. From the word go, this doesn’t feel like an NBC show. While the traditional networks have stubbornly stuck with Monster Of The Week tentpole dramas like Law & Order, CSI, Criminal Minds and so on, they have found themselves left behind by HBO, Netflix, AMC et al. Serial shows like The Sopranos, Lost, 24, Mad Men, Breaking Bad and Homeland have been largely taking home this award since the turn of the century, and while not all of these have been produced by so-called new media, the majority have, so it’s good to see one of the old sticks-in-the-mud deciding to join them rather than going down with its ship. This Is Us is the story of a family told across several decades; nothing terribly fancy so far, and indeed, it’s hard for me to pin down exactly what sets it apart. Essentially, it made me feel things, things that none of these other series did. All of the main characters are good people at their core, but all are flawed in their own ways. It just kept me invested in the story, and even though I had an idea how some of the storylines ended due to the format of the show, I always wanted to know how they got there. It’s touching, it’s delicate, it’s powerful, and it’s my pick for Outstanding Drama Series.
Its more recent fifth season might have taken a bit of a panning critically (although I still really enjoyed it), but I’m surprised to see no nomination for the fourth season of Orange Is The New Black. It might be because it was over a year ago that it has slipped from people’s minds, and it has seemed a little unsure of itself, submitting to both the comedy and drama categories at different times, but I have no doubt that this is a drama, and I have no doubt that the fourth season was excellent. It was tense, unpleasant, terrifying – all the emotions I like to feel from my TV shows. A rather strange omission. Have we grown weary of the women of Litchfield Prison? There are, after all, only so many stories that can be told. I don’t think we’re there yet, though; perhaps the show does itself no favours with its release date, but that is hardly an excuse. Shame on those who failed to nominate it, say I.

My Pick – This Is Us
My Prediction – Westworld
My Unsung Hero – Orange Is The New Black
My Oh-No-No – The Crown

3. Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Nominated: Anthony Anderson, Aziz Ansari, Zach Galifianakis, Donald Glover, William H. Macy, Jeffrey Tambor

Rather slim pickings in this category this year, I thought. I finally got into Black-ish this year, and while it has its off episodes, I enjoyed it for the most part. It can feel a little preachy at times as well, which will put off the less politically inclined viewer, but Black-ish is a funny, smart and well-made show. That said, I didn’t find Anthony Anderson to be a particularly strong lead.
The same cannot be said of Aziz Ansari, creator and star of Master Of None. The second season took a couple of episodes to get going, but once it did, it really found its feet. I’m clearer now on what it’s supposed to be after a first season that was a bit all over the place. Definitely hit the comedy button harder this time, and while the supporting cast are a key part of that, there’s no question that this is Ansari’s show, and he has evolved from an excellent part of an excellent ensemble to an excellent lead in his own right.
Donald Glover’s nomination is a rather strange one. You could make an argument that he’s not really the lead in Atlanta; he doesn’t appear at all in one episode, and only has a cameo in another. I’m a big fan of his in general, but I didn’t really warm to his character in this show very much. I thought he was very good in the episode set in the club, though, imaginatively titled The Club.
The Unsung Hero award this year goes to Neil Patrick Harris. It was probably expecting a bit much for A Series Of Unfortunate Events to be nominated for anything, given its perception as a children’s series, but I think it’s more aimed at people in their 20s who read the books when they were kids. Either way, I thought it was an absolutely fantastic adaptation, and so much fun to watch. NPH brought so much of himself to the role of Count Olaf (and, of course, his various aliases) while also drawing heavily on the source material. The whole show was extremely well done, but his performance particularly stood out for me.
My Oh-No-No this time around is Jeffrey Tambor. This is not because I thought he was poor in Transparent, but more out of frustration with the show. I just don’t think it’s right for it to be submitting in the comedy category. I’m not having a go at it; it’s a good show, it’s just not very funny. There are plenty of comedies that I don’t personally find funny that are still clearly comedy shows (the laugh track is normally a good indicator), but Transparent doesn’t really feel like it’s trying to be funny most of the time. It’s a drama series with shorter episodes, essentially, is essentially what it is, in essence. He’s already won two awards for this show in the comedy category, and that’s more than enough. (I’d like to reiterate that I do like the show, it’s just not very funny.)

My Pick – Aziz Ansari
My Prediction – Aziz Ansari
My Unsung Hero – Chris Geere
My Oh-No-No – Jeffrey Tambor

4. Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Nominated: Pamela Adlon, Jane Fonda, Allison Janney, Ellie Kemper, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tracee Ellis-Ross, Lily Tomlin

Unlike its male equivalent, this category is overflowing with quality. Any one of these women could justifiably take home the award, with the possible exception of Allison Janney, as I still haven’t got round to watching Mom, despite thinking she is generally quite wonderful. I therefore assume her claim to the award is also legitimate.
No longer content to be Louie’s sometime sort-of girlfriend, Pamela Adlon is now a mum of three in Better Things, and while it isn’t always the cheeriest watch, it sure is funny. Don’t expect anything to happen, don’t expect traditional parenting, don’t expect Louie to turn up, and don’t expect to agree with everything everyone says. Do expect laughs, thoughts, petulant daughters, dollops of relatability, and a top-notch (if understated) lead performance that never threatens to overshadow the girls.
Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin were both fantastic in Grace And Frankie. Frankie was definitely my favourite character in the first two seasons, but Fonda closed the gap a fair bit this year. A sitcom about two old women living in a beach house should not be funny on paper, but on screen it works extremely well, much of which is down to the two leads. They play off each other very well, both quite different people who have found themselves in the same unfortunate situation, and this season, they have hauled themselves up and launched their own successful business despite being two old women. Some of the scenes around the discrimination they face seemed like a tongue-in-cheek response to those who wrote off the series early on. Either of them would be a worthy winner.
Tracee Ellis-Ross was one of my favourite things about Black-ish. Although Dre is not without his moments, I felt that Bow was really the character who has the most influence on the heart and humour of the show. We’ve seen the working mum trying to have it all character plenty of times before, but Bow adds different dimensions to it – remaining her own individual person on top of everything else, and a confidence in herself that verges on arrogance at times, usually only because people fail to give her proper recognition. After so many attempts, it’s not easy to put a fresh spin on the family sitcom, but Black-ish does, and Bow is one of the main reasons why it works so well.
Ellie Kemper retains the position of Pick for this year. It’s hard to nail down exactly what I love about Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, but it’s not not Ellie Kemper. After two years (probably) in the big city, Kimmy is a bit wiser and more savvy to the ways of the world outside the bunker, but there is still plenty she doesn’t understand. Kemper captures this bizarre mixture of comprehension in a charmingly funny performance. I felt the writing stumbled a couple of times this season, but Kemper and Tituss Burgess (see below) carried the show through it almost seamlessly.
However, I expect Kemper and her fellow nominees’ hearts sank when they saw the latest season of Veep. Julia Louis-Dreyfus has taken this award home for each of the last five years to the point that you would almost forget the Seinfeld curse ever existed. JLD has yet to put a foot wrong in the role, and despite having faced excellent competition in several of those years, the only ridiculous thing about Selina Meyer winning five Emmys is that it highlights Elaine Benes winning only one. She’s just such an outstanding comedic performer that others must – at times at least – wonder why they bother being nominated.
Due to Broad City debuting later this year than others, there are no obvious contenders for the Unsung Hero spot, and due to the general excellence of all involved, there are no Oh-No-Nos either. Let’s just all have a good time.

My Pick – Ellie Kemper
My Prediction – Julia Louis-Dreyfus
My Unsung Hero – None
My Oh-No-No – None

5. Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Nominated: Sterling K. Brown, Anthony Hopkins, Bob Odenkirk, Matthew Rhys, Liev Schreiber, Kevin Spacey, Milo Ventimiglia

This is a tricky one for me to call. For one thing, I need to think back almost a year to the fourth season of Ray Donovan. Liev Schreiber continued to impress in the title role, although I felt the show as a whole began to repeat itself a little this year. Kevin Spacey, too, remains at the top of his game on a show that feels a little like it might be running out of steam. Neither of them is really doing anything new, and while that isn’t necessarily what’s called for, it’s not easy to get particularly excited about their characters.
Bob Odenkirk, however, is playing a character that continues to evolve. In each of the first two seasons, we’ve seen Jimmy become a bit more like Saul, but the third season is the first time we really see him play both characters. Saul emerges as Jimmy’s public persona, as his personal and professional lives crumble beneath the facade. The deviousness and creativity of Slippin’ Jimmy have always been evident in Jimmy McGill the lawyer, but when circumstances force him to be something else, we start to see Saul Goodman as a separate entity. Since we already know where he ends up, the transformation will not be as dramatic as Walt’s in Breaking Bad, but it’s fantastic to watch what might be a unique transition, as Odenkirk effectively plays two characters at once, with one slowly being swallowed by the other.
I think the big tussle will be between father and son duo, Milo Ventimiglia and Sterling K. Brown. They share very little screen time in This Is Us, due to the non-linear narrative in which the characters find themselves, but both dominate their individual parts of the storyline. (Spoilers inevitably follow, so if you haven’t watched the show and are planning to, you should consider yourself warned. If you haven’t watched the show and aren’t planning to, you should change your plans.) Ventimiglia plays Jack, idealised by his kids as the perfect father and by his wife as the perfect husband. He isn’t, of course, as such a thing can only ever exist in theory, and his various shortcomings are unravelled over the season. Ventimiglia turns in a fine performance as a man who does everything he can for his wife and kids, while trying not to repeat his own father’s mistakes, and dealing with the heartbreaking loss of a child while channeling his love into helping another child in need. Brown plays Randall, a man who is constantly searching for his place in the world, and after coming to terms with the loss of his father, finds another, only to have him taken away. His character, an extremely forgiving and tolerant man, is built up over the years and over the season, culminating in his finally realising what is most important to him. He’s my pick, but Ventimiglia is close behind him.
I’d like to nominate Alfred Enoch as my unsung hero, if I may. Viola Davis seems to get most of the credit for the success of How To Get Away With Murder, and rightly so, as she is quite an incredible actor. However, you can’t make a good show with one decent performer if everyone else is terrible, and Wes is the best of the rest in this scenario. This can’t have been an easy season for him, given his character’s storyline, but he still turned in an excellent performance. The non-linear way the story is told will be quite off-putting to some people, but I find it quite effective, and this season more so than previously. This allowed us to see Wes in two quite different lights, and Enoch had to play both sides of this, something I thought he did very well indeed.

My Pick – Sterling K. Brown
My Prediction – Sterling K. Brown
My Unsung Hero – Alfred Enoch
My Oh-No-No – None

6. Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Nominated: Viola Davis, Claire Foy, Elisabeth Moss, Keri Russell, Evan Rachel Wood, Robin Wright

As already established, I haven’t seen half of the shows nominated here, so I can’t do as full a comparison as I’d like. Of those I have seen, though, Viola Davis leads the line (as has also been already established). She won the award two years ago, and with Tatiana Maslany safely out of the way for this year, I’d be surprised if she didn’t bag a second. It must be a bit frustrating for an ensemble cast when one star is constantly singled out for praise, but that is what Davis is – a star. She’s often on a different planet from her co-stars, yet doesn’t look out of place with those around her. She’s a strong, strong lead with few peers, in my view.
That said, Evan Rachel Wood might have given her a run for her money in Westworld. The whole show is such a strange concept that it’s hard to pin down exactly what her character is, but that’s a big part of the appeal of the show, and why her performance is so impressive. Essentially, she isn’t what she thinks she has, and Wood does an excellent job with coming to terms with that.
I was a little surprised to see no Emmy love for Winona Ryder in Stranger Things. While so much of what’s great about the show is the child actors, I thought Ryder was terrific as Joyce Byers, mother of missing boy Will. I wasn’t quite sure about what she was doing at first, but Joyce obviously finds herself in an abnormal situation and a horrifying one. A lot of the time she seems unhinged, but then, I imagine you would go a bit bonkers when your child is lost. Anything she thinks might help to find Will, no matter how unlikely or insane, she does it. I thought it was a great performance, worthy at least of a nomination, although arguably in the supporting category rather than lead.

My Pick – Viola Davis
My Prediction – Viola Davis
My Unsung Hero – Winona Ryder
My Oh-No-No – None

7. Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Nominated: Louie Anderson, Alec Baldwin, Tituss Burgess, Ty Burrell, Tony Hale, Matt Walsh

I imagine much of the world has seen at least some of Alec Baldwin’s take on Donald Trump. He’s not exactly a difficult man to satirise (although he does look so ridiculous and behave in such a caricatureish manner that you might not always realise it’s a send-up) but Baldwin does a great job of it. Trump’s reaction to it should be enough to tell you that, and indeed, it would be good to see how he reacts were Baldwin to add this award to the (rather paltry) two he already has for embodying Jack Donaghy. I don’t see the powers that be being quite brave enough, though.
It must be a bit strange going up against a co-star for an award. It’s happened a fair few times – Michael Richards vs Jason Alexander, David Hyde Pierce vs John Mahoney, Rip Torn vs Jeffrey Tambor, Jack McBrayer vs Tracy Morgan, etc, etc. This year, Tony Hale is nominated for Veep for a fifth time (having won twice), and Matt Walsh has a second nod. Both are strong contenders, although I’d prefer Walsh to win, as I’ve always felt his performance was a tad underrated. Ty Burrell is also among the nominees, for the eighth consecutive year, no less, perhaps some kind of record. It would be good to see an end to the stranglehold Veep and Modern Family have on these awards, but to be fair to them, they are both quite amusing.
Tituss Burgess is my Pick, for the third consecutive year, no less, perhaps some kind of record. Few people make me laugh out loud as consistently as he does. He threatens to steal the show at times, but the rest of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt‘s supporting cast doesn’t quite allow this, and nor does Ellie Kemper. I fear, though, that his brilliance will once again be overlooked.
Another whose work has been overlooked is John Michael Higgins, who plays newsman Chuck Pierce on Great News. He has previously delighted audiences as Wayne Jarvis, one of the cavalcade of lawyers on Arrested Development, and now barks the news at an audience he constantly fears he is too old to understand. The show itself is very funny all round, if you like that sort of thing, but Higgins is the stand-out performer for me. Long may Great News continue.

My Pick – Tituss Burgess
My Prediction – Tony Hale
My Unsung Hero – John Michael Higgins
My Oh-No-No – None

 

8. Outstanding Limited Series
Nominated: Big Little Lies, Fargo, Feud: Bette And Joan, Genius, The Night Of

This is likely to be one of the closest categories, with some terrific series on offer. I haven’t seen Genius, which stars Geoffrey Rush as Albert Einstein, but I’ve heard it’s rather good. The emergence of these anthology shows in the last few years seems to have increased the standing of this category, with some of the bigger hits of each year now found here rather than the Outstanding Drama Series, usually with some big name actors attached.
Fargo continues to be one of the best things on TV, and continues to feel fresh with a different cast and a different story, despite still being very much the same thing. This time around, Ewan McGregor plays twin brothers involved in some kind of bitter rivalry, whose lives spiral rapidly out of control once David Thewlis turns up.
The Night Of and Big Little Lies are both in a similar vain – slow-paced crime centric shows, focusing on character rather than action. I enjoyed both series, probably with a slight preference for Big Little Lies. Based on a book which I have not read, it focuses on three mothers, their children, and the difficult relationships they all have. It’s very much a first world problems type of show, but I found myself caring about characters I didn’t expect to. There’s a hint of the annoyance I felt with Bloodline, that it hints and teases at the main incident of the series before it happens right at the end, but in this instance, it justifies its hype. A second series is being discussed, with which I’d be fine, as long as it doesn’t overstay its welcome (see Bloodline).
The Night Of, based on a BBC series which I have not seen, centres on a young man falsely accused of murder (Riz Ahmed) and his journey through the legal system with John Turturro as his bumbling lawyer. It looks at how being locked up with no-gooders can potentially turn an innocent person into a criminal, as we swiftly see our hero become involved in the internal power structure of prison in order to survive. I felt it was let down slightly by its ending; it felt like it had something more to say that it never quite got round to. However, overall I enjoyed the series, even if it could have delivered a little more.
I was quite fascinated by the story of Bette Davis and Joan Crawford’s rivalry told in Feud. It was something I was only vaguely aware of, and didn’t expect to enjoy the series as much as I did, but I did. I really did. I like the idea behind this series, with more  real-life tales planned, similar to American Crime Story, which I’m sure you recall I enjoyed last year. Even if Feud hadn’t been great, it would have been worth watching for the delightful animated opening sequence alone. I’d like to see a future series focusing on Olivia de Havilland and Joan Fontaine, although I expect that would be considered too similar thematically to the first.

My Pick – Fargo
My Prediction – The Night Of
My Unsung Hero – None
My Oh-No-No – None

9. Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Nominated: Riz Ahmed, Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert De Niro, Ewan McGregor, Geoffrey Rush, John Turturro

Let’s just get this out of the way – while I have been a fan, I didn’t really care for this series of Sherlock, so Benedict Cumberbatch is right out. I also haven’t seen The Wizard Of Lies, so can’t comment on Robert De Niro or Geoffrey Rush’s performances.
As for the others, there’s not much to choose between them; I enjoyed them all. The Night Of was a little strange, in that in some episodes it felt like Turturro was the lead, and in other episodes, Ahmed’s role was bigger, so it’s only fair that they’re both represented here. Ewan McGregor was also hugely entertaining in Fargo as twin brothers Ray and Emmit Stussy. They’re both quite different characters, with some of the best scenes in the series occurring when McGregor was opposite himself. If I had to choose, and I do, I’d go for Turturro, but I can’t really fault any of them.

My Pick – John Turturro
My Prediction – John Turturro
My Unsung Hero – None
My Oh-No-No – Benedict Cumberbatch

10. Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Nominated: Carrie Coon, Felicity Huffman, Nicole Kidman, Jessica Lange, Susan Sarandon, Reese Witherspoon

Another very difficult category to call. Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon were both very good in Big Little Lies, though I’d veer towards the latter if I had to pick between them. Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon were also at the top of their game in Feud. I thought Sarandon was a little over the top at first, but I soon revised my opinion. Bette Davis was somewhat larger than life, seemingly always giving a performance of some kind. Her role in the series was to be big and loud and open about her dislike for Crawford, whereas Lange’s was to be sneaky and underhanded. They played off each other very well indeed, and drove what was an excellent series. There’s also a curious parallel, in that much of the series sees the two main characters competing over an award, although unlike the Emmys, only one was nominated for the Oscar.
However, if I were in charge, it would be Carrie Coon who wins this one. She plays Gloria Burgle, ousted chief of police who uncovers the connection between various grizzly murders in Fargo, or as much as anyone ever does uncover the truth in this show. A beacon of competence in a wasteland of fools, the inappropriately named Burgle is one of the best things about this third season. She’s my favourite, but I’d like to stress once again that there isn’t an undeserving nominee here.

My Pick – Carrie Coon
My Prediction – Jessica Lange
My Unsung Hero – None
My Oh-No-No – None

 

11. Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Nominated: Bill Camp, Alfred Molina, Alexander Skarsgard, David Thewlis, Stanley Tucci, Michael K. Williams

Once again, a category packed with quality, but I’m finding it hard to see past David Thewlis for this one. There’s something extraordinarily creepy about his character, V. M. Varga; he’s a very sinister man with no clear motivation for his desire to dominate all before him. He’s quite terrifying in a very understated, David Thewlis kind of way.
Alfred Molina and Stanley Tucci both put in good turns in Feud, and I got the strong impression that they greatly enjoyed their scenes together. Tucci’s role is a good bit smaller than Molina’s, but he has a certain presence that makes him feel bigger somehow.
I’d also like to give an honourable mention to Bill Camp, who played Dennis Box on The Night Of. He’s another one who has a great deal of presence, making his screen time feel larger than it is. Despite having it in for our hero from almost the very beginning, he seems like an all-round good guy. Also nominated is Michael K. Williams, who plays Freddy Knight in the same series. I’m quite a fan of his in general, but he has so little screen time in this that I’d have put him in the Guest category, rather than Supporting.
The Unsung Hero for this one is Michael Stuhlbarg, who played Sy Feltz on Fargo. His situation is the opposite – classed as a guest star despite appearing in eight episodes, whereas “series regular” Goran Bogdan is only in six of the ten. Stuhlbarg provides much of the comic relief in the series, reacting to the strange situations in which he finds himself in a more normal way than the rest of the bizarre concoction of characters.

My Pick – David Thewlis
My Prediction – David Thewlis
My Unsung Hero – Michael Stuhlbarg
My Oh-No-No – None

12. Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Nominated: Judy Davis, Laura Dern, Jackie Hoffman, Regina King, Michelle Pfeiffer, Shailene Woodley

Laura Dern, who seems to be in everything this year, is my Pick for this one. She plays the villain in Big Little Lies (although not really, as it turns out), antagonising the other mothers, because her kids are the most important and should be given special treatment. You know the kind of mother. You know the one. You know. Anyway, she does that, and she does it very well. Shailene Woodley is also very good in the same show, though her role is bigger; I wonder if she was deterred from submitting to the Lead Actress category by the big names up for it.
Judy Davis and Jackie Hoffman are both very entertaining on Feud as well, with a special mention for the latter, whose turn as Joan Crawford’s long-suffering maid was most amusing. I’d have liked to see a nomination for Mary Elizabeth Winstead for her role in Fargo. She was, in so many respects (three, by my count) the glue that held the whole thing together. Then again, if I knew what I was talking about, I’d be the one making the decisions.

My Pick – Laura Dern
My Prediction – Laura Dern
My Unsung Hero – Mary Elizabeth Winstead
My Oh-No-No – None

Well, there you have it. Those are my thoughts on the last year of telly. If you’d like to hear more of what I’ve got to say about any show in particular, I would of course be happy to oblige. I hope you find something good to watch in amongst all these words I’ve written, and we can all look forward to another cracking 12 months of telly.