In just a couple of weeks, we will be reentering my favorite season: awards! The Emmys will be airing a virtual ceremony on September 20th, so, as is tradition, here are my predictions for this year’s winners broken down 3 ways: who will win, who should win, and who could win. The category: Drama.
Outstanding Drama Series
The Nominees: Better Call Saul, Killing Eve, Ozark, Stranger Things, Succession, The Crown, The Handmaid’s Tale, The Mandalorian
Will Win: Succession
This drama with a hint of comedy has only continued to pick up steam in season 2 as people have finally discovered what a brilliant show it is. The characters and writing got stronger, plus the show really found its footing. Additionally, season 2 gave us gems like “you can’t make a Tomlette without breaking some Greggs” and that line alone deserves praise. Even though season 2 aired a year ago, the show has only been garnering more buzz since.
Could Win: Ozark
Another show that has been getting bigger the later into its run it gets, Emmy voters have been slowly giving Ozark more nominations and wins and this could possibly be the year where it takes the big prize.
Best Actor
The Nominees: Jason Bateman (Ozark), Billy Porter (Pose), Brian Cox (Succession), Jeremy Strong (Succession), Steve Carell (The Morning Show), Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us)
Will Win: Brian Cox
The mind games of Logan Roy are made all the better by Brian Cox’s subtle acting style. He plays a character who could come across as cartoonishly cruel, yet doesn’t, something that on a show like Succession is rare. Plus, Cox has had a very long and extensive career, so a win now would be like an award for his whole career along with Succession.
Could Win: Billy Porter
Billy Porter made history last year as the first openly gay Black man to win Best Actor in a Drama for his portrayal of Pray Tell in Pose. The Emmy voters may decide to repeat history again this year for his equally great performance in season 2, so he stands a chance of winning again.
Should Win: Jeremy Strong
To be able to be as serious, resigned, and depressed as Kendall Roy was in this past season of Succession seems like it would be a tough thing to do, but Jeremy Strong did it wonderfully. Plus, his delivery in these two scenes deserves all the awards.
Best Actress in a Drama
The Nominees: Zendaya (Euphoria), Jodie Comer (Killing Eve), Sandra Oh (Killing Eve), Laura Linney (Ozark), Olivia Coleman (The Crown), Jennifer Aniston (The Morning Show)
Will Win: Olivia Coleman
The Emmys like to award Oscar winners and people who play British royalty, and Olivia Coleman checks both of those boxes. The Crown has a history of winning the acting categories at the Emmys and this would be the most likely place to give them a win.
Could Win: Jennifer Aniston
Her performance in The Morning Show was revelatory. She stunned in a powerful portrayal of a morning show host dealing with the ramifications of her former co-host’s #MeToo moment. Alex Levy went through a lot in the first 10 episodes of the show, with these two moments sealing the deal for how great she was.
Should Win: Zendaya
I will admit, I wasn’t a huge fan of Euphoria as a whole (the show was just too slow for me), but there’s no denying that the acting was outstanding. Having watched Zendaya since her first role on Disney Channel, seeing her in a role like Rue is the best departure from Disney for her, giving her the chance to use every facet of her acting abilities in the role. She was absolutely amazing as the anchor for the show.
Best Supporting Actor
The Nominees: Giancarlo Esposito (Better Call Saul), Kieran Culkin (Succession), Matthew Macfadyen (Succession), Nicolas Braun (Succession), Bradley Whitford (The Handmaid’s Tale), Mark Duplass (The Morning Show), Billy Crudup (The Morning Show), Jeffrey Wright (Westworld)
Will Win: Kieran Culkin
When he’s in a scene as Roman Roy he becomes Roman. The way he so nonchalantly throws around Roman’s insults and is able to improvise the character makes him one of the more electric actors in the cast (plus he’s said if Nicolas Braun wins he’ll beat him up*, so for the sake of Cousin Gregg let Kieran win).
*it was said in jest
Should Win: The Men of The Morning Show
Billy Crudup and Mark Duplass both knock it out of the park on The Morning Show, with Crudup making an opportunistic network head likable (even making him seem like the good guy when he isn’t at times) and Duplass adding layers to the overworked and stressed EP of the fictional morning show that may have been flat otherwise. Both of them were incredible (as was the entire cast) and either one of them would be deserving of a win here.
Best Supporting Actress
The Nominees: Meryl Streep (Big Little Lies), Laura Dern (Big Little Lies), Fiona Shaw (Killing Eve), Julia Garner (Ozark), Sarah Snook (Succession), Helena Bonham Carter (The Crown), Samira Wiley (The Handmaid’s Tale), Thandie Newton (Westworld)
Will Win: Meryl Streep
Folks, it’s Meryl. Need I say more?
Could Win: Julia Garner
She’s the reigning winner of this category so there’s a very good chance she could win again, especially since the voters love Ozark.
Should Win: Sarah Snook
If season 1 of Succession was the season of Kendall then season 2 was the season of Shiv. Sarah Snook carried so much of the season as Shiv was getting groomed to (in theory) take over Roystar Wayco and she did it with all the intensity and sharpness that comes with portraying the only female of the Roy family.
Only 1 part left of the predictions left: Limited Series!