Last year, in a shock to most, the Emmy Awards actually got their list of nominees very right. After long being considered one of the more out of touch industry awards, the Emmys (which are voted on by peers, not the press or a membership board across the entertainment world) really stepped into the Peak TV era and began rewarding series that had previously and woefully been overlooked. Still, there are always snubs, if only because there are a limited number of nominations to be had –andthere are only so many hours in the day to watch all of these nearly 500 scripted shows to begin with. Since the Emmysalsocovered unscripted, well … you get the point.
That intro also serves as a bit of a disclaimer — this is my list, if I had a vote, of who I think deserves to be recognized in the major categories. There are plenty of great shows I haven’t had a chance to watch from June 10, 2025 of last year to May 31st of this one (the limits of the Emmy nominations window, meaning bothDownward DogandTwin Peaksdon’t count since most of their episodes have aired past the cutoff;Game of Thronesalso missed out last year by airing before). There are also some highly-lauded shows that frankly I just don’t like. But from everything Ihaveseen (which is an immense, almost insane amount of television), I’ve made my picks below. Since this is just a dream ballot, share your picks in the comments as well, and let’s see how many actually get a nod on Thursday:
Outstanding Comedy Series
Atlanta(FX)
Fleabag(Amazon)
Detroiters(Comedy Central)
Man Seeking Woman(FXX)
Baskets(FX)
Search Party(TBS)
Catastrophe(Amazon)
2016-2017 was not just a great year for comedy series about people and places that are often overlooked, but series that really broke established formats.Atlantadefied genre and leaned heavily into the surreal, whichMan Seeking Womanalso continued to do.BasketsandSearch Partyhad incredibly cinematic seasons, whileFleabagbroke the fourth wall to fantastically affecting results.Detroitersfound a way to be so wonderfully specific about its location and still highlight general truths about urban centers, just asCatastropheremains one of the most caustically real series about adult relationships, career, and family on the air. All were incredibly unique, sincere, surprisingly emotional, and above all really, really funny.
Jay Baruchel (Man Seeking Woman)
Sam Richardson (Detroiters)
Donald Glover (Atlanta)
Micah Fowler (Speechless)
Patrick Stewart (Blunt Talk)
Tim Robinson (Detroiters)
There are occasions where several actors from the same show should be recognized, and the natural rapport and comedic timing that Tim Robinson and Sam Richardson brought toDetroitersis hard to match. Donald Glover broke new ground withAtlanta, while Jay Baruchel continued to be the Everyman of his under-appreciated series. As the title of his show says, Micah Fowler does not communicate through his own speech, and spent an entire season creating a fully-fledged, funny, and empathetic character through essentially silent acting. Though not enough love is ever given toBlunt Talk, Starz’s cancelled little jewel, Patrick Stewart gave another tour de force performance as a man-child character who is wonderfully impossible to deal with.
Sharon Horgan (Catastrophe)
Minnie Driver (Speechless)
Phoebe Waller-Coates (Fleabag)
Alia Shawkat (Search Party)
Pamela Adlon (Better Things)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)
With so many female-driven comedies this year, this category was particularly hard to narrow down. All of these women had stand-out roles as women trying to hold the world together while everything is falling apart. Emmy queen Julia Louis-Dreyfus does so with confidence, while Shawkat’s performance, like Horgan, was of a messier and less self-assured character. The same is true of Waller-Coates’ conspiratorial protagonist, while Adlon and Driver were down-to-earth, practical, and put-upon. This particular group of actresses and their series also, for the most part, ushered in a new kind of comedy that is also emotionally dense — while also embracing classic elements of wit and slapstick.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Louie Anderson (Baskets)
Bryan Tyree Henry (Atlanta)
Timothy Simons (Veep)
Tony Hale (Veep)
Timm Sharp (Blunt Talk)
Ian Chen (Fresh Off the Boat)
I kept wanting to put Louie Anderson in the Actress category because of the way he so completely embodies his character Christine Baskets. But nay, he belongs here alongside all of these other incredibly uproarious actors. Henry was a standout inAtlantaas Paper Boi, while Simons and Hale have had some of their best material and performances onVeepyet. Sharp’s incredibly neuroticBlunt Talkcharacter is always a joy, but it may be young Ian Chen who has turned in the most consistently hilarious, scene-stealing moments of the year. As an exceptionally driven, HOA-running Mama’s boy, Chen’s catty performance provides one of the most nuanced and fully-developed characters in a comedy series.
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Sian Clifford (Fleabag)
Zazie Beetz (Atlanta)
Dolly Wells (Blunt Talk)
Jemima Kirke (Girls)
Lucille Soong (Fresh Off the Boat)
Katie Findlay (Man Seeking Woman)
What has been so heartening about this wave of comedy series in 2016-2017 is that the rosters go so deep, especially with female characters. Clifford was the perfect, grounded foil forFleabag, in the same way Beetz brought a realness to the sometimes cartoonish world ofAtlanta, and Wells’ presence calmed down the more insane moments ofBlunt Talk. Kirke was fearless inGirlsthis year, and Findlay’s plucky optimism (and I would argue with myself here that she is really a co-lead) was a refreshing change of pace forMan Seeking Woman. Soong also continues to be a scene-stealer as the world’s best (or worst?) grandma.
Outstanding Drama Series
The Handmaid’s Tale(Hulu)
Stranger Things(Netflix)
The Crown(Netflix)
Legion(FX)
The Americans(FX)
Rectify(SundanceTV)
Hap and Leonard(SundanceTV)
Folks, we are blessed with some great TV, especially series that continue to push the boundaries of what we have experienced in television before.Legionwas a visual fun house and a delight to explore, whileStranger Thingsproved you don’t have to reinvent the wheel to make obsession-worthy stories.The Crown’s lush settings and incredible performances revamped the idea of historical drama, whileThe Handmaid’s Tale’s stark setting and carefully crafted world presented a dire potential future.The Americanssimmered along as one of TV’s top shows, though it was not its best season (and I nearly swapped it out forWestworld, which for all of its flaws, gave us a great ride).Rectifyconcluded an emotional run with a near-perfect finale, and the oft-overlookedHap and Leonardtold a devastating and colossally important story that focused on race, all with its trademark humor and humanity.
Keri Russell (The Americans)
Claire Foy (The Crown)
Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Melanie Scrofano (Wynonna Earp)
Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel)
Melissa Benoist (Supergirl)
I know what you’re looking at, and let me explain. There is a certain kind of acting talent that gets overlooked with these awards, and it’s called “making us believe in the CG.” There are few better at this than Benoist, who sells us onSupergirl’s powers and everything else that gets added in post production like no other superhero has. Beyond that, Benoist also embodies what we tend to think of as Superman’s traits — she’s a hero, but also a goofball; she’s sincere, and often awkward; she stands up for what’s right, but can also be wrongheaded and stubborn. Scrofano, in her fantasy series, also has redefined what it means to be a woman and a hero, with a complicated, layered, and sardonic performance that is, like Benoist, so natural and charming.
Russell’s performance continues to grow more layered with each passing season as we start to see a thaw within Elizabeth, while Claire Foy embodied an unknowable character in a relatable way. Moss was exceptional, per usual, as was Farmiga, with both women playing a variety of different versions of their characters throughout the season, based on who was observing them.
As for who isn’t here, I’m fairly certain that bothPenny DreadfulandOutlanderare not eligible because of most of their episodes aired before the cutoff, but otherwise Catriona Balfe and Eva Green would absolutely be here. Carrie Coon is also represented, though in Limited Series rather than Drama (though she deserves everything in every category).
Dan Stevens (Legion)
Mike Colter (Luke Cage)
Freddie Highmore (Bates Motel)
Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things)
Michael K Williams (Hap and Leonard)
Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul)
Bob Odenkirk gave another exceptional, energetic, and heartbreaking performance this year inBetter Call Saul. But the other actors I’ve chosen are either from new series, or stepped up in a big way this past year. Highmore took overBates Moteland carried it through its final episodes, while Williams’ mixture of skepticism, deep-seated emotions, and understated humor helped makeHap and Leonardso good this year. Though the material ultimately let him down, Colter showed us a true hero inLuke Cage, and Dan Stevens poured everything intoLegion, redefining our idea of a superhero. Out of a cast full of breakout stars, Wolfhard made a lasting impression as a brave yet relatable kid just trying to do the right thing. (Bonus pick: Rami Malek forMr. Robot, still one of the best parts of a show with a lot of Season 2 flaws).
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Thandie Newton (Westworld)
Grace Gummer (Mr Robot)
Aubrey Plaza (Legion)
Margot Martindale (Sneaky Pete)
Rhea Seehorn (Better Call Saul)
Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things)
The deck is once again stacked for supporting actresses in drama this year, and each were scene-stealers that helped define and elevate their series. Newton was a fan-favorite as a tough saloon owner searching for the truth, while Plaza got to dance throughLegionin a variety of roles.Stranger Thingsworked because Brown made us believe in her, while Gummer proved to be an exceptional and grounded addition to a story that stalled out in other ways this year. What is an Emmy list without Martindale, though, who had a pivotal role in the underratedSneaky Pete? And then there isSeehorn, the beacon of light in what was otherwise a very dark season ofBetter Call Saul.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Clayne Crawford (Rectify)
Mahershala Ali (Luke Cage)
Rufus Sewell (Victoria)
Josh Segarra (Arrow)
Joseph Gilgun (Preacher)
Michael McKean (Better Call Saul)
I like to think this list might be the most random one of all, yet possibly the one I am the most proud of. It’s full of actors who played guys we shouldn’t like, and yet, we can’t help but love (or weep for, in the case of McKean). Crawford once again provided one of the most complicated and exhaustively emotional performances on TV, the very opposite of Sewell’s wry and staid approach to his simmering character, yet both were successful. Segarra and Ali brought such exceptional energy to their respective series that when they weren’t a part of the story things deflated quickly. Gilgun took a cartoonish character onPreacherand made him hilariously relatable and even sweet, while McKean’s pompous and often devastating performance inBetter Call Saulcontinues to represent the show at its very best.
