My 2008 Emmy Predictions

The time has come once again, ladies and gentlemen, for me to try and pick the Emmy Award winners.

For those of you who are new to this game, here’s how I do it. I pick who I think will win, who I want to win and a wild card, i.e. the nominee I think has the best shot at playing spoiler.

Last year I picked three winners and three of my wild cards won. I would like to do better this year, but since I am completely flying blind on most of these because I haven’t seen them, I’m not counting on it.

But here goes…

DRAMA SERIES:

"Boston Legal," ABC

"Damages," FX

"Dexter," Showtime

"House," Fox

"Lost," ABC

"Mad Men," AMC

Will Win: “Mad Men.” I have never seen a single episode of this one, but everyone seems to think it’s got a great shot of winning, so I’m going with it.

Wild Card: “Damages.” I’ve never seen this one either, but it’s got Glenn Close in it so it’s hard to not think it’s got a shot.

Want to Win: “Boston Legal.” Does it deserve to win? No. But you know how I love to see shows treated badly by their networks take prizes.

COMEDY SERIES:

"Curb Your Enthusiasm," HBO

"Entourage," HBO

"The Office," NBC

"30 Rock," NBC

"Two and a Half Men," CBS

Will Win: “30 Rock.” Again, I’m going with conventional wisdom.

Wild Card: “The Office”

Want to Win: “Two and a Half Men.” It’s the #1 comedy on TV. Doesn’t that deserve a little Emmy love?

ACTOR, DRAMA SERIES:

Gabriel Byrne, "In Treatment"

Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"

Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"

Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"

Hugh Laurie, "House"

James Spader, "Boston Legal"

Will Win: James Spader. I was all set to pick Jon Hamm and then Tom O’Neill of Goldderby.com talked me out of it. I had promised myself that after he trashed David Cook I wouldn’t listen to anything O’Neill said again, but he made a great argument for this one. Last year, Spader won for the episode where Alan railed against the government for its inaction during Hurricane Katrina. The episode he submitted this year? Alan railed against the government in front of the Supreme Court.

Wild Card: Hugh Laurie. Critics and fellow actors love him so this could be his year. Reports are he didn’t submit a very strong episode, but that didn’t stop Kiefer Sutherland (Thank goodness.).

Want to Win: James Spader. See Drama Series Want to Win.

ACTRESS, DRAMA SERIES:

Glenn Close, "Damages"

Sally Field, "Brothers and Sisters"

Mariska Hargitay, "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit"

Holly Hunter, "Saving Grace"

Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"

Will Win: Glenn Close. ‘Nuff said.

Wild Card: Holly Hunter
Want to Win: Kyra Sedgwick. I just like her.

ACTRESS, COMEDY SERIES:

Christina Applegate, "Samantha Who?"

America Ferrera, "Ugly Betty"

Tina Fey, "30 Rock"

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "New Adventures of Old Christine"

Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds"

Will Win: Tina Fey. There’s that conventional wisdom thing again.
Wild Card: Christina Applegate
Want to Win: Christina Applegate. Don’t we all want to see her win this?

ACTOR, COMEDY SERIES:

Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"

Steve Carell, "The Office"

Lee Pace, "Pushing Daisies"

Tony Shalhoub, "Monk"

Charlie Sheen, "Two and a Half Men"

Will Win: Alec Baldwin
Wild Card: Tony Shalhoub. Any time Shalhoub is nominated he is a threat to win.
Want to Win: Charlie Sheen. It would drive the critics crazy.

SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY SERIES:

Jon Cryer, "Two and a Half Men"

Kevin Dillon, "Entourage"

Neil Patrick Harris, "How I Met Your Mother"

Jeremy Piven, "Entourage"

Rainn Wilson, "The Office"

Will Win: Neil Patrick Harris. If he submitted “The Goat” as his episode…

Wild Card: Kevin Dillon

Want to Win: NPH. I love him, remember?

SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA SERIES:

Ted Danson, "Damages"

Michael Emerson, "Lost"

Zeljko Ivanek, "Damages"

William Shatner, "Boston Legal"

John Slattery, "Mad Men"

Will Win: Ted Danson. He’s an Emmy favorite playing against type.

Wild Card: Michael Emerson

Want to Win: Michael Emerson. I’m sure Danson was great and I really like Ivanek, but Emerson deserves to win. He is amazing.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA SERIES:

Candice Bergen, "Boston Legal"

Rachel Griffiths, "Brothers and Sisters"

Sandra Oh, "Grey's Anatomy"

Dianne Wiest, "In Treatment"

Chandra Wilson, "Grey's Anatomy"

Will Win: Dianne Wiest. No reason, I just have a feeling.

Wild Card: Rachel Griffiths

Want to Win: Candice Bergen. I just don’t want the “Grey’s” actresses to win. And it would be another trophy for “BL.”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY SERIES:

Kristin Chenoweth, "Pushing Daisies"

Amy Poehler, "Saturday Night Live"

Jean Smart, "Samantha Who?"

Holland Taylor, "Two and a Half Men"

Vanessa Williams, "Ugly Betty"

Will Win: Jean Smart. After getting ripped two years in a row, I think it’s her time.

Wild Card: Amy Poehler. Since I have no idea how she got nominated in this category to start with, she is absolutely a wild card.

Want to Win: Jean Smart. I love Amy Poehler, but it’s time for Smart to win.

REALITY HOST:

Tom Bergeron, 'Dancing With The Stars'

Heidi Klum, 'Project Runway'

Howie Mandel, 'Deal Or No Deal'

Jeff Probst, 'Survivor'

Ryan Seacrest, 'American Idol'

Will Win: Tom Bergeron. If he submitted the episode where Marie Osmond passed out, how could he not win?

Wild Card: Howie Mandel. Since his show is completely different, he will make this interesting.

Want to Win: Ryan Seacrest. Of course. But as long as Heidi Klum doesn’t win, I’ll be okay.

REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM:

"The Amazing Race," CBS

"American Idol," FOX

"Dancing With The Stars," ABC

"Project Runway," Bravo

"Top Chef," Bravo

Will Win: “The Amazing Race”

Wild Card: “American Idol.” The David vs. David finale could help “Idol” finally beat “Race”—if they submitted that and not the overly long “Idol Gives Back.”

Want to Win: “Top Chef.” You know my love for this show and for Bravo. Plus, it would be a slap in the face of Harvey Weinstein to see an “inferior ‘Project Runway’ knockoff” win, wouldn’t it?

So who do you guys think will win? Post a comment or send me an e-mail at hdstaytuned@hotmail.com...

And don’t forget the 60th Annual Emmy Awards will air Sunday, September 21st at 8 p.m. on ABC. I’ll be checking in throughout the night…

Photo Credits: Timothy White/FOX, Larry Riley/FX, Bravo