The Emmys are STILL Coming. I promise!

Only a few days left until the Emmys and lots of categories to get through!  Since we’ve got so much ground to cover, today’s post will focus on nominations for lead actor for both drama and comedy series.  Here we go, my penguins!

Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Drama Series, 2016

Nominees:

Matthew Rhys, The Americans
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Kyle Chandler, Bloodline
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan

Who Should Win:  Matthew Rhys, hands down.  Even though this is a tough category filled with terrific actors, Rhys’ work on The Americans has always been on another level, and this season may have been his best yet.  Always more eager than his wife Elizabeth to defect and embrace the American way of life, this season found the Jennings family in an even more precarious position than previous seasons, and that’s saying something.  In every moment there are competing emotions at play just under Philip’s surface calm and Rhys manages to convey tension, fear, vulnerability, steely resolve and profound doubt with a mere look or line reading.  His layered, subtle, deeply felt work as Russian spy Philip Jennings is masterful.    

Who Will Win: Rami Malek.  Full disclosure – I have not watched Mr. Robot (mostly because I am allergic to Christian Slater), but from everything I’ve read, Malek’s performance is outstanding.  His win at the Golden Globes earlier this year and the enormous amount of buzz the show has generated means he will likely pick up his first Emmy win. 


Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, 2016


Nominees:
Anthony Anderson, black-ish
Will Forte, The Last Man on Earth
Aziz Ansari, Master of None
William H. Macy, Shameless
Thomas Middleditch, Silicon Valley
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

Who Should Win:  All of them.  Seriously, can we have a 6 way tie?  (Although I wish Aziz Ansari had been nominated for supporting actor in a comedy series for Parks and Recreation because he deserved it, as did that entire cast.  Nick Offerman! How come Nick Offerman never got an Emmy for the singular creation that was Ron Swanson?!  Crap, now I’m getting pissed about the lack of Emmy love for Parks).

Who Will Win: Jeffrey Tambor.  It will be a repeat win for Tambor – a truly gifted actor giving what many consider to be the performance of his lifetime.  (For me, nothing will outshine his work on Arrested Development.).  He is beloved in the industry, an actor who is deft and sublime, heading a show shining a light on the much misunderstood and maligned trans community.  He’s a shoo-in. 


TOMORROW!  Best Performance by an Actress in a Comedy Series, Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, AND Best Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.  THREE CATEGORIES!!!  Bring a snack.