2017 Emmy Nominations

The nominations for the biggest night in TV are here! With my favorite show, Game of Thrones taking a seat this year, it made the Drama Series category very interesting to me. Below are the nominees followed by my thoughts. 

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
Better Call Saul
The Crown
The Handmaid’s Tale
House of Cards
Stranger Things
This Is Us
Westworld
Game of Thrones won last year so their spot was up for grabs. I'm bummed Mr. Robot missed out, but with The Crown and The Handmaid's Tale getting raves, I knew it was going to be tough. I still wish I could sub House of Cards for them though. 


OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA  SERIES
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Anthony Hopkins, Westworld
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Matthew Rhys, The Americans
Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
Milo Ventimiglia, This Is Us
Last year's winner Rami Malek was shut out. I think that's ridiculous. Did Milo really need to be there? I'm surprised Hopkins was put in lead, but I'm happy for his nomination either way. 


OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES 
Viola Davis, How To Get Away With Murder
Claire Foy, The Crown
Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale
Keri Russell, The Americans
Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld
Robin Wright, House of Cards
Orphan Black wasn't eligible this year so last year's winner, Tatiana Maslany sat out. I'm so happy for Evan Rachel Wood. I may or may not have squealed when her nomination was announced. I thought Claire Foy would be the favorite to win, but now that Moss came on strong with The Handmaid's Tale I'm not so sure. 

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES 
Ann Dowd, The Handmaid’s Tale
Samira Wiley, The Handmaid’s Tale
Uzo Aduba, Orange Is The New Black
Millie Bobby Brown, Stranger Things
Chrissy Metz, This Is Us
Thandie Newton, Westworld
Since Downton Abbey is over and can no longer suck up nominations/wins it doesn't deserve, Supporting is also without its defending champ. I thought Wiley would be nominated for OITNB, which I think she was better in but the Emmys get weird like that. I'm just glad her name is there at all. I'm stoked for young Millie, but I feel bad for her fellow Stranger Things kids because this is the final nail in the coffin that is the media ever treating them the same. 


OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul
John Lithgow, The Crown
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland
Michael Kelly, House of Cards
David Harbour, Stranger Things
Ron Cephas Jones, This Is Us
Jeffrey Wright, Westworld
Ben Mendolsohn won last year and he's also absent. (Jesus, all the Drama categories are like this) I'm stoked for Wright, Harbour and Banks. It's too bad Jimmi Simpson didn't get in for Westworld too.


OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES 
Alison Wright, The Americans
Alexis Bledel, The Handmaid’s Tale
Cicely Tyson, How to Get Away With Murder
Ann Dowd, The Leftovers
Laverne Cox, Orange Is The New Black
Shannon Purser, Stranger Things
This Barb thing seriously needs to stop. She was a one off character who really didn't matter as much as fans kept insisting she did. I mean, this nomination is hilarious and I'm happy for Purser but....really? I'm also shocked this is the only nomination for The Leftovers. 


OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Ben Mendelsohn, Bloodline
BD Wong, Mr. Robot
Hank Azaria, Ray Donovan
Denis O’Hare, This Is Us
Brian Tyree Henry, This Is Us
Gerald McRaney, This Is Us
The Emmy's really liked This Is Us. I'm happy for BD Wong, repping the only Mr. Robot acting nomination. 


OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
Atlanta
black-ish
Master of None
Modern Family
Silicon Valley
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Veep
I really thought Insecure would be nominated, I'm surprised to see it missed. As always, I'm here for Veep.


OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Pamela Adlon, Better Things
Jane Fonda, Grace & Frankie
Allison Janney, Mom
Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Julie Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Tracee Ellis Ross, black-ish
Lily Tomlin, Grace & Frankie
I have no idea what Better Things is. Or Grace & Frankie but I'm at least familiar with the name of that show. Go JLD. 


OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Anthony Anderson, black-ish
Aziz Ansari, Master of None
Zach Galifianakis, Baskets
Donald Glover, Atlanta
William H. Macy, Shameless
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent


OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES 
Leslie Jones, Saturday Night Live
Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
Vanessa Bayer, Saturday Night Live
Kathryn Hahn, Transparent
Judith Light, Transparent
Anna Chlumsky, Veep
Holy SNL nominations. I actually think Anna Chlumsky might win this year, the other actresses might split the vote. 


OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES 
Louie Anderson, Baskets
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Alec Baldwin, Saturday Night Live
Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Tony Hale, Veep
Matt Walsh, Veep
Louie Anderson is the returning champ. I'm always all for Tony Hale. Especially this season, he really deserves the win. 


OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Wanda Sykes, black-ish
Carrie Fisher, Catastrophe
Becky Ann Baker, Girls
Angela Bassett, Master of None
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live
Melissa McCarthy, Saturday Night Live
Well at least no one is sharing a nomination this year. Wiig is overrated. Carrie Fisher's name still makes me sad. 


OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Riz Ahmed, Girls
Matthew Rhys, Girls
Dave Chappelle, Saturday Night Live
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Saturday Night Live
Tom Hanks, Saturday Night Live
Hugh Laurie, Veep
Fuck yes Riz Ahmed is a double nominee! I actually watched that episode too. Yes, I watched Girls just because I wanted to see Riz in a sex scene, even if it was with Lena Dunham. Perving is serious business. I thought Lin-Manuel's SNL episode was really weak, but Tom Hanks' was hilarious. Hugh Laurie is so good in Veep, I'm happy to see him here. 


OUTSTANDING TV MOVIE
Black Mirror (“San Junipero”)
Dolly Parton’s Christmas Of Many Colors: Circle Of Love
Sherlock: The Lying Detective
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
The Wizard of Lies
HOW is Black Mirror in this category? It should've been in limited series. I love Black Mirror, I think it's one of the best shows on television but I hate this shit. This is less sketchy than Sherlock being in this category. That wasn't a TV movie. And if we're really doing that, perhaps Nosedive or Shut Up And Dance should've made it in here. Henrietta Lacks was a bore and this was Sherlock's weakest series yet. 

OUTSTANDING LIMITED SERIES 
Big Little Lies
Fargo
Feud: Bette and Joan
Genius
The Night Of
I haven't seen Genius, so I wish Black Mirror could've been in its place. This category is so stacked. I don't know which show I want to win. 

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Carrie Coon, Fargo
Felicity Huffman, American Crime
Nicole Kidman, Big Little Lies
Jessica Lange, Feud: Bette and Joan
Susan Sarandon, Feud: Bette and Joan
Reese Witherspoon, Big Little Lies
It's too bad Mary Elizabeth Winstead couldn't get nominated for Fargo too. The acting in this category is seriously good. 


OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE 
Riz Ahmed, The Night Of
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock: The Lying Detective
Robert De Niro, The Wizard of Lies
Ewan McGregor, Fargo
Geoffrey Rush, Genius
John Turturro, The Night Of
All I care about is Riz Ahmed. 

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE 
Regina King, American Crime
Laura Dern, Big Little Lies
Shailene Woodley, Big Little Lies
Judy Davis, Feud: Bette and Joan
Jackie Hoffman, Feud: Better and Joan
Michelle Pfeiffer, The Wizard of Lies
I love that Jackie Hoffman was nominated and I'm happy for the Big Little Lies nominations as well. I think Regina King will repeat her win though, there will be a lot of vote splitting. 


OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE 
Alexander Skarsgård, Big Little Lies
David Thewlis, Fargo
Alfred Molina, Feud: Bette and Joan
Stanley Tucci, Feud: Bette and Joan
Bill Camp, The Night Of
Michael Kenneth Williams, The Night Of
I'm glad Skarsgard is here. He actually made me hate him in BLL when I normally perv on him. That's talent. I'm always happy to see Michael Kenneth Williams' talent appreciated as well. 


OUTSTANDING VARIETY TALK SERIES 
Full Frontal With Samantha Bee
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
The Late Late Show With James Corden
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Real Time With Bill Maher