One Viewer's Emmy Nomination Wish List

COMMENTARY | The 2011 Emmy nominations will be out in less than 24 hours. Once they are, then the ballot will undoubtedly be blasted for snubbing several favorite shows and actors. Although there are six nominations for most every category now, not every critical darling can get in, and most don't. Yet we can all dream about our favorite show, actor and actress getting in, and here is this critic's own Emmy wish list.

Best Drama

Mad Men

The Good Wife

Boardwalk Empire

Game of Thrones

Fringe

Dexter

Mad Men and Boardwalk Empire will deservedly be the big favorites, although Mad Men should still have the edge on the big night. The Good Wife is now locked in as TV's best network drama, Game of Thrones is now a TV and literary phenomenon, and Fringe and Dexter continued to excel despite controversial finales.

Best Comedy

Modern Family

30 Rock

The Big Bang Theory

The Office

Parks and Recreation

Community

Modern Family stayed powerful in its second season and 30 Rock returned to the top. The Office only deserves nominations for Steve Carell and Amy Ryan's last episodes. Yet fingers are crossed for NBC's newest comedy hits to get recognized: Parks and Rec may have a real shot, while Community will sadly be lucky to just get one or two nods. But perhaps it will break through eventually, as The Big Bang Theory is likely to finally do in this category.

Best Actor Drama

Jon Hamm, Mad Men

Michael C. Hall, Dexter

Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire

Timothy Olyphant, Justified

Sean Bean, Game of Thrones

This needs to be Hamm's year at long last now that Bryan Cranston is out of the running. Buscemi may be the biggest threat in his way, however, while Hall is the perennial sleeper. Olyphant and Bean should be the category's new blood.

Best Actor Comedy

Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

Steve Carell, The Office

Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock

Joel McHale, Community

Parsons, Carell and Baldwin are mortal locks, although time will tell if Carell's last shot at an Emmy win will pay off. But there aren't many people to get the last three nominations, so perhaps McHale can slip in.

Best Actress Drama

Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife

Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men

Katey Sagal, Sons of Anarchy

Margulies should have won last year, and has all the tools she needs to win this year -- if only Moss' big showcase in "The Suitcase" episode wasn't in the way. Likewise, Sagal should have gotten in last year, but should take the makeup nomination this year.

The rest of my Emmy nomination wish list is below.

Best Actress Comedy

Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

Tina Fey, 30 Rock

Best Supporting Actor Comedy

Chris Colfer, Glee

Nick Offerman, Parks and Recreation

Adam Scott, Parks and Recreation

Danny Pudi, Community

Ed O'Neill, Modern Family

Ty Burrell, Modern Family

Best Supporting Actress Comedy

Jane Lynch, Glee

Julie Bowen, Modern Family

Sofia Vergara, Modern Family

Alison Brie, Community

Best Supporting Actor Drama

John Noble, Fringe

Walton Goggins, Justified

Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones

Alan Cumming, The Good Wife

Michael Shannon, Boardwalk Empire

Best Supporting Actress Drama

Margo Martindale, Justified

Christina Hendricks, Mad Men

Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife

Michelle Forbes, The Killing

Kelly MacDonald, Boardwalk Empire

Sources

The Atlantic- "Emmy Nominations 2011: Our Predictions"