Categories: FeaturesTelevision

Emmys 2012: Our Dream Nominees, from Community to Walking Dead

COMEDY: Lead Actress | Lead Actor | Supporting Actress | Supporting Actor | Comedy Series
DRAMA: Lead Actress | Lead Actor | Supporting Actress | Supporting Actor | Drama Series

Supporting Actress in a Comedy

Alison Brie, Community

But Alison Brie is a whole different story. That girl has RANGE. I mean, how can someone play the most over-bearing wife on the most serious drama on TV on Sundays (Mad Men) and still play the most adorable character on one of the most comedic shows on television and yet make you believe they’re portrayed by two different actresses?

Eliza Coupe, Happy Endings

Eliza Couple is pure genius. Just like Christa Miller and Busy Phillips. Their characters are NASTY and often inappropriate, but the actresses play them beautifully that you just want to quote them everywhere.

Christa Miller, Cougar Town

Everyone’s favorite mean girl who’s all grown up is played by the impeccable Christa Miller. She may throw an insult (or ten) around every episode, but ultimately the hard exterior surrounds…and even harder interior…and then there’s a soft center. But it’s still in there, and Miller plays it nicely. Plus, while being the bitchy character, she also plays Ellie as one of the two sensible people in this group, while also being one of our favorite characters.. Difficult feat.

Busy Phillips, Cougar Town

Busy Phillip’s portrayal of Jules’ insanely quirky assistant (well, not anymore) and Travis’ potential romantic interest Laurie is, in a word, absolutely hilarious. I dare you to give that girl a line she can’t deliver. And while some of her best scenes come from insulting battles with Christa Miller, they also come from the more tender scenes (with Christa Miller, too). What it boils down to is that Phillips is a definite scene-stealer — and we’re always glad when she does.

Cobie Smulders, How I Met Your Mother

Cobie Smulders was able to convert HIMYM into a drama this season in its midseason finale, “Symphony of Illumination.” She made us cry SO badly. Plus, she’s also quite the talented comedienne.

Yvonne Strahovski, Chuck

There are a lot of actresses under the radar on television, and one of them is Chuck’s female lead (although she submits under supporting) Yvonne Strahovkski. Subtly transitioning her character from absolutely stoic to a gate of emotion in five years could only have been played so beautifully by the equally as beautiful Strahovski. The way she can display emotion without a blip of dialogue is unparalleled. And she’s believable holding a gun, to boot.

Honorable Mentions

Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live

COMEDY: Lead Actress | Lead Actor | Supporting Actress | Supporting Actor | Comedy Series
DRAMA: Lead Actress | Lead Actor | Supporting Actress | Supporting Actor | Drama Series

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  • I would add as best supporting actress Maisie Williams (Arya) from GoT!! probably the best chil actress I've seen, and she manages her character with a mature personality :)

  • Hmm I agree with most of these nominations except the CW ones. Ok they are good actors, but for an Emmy? Not really...
    Who I like to see with a nomination: Peter Dinklage, which is almost certain he will get one. Lena Headey, her performance on Game Of Thrones has been superb this year. Claire Danes and Homeland. Jessica Lange (Sup. Act.) and Evan Peters (Sup. Act.) for American Horror Story. American Horror Story, which has now moved from Drama to Miniseries. So I think it has more of a shot.
    Veep, Happy Endings and New Girl. Also Revenge, Mad Men and The Good Wife.

    And probably some more, but those are the most memorable right know :p

    • American Horror Story is submitting as a miniseries, which is why we didn't put Jessica Lange on here. I don't think my dream nominee (if it were entering as a drama) would be AHS. But since it's a miniseries, it will most likely get a nod.

      Though we could have taken creative liberties with the nominations, like we did with John Noble.

      Also, I disagree about C-Dub actors. The material is not always the best, but they have some very good actors on that network (and yes, some real duds), people that will make really good films going forward. Sometimes the acting and the material line up together nicely…but that's not always the case. Heck, I even think Nikita is one of the genuinely best dramas on TV today.

      • I agree, Nikita is a great drama and they do have some talented actors on the network. But still, I think something is missing to call their performances Emmy-worthy. I'm not saying that some of their performances were not fantastic, because some of them truly were.

        • Still! xD I mean Maggie Q in "Wrath" this year was just…oh, goodness, just so good. Performances like that, man…they should get rewarded. But they never will. It is what it is.

        • Okay I know this is awful, but me too. If Chace submits himself, I don't know why no one else doesn't bother.

          • Ed and Leighton have submitted themselves before and CW actually pushed for nods back in 2008/2009 and I recall an out roar over them being snubbed along with True Blood getting snub that the emmy's had to do a viewers favorite vote thing through dove which American Idol won.

          • I remember True Blood actually WAS nominated. These days, there are a couple of really good actors on the show, but a nomination beyond that is not deserved for season 4. Same goes for Gossip Girl this year. Season 1 may have been deserving, but season 5 is almost embarrassing. I know, call me crazy, but CW/UPN/WB have sometimes created really good series with really good actors.

            I still think TVD's second season could have actually been nominated. Veronica Mars, Kristen Bell, I'm sure Buffy too, Gilmore Girls, Aliens in America, Reba, a couple of the OTH actresses have been amazing, Nikita as I've mentioned, Nina Dobrev was absolutely fantastic doing dual roles in season 2, Supernatural as I've always been told, etc and so on. But the intensity of most other series completely overpowers it, besides the fact that no one watches the CW.

          • True Blood was not nominated for it first season which is the snub that people and critics were in an uproar, I am quite aware of this past year's nod which I was surprised by considering emmys generally do not sci-fi and fantasy for award, also Ed and Leighton were snub for their season 2 performances. for its first season it got viewer choice nomination. There is no way I was talking about emmys for the past year for those two shows even though last emmy when TB got that nod it was for season 3 hence why Alfre Woodard got a nod for Guest Star.

            I am one of the few people who thinks the only person who should be nominated from TVD is Paul Wesley (I personally thought Blood Brothers was very emmy material for him in he first submitted himself, for this season End of An Affair would be my pick or hell even Birthday) and imo TVD had more emmy stuff in season 1 than season 2 (for me the story was so contrived that and someone's performance with their eyebrows got too over the top with the whole moonstone thing). I have nothing against Nina and Ian as actors, I guess I just find Paul out of the trio has harder role.

            I been stating OTH actresses have been robbed constantly, Sofia Bush and Bethany should have been getting nods since season 5 been cranking out but emmys don't like the CW as it is the ugly step-child of CBS (the parent network).
            IMO CW should campaign to Golden Globes as they are bit more open-minded and there is much more diversity on tv level.

          • I know you weren't talking about those seasons, but I just HAD to comment :D Seriously season 4 of TB should get zero awards. And IMO, I totally agree about Wesley. Most deserving on TVD. Whatever I won't go into it before someone laughs again xD

            CW should honestly do a Golden Globes campaign. And if they do an Emmy one, don't make it so immature.

          • One of the reasons why I said TVD eliminated itself for emmy consideration was it ad campaign was the worst. Catch VD and Got Wood? I even as a viewer could not take this show seriously when that happen. Just because making racy campaigns worked for GG in their first two seasons doesn't mean you should follow suit as while it those type ads gave GG some depth and wit, it made TVD just look very twilighty and sold the show short. However one thing I must say is the ad campaign through promos got better (the posters got worse and look seriously photo-shopped, stop it CW).

            Apparently ad campaigns are handled by a team with each show having their own. GG until season 4 had the best team on the network, and tvd had the worst.

          • Not only the individual show campaigns, but I meant the actually Emmy ones. I remember a couple of years ago, The CW did an Emmy campaign — adverts in Emmy magazine and such, and sending out pamphlets/brochures that read "OMFG FYC." Ugh. Really? Just put FYC…or at least make "OMFG" stand for something other than what it stands for.

          • Yeah like I said they don't work in those setting. I sometimes wonder if CBS has hand in no CW emmy nods. lol. i kid. You got to class it up to the voters, whom I not sure but I think the emmys are slightly peer-related. I know the oscars are (which many people don't know that oscars voters are made up of slightly older peers of the nominated, it just a wide range peer-related vote).

            I think next time when I go to the broadcast convention, I ask that CW image rep, who does the award campaigns as that how I found out each show had their own team and before GG started with the bad ads, I told him to tell whoever came up with the original OMG promos and the season 1 "Sex" promo that they were a work of art (my editing brain was on mega load that day I was this close to telling him the Got Wood ad was horrible and false advertising as except for like two shots were season 1 stuff, and we were almost done season 2, there wasn't much boo loving going on).

          • I would even say GG had the best creative team until season 3 because after that they completely stopped making any "GG style" promotions....their episode promos are now done in an almost soap opera style, the cast has not done a single promo photoshoot together since s3, they have been using their pictures from season 3 to promote s4 and s5. The last really good season promo was when they were in Paris...They stopped making those racy posters...with those great one liners or the 'bad press' comments like Every Parent's Nightmare or Very Bad For You (which worked brilliantly for the show back then). TVD is doing well right now at least with their promo material, even during the s3 they had mid season promos which were exciting to say the least... however like you pointed out they over do it with the photoshop and recently I have also noticed that they just copy and paste from the old posters to make new ones..but the last few were slightly better like that one with Elena and the black rose.

          • I think Ian deserved to be nominated for his performance as Damon in s1, it was a very strong performance and he continued to deliver a great performance in s2 as well....and Wesley was given really good material this season so why not? I guess its the curse of being a CW show? But then aren't these awards suppose to recognize an actor's work, not the channel or network's work? So what difference does it really make? You play an amazing character and you do it so well, so what's the problem? That's why I was talking about Joseph Morgan who is the most talented person out of that whole TVD ensemble, and it would be a shame really not to even be nominated.

          • I think Gossip Girl's season 1 deserved at least a nomination because well, that's how good it was back then...btw, I remember in 2009 Gossip Girl was nominated in that Breakthrough Performance of the year category that CBS added to the Emmys that year. It was for the scene where Chuck finally told Blair he loves her, season 2 finale...

  • Um, ok, don't throw things at me for saying this, but I feel like Joseph Morgan should be nominated in the the best Supporting Actor for drama...I know its TVD, but he outshines everyone in that cast! He doesn't just frown or do eye-acting...he is 110% brilliant as Klaus!

  • ABC is pushing Scandal for all categories.
    Most actors submit themselves as it upto them to choose what they feel was their best work as actors are allow to withdraw their names from consideration.

    • Really? I mean Scandal is great but really I think the only award it is capable of maybe even grasping at is lead actress. Kerry Washington is great.

      • I think Tony has good shot for lead and imo Jeff Perry is more likely to get a nod than Kerry and Tony. Does it deserve to be nominated in all categories? imo yes but I only see a supporting actor.
        As for the Paul thing, he is technically the lead actor and Ian is suppose to be his support hence why he credited before Ian. However storyline wise Ian comes across more leading. However on strategic mindset Ian is more capable of getting a supporting nod than lead.

  • You have some great choices here, some of which will definitely be nominated. I'm crossing my fingers Nick Offerman is nominated/wins this year and I think Jon Bernthal knocked it out of the park as Shane this season and deserves a nom for the role. The only thing missing from your list are the various nominations for Breaking Bad. If you don't watch it, I highly suggest you start ASAP. Your choices for nominations will definitely change! The acting/story in the show is flawless.

    • Yes, I NEED to watch Breaking Bad. Everyone keeps telling me :D I don't think Heba watches it either, which is why we didn't list it.

      And I agree about Bernthal and Offerman. Bernthal genuinely creeped me out, and Offerman is so effortless in his performances. I don't know how he does it.

  • I totally agree with you on Peter Florrick/Chris Noth, I seriously don't get all the hate for his character! You're not alone.. :)

  • To be nominated, does a show have to run for a certain number of episodes? For example, could Sherlock be nominated despite each season being three two-hour long episodes? If so, that's a notable exception.

    • It would most likely be entered as a miniseries, which would give it a better shot to win anyway. Besides, being that it's from the UK, it would also just enter in that category regardless XD Unlike Downton Abbey which just *had* to switch to series because honestly…

  • All award shows besides the public vote ones are corrupt and partial. Modern Family had 4 out 6 nominations for Supporting Actor Emmy last year! Has a CW series ever got an Emmy nomination?

    • Yes Nikita actually did last year for editing. Emmys just won't pick them for the big awards that the public cares about.

      • editing matters but the again I am a film major, so I guess that more of a necessity thing.

        • Hahaha! No I didn't mean it like THAT. I took TV production for four years in high school and I absolutely LOVE editing. It's one of my favorite things ever (people don't understand that but whatever) and it's something I very much appreciate, understand, and notice. Hell, it's something I talk about in reviews a lot, too…and at a point before college I deeply contemplated it being a career choice for me.

          It's just it's something that goes unnoticed, unfortunately. And The CW will never make a "Congrats to Nikita for the editing Emmy" promo, etc. Just like no one will ever praise Chuck for fighting choreography awards, and so on.

          • well that's true but wouldn't it be redundant because the editors would make it themselves?

    • thats because there hasn't been anything worth nominating on the CW since Veronica Mars and Gilmore Girls

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