Emmys 2013: Our dream nominees, from 30 Rock to Scandal

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Morena Baccarin, Homeland

Remember when Morena Baccarin’s character had to make that impromptu speech and it truly felt like a normal person was giving a speech out of nowhere, like if you were watching real life? That’s what Baccarin does best: she never acts like she’s acting. And she’s fantastic.

Rose Byrne, Damages

There are few people who could command a scene opposite Glenn Close, and one of those few is Rose Byrne. We say it time and time again, Byrne deserves the recognition.

Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad

Anna Gunn needs a nomination just for the following line: “…For the cancer to come back.” Goodness gracious, Gunn killed it in the first half of Breaking Bad‘s final season. Her desperate state as a wife caught between her criminal husband and keeping her family safe was flawless.

Monica Potter, Parenthood

This show has constantly been ignored and with the breast cancer storyline, it’s time to say, no more! When they first introduced the storyline, you could hear the collective sigh of America as we rolled our eyes at yet another maudlin, over-the-top depiction of an all-too-real disease. Then, we saw what Jason Katims and Monica Potter brought to the criminally underrated NBC drama. From Kristina’s plea to her husband to just let her be scared to the video she left for her children, it’s hard to imagine that anybody could have been left dry-eyed at the end of this season. Throughout an overall rocky fourth season, Monica Potter radiated strength, courage, and compassion as the cancer-stricken mother of three. More than that, the breast cancer storyline never gave way to the urge to go big or go home. Instead, it was quiet, sometimes understated, and heartbreakingly real.

Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey

Plain and simple: there’s a reason why Maggie Smith has been dominating all the awards. She’s a pro and she is transcendant.

Abigail Spencer, Rectify

Abigail Spencer did not have much to do in Rectify‘s six episodes, but what she handled anything that was thrown at her. Mostly, though, her character is completely believable as a three-dimensional person, much credit to Spencer.