Emmy picks 2011

Just for fun, my personal favorites...

Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire; Dexter; Friday Night Lights; Game of Thrones; The Good Wife; Mad Men

My vote: Sentimentally I'd favor "Friday Night Lights" since it's never won, but "Mad Men" had one of its strongest seasons and deserves to win again. (Haven't seen "Dexter," "Game of Thrones")

Should be nominated: "The Walking Dead," "In Treatment"

Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Kathy Bates, Harry's Law; Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights; Mireille Enos, The Killing; Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: SVU; Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife; Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men

My vote: Britton because she's never won and the role of Tami Taylor should've earned her at least one by now. But if she already won, I'd be torn between Margulies and Moss. (Didn't see Bates beyond the pilot; saw less than five for Hargitay)

Should be nominated: Katey Sagal, "Sons of Anarchy"

Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire; Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights; Michael C. Hall, Dexter; Jon Hamm, Mad Men; Hugh Laurie, House; Timothy Olyphant, Justified

My vote: Hamm all the way. (Haven't seen Hall, Laurie, Olyphant)

Should be nominated: Gabriel Byrne, "In Treatment"

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife; Michelle Forbes, The Killing; Christina Hendricks, Mad Men; Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire; Margo Martindale, Justified; Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife

My vote: Without seeing Martindale (who would probably get my vote), I'd go with Macdonald over the universally strong competition.

Should be nominated: Amy Ryan, "In Treatment"

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Andre Braugher, Men of a Certain Age; Alan Cumming, The Good Wife; Josh Charles, The Good Wife; Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones; Walton Goggins, Justified; John Slattery, Mad Men

My vote: Haven't seen half the contenders here (Braugher, Dinklage, Goggins) which would force me to go with Cumming, a solid but not dominant contender.

Should be nominated: Michael B. Jordan, "Friday Night Lights"; Vincent Kartheiser, "Mad Men"; Irrfan Khan, "In Treatment"; Denis O'Hare, "True Blood"

Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory; Glee; Modern Family; The Office; Parks and Recreation; 30 Rock

My vote: Easy call: "Parks and Recreation."

Should be nominated: "Bored to Death"; "Louie"

Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie; Tina Fey, 30 Rock; Laura Linney, The Big C; Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly; Martha Plimpton, Raising Hope; Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

My vote: Poehler is the best part of the best comedy on TV. But Linney is nearly as good, which says a lot. (Didn't see McCarthy or Plimpton beyond their pilots)

Should be nominated: Lea Michele, "Glee"

Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock; Louis C.K., Louie; Steve Carell, The Office; Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory; Matt LeBlanc, Episodes; Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

My vote: I wouldn't object to Carell finally winning but without seeing "The Office," I go with CK. (Haven't seen either "Big Bang" actor)

Should be nominated: Danny McBride, "Eastbound and Down"; Jason Schwartzman, "Bored to Death"

Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Julie Bowen, Modern Family; Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock; Jane Lynch, Glee; Sofia Vergara, Modern Family; Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live; Betty White, Hot in Cleveland

My vote: Vergara.

Should be nominated: Heather Morris and Naya Rivera, "Glee"; Merrit Wever, "Nurse Jackie"

Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Ty Burrell, Modern Family; Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men; Chris Colfer, Glee; Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family; Ed O'Neill, Modern Family; Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

My vote: Colfer, though my "Modern Family" vote would go to Burrell, even better in the show's second season. (Haven't seen Cryer)

Should be nominated: Ted Danson and Zach Galifianakis, "Bored to Death"; Rob Lowe (foolishly submitting himself as lead) and Nick Offerman, "Parks and Recreation"

TV movie or miniseries
Cinema Verite; Downton Abbey; The Kennedys; Mildred Pierce; The Pillars of the Earth; Too Big to Fail

My vote: Richly cinematic "Mildred Pierce" over elegantly addictive "Downton" (Haven't seen "Pillars" or "Too Big"; suffered through just a partial episode of "The Kennedys")

Should be nominated: "Carlos"; "Luther"; "Sherlock"

In TV movie/mini-series acting I'd go with Edgar Ramirez ("Carlos"), Kate Winslet ("Mildred Pierce"), Guy Pearce ("Mildred Pierce") and Maggie Smith ("Downton Abbey").

Should be nominees:
Actor - Benedict Cumberbatch ("Sherlock")
Supporting Actor - Martin Freeman ("Sherlock"); Brendan Coyle ("Downton Abbey")
Supporting Actress - Ruth Wilson ("Luther")