With the 2019 Emmys approaching, we take a look at the list of nominees and pick our favorites to win.
As Emmy mainstays like Game of Thrones and Veep ending, this is already giving new favorites an opportunity to shine, like Fleabag earning 11 total nominations. With exciting nominations like that, there was a lot to love the morning of the 2019 Emmy nominations announcement.
Following suit with the Oscars, the Emmys telecast this year will also be forgoing a host, so let’s hope for some big wins and memorable speeches to keep the night moving.
Below is a wishlist of winners we’d love to see during this year’s Emmy Awards.
Drama Series: Anything but ‘Game of Thrones’
No doubt the award will go to HBO’s fantasy epic to crown its final season, even though it’s a season that many fans largely agree was disappointing and hardly stuck the landing. And so it would bring great pleasure if a more groundbreaking drama now on TV, something like FX’s Pose, took the prize this year.
Killing Eve would also be an exciting win for its incredible first season, which would then (in our minds, at least) give Phoebe Waller-Bridge two trophies in hand this year.
Comedy Series: ‘Fleabag’
As alluded above, wouldn’t it just be so great if Phoebe Waller-Bridge helmed the winner of both Comedy and Drama series this year? As I’ve already said in my list of the best TV shows this year, nothing (TV or movie) is going to top the transcendence that is the second season of Fleabag.
All five actresses in the show were nominated for Emmys this year, so one can only hope the across-the-board love will translate to a best comedy series win. But it’s going to be hard to top the other show going out on its final season, HBO’s Veep.
Limited Series: ‘When They See Us’
Escape at Dannemora seems the likely frontrunner in this category, as it’s already picked up the Golden Globe during this awards cycle. But only at the Emmys is it also up against the now eligible Ava DuVernay Netflix miniseries When They See Us, which tells the heart-pounding true story of the Central Park Five.
Highly acclaimed across the board, only DuVernay’s miniseries seems primed to topple the current frontrunner. It’s a harrowing, important, urgent and incredibly well-crafted series that should rightfully take this top prize after its whopping 16 total nominations.
Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Billy Porter
It was already thrilling to see Billy Porter receive his nomination, but it would really be the cherry on top to watch him accept the award on stage. His vibrant and exhilarating performance in FX’s Pose is the highlight of the great series.
Seeing him on the awards circuit, most notably on the red carpet and The Hollywood Reporter actors roundtable, has been such a delight. So, it would be an even bigger delight to hear what his speech would be if he was given the opportunity.
Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Sandra Oh
This is one win on our wish list that’s actually the likely frontrunner (yay!). Sandra Oh’s acceptance speech during the Golden Globes was one of the highlights of the night, and she deserves to get on that stage again with an even higher accolade.
I’ll hold my tongue on the lesser second season of Killing Eve, but her work throughout, no matter where the writing wanders, is always sharp, funny and deeply nuanced.
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Eugene Levy
It was thrilling to see the beloved Schitt’s Creek finally get the Emmys recognition it deserves after five seasons. What began as a quietly released comedy from Canada on Pop TV blew up with a rabid fandom once the show earned more visibility on Netflix.
Now the show is a cult favorite, and co-creators Dan and Eugene Levy announced recently that the six season would be their last, so it’s good to see them going out on a high note.
Eugene Levy taking the prize for lead actor in a comedy series, in my mind, would work as the award to reward the show as a whole. And not only that, but it would also honor Levy’s entire career so far in comedy. While he’s been nominated for writing Emmys and has won two, him getting a prize for his acting would be such a nice bonus for the night.
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Julia Louis-Dreyfus
As much as I would absolutely love to see Catherine O’Hara grace that stage and win for her hilarious and much-deserved work on Schitt’s Creek — her getting the nomination was the biggest and best surprise to happen on nomination morning — I would be hard-pressed not to root for Julia Louis-Dreyfus for the final season of Veep.
Overall, this is such a strong category, I think our actual wish would be to have all these wonderful, talented, funny women win. Bring Christina Applegate, Rachel Brosnahan, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Natasha Lyonne, Catherine O’Hara and Phoebe Waller-Bridge all up to the stage!
Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie: Amy Adams
Patricia Arquette is the shoo-in frontrunner for her performance in Showtime’s Escape at Dannemora as, like the miniseries, she’s been taking the prize this awards season. However, we’re putting the vibes of an Amy Adams win into the universe. Her performance on Sharp Objects is among the caliber of film performances she’s given us, and it deserves to finally be the role to give her a trophy.
It’s become the long-running joke that Amy Adams always comes in second, and until we get to Oscar season once again, why not give her a first place win now.
Of course, however, if Arquette doesn’t take the win, it’s obviously going to Michelle Williams for her performance in FX’s Fosse/Verdon. But one can always hope.
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