10 Pressing Questions As Emmy Season Is Just Around The Corner - Page 2 of 2

Is ‘Atlanta’ set to duplicate its Golden Globe and Guild Awards success?
When Donald Glover’s breakthrough comedy took the Golden Globe for Best TV Series – Comedy it was a surprise, but a small one. The HFPA love to recognize new series and the FX series had a great shot at taking it. The real shock was Glover also taking the acting honor over “Transparent’s” Jeffrey Tambor and “Black-ish’s” Anthony Anderson. As the winter season progressed not only was “Atlanta” named the best show of the year by 12 major critics (second only to “The People v. O.J. Simpson”) but it racked up a number of key guild honors including winning the PGA Award for Episodic Comedy and the WGA Awards for Comedy Series and New Series (and Glover also earned a DGA Award nod). Even though “Atlanta” was surprisingly snubbed by SAG the WGA, DGA and PGA recognition is a major indicator it should be a big player when the Emmy nods are announced this July. Will it win the big prize? That remains to be seen.

How competitive is the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie category?
Let’s see you have “Feud’s” Oscar winners Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon, Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon (“Big Little Lies”), Oprah Winfrey (“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”), Felicity Huffman (“American Crime”), Carrie Coon (“Fargo”), Oscar winner Diane Keaton (“The Young Pope”), Michelle Pfeiffer (“The Wizard of Lives”), Oscar winner Viola Davis (“Custody”), Charlotte Rampling (“London Spy”) and Frieda Pitno (“Guerrilla”), among others, battling for six slots. That seems slightly competitive, no?

Can ‘Samantha Bee’ shake up the Outstanding Variety Talk Series category?
The Variety Talk Series category is entering its third year, but when taken in context with its previous incarnation, the Variety category winners include “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” “The Colbert Report” or “Daily Show” alum John Oliver’s “Last Word with John Oliver” for the past 13 years (that’s not a typo). In theory Oliver would be the frontrunner here, but some of the shine has come off his program in its second year. Colbert has a shot as he’s found his footing on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and even “The Late Late Show with James Cordon” has a shot. The question though is whether another former “Daily Show” star, Samantha Bee, could be a surprise player. “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” earned a writing Emmy nod last year, but it eviscerated its competitors this fall before and after the election with some of the most brutal and insightful commentary on television. “Full Frontal” will likely have to knock Emmy favorite Jerry Seinfeld’s “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” out of contention but it ended the year with both PGA and DGA nods which is a good sign. Of course, it would also be nice if the Television Academy mixed up the regular boys club of late night nominees, but dare to dream, right?

Will Julia Louise-Dreyfuss win six Emmys in a row for ‘Veep’?
She’ll definitely have some competition. This year’s Golden Globe winner Tracee Ellis Ross (“Blackish”), Sarah Jessica Parker (“Divorce”), Issa Rae (“Insecure”), Gina Rodriguez (“Jane the Virgin”), Rachel Bloom (“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”), Justina Machado (“One Day at a Time”), Ellie Kemper (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), Jane Fonda (“Grace and Frankie”), Lily Tomlin (“Grace and Frankie”), Phoebe Waller-Bridge (“Fleabag”), Minnie Driver (“Speechless”), Alia Shawkat (“Search Party”), Kristen Bell (“The Good Place”) and Kaitlin Olson (“The Mick”) will all be in the mix for a nomination. Ellis Ross, Parker and Bloom might be the only potential nominees who could end Louise-Dreyfuss’ remarkable run, however.  Maybe.

What new shows besides ‘Atlanta’ can earn an Outstanding Comedy series nod?
Will the Television Academy recognize some of the other outstanding new half-hour comedies that debuted over the past year? Can “Insecure,” “Fleabag,” “The Good Place,” “The Mick,” “One Day at a Time” or “Search Party” feel the love? Is it too much to ask? It might be.

Who are you rooting for this Emmy season? Who do you think has a chance to make a big move? Share your thoughts below.