It may seem s a lifetime away, but voting for the 2018 Emmy Awards nominations begins in just 10 weeks. And while this season will be notable for the absence of some powerhouse shows (“Veep,” “House of Cards,” “Big Little Lies,” “Fargo,” “Better Call Saul”) it has some relatively recent returning players in the mix (“Game of Thrones,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) as well as some revived classics ready to reclaim Emmy glory (“Will & Grace,” “Roseanne,” “Twin Peaks”). And, as you’d expect in this age of peak TV, there are a sew of new shows not just hoping, but expecting to make an impact (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “GLOW,” “Ozark,” “Barry,” “Counterpart”). We’ve published our first round of 14 category prediction pages (which you can find below) and we’ve already waxed over things we’ve learned earlier in the season, but this deep dive has only spurred even more questions with so much change on the horizon.
So, quickly…
Is “Roseanne” out or in?
At the time of this posting the ratings are still incredible and the classic sitcom’s return has garnered mostly positive critical reactions (a 68 on Metacritic mostly due to one negative review). That being said Roseanne can’t stay out of the headlines even though she was clearly trying before the season premiere. The Trump phone call will be remembered, there was an ill-advised joke about ABC’s People of Color comedies “Black-ish” and “Fresh Off The Boat” and there has been a steady stream of negative think pieces along the way. More daunting, however, is the show’s dubious Emmy history where it was snubbed for years in the top Comedy Series category. That being said stars John Goodman and Laurie Metcalf, in particular, are Emmy favorites. How ABC navigates this campaign will be closely watched by all sides and how the nominations work out is truly anyone’s guess.
What exactly do Emmy voters think of “The Assassination of Gianni Versace”?
The good news for Ryan Murphy and FX is there is seemingly less competition in the Limited Series categories than years past. So much so that it would be shocking if the latest “American Crime Story” season didn’t earn a nod in the top category. Beyond that recognition and a likely nod for star Darren Criss, a “People vs. O.J.” sweep seems remote. On the one hand, reviews were mostly very good with a 74 average on Metacritic, but the TV ratings were often just a third of “People vs. O.J.” instead on par with last year’s FX nominees “Fargo” season three and “Feud: Bette and Joan.” That being said there has been a lot of passionate debate over the historical inaccuracies or “liberties” the show takes in regards to both Versace (outing him as having HIV for instance) and his killer, Andrew Cunanan (too many to list). It’s still compelling television, but will it be a harder sell than FX might think or does the Murphy brand rule when “Big Little Lies” isn’t around?
Is “Atlanta” unbeatable?
Donald Glover’s comedy has returned for another impressive, boundary pushing season. Last year it swept almost every honor it was up for, but couldn’t dethrone “VEEP” which won the Comedy Series category for the third straight year. That popular HBO series won’t return in time to qualify this year so it should be an easy run for the Emmy right? Potentially. The question is whether streaming friendly newcomers such as “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” or “GLOW” will sneak by it for the win or will “Black-ish” finally break through on what is expected to be its third try. Needless to say, “Atlanta” might have a tougher road then expected.
Can anyone beat “The Voice”?
Almost everyone thought “RuPaul’s Drag Race” was going to upend “The Voice” in the Reality Competition category last year, but NBC’s venerable singing series won for the fourth time in five years. The predictions that “Drag Race” was going to win weren’t based on wishful thinking. During the Creative Arts ceremony only a few days prior the VH1 series snatched three Emmys while “The Voice” went home completely empty handed. Things flipped on the Primetime Emmy telecast where it proved that being on a network might be your best bet in this category with a cable series taking the crown just once over the fifteen years the Emmy has been handed out (“Top Chef” in 2010).
As for our predictions please note we’re holding off on some categories until there is a bit more clarification on who is in the mix (Outstanding Movie, some supporting races, guest actor, etc) and, frankly, to see if some of the remaining contenders are actually any good. In the meantime, ponder the state of these races below.
Outstanding Drama Series
Outstanding Comedy Series
Outstanding Limited Series
Outstanding Reality-Competition Series
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Series Or Movie
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Series Or Movie
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series