My Emmy Ballot: Guest Performances

The Emmy nominations will be announced this upcoming Thursday. Nominations ballots were due a few weeks ago, but this is my chance to talk about those I would have picked and wish would be honored with nominations in a few days. Basically this is my wish list, not predictions.

Disclaimer: Only performances I have seen are qualified and I'm going to honor the category the actors have chosen to submit themselves in, even when I don't agree.

Guest Actor, Comedy
Jonathan Banks, Community
Christopher Meloni, Veep
Matthew Perry, Cougar Town
Prince, New Girl
Andrew Rannells, Girls
Russell Tovey, Looking

Yes, I put Prince down. He was in the show's Super Bowl episode and frankly was the highlight. Don't remember much about Perry's stint on Cougar Town, but a Chandler/Monica reunion is most welcome. Meloni as Selina's personal trainer is way funnier than I ever could've imagined while Banks easily fit the dynamics of Greendale. Rannells meanwhile makes a welcome return to Girls and gives his character some nice new shadings while Tovey is just really great to watch especially with lead actor Groff.

Alternates: Scott Bakula (Looking), Billy Eichner and Keegan-Michael Key (Parks and Recreation), Brad Garrett (The Crazy Ones), Mike O'Malley (Glee), and Damon Wayans Jr. (New Girl)

Guest Actress, Comedy
Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black
Kristen Bell, Parks and Recreation
Laverne Cox, Orange is the New Black
Taryn Manning, Orange is the New Black
Romy Rosemont, Glee
Octavia Spencer, Mom

Trust me, it was very tempting to just fill every spot with actresses from Orange is the New Black, but I kept it at three whose performances really affected me last year, Aduba and Cox primarily though Manning is probably having the most fun out of everyone. Bell playing super bitchy is a delight as is seeing Spencer as a reformed drunk. Then there's Rosemont who had the impossible task playing a grieving mother to the very real loss that the Glee family suffered last year and doing it justice (and then some).

Alternate: Madeline Brewer and Nathasha Lyonne (Orange is the New Black), Mimi Kennedy (Mom), Tatiana Maslany (Parks and Recreation), Kerry Washington (Saturday Night Live), and Linda Cardelini (New Girl)

Guest Actor, Drama
Michael Cerveris, The Good Wife
Raúl Esparza, Hannibal
Eddie Izzard, Hannibal
John Noble, Sleepy Hollow
Pedro Pascal, Game of Thrones
James Wolk, Mad Men

It was super exciting seeing Noble return to TV so soon after Fringe and he was exquisite in a small role than became so much bigger by the end. Speaking of Fringe, Cerveris joins the ranks of Broadway alums doing wonderful work in The Good Wife. Meanwhile Izzard and Esparza are doing amazing work in a show so full of incredible performances especially considering what happened to both of their characters this season. Wolk last year was a scene-stealer and backed it up this year with just one episode. Finally, Pascal is the breakout new actor on Games of Thrones for his swagger alone, but it's his scenes with Dinklage that impressed me the most. Shout out to Morse in my alternate list who went out in such a perfect way, singing and dancing.

Alternates: Dylan Baker and Nathan Lane (The Good Wife), Ben Feldman and Robert Morse (Mad Men), Michael Pitt (Hannibal), and J. August Richards (Agents of SHIELD)

Guest Actress, Drama
Gillian Anderson, Hannibal
Annaleigh Ashford, Masters of Sex
Felicia Day, Supernatural
Allison Janney, Masters of Sex
Diana Rigg, Game of Thrones
Gina Torres, Hannibal

I found this category out of all of the guest acting categories to be the most difficult to narrow down as you can see by the AWESOME names in my alternate list. That said, Anderson and Torres gave me chills whenever they were on screen this season while Rigg consistently delivered. Ashford was a refreshing presence in her show as was Day who to be honest was the best part of the season on Supernatural. But if I was in charge of all the awards, they would all go to Janney who broke my heart so many times this season as a woman who has never had an orgasm. Seriously, if she doesn't at least get nominated, I will declare war.

Alternates: Anna Chlumsky and Hettienne Park (Hannibal), Margo Martindale (The Americans), Carrie Preston (The Good Wife), Karine Vanasse (Revenge), and Julianna Nicholson and Heléne Yorke (Masters of Sex)