Emmy Picks and Info Ahead of Sunday Night’s Show

This Sunday’s 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards program doesn’t promise much with regard to a host (Jane Lynch) or presenters, but the competition is pretty good.  There are many castmates of various shows vying against each other in the same category. 

Jim Parsons and Johnny Galecki are both competing for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Big Bang Theory.  In the Best Supporting Actor category for comedy series, the four grown-up actors in Modern Family are nominated:  Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Mitchell),  Ed O'Neill (Jay), Eric Stonestreet (Cameron), who won last year, and Ty Burrell (Phil).

Another big category is Best Supporting Actress in comedy.  Betty White of Hot in Cleveland is up against Sofia Vergara of Modern Family.  That’s a tough one for me, though I think Vergara is funnier.  You have to give to Betty White, though, for being a comedienne with precision timing at the age of 90.

For Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series, Nathan Lane is a lock for his turn as "Pepper Saltzman" in Modern Family where he was amazing playing against Ed O'Neil.  But, that category also has Matt Damon as "Carol" in 30 Rock and Justin Timberlake who showed he has some comedy chops as guest host of Saturday Night Live.

Leading the list of nominations is the HBO Miniseries Mildred Pierce with 21.  Other top nominees are Mad Men (19), Boardwalk Empire (18), Modern Family (17), Saturday Night Live (16), Game of Thrones and 30 Rock (13), Glee (12), Downton Abbey and Too Big to Fail (11) and American Idol and The Kennedys (10).

Below are the nominees in major categories with my picks highlighted.  If more than one name or program is highlighted, I think it’s a toss-up.   If there’s no highlighting, I didn’t see enough programs in the category, can’t choose a clear cut winner or, in the case of Reality TV Host, I think it’s a ridiculous category populated by a bunch of stiffs. (That award already presented at the Creative Emmys to Jeff Probst of Survivor.)

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series

The Big Bang Theory • Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper

The Big Bang Theory • CBS • Johnny Galecki as Leonard Hofstadter

Episodes • Showtime • Matt LeBlanc as Matt LeBlanc

Louie • FX Networks • Louis C.K. as Louie

The Office • NBC • Steve Carell as Michael Scott

30 Rock • NBC • Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series

Boardwalk Empire • HBO • Steve Buscemi as Enoch “Nucky” Thompson

Dexter • Showtime • Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan

Friday Night Lights • DirecTV • Kyle Chandler as Coach Eric Taylor

House • FOX • Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House

Justified • FX Networks • Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens

Mad Men • AMC • Jon Hamm as Don Draper

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series

The Big C • Showtime • Laura Linney as Cathy Jamison

Mike & Molly • CBS • Melissa McCarthy as Molly Flynn

Nurse Jackie • Showtime • Edie Falco as Jackie Peyton

Parks And Recreation • NBC • Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope

Raising Hope • FOX • Martha Plimpton as Virginia Chance

30 Rock • NBC • Tina Fey as Liz Lemon

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series

Friday Night Lights • DirecTV • Connie Britton as Tami Taylor

The Good Wife • CBS • Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick

Harry's Law • NBC • Kathy Bates as Harriet "Harry" Korn

The Killing • AMC • Mireille Enos as Sarah Linden

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit • NBC • Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson

Mad Men • AMC • Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series

Glee • FOX • Chris Colfer as Kurt Hummel

Modern Family • ABC • Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell Pritchett

Modern Family • ABC • Ed O'Neill as Jay Pritchett

Modern Family • ABC • Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker

Modern Family • ABC • Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy

Two And A Half Men • CBS • Jon Cryer as Alan Harper

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series

Game Of Thrones • HBO • Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister

The Good Wife • CBS • Josh Charles as Will Gardner

The Good Wife • CBS • Alan Cumming as Eli Gold

Justified • FX Networks • Walton Goggins as Boyd Crowder

Mad Men • AMC • John Slattery as Roger Sterling

Men Of A Certain Age • TNT • Andre Braugher as Owen

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series

Glee • FOX • Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester

Hot In Cleveland • TV Land • Betty White as Elka Ostrovsky

Modern Family • ABC • Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy

Modern Family • ABC • Sofia Vergara as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett

Saturday Night Live • NBC • Kristen Wiig as Various characters

30 Rock • NBC • Jane Krakowski as Jenna Maroney

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series

Boardwalk Empire • HBO • Kelly Macdonald as Margaret Schroeder

The Good Wife • CBS • Archie Panjabi as Kalinda Sharma

The Good Wife • CBS • Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart

Justified • FX Networks • Margo Martindale as Mags Bennett

The Killing • AMC • Michelle Forbes as Mitch Larsen

Mad Men • AMC • Christina Hendricks as Joan Harris

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series

The Big C • Idris Elba as Lenny

Modern Family • ABC • Nathan Lane as Pepper Saltzman

Saturday Night Live • NBC • Zach Galifianakis, Host

Saturday Night Live • NBC • Justin Timberlake, Host

30 Rock • NBC • Matt Damon as Carol

30 Rock • NBC • Will Arnett as Devin Banks

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series

Big Love • HBO • Bruce Dern as Frank Harlow

Brothers & Sisters • ABC Beau Bridges as Nick Brody

The Good Wife • CBS • Michael J. Fox as Louis Canning

Harry's Law • NBC • Paul McCrane as Josh Peyton

Justified • FX Networks • Jeremy Davies as Dickie Bennett

Mad Men • AMC • Robert Morse as Bertram Cooper

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series

Glee • FOX • Kristin Chenoweth as April Rhodes

Glee • FOX • Dot-Marie Jones as Coach Beiste

Glee • FOX • Gwyneth Paltrow as Holly Holliday

Raising Hope • FOX • Cloris Leachman as Maw Maw

Saturday Night Live • NBC • Tina Fey, Host

30 Rock • NBC • Elizabeth Banks as Avery

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series

The Closer • TNT • Mary McDonnell as Capt. Sharon Raydor

Dexter • Showtime • Julia Stiles as Lumen Pierce

Grey's Anatomy • ABC • Loretta Devine as Adele Webber

Mad Men • AMC • Randee Heller as Miss Blankenship

Mad Men • AMC • Cara Buono as Faye Miller

Shameless • Showtime • Joan Cusack as Sheila Jackson

True Blood • HBO • Alfre Woodard as Ruby Jean Reynolds

Outstanding Comedy Series

The Big Bang Theory • CBS

Glee • FOX

Modern Family • ABC

The Office • NBC

Parks And Recreation • NBC

30 Rock • NBC

Outstanding Drama Series

Boardwalk Empire • HBO

Dexter • Showtime

Friday Night Lights • DirecTV

Game Of Thrones • HBO

The Good Wife • CBS

Mad Men • AMC

Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series

The Colbert Report • Comedy Central

Conan • TBS

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart • Comedy Central

Late Night With Jimmy Fallon • NBC

Real Time With Bill Maher • HBO
Saturday Night Live • NBC

Outstanding Reality Program

Antiques Roadshow • PBS

Deadliest Catch • Discovery Channel

Hoarders • A&E

Kathy Griffin: My Life On The D-List • Bravo

MythBusters • Discovery Channel

Undercover Boss • CBS

Outstanding Reality-Competition Program

The Amazing Race • CBS

American Idol • FOX

Dancing With The Stars • ABC

Project Runway • Lifetime

So You Think You Can Dance • FOX

Top Chef • Bravo • Magical Elves