Emmy Nomination Advice – Drama Series

It falls to those of us who are charged with doing our best to follow it all – and, at the least, to focus on the best – to provide whatever guidance we can at this very challenging time for actors and others in the television industry by providing lists of the performers and programs Emmy voters should have on their radar. No list will be perfect – identifying the best of the best is a largely personal process and at present a damn near impossible task. With hundreds of new programs running on various networks, streaming sites and other content services, how in the world can anyone be expected to narrow any list down to a handful of choices?

With such caveats in mind, here’s a handy guide designed to help all interested parties recall eligible series and performances in the Drama Series categories from the official qualification period -- May 31, 2015 through May 31, 2016 -- that deserve recognition. (Note: A series must have telecast more than half of its current season episodes prior to the May 31 cutoff date for it to qualify for nominations.)  Advice about the Comedy Series and Limited Series/Movies categories will follow later this week.

For the record, my personal favorites are pictured herein.

Outstanding Drama Series

The Americans (FX)
Better Call Saul (AMC)
Downton Abbey (PBS)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
The Good Wife (CBS)
The Man in the High Castle (Amazon)
Mr. Robot (USA) -- pictured at top

Also worth considering:

Orange is the New Black (Netflix)
Narcos (Netflix)
UnREAL (Lifetime)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Rupert Evans, The Man in the High Castle (Amazon)
Sam Heughan, Outlander (Starz) -- pictured below
Freddie Highmore, Bates Motel (A&E)
Rami Malek, Mr. Robot (USA)
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul (AMC)
Matthew Rhys, The Americans (FX)

Also worth considering:

Kyle Chandler, Bloodline (Netflix)
Mads Mikkelsen, Hannibal (NBC)
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards (Netflix)
Thomas M. Wright, Outsiders (WGN)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder (ABC)
Eva Green, Penny Dreadful (Showtime)
Taraji P. Henson, Empire (Fox)
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife (CBS) -- pictured below
Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black (BBC America)
Krysten Ritter, Jessica Jones (Netflix)

Also worth considering:

Shiri Appleby, UnREAL (Lifetime)
Caitriona Balfe, Outlander (Starz)
Claire Danes, Homeland (Showtime)
Robin Wright, House of Cards (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul (AMC) -- pictured below
Alan Cumming, The Good Wife (CBS)
Jonathan Jackson, Nashville (ABC)
Michael McKean, Better Call Saul (AMC)
Christian Slater, Mr. Robot (USA)
Jonathan Tucker, Kingdom (DirecTV)

Also worth considering:

Jim Carter, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones (HBO)
Rupert Friend, Homeland (Showtime)
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland (Showtime)
Rufus Sewell, The Man in the High Castle (Amazon)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black (Netflix)
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife (CBS) -- pictured below
Carrie-Ann Moss, Jessica Jones (Netflix)
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Holly Taylor, The Americans (FX)
Constance Zimmer, UnREAL (Lifetime)

Also worth considering:

Jayne Atkinson, House of Cards (Netflix)
Dana Delany, Hand of God (Amazon)
Calista Flockhart, Supergirl (CBS)
Cush Jumbo, The Good Wife (CBS)

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