2018 Emmy’s Watchlist

Football has the Superbowl, hockey has the Stanley Cup, and TV has… the Emmy’s! This year marks the 70th year of honoring television’s greatest, and the night will be hosted by Colin Jost and Michael Che.

The 2018 Primetime Emmy Award nominations were released on Thursday, July 12,  in anticipation of awards night on Monday, Sept. 17.  Like any awards show, some of the nominees are not surprising, and others are not widely known. 

Below is a list of some nominees for this year’s Emmy Awards:


DRAMA CATEGORIES

Series

Any of the nominees could take the win this year. The 2016 winner Game of Thrones (HBO) and 2017 winner The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu) have received nominations in this category again. The other nominees include The Americans (FX), The Crown (Netflix), Stranger Things (Netflix), This Is Us (NBC), and Westworld (HBO). 

Lead Actor

This Is Us and Westworld actors secured four out of the six nominations. This year’s nominees include Ozark’s Jason Bateman, Sterling K. Brown (2017 winner) and Milo Ventimiglia from This Is Us, Ed Harris and Jeffrey Wright from Westworld, and Matthew Rhys from The Americans.

Lead Actress

Most of the nominees in this category have been nominated for this award in the past. Tatiana Maslany and Elisabeth Moss may be the front runners as they are the 2016 and 2017 winners respectively. Keri Russell (The Americans), Evan Rachel Wood (Westworld), and Claire Foy (The Crown) have all been nominated over the past two years, and they are up for the award again.

Supporting Actress

An actress from The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu) is most likely going to win this award since they have secured three of the seven nominations. These actresses are Alexis Bledel, Ann Dowd, and Yvonne Strahovski. Fourteen-year-old Millie Bobby Brown was also nominated for her role on Stranger Things, along with Lena Headey (Game of Thrones), Vanessa Kirby (The Crown), and Thandie Newton (Westworld).

Supporting Actor
Two actors from Game of Thrones (HBO) have been nominated, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Peter Dinklage. The four other nominees are Joseph Fiennes (The Handmaid’s Tale), David Harbour (Stranger Things), Mandy Patinkin (Homeland) and Matt Smith (The Crown).

Guest Actress

The Handsmaid’s Tale (Hulu) has swept this category with Kelly Jenrette, Cherry Jones, and Samira Wiley all receiving nominations. Viola Davis received a nomination for her role on Scandal (ABC), along with Diana Rigg for Game of Thrones (HBO) and Cicely Tyson for How to Get Away With Murder (ABC).

Guest Actor

This Is Us (NBC) actors Ron Cephas Jones and Gerald McRaney received nominations. F. Murray Abraham (Homeland), Cameron Britton (Mindhunter), Matthew Goode (The Crown) and Jimmi Simpson (Westworld) are the other nominees for the category.


COMEDY CATEGORIES

Series

This year’s nominees are: Atlanta (FX), Barry (HBO), Black-ish (ABC), Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO), GLOW (Netflix), The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon), Silicon Valley (HBO), and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix).

Lead Actress

Allison Janney won the 2018 Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for her role in I, Tonya, and now she is up for an Emmy for her role in Mom (CBS). Other potential contenders include Lily Tomlin from Grace and Frankie (Netflix) and Rachel Brosnahan from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon).

Lead Actor

Atlanta’s (FX) David Glover won this award last year, and he has been nominated again. Another potential contender this year is Larry David from Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO).

Supporting Actress
For Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy, potential contenders include three Saturday Night Live (NBC) stars: Aidy Bryant, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon. Laurie Metcalf of Roseanne (ABC)
and Megan Mullally of Will & Grace (NBC) could also potential walk away as the winner.

Supporting Actor

Saturday Night Live (NBC) is represented by two actors in this category, Alec Baldwin and Kenan Thompson. Tituss Burgess from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix) could be a contender for the award as well. 

Guest Actress
Tina Fey and Tiffany Haddish have been nominated for their guest roles on Saturday Night Live (NBC). Jane Lynch (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Maya Rudolph (The Good Place), Molly Shannon (Will & Grace), and Wanda Sykes (Black-ish) received the other nominations.

Guest Actor
Sterling K. Brown could win another Emmy for his role in Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox). The former Hamilton star Lin-Manuel Miranda is also nominated for his guest appearance on Drunk History (Comedy Central). Donald Glover and Bill Hader from Saturday Night Live (NBC) and Katt Williams round out the nominations.

 

LIMITED SERIES & TV MOVIE CATEGORIES 

Limited Series

The 2016 and 2017 winners were The People v. O.J. Simpson (FX) and Big Little Lies (HBO). Considering the focus on crime in these two series, it is possible that The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX) may win this year.

TV Movie

Nominees and potential contenders for this award include Fahrenheit 451 (HBO), Flint (Lifetime), and Paterno (HBO).

Lead actress
The women nominated for this award all represent different programs. Some of the nominees include Jessica Biel (The Sinner), Laura Dern (The Tale), Edie Falco (Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders), and Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story: Cult).

Lead actor
Darren Criss has received great attention for his role as Gianni Versace’s assassin on The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX), and he has been nominated for this award. John Legend also received positive reviews for his portrayal of Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert (NBC). Other acclaimed actors received nominations including Antonio Banderas (Genius: Picasso) and Benedict Cumberbatch (Patrick Melrose). 

Supporting Actress
Sara Bareilles received high praises for her portrayal of Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert (NBC) and could be a contender for this award. Two other potential contenders are Penelope Cruz and Judith Light for their performances in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX).

Supporting Actor
Actors from T
he Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX) received half of the nominations for this category: Ricky Martin, Edgar Ramirez, and Finn Witrock. It is highly probable that one of them will walk away with the Emmy.

REALITY COMPETITION SERIES

If The Voice (NBC) wins this award this year, it will be the third consecutive year that the program has won the award. The other nominees are The Amazing Race (CBS), American Ninja Warrior (NBC), Project Runway (Lifetime), RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1), and Top Chef (Bravo).

Animated Series

As expected, Bob’s Burgers (Fox), Rick and Morty (Adult Swim), South Park (Comedy Central), and The Simpsons (Fox) received nominations.

 

VARIETY CATEGORIES

Talk Series

This year would mark the third consecutive win for Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO) if the program wins the award again. James Cordon’s The Late Late Show With James Corden (CBS) could also be a contender with its carpool karaoke and crosswalk musicals. The other nominees come as no surprise with The Daily Show With Trevor Noah (Comedy Central), Full Frontal With Samantha Bee (TBS), Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC), and The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (CBS). 

Sketch Series

Two great potential contenders include Drunk History (Comedy Central) and Saturday Night Live (NBC).