Who Should Win the Primetime Emmy 2012

Damian Lewis and Claire Danes in "Homeland"

The 64th Annual Prime-time Emmys airs September 23 at 8PM on ABC. About 18 actors and 12 TV shows are going to walk away with the heavy and pointy statue. With five to six contenders in the various categories, that's over a hundred names to consider. I'll be honest and say that I haven't considered them all, but I have seen quite a few and I'm going to offer my predictions. It's actually easy but my predictions are for those whom I think should win, not necessarily for those whom actually will win. I've listed the categories in which I'm interested and I've highlighted in blue my predictions for the winners.

Outstanding Commercial

"The Bark Side" (Volkswagen)
"Best Job" (Procter & Gamble)
"Color Changes Everything" (Target)
"The Dog Strikes Back" (Volkswagen)
"It's Halftime in America" (Chrysler)

Outstanding Special Class - Short Format

Children's Hospital
The Daily Show: Correspondents Explain
Parks and Recreation: April and Andy's Road Trip
30 Rock: The Webisodes

Web Therapy 

Outstanding Special Class 

84th Annual Academy Awards (ABC) 

69th Annual Golden Globe Awards (NBC)
54th Annual Grammy Awards (CBS) 

Herbie Hancock, Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Phil Celebrate Gershin (PBS) 

Louis C.K. Live at the Beacon Theatre (FX) 

Outstanding Variety Series

The Colbert Report (COM)
The Daily Show (COM)
Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC)
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (NBC)
Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Outstanding Nonfiction Series

American Masters (PBS)

Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations (TRAVEL)

Frozen Planet (DISC)

Inside the Actor's Studio (BRAVO)
The Weight of the Nation (HBO)

Outstanding Animated Program

American Dad (FOX)
Bob's Burgers (FOX)

Futurama (COM)

The Penguins of Madagascar (NICK)
The Simpsons (FOX)

Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics

"The Heart of Christmas" by Matthew West (GMC)
"Welcome Back to Hope" by Matthew W. Thompson (FOX)
"I Can't Believe I'm Hosting" by Eli Brueggemann, Seth Meyers and John Mulaney (NBC)

"Let Me Be Your Star" by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (NBC)

"It's Not Just for Gays Anymore" by Adam Schlesinger and David Javerbaum (CBS)

Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music

Great Expectations (PBS)
Hell on Wheels (AMC)
Homeland (SHOW)
Page Eight (PBS)

Touch (FOX)

Outstanding Special Visual Effects

Falling Skies (TNT)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
Inside the Human Body (TLC)
Once Upon a Time (ABC)
Pan Am (ABC)

The Walking Dead (AMC)

Outstanding Miniseries or Movie

American Horror Story (FX)
Game Change (HBO)
Hatfields & McCoys (HIST)
Hemingway & Gellhorn (HBO)
Luther (BBC America)

Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia (PBS)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy

Lena Dunham - Girls
Melissa McCarthy - Mike & Molly
Zooey Deschanel - The New Girl
Edie Falco - Nurse Jackie

Amy Poehler - Parks and Recreation

Tiny Fey - 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Veep

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy

Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory
Larry David - Curb Your Enthusiasm
Don Cheadle - House of Lies
Louis C.K. - Louie

Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock

Jon Cryer - Two and a Half Men

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy

Dot-Marie Jones - Glee

Maya Rudolph - Saturday Night Live

Melissa McCarthy - Saturday Night Live
Elizabeth Banks - 30 Rock
Margaret Cho - 30 Rock
Kathy Bates - Two and a Half Men

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy

Michael J. Fox - Curb Your Enthusiasm
Greg Kinnear - Modern Family
Bobby Cannavale - Nurse Jackie

Jimmy Fallon - Saturday Night Live

Will Arnett - 30 Rock
Jon Hamm - 30 Rock

Outstanding Comedy Series

The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
Girls (HBO)
Modern Family (ABC)

30 Rock (NBC)

Veep (HBO)

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama

Martha Plimpton - The Good Wife

Loretta Divine - Grey's Anatomy
Jean Smart - Harry's Law
Julia Ormond - Mad Men
Joan Cusack - Shameless
Uma Thurman - Smash

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama

Mark Margolis - Breaking Bad
Dylan Baker - The Good Wife

Michael J. Fox - The Good Wife

Jeremy Davies - Justified
Ben Feldman - Mad Men
Jason Ritter - Parenthood

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama

Glenn Close - Damages
Michelle Dockery - Downton Abbey
Julianna Marguiles - The Good Wife
Kathy Bates - Harry's Law

Claire Danes - Homeland

Elisabeth Moss - Mad Men

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama

Steve Buscemi - Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall - Dexter
Hugh Bonneville - Downton Abbey

Damian Lewis - Homeland

Jon Hamm - Mad Men

Outstanding Drama Series

Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Breaking Bad (AMC)
Downton Abbey (PBS)
Game of Thrones (HBO)

Homeland (SHOW)

Mad Men (AMC)