2012-13 Emmy Comedy Contenders: Where We Stand

We’re well into 2012-13 television season, and the Emmy competition for Best Comedy Series is as deep and varied as I can ever remember it being.  Here’s how who I believe should be the contenders are shaping up:

Safe Bets
Happy Endings
Louie
The Middle
New Girl
30 Rock

This Was a Safe Bet Last Year, and I Feel Like it Should Be a Safe Bet This Year, But it Isn’t as Good as Last Year, But It Mixes Things Up a Lot, And Isn’t That a Mark of a Good Show? So Maybe it is as Good as Last Year
Girls

Not Enough Episodes Have Aired to Say for Sure
Community

When These Shows Are at Their Best, They’re the Best on TV, But Too Often This Season They Haven’t Been at Their Best (Their Own Fault Division)
Parks and Recreation
Suburgatory

When This Shows is at Its Best, It’s the Best on TV, But Too Often This Season It Hasn’t Been at Its Best (Not Its Fault Division)
Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23

This Show Doesn’t Seem to Fit Any of My Categories, But It’s Good, Isn’t It?
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

One Show I Don’t Watch That is Possibly the Best Show on Television
Enlightened

2 Animated Shows That Will Probably Enter the Animated Field But Would Easily Be in the Running if They Were to Enter the Comedy Field
Archer
Bob’s Burgers

And here are my current Number One contenders in the acting categories:

Lead Actor
Joel McHale, Community

Lead Actress
Jane Levy, Suburgatory

Supporting Actor
Jake Johnson, New Girl

Supporting Actress
Elisha Cuthbert, Happy Endings

2012 Emmys Live Tweeting Alert

I will be live tweeting the Emmys tomorrow night, @jmunneymalone, 8 PM, 7 Central.  Because that’s how I do.

For the Record: Jmunney’s 2012 Emmy Predictions

I predict the winners of a lot of awards shows, but I usually don’t predict the Emmys.  For one, predicting the Emmys can be kind of boring.  The same shows are nominated every year, and the same shows win every year.  (Well, not quite.  Lead Actress in a Comedy is one category that actually has mixed it up each year for about a decade, with a newcomer winning each time most of the last several years.)  For another thing, I guess I’m so focused on taking it upon myself to recognize the shows that the Emmys continue to ignore, so I don’t have that much energy left to focus on predictions. I’ve already spoken my peace regarding who and what should be nominated.  Now, for the record, at least this year, I have decided to make it known who I think will win.

Drama Series: Mad Men
I keep hearing that Breaking Bad is the best show on TV, but Mad Men keeps winning the Emmy.  That could change this year, but I don’t think it will.   (Homeland or Downton Abbey could break through.)

Lead Actor, Drama: Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
This category has the opposite issue of Drama Series.  People keep saying Jon Hamm needs an Emmy, but Bryan Cranston keeps winning.

Lead Actress, Drama: Claire Danes, Homeland
The strongest contender on a rookie show.

Supporting Actor, Drama: Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bad
This should be a contest between Giancarlo, last year’s winner (Peter Dinklage), and 2010′s winner (Aaron Paul, who wasn’t eligible last year).  The buzz seems to be in Giancarlo’s favor.

Supporting Actress, Drama: Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
She’s Maggie Smith.

Comedy Series: Modern Family
Girls might have a chance for an upset?

Lead Actress, Comedy: Lena Dunham, Girls
Literally, any of the nominees here could win.  What’s in Lena’s favor?  She’s on HBO, and it’s her show’s first season.

Lead Actor, Comedy: Louis C.K., Louie
Jim Parsons and Alec Baldwin have already won enough, and it just feels like something has to give eventually regarding Louie.

Supporting Actress, Comedy: Kathryn Joosten, Desperate Housewives
This category could go in a number of directions, but I like Kathryn’s postmortem chances.  (Let’s not forget how she dominated the Guest category before upgrading to Supporting.)

Supporting Actor, Comedy: Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Maybe Ed O’Neill will win if they want to give everyone on MF their turn to win, but besides that possibility, I don’t see anyone strong enough to knock off last year’s champ.

Also, I don’t know who will win Writing for Comedy, but I think Community actually has a legitimate chance!!!

Jmunney’s Emmy Thoughts 2012, Part 2: Drama

With the exception of Fringe, I either do not watch any of the top dramas, or I am still playing catch-up on Netflix.  So, for the drama categories, I am going to pick based on the tings that I hear.

Best Drama

I believe that Community is the best show on TV, but if it is not, then it must be Breaking Bad.  Game of Thrones is nearly all the way up there, too, from what I hear.  Homeland – apparently the best new drama of the year – is probably going to crash the party and may even have a chance to win.  The Good Wife somehow manages to find a place among its more unusual competition.  Can’t forget Mad Men.  I’ll take Justified over Boardwalk Empire.

Lead Actress

This is the first year that I believe that Anna Torv truly deserves a nomination along with her castmates.  Claire Danes quite possibly deserves to win in Homeland’s first year.  I’m assuming Julianna Margulies is still great.  My sister, brother, and dad watch more Mad Men than I do; whenever I walk in the room, I always enjoy what Elisabeth Moss is doing.  And let’s go a little wild for the last two spots: Katey Sagal and Emily VanCamp.

Lead Actor

Apparently Bryan Cranston owns this category.  I enjoy Jon Hamm and Timothy Olyphant and would like to be watching their shows more often.  Steve Buscemi, right? I’m feeling that Damian Lewis must match up well with Claire Danes for Homeland to be as good as people say it is.  And let’s show some post-cancellation love to Jason Isaacs. 

Supporting Actress

Morena Baccarin was the right sort of sexy-scary on V; I hope that’s also true on Homeland (because of Homeland, the president did see her boobs). Speaking of boobs … her acting is good, too … Christina Hendricks. I loved Mae Whitman in a little show called State of Grace, then on Arrested Development, then in the live-action Rugrats trailer on Funny or Die; in this category she’s up for Parenthood.  Madeleine Stowe was great in 12 Monkeys; that’s not too different from Revenge, right?  Archie Panjabi won this category once – her character seems interesting.  And I keep hearing praise for Kiernan Shipka, so let’s just give her a nomination, why don’t we.

Supporting Actor

Gus Fring died so that Giancarlo Esposito could get an Emmy.  And Aaron Paul is the other strong contender from Breaking Bad in this field.  I’m not sure if John Noble should be up for Lead or Supporting; since he was submitted in Supporting, we’ll go with that.  And Joshua Jackson was good, too.  Peter Dinklage won last year, so I’m sure he deserves the nomination, if not the win, again.  And gotta be Neal McDonough.

Guest Actor and Actress
It’s hard enough keeping track of guests on the comedies (which I watch), so I’m not going to bother trying to figure out the guests on the dramas (which I don’t watch).

Jmunney’s Emmy Thoughts 2012, Part 1: Comedy

Emmy nominations are coming on Thursday (July 19)!  So here is what and who Ibelieve should be nominated.  I made my selections based on what categories I think the shows and the actors should be in, not necessarily what category they were submitted in.  So, if an animated show submitted for animated series (and was thus not eligible to also submit for comedy series), I still considered it for best comedy, or if an actor submitted for lead but really should have submitted for supporting, I considered that person in the supporting field.  Or if guest actors weren’t submitted, I don’t care.  There are certain potentially deserving nominees on shows that I do not watch or just started watching that I have heard enough good things about to consider along with those I am familiar with; such contenders are marked in italics.  My choices are listed in order of most deserving first.

(Thanks to fishsticktheatre.com for the Community screencaps.)

Best Comedy

Remember when 30 Rock was (deservedly) dominating this category?  And now Modern Family is (undeservedly) dominating?  Both of those shows miss my short list.  Boy, are we living in a golden age of comedy.  Is it time yet for everyone else to realize how incredible Community is?
1. Community (Check out this episode: “Remedial Chaos Theory”)
2. Parks and Recreation (Check out this episode: “Citizen Knope”)
3. Louie (Check out this episode: “Duckling,” from what I’ve heard)
4. Happy Endings (Check out this episode: “Big White Lies”)
5. Girls (Check out this episode: “Vagina Panic”)
6. Bob’s Burgers (Check out this episode: “Bad Tina”)
Also worth consideration: Archer, Suburgatory, 30 Rock, The Middle

Lead Actress

There sure are a lot of great comedies fronted by funny ladies these days.  Zooey Deschanel sure is awesome.  (You hear that, people who don’t like her?!)  But Amy Poehler is even more awesome, and it continues to be a disgrace that she hasn’t won yet.
1. Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation (Check out this episode: “The Debate”)
2. Zooey Deschanel, New Girl (Check out this episode: “Jess and Julia”)
3. Martha Plimpton, Raising Hope (Check out this episode: “Jimmy’s Fake Girlfriend”)
4. Lena Dunham, Girls (Check out this episode: “Vagina Panic”)
5. Tina Fey, 30 Rock (Check out this episode: “The Tuxedo Begins”)
6. Jane Levy, Suburgatory (Check out this episode: “The Motherload”)
Also worth considering: Krysten Ritter, Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep, Dreama Walker, Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, Laura Dern, Enlightened

Lead Actor

The more and more I think about it, the more I realize how much Joel McHale as Jeff Winger belongs in the pantheon of perfect casting.
1. Joel McHale, Community (Check out this episode: “Origins of Vampire Mythology”)
2. Louis C.K., Louie (Check out this episode: “Duckling,” from what I’ve heard)
3. Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock (Check out this episode: “Today You Are a Man”)
4. Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory (Check out this episode: “The Stag Convergence”)
T5. Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele, Key & Peele (Check out this episode: Episode 1)
Also worth considering: Will Arnett, Up All Night, Danny McBride, Eastbound & Down, Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm

Supporting Actress

Thanks to the debuts of Suburgatory and Up All Night and the maturation of Happy Endings, this category is more crowded than ever.  But, uh-huh, Alison Brie is still the best.  But she does have some solid competition on her own show.  And oh how I wish I could also pick Aubrey Plaza!
1. Alison Brie, Community (Check out this episode: “Regional Holiday Music”)
2. Gillian Jacobs, Community (Check out this episode: “Remedial Chaos Theory”)
3. Aubrey Plaza, Parks and Recreation (Check out this episode: “Live Ammo”)
4. Eden Sher, The Middle (Check out this episode: “Leap Year”)
5. Casey Wilson, Happy Endings (Check out this episode: “The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre”)
6. Carly Chaikin, Suburgatory (Check out this episode: “Down Time”)
The difference between these last two slots and the first two out was razor-thin; I could easily switch Casey and/or Carly out with a castmate, and then turn around and switch them back the next day.
7. Elisha Cuthbert, Happy Endings
8. Allie Grant, Suburgatory
Also worth considering: Eliza Coupe, Happy Endings, Ellie Kemper, The Office, Maya Rudolph, Up All Night, Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory, Zosia Mamet, Girls, Yvette Nicole Brown, Community, Ana Gasteyer, Suburgatory, Kaitlin Olson, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Supporting Actor

Nick Offerman was more awesome than ever as Ron Swanson this season, and I thought that this would be the first season that I would pick him over Danny Pudi, but then Community went and had a run of incredible Abed-centric episodes in the back half of the season, and I’ve got to give it to Danny again.  Both of them deserve to have won multiple times already.  I would also be okay with Jim Rash getting one step closer to an EGOT.
1. Danny Pudi, Community (Check out this episode: “Virtual Systems Analysis”)
2. Nick Offerman, Parks and Recreation (Check out this episode: “Campaign Ad”)
3. Jim Rash, Community (Check out this episode: “Documentary Filmmaking: Redux”)
4. Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live (Check out this episode: “Zooey Deschanel/Karmin”)
5. Tracy Morgan, 30 Rock (Check out this episode: “Today You Are a Man”)
6. Damon Wayans, Jr., Happy Endings (Check out this episode: “The Code War”)
Also worth considering: Adam Pally, Happy Endings, Ty Burrell, Modern Family, Max Greenfield, New Girl, Donald Glover, Community, Adam Scott, Parks and Recreation, Jason Segel, How I Met Your Mother, Chris Pratt, Parks and Recreation, Adam Driver, Girls, Alan Tudyk, Suburgatory, Chevy Chase, Community, Charlie Day, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, James Van Der Beek, Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, Glenn Howerton, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Danny DeVito, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,  Rob McElhenney, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Atticus Shaffer, The Middle,  Aziz Ansari, Parks and Recreation, Jack McBrayer, 30 Rock, Tony Hale, Veep

Guest Actor and Actress

Oh, guest actor category, you drive me crazy, what with your mix of recurring characters who don’t appear often enough to enter into the supporting field and characters who only appear for one episode or one arc.  Community’s resident Hispanics – fight it out!  As for the ladies, I can safely pick Kathryn Hahn ahead of all others; let’s make her more of a household name!
1. Richard Erdman, Community
2. Luis Guzman, Community
3. Paul Rudd, Parks and Recreation
4. Norm MacDonald, The Middle
5. Giancarlo Esposito, Community
6. Jim Carrey, 30 Rock
Also worth considering: William Baldwin, 30 Rock, Steve Buscemi, Saturday Night Live, Will Forte, 30 Rock, Kyle McLachlan, Portlandia

1. Kathryn Hahn, Parks and Recreation
2. Zooey Deschanel, Saturday Night Live
3. Kristen Wiig, Portlandia
4. Whoopi Goldberg, The Middle
5. Emma Stone, Saturday Night Live
6. Leslie Mann, Modern Family
Also worth considering: Ursula Parker, Louie, Lizzy Caplan, New Girl

My Emmy Thoughts 2011, Part 2: Drama

Best Drama
Once again, it is clear that I do not watch that many dramas, or at least not that many good dramas.  I can vouch for Fringe deserving a spot, and The Walking Dead might be welcome as well. Breaking Bad, which is apparently the best show on television right now, didn’t have any new episodes in the eligibility period.  So I’m hearing that Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, Justified, Mad Men, or perhaps The Good Wife ought to go here.  It’ll be several years before I can say for sure.  After all, I still have to get around to watching The Sopranos and The Wire.

Lead Actor
I would throw my support behind John Noble all the way here, except that he apparently enters in the supporting field.  I hear that Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire), Sean Bean (Game of Thrones), and Timothy Olyphant (Justified) are all great, and that Jon Hamm (Mad Men) and Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights) continue to be so.  Brian Cranston won’t be around to defend his title.

Lead Actress
I am going to continue my campaign for Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl) to get some Emmy love.  And Anna Torv (Fringe) may have just been strong enough to earn a nod this year.  Apparently, Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife) and Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights) are also deserving.

Supporting Actor
On Fringe, John Noble’s was by far the most astounding work of any actor on TV this year.  From what I have heard, Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones) is the only other contender who can even come close to him.  Fringe deserves to double up here, as Joshua Jackson went deeper and darker.

Supporting Actress
I suppose Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife) might repeat here, and Kelly McDonald (Boardwalk Empire) sounds good, too.

Guest Actor/Actress
For perhaps the first time eveer, the guest actor statues for comedy and drama ought to go to the same recipient, as Kevin Corrigan led us further into the mysteries that lie at the heart of Fringe.  It was a treat to see Noah Emmerich pop up in The Walking Dead.  Returning for five minutes, Michael Rosenbaum was the best thing about the final season of Smallville.  As for the ladies, I have no idea.  I am sure there were great guest actresses this past season, but I just did not happen to catch them.

My Emmy Thoughts 2011, Part 1: Comedy

The Primetime Emmy Award nominations will be announced this upcoming Thursday morning, July 14, so here are my annual thoughts on who and what I believe deserve to be nominated.  As always, I will only include picks from shows that I regularly watch, but I suggest picks from shows that I don’t watch that I have heard may be deserving as well.  Today, the comedy categories; tomorrow, the dramas.  (Picks are listed in order from most deserving to least deserving.)

Best Comedy
Parks and Recreation was good as usual, and 30 Rock felt reenergized this year, but it was Community that met its fullest potential.  But I’m struggling to find anything else truly worthy of a nom.  The Office, Modern Family, and Family Guy were all okay.  Is Futurama eligible in this category?
1. Community
2. Parks and Recreation
3. 30 Rock

Lead Actor
Joel McHale is the realest actor on TV right now, as he leapfrogs over Alec Baldwin and Jim Parsons to the top of the lead acting heap.
1. Joel McHale, Community
2. Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
3. Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
4. Steve Carell, The Office
5. Will Arnett, Running Wilde

Lead Actress
Leslie Knope remains slightly more indelible than Liz Lemon.  Also, I am happy that Martha Plimpton was entered for lead, which allows me to round out my picks in this category a bit more and opens up supporting.
1. Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
2. Tina Fey, 30 Rock
3. Keri Russell, Running Wilde
4. Martha Plimpton, Raising Hope

Supporting Actor
Before Community came along, Tracy Morgan deserved plenty of Emmys for 30 Rock.  He has yet to win, which is doubly unfortunate, now that Community is on, and Danny Pudi is now the one who deserves multiple Emmys.  Apparently, SNL cast members are nominated in the supporting categories, so Bill Hader ought to end up with a nom for one of the best seasons ever.  And how do you stand out in a cast filled with wackos?  Apparently, play it understated, as Adam Scott did on Parks and Recreation.
1. Danny Pudi, Community
2. Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live
3. Tracy Morgan, 30 Rock
4. Chris Pratt, Parks and Recreation
5. Adam Scott, Parks and Recreation
6. Chevy Chase, Community

Supporting Actres
Jane Lynch’s screen time on Glee was, strangely, diminished, which would have made room for Aubrey Plaza to deserve to win here, except that Alison Brie became even more essential to Community.  Meanwhile, Mayim Bialik was upgraded to main cast member status, and Olivia Munn stood out on the sadly short lived Perfect Couples.
1. Alison Brie, Community
2. Aubrey Plaza, Parks and Recreation
3. Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory
4. Jane Lynch, Glee
5. Olivia Munn, Perfect Couples
6. Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock

Guest Actor/Actress
Kevin Corrigan is one-of-a-kind, especially in his appearance as Professor Professorson on Community.  He ought to edge out James Spader’s frighteningly, hilariously creepy appearance on The Office.  The guest ladies were a mixed bag this year.  The youngest contender – Chloë Grace-Moretz – had the most room to do plenty with her role and she did all that she could with it.  And let’s throw in a couple of folks who also deserve noms in the main acting categories (Will Arnett, Aubrey Plaza).
1. Kevin Corrigan, Community
2. James Spader, The Office
3. Jim Carrey, Saturday Night Live
4. Zach Galifianakis, Saturday Night Live
5. Will Arnett, The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret
6. John Lithgow, How I Met Your Mother

1. Chloë Grace-Moretz, 30 Rock
2. Parker Posey, Parks and Recreation
3. Catherine Tate, The Office
4. Amy Sedaris, Raising Hope
5. Aubrey Plaza, Portlandia

My Emmy Thoughts, Part 2

Apparently, I do not watch as many dramas as I do comedies.  Or I do not watch as many quality dramas as I do quality comedies.  When I consider all the dramas I follow, I do not find enough potential contenders to fill out each dramatic category for the Emmys.  Since I can only reasonably limit myself to making my picks among the shows that I watch, I will only make a few choices per category, instead of rounding out the entire list of nominations as I did with the comedies.

Best Drama
Lost won this category its first season, and it ought to bookend that win with another in its essentially satisfying final year.  Fringe has transcended its status as sci-fi procedural, laying thick some real emotional heft on its characters.  Other dramas that I hear are good include Breaking Bad, Mad Men, and True Blood.

Lead Actor
John Noble is probably entered in the supporting race, but his role as Walter Bishop on Fringe is big enough for him to be considered a lead.  Whichever race he ends up in, he ought to earn a nod for a performance that has been funny, poignant, and all-in-all, stunning.

Lead Actress
We all know that the best thing about Gossip Girl is Leighton Meester.  But not all of us know that she is so good that she is deserving of an Emmy nomination.  Well, for those of you who don’t know, she is.  She simultaneously embodies and subverts the quintessential nighttime soap teen queen role, and she always looks great doing it.

Supporting Actor
The cast of Lost was aware that this was their last season, and they stepped up their games accordingly.  Terry O’Quinn went balls-to-the-wall and had his best season yet in a dual role as Locke and Fake Locke/Smokey.  Josh Holloway brought Sawyer down to a dark side with gumption following the death of Juliet.  In the beginning of the season, I feared that Ben Linus’ prominence would be diminished, but Michael Emerson ultimately had as much as usual to chew on and could make it two in a row.  On Fringe, Joshua Jackson’s quietly confident work has gone unheralded for too long.  Now that Boston Legal is over, that means no more William Shatner in this category.  So who will fill the token nomination of a role on a drama that is more comedic than dramatic?  How about the loopy Fran Kranz of Dollhouse?  (Too bad he can only fill it for only one year since Dollhouse is already off the air.)  If we want to fill this category out with a sixth, we can go back to Lost, either with Nestor Carbonell, who dug deep into the psyche of Richard Alpert, or Henry Ian Cusick as Desmond, who deserves a spot here if only for being the only person ever who sounds cool when calling people, “brother.”

Supporting Actress
The best part of the somewhat promising remake of V? That would be the profoundly chilling leader of the Visitors, Anna, played to icy perfection by Morena Baccarin.  For a more matronly and friendlier version of icy, there is the very English Olivia Williams of Dollhouse.

Guest Actor and Actress
Jacob and the Man in Black ultimately did not appear often enough on Lost to fit into the supporting category, so Mark Pellegrino and Titus Welliver will have to duke it out here.  I am not as enthusiastic about them as I would like to be, since they gave their best performances in the season 5 finale.  But they were still freakishly solid.  Leonard Nimoy was appropriately regal on Fringe.  And Alan Tudyk went completely insane as one of the V’s.  As for guest actress?  Umm … Summer Glau on Dollhouse?  Pam Grier on Smallville?  Katey Sagal on Lost?  Actually, there was at least one female guest appearance whose quality I can attest to without hesitation: Martha Plimpton as the multilayered (surprisingly so for a guest role) Sheriff Mathis on the “Northwest Passage” episode of Fringe.

My Emmy Thoughts, Part 1

The Emmy nominations will be announced this upcoming Thursday, July 8, and as those of you who follow my blog and/or know me personally can attest, I follow a lot of TV shows.  Therefore, unsurprisingly enough, I have some thoughts on how the Emmy nominations should turn out.  This is not what I would call a “dream ballot,” because the Emmys are rather strange and not worth predicting or dreaming about.  Among the choices for nominees are usually some legitimate contenders, some not-so-deserving contenders, and some out-of-left-field, I’m-not-really-sure-if-they-are-deserving contenders.  Thus, I have no dreams that my choices could match those of the nominators.  But I still feel strongly enough to share my thoughts.  Today, I will start off with the comedy categories.  Tomorrow, drama.

Best Comedy
30 Rock has deservedly won the statue for best comedy the past three years, so I was shocked – shocked! – when I discovered that Parks and Recreation (a show I started watching mainly because I watched whatever was on NBC’s Thursday night comedy block) turned out to be the most consistently funny show of the year.  Last year, Family Guy entered itself in the Comedy category instead of the Animation wing and was awarded with a nomination.  I agreed with the move on principle but did not believe that the season was strong enough for a nomination; this season, however, was.  Modern Family always makes its viewer feel good, mainly due to laughter, never due to schmaltz.  And Community is just too idiosyncratic for any of the remaining contenders to beat it out for that final spot.
1. Parks and Recreation
2. 30 Rock
3. Family Guy
4. Modern Family
5. Community

Lead Actor
Last year, I actually thought that Jim Parsons should win over Alec Baldwin.  This year, I think they were equal.  I am sort of leaning towards Jim, since Alec already has 3 wins and Jim has 0 … how about a tie?  Though The Office turned off some of its fans this year, Steve Carrell’s performance was as strong as ever.  Because Joel McHale was surrounded by such a wild supporting cast, it took me a while to appreciate his work on Community, but he does deserve a spot.  I would have picked Ty Burrell here, but the entire Modern Family cast entered in the supporting categories, so that leaves a spot for Matthew Morrison, who was funny enough to not be hampered by Glee’s status as a dramedy.
1. Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock/Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
3. Steve Carrell, The Office
4. Joel McHale, Community
5. Matthew Morrison, Glee

Lead Actress
I wish I had more to say in this category, but there are only two sitcoms I watch with lead actresses.  I would have put Julie Bowen here, but see the explanation about Ty Burrell above.  Anyway, I do not need to be familiar with any other female-led comedies to know that this is Amy Poehler’s category all the way.  Tina Fey was as iconic as ever as Liz Lemon, but she was upstaged by her former SNL cast mate.
1. Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
2. Tina Fey, 30 Rock

Supporting Actor
This has easily been the most crowded Emmy category for the past several years, and it remains so, even though Arrested Development has been off the air for four years!  There better be at least six nominees this year, and I would even recommend ten (and I am having trouble even sticking to that).  Tracy Morgan must win this category at some point in his 30 Rock tenure, but this year belongs to Danny Pudi, who has crafted the role of a lifetime in Abed Nadir.  Ty Burrell makes things even more crowded by entering as supporting instead of lead.  Nick Offerman has a beautiful mustache as Ron Swanson.  I hear that Chevy Chase is a jerk in real life; on TV, he is hilarious, jerk or no.  Eric Stonestreet is the funniest gay family member ever.  And Aziz Ansari can be somewhat annoying as a stand-up, but he has put together an enjoyably balanced performance as Tom Haverford.
1. Danny Pudi, Community
2. Tracy Morgan, 30 Rock
3. Ty Burrell, Modern Family
4. Nick Offerman, Parks and Recreation
5. Chevy Chase, Community
6. Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
7. Aziz Ansari, Parks and Recreation
8. Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
9. Ed O’Neill, Modern Family
10. Jack McBrayer, 30 Rock
11. Rainn Wilson, The Office

Supporting Actress
I would be completely behind the absurdly idiosyncratically deadpan Aubrey Plaza winning here, if not for Jane Lynch, whose Sue Sylvester has already reached icon status and is obviously the best part of Glee.  Aubrey is the strongest number 2 in any of the comedy categories.  Alison Brie pulls off cute, prudish, earnest, annoying, endearing, guilt-inducing, and consoling – often in the same sentence – as Annie on Community.  And in the category of “why not,” let’s go with Retta Sirleaf as Donna on Parks and Recreation, who transcends the stereotype of the “mm-hmm”-ing sassy black woman.
1. Jane Lynch, Glee
2. Aubrey Plaza, Parks and Recreation
3. Alison Brie, Community
4. Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
5. Retta Sirleaf, Parks and Recreation

Guest Actor and Actress
This category has lately been dominated by SNL guests, so let’s go with the two best hosts of the season – Jon Hamm and Betty White.  We can also go with current SNL cast members making appearances on other shows, such as Will Forte on 30 Rock.  Then there is Judy Greer, who guest starred on at least three sitcoms this year (The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, and Modern Family) and two of them (BBT and HIMYM) within two weeks of each other.  Then we can mix it up and go with a non-big name guest star: Melissa Rauch as Bernadette, Wolowitz’s main squeeze on BBT.  And though she only appeared in the last two minutes of the season, Mayim Bialik provided one of the most indelible moments on BBT as a maybe potential love interest for Sheldon.
1. Jon Hamm, Saturday Night Live
2. Zach Galifianakis, Saturday Night Live
3. Michael Sheen, 30 Rock
4. Will Forte, 30 Rock
5. John Oliver, Community

1. Betty White, Saturday Night Live
2. Judy Greer, Modern Family
3. Melissa Rauch, The Big Bang Theory
4. Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory
5. Christine Baranski, The Big Bang Theory