Newbies vs. Veterans: The Battle Begins

6:00 AM PDT 8/7/2012 by Stacey Wilson

Upsets are in order as nearly every major category has an influx of new shows and stars that could rock the status quo.

Emmy season is most exhilarating when there's a juicy balance of stalwart competitors and debut nominees. It makes predicting winners a glorious and beguiling guessing game; it also gets antsy viewers to sit through the entire primetime telecast (this year's host, Jimmy Kimmel, hopefully offers equal bait). The 2012 Emmys epitomize such a scenario as dozens of new names converge on the most exciting ballot in years, with many destined to shake up TV's biggest night.