PLEASE NOTE: This forecast, assembled by The Hollywood Reporter‘s awards columnist Scott Feinberg, reflects his best attempt to predict the behavior of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, not his personal preferences. He arrives at these standings by drawing upon consultations with voters and strategists, analysis of marketing and publicity campaigns, results of awards that precede the Emmys and the history of the Emmys itself.
*BEST DRAMA SERIES*
Projected Nominees
The Crown (Netflix)
The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
This Is Us (NBC)
Lovecraft Country (HBO)
Bridgerton (Netflix)
Pose (FX)
The Mandalorian (Disney+)
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Disney+)
Related Stories
Alternate
Perry Mason (HBO)
Potential Surprise
Ratched (Netflix)
Shoulda Been a Contenda
In Treatment (HBO)
*BEST COMEDY SERIES*
Projected Nominees
Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Hacks (HBO Max)
The Flight Attendant (HBO Max)
The Kominsky Method (Netflix)
Pen15 (Hulu)
Girls5Eva (Peacock)
Black-ish (ABC)
Master of None (Netflix)
Alternate
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (NBC)
Potential Surprise
Cobra Kai (Netflix)
Shoulda Been a Contenda
Made for Love (HBO Max)
*BEST LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES*
Projected Nominees
The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)
Mare of Easttown (HBO)
WandaVision (Disney+)
I May Destroy You (HBO)
The Underground Railroad (Amazon)
Alternate
The Undoing (HBO)
Potential Surprise
Halston (Netflix)
Shoulda Been a Contenda
The Good Lord Bird (Showtime)
*BEST TV MOVIE*
Projected Nominees
Sylvie’s Love (Amazon)
Uncle Frank (Amazon)
Oslo (HBO)
Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia (Lifetime)
Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square (Netflix)
Alternate
Unpregnant (HBO Max)
Potential Surprise
Doctor Who: Revolution of the Daleks (BBC)
Shoulda Been a Contenda
Clouds (Disney+)
*BEST DOCUMENTARY OR NONFICTION SERIES*
Projected Nominees
Pretend It’s a City (Netflix) — podcast (Fran Lebowitz)
Allen vs. Farrow (HBO)
High on the Hog (Netflix)
City So Real (NatGeo)
American Masters (PBS)
Alternate
1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything (Apple TV+)
Potential Surprise
Pride (FX)
Shoulda Been a Contenda
Q: Into the Storm (HBO)
*BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES*
Projected Nominees
Josh O’Connor (The Crown)
Billy Porter (Pose) — podcast
Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us) — podcast
Rege-Jean Page (Bridgerton)
Jonathan Majors (Lovecraft Country)
Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian)
Alternate
Matthew Rhys (Perry Mason)
Potential Surprise
Joseph Fiennes (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Shoulda Been a Contenda
Anthony Mackie (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier)
*BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES*
Projected Nominees
Emma Corrin (The Crown)
Olivia Colman (The Crown) — podcast
Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale) — podcast
Jurnee Smollett (Lovecraft Country)
Phoebe Dynevor (Bridgerton)
Uzo Aduba (In Treatment)
Alternate
Mj Rodriguez (Pose)
Potential Surprise
Sarah Paulson (Ratched) — podcast
Shoulda Been a Contenda
Mandy Moore (This Is Us) — podcast
*BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES*
Projected Nominees
Michael Kenneth Williams (Lovecraft Country)
Tobias Menzies (The Crown)
Bradley Whitford (The Handmaid’s Tale)
John Benjamin Hickey (In Treatment)
John Lithgow (Perry Mason)
Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton)
Anthony Ramos (In Treatment)
Joel Kinnaman (In Treatment)
Alternate
Chris Sullivan (This Is Us)
Potential Surprise
Justin Hartley (This Is Us)
Shoulda Been a Contenda
Wyatt Russell (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier)
*BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES*
Projected Nominees
Gillian Anderson (The Crown)
Helena Bonham Carter (The Crown)
Yvonne Strahovski (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Ann Dowd (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Samira Wiley (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton)
Adjoa Andoh (Bridgerton)
Aunjanue Ellis (Lovecraft Country) — podcast
Alternate
Wunmi Mosaku (Lovecraft Country)
Potential Surprise
Tatiana Maslany (Perry Mason)
Shoulda Been a Contenda
Emily VanCamp (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier)
*BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES*
Projected Nominees
Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso)
Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method)
Anthony Anderson (Black-ish)
Kenan Thompson (Kenan) — podcast
Ted Danson (Mr. Mayor) — podcast
Martin Freeman (Breeders)
Alternate
Ralph Macchio (Cobra Kai)
Potential Surprise
William Zabka (Cobra Kai)
Shoulda Been a Contenda
Michael Cimino (Love, Victor)
*BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES*
Projected Nominees
Jean Smart (Hacks)
Kaley Cuoco (The Flight Attendant)
Lena Waithe (Master of None) — podcast
Tracee Ellis Ross (black-ish) — podcast
Renee Elise Goldsberry (Girls5Eva)
Sara Bareilles (Girls5Eva)
Alternate
Jane Levy (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist) — podcast
Potential Surprise
Lily Collins (Emily in Paris) — podcast
Shoulda Been a Contenda
Ziwe Fumudoh (Ziwe)
*BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES*
Projected Nominees
Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live) — podcast
Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso)
Brendan Hunt (Ted Lasso)
Nick Mohammed (Ted Lasso)
Phil Dunster (Ted Lasso)
Jeremy Swift (Ted Lasso)
Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live)
Carl Clemons-Hopkins (Hacks)
Alternate
Ray Romano (Made for Love)
Potential Surprise
Paul Reiser (The Kominsky Method)
Shoulda Been a Contenda
Alex Newell (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist)
*BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES*
Projected Nominees
Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live)
Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso)
Hannah Einbinder (Hacks)
Kaitlin Olson (Hacks)
Juno Temple (Ted Lasso)
Paula Pell (Girls5Eva)
Busy Philipps (Girls5Eva)
Cecily Strong (Saturday Night Live)
Alternate
Kathleen Turner (The Kominsky Method)
Potential Surprise
Naomie Ackie (Master of None)
Shoulda Been a Contenda
Chloe Fineman (Saturday Night Live)
*BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TV MOVIE*
Projected Nominees
Ethan Hawke (The Good Lord Bird) — podcast
Hugh Grant (The Undoing) — podcast
Paul Bettany (WandaVision)
Joel Edgerton (The Underground Railroad) — podcast
Ewan McGregor (Halston)
Alternate
Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton) — podcast
Potential Surprise
Leslie Odom, Jr. (Hamilton) — podcast
Shoulda Been a Contenda
Jeff Daniels (The Comey Rule) — podcast
*BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TV MOVIE*
Projected Nominees
Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s Gambit) — podcast
Kate Winslet (Mare of Easttown) — podcast
Michaela Coel (I May Destroy You)
Elizabeth Olsen (WandaVision) — podcast
Nicole Kidman (The Undoing) — podcast
Alternate
Thuso Mbedu (The Underground Railroad)
Potential Surprise
Danielle Brooks (Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia)
Shoulda Been a Contenda
Kate Mara (A Teacher)
*BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TV MOVIE*
Projected Nominees
Bill Camp (The Queen’s Gambit)
Donald Sutherland (The Undoing)
Evan Peters (Mare of Easttown)
Daveed Diggs (Hamilton)
Chase W. Dillon (The Underground Railroad)
Alternate
John Boyega (Small Axe) — podcast
Potential Surprise
Glynn Turman (Fargo)
Shoulda Been a Contenda
Brendan Gleeson (The Comey Rule)
*BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TV MOVIE*
Projected Nominees
Kathryn Hahn (WandaVision)
Jean Smart (Mare of Easttown)
Julianne Nicholson (Mare of Easttown)
Marielle Heller (The Queen’s Gambit)
Renee Elise Goldsberry (Hamilton)
Alternate
Letitia Wright (Small Axe)
Potential Surprise
Krysta Rodriguez (Halston)
Shoulda Been a Contenda
Sheila Atim (The Underground Railroad)
*BEST VARIETY TALK SERIES*
Projected Nominees
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS) — podcast (Stephen Colbert)
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central) — podcast (Trevor Noah)
Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC) — podcast (Jimmy Kimmel)
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS) — podcast (Samantha Bee)
Alternate
The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS) — podcast (James Corden)
Potential Surprise
Conan (TBS) — podcast (Conan O’Brien)
Shoulda Been a Contenda
Desus & Mero (Showtime) — podcast (Desus & Mero)
*BEST VARIETY SKETCH SERIES*
Projected Nominees
Saturday Night Live (NBC) — podcast (Lorne Michaels)
A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO) — podcast (Robin Thede)
Alternate
Ziwe (Showtime)
Potential Surprise
The Amber Ruffin Show (Peacock)
Shoulda Been a Contenda
That Damn Michael Che (HBO Max)
*BEST VARIETY SPECIAL (PRE-RECORDED)*
Projected Nominees
Hamilton (Disney+) — podcast (Lin-Manuel Miranda)
Bo Burnham: Inside (Netflix) — podcast (Bo Burnham)
8:46 – Dave Chappelle (Netflix)
David Byrne’s American Utopia (HBO)
Black Is King (Disney+)
Alternate
Full Frontal Wants to Take Your Guns (TBS) — podcast (Samantha Bee)
Potential Surprise
Mariah Carey’s Christmas Special (Apple TV+)
Shoulda Been a Contenda
Sarah Cooper: Everything’s Fine (Netflix) — podcast (Sarah Cooper)
*BEST VARIETY SPECIAL (LIVE)*
Projected Nominees
The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards (CBS)
The Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show Starring The Weeknd (CBS)
Stephen Colbert’s Election Night 2020: Democracy’s Last Stand Building Back America Great Again Better 2020 (Showtime)
The Oscars (ABC)
Closer Look Thursday (NBC)
Alternate
Celebrating America — An Inauguration Night Special (ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC and PBS)
Potential Surprise
78th Annual Golden Globe Awards (NBC)
Shoulda Been a Contenda
Christmas In Rockefeller Center (NBC)
