2010 Creative Arts Emmys Predictions
August 21st, 2010
Each year the Creative Arts Emmys are a celebration of the unsung heroes, albeit a celebration which remains largely unsung: few ever really get to see the awards, and so there’s a certain lack of fanfare. However, with the Guest Acting awards given out at the show and with the battles between shows like Glee and Modern Family unfolding for the first time, it’s a good early indicator for how the big awards will fall.
I’m still grappling with the idea of doing predictions for the big awards, and waiting until the Creative Arts ceremony is over is a good reason to put it off for another day. So, let’s take a look at the Creative Arts awards, and go from there.
Guest Actor in a Drama Series
- Dylan Baker (The Good Wife)
- Alan Cumming (The Good Wife)
- John Lithgow (Dexter)
- Gregory Itzin (24)
- Robert Morse (Mad Men)
- Beau Bridges (The Closer)
- Ted Danson (Damages)
This one is, no question, a no-brainer: Lithgow’s role was substantial, and his submissions perfectly captured the juxtaposition between composed and manic which defined his performance. The rest of the category has some strong contenders, but I don’t think anyone can legitimately compete with someone who would be the frontrunner in Supporting Actor as well. Dexter had a strong season creatively, with Michael C. Hall a definite contender to win his first Emmy for the role, and Lithgow will benefit from this.
Guest Actress in a Drama Series
- Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost)
- Lily Tomlin (Damages)
- Mary Kay Place (Big Love)
- Sissy Spacek (Big Love)
- Shirley Jones (The Cleaner)
- Ann Margret, as Rita Willis (Law and Order: SVU)
Initially, I presumed that Lily Tomlin’s central role on Damages’ third season would place her in the frontrunner slot, but she apparently submitted poorly, which leaves the door open for Ann Margret and Sissy Spacek – I’d love for Mary Kay Place to pick up the award for some very strong work throughout the series, but it seems like Spacek is the more likely choice.
Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
- Neil Patrick Harris (Glee)
- Fred Willard (Modern Family)
- Mike O’Malley (Glee)
- Eli Wallach (Nurse Jackie)
- Jon Hamm (30 Rock)
- Will Arnett (30 Rock)
While Willard was very strong on Modern Family, I think that this one has to go with NPH: while “Dream On” was not my favourite episode of the season, it was a strong showcase for NPH’s talents, with a number of key musical scenes as well as some broad comic performance. While O’Malley is the emotional core of the show, and Hamm and Arnett are both amongst my favourite performers, NPH seems to fit into every criteria that voters would be looking for in this category. He’s funny, he’s famous, and he even has some song and dance in there – I think it’s a perfect storm.
Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
- Christine Baranski (The Big Bang Theory)
- Kristin Chenoweth (Glee)
- Kathryn Joosten (Desperate Housewives)
- Betty White (SNL)
- Tina Fey (SNL)
- Elaine Stritch (30 Rock)
- Jane Lynch (Two and a Half Men)
I don’t even need to discuss this: while Chenoweth vs. Fey would be quite a battle in any other year, White’s dominance will lead to her fifth Primetime Emmy.
Other Awards to Look For:
- If Michael Giacchino grabs an Emmy for his work in the Lost finale, he will have won an Oscar, a Golden Globe and an Emmy award in the same year.
- If Nurse Jackie wins either Theme Song or Main Title Design, I will honestly throw a shoe.
- The Reality Host award was bumped to the Creative Arts ceremony, which means that likely winner Jeff Probst isn’t able to attend.
- Also cheering for Disney’s Prep and Landing, nominated for Outstanding Animation Program – it was a really strong bit of work, and I’m hopeful for an eventual sequel.
