The Couch Potato’s early Emmy picks

By Casey Gillis

Published: September 10, 2008

The 60th Primetime Emmy Award ceremony doesn’t air until Sept. 21, but I’m here a little early to give you my picks on who should walk away winners this year.

Here goes:

Best Comedy Series
Nominees: “30 Rock,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Entourage,” “The Office” and “Two and a Half Men”
My pick: A repeat win for NBC’s “30 Rock,” which got even funnier last season. But I’d also be happy to see the Dunder Mifflin crew from “The Office” take top honors.

Best Actor, Comedy
Nominees: Alec Baldwin (“30 Rock”), Tony Shalhoub (“Monk”), Lee Pace (“Pushing Daisies”), Steve Carrell (“The Office”) and Charlie Sheen (“Two and a Half Men”)
My pick: Lee Pace, hands down. He brings the perfect mix of charm, bemusement and flat-out sweetness to his role as a piemaker who can bring the dead back to life. But I think the more likely winner will be Baldwin, who had some great moments last season — hilariously playing several members of Tracy’s dysfunctional family during a therapy session, for one — that could appeal to voters.

Best Actress, Comedy
Nominees: Tina Fey (“30 Rock”), Christina Applegate (“Samantha Who?”), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (“The New Adventures of Old Christine”), America Ferrera (“Ugly Betty”) and Mary-Louise Parker (“Weeds”)
My pick: I was really charmed by Applegate’s goofy amnesiac. I’ve always liked her, and this role just fits.

Best Supporting Actor, Comedy
Nominees: Jeremy Piven and Kevin Dillon (“Entourage”), Neil Patrick Harris (“How I Met Your Mother”), Rainn Wilson (“The Office”) and Jon Cryer (“Two and a Half Men”)
My pick: Piven has won the past two years in a row and, while I still enjoy him as obnoxious agent Ari Gold, it’s time for some new blood to take over the category. It’s a tight race, but I’ll give the edge to Neil Patrick Harris as catch-phrase spouting womanizer Barney Stinson. He’s so good that I often forget about his other famous TV role, Doogie Howser.

Best Supporting Actress, Comedy
Nominees: Kristin Chenoweth (“Pushing Daisies”), Jean Smart (“Samantha Who?”), Amy Poehler (“Saturday Night Live”), Holland Taylor (“Two and a Half Men”) and Vanessa Williams (“Ugly Betty”)
My pick: It would be neat to see Poehler — one of the best parts of “SNL” these days — nab it. But Emmy voters could get nostalgic and give it to “Designing Women” vet Smart, who is delightfully hilarious as Samantha’s overbearing mom. And don’t count out Williams, who gets funnier the meaner she is.

Best Drama Series
Nominees: “Boston Legal,” “Damages,” “Dexter,” “House,” “Lost,” and “Mad Men”
My pick: It really could be anyone’s game. “Mad Men” has lots of buzz, “Lost” is coming off one of its strongest seasons and “Damages” had a great debut last summer. I can’t say one way or the other.
Best Actor, Drama
Nominees: James Spader (“Boston Legal”), Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad”), Michael C. Hall (“Dexter”),  Hugh Laurie (“House”), Gabriel Byrne (“In Treatment”) and Jon Hamm (“Mad Men”)
My pick: It’s gotta be Michael C. Hall, who has actually made a serial killer likable and, strangely enough, worth rooting for.

Best Actress, Drama
Nominees: Sally Field (“Brothers & Sisters”), Glenn Close (“Damages”), Mariska Hargitay (“Law & Order: SVU”), Holly Hunter (“Saving Grace”) and Kyra Sedgwick (“The Closer”)
My pick: Close, who kept viewers on their toes with her complex portrayal of high-stakes litigator Patty Hewes. Until the first season’s final moments, I never quite knew if she was good or evil. The latter won out and, boy, does Close know how to do evil.

Best Supporting Actor, Drama
Nominees: William Shatner (“Boston Legal”), Ted Danson and Zeljko Ivanek (“Damages”), Michael Emerson (“Lost”) and John Slattery (“Mad Men”)
My pick: I’d love to see Emerson singled out for the great work he continues to do as the creepy Ben on “Lost,” but it will likely be Danson’s year. As Arthur Frobisher, he was volatile, scary and nothing at all like the Sam Malone we thought we knew from “Cheers.”

Best Supporting Actress, Drama
Nominees: Candice Bergen (“Boston Legal”), Rachel Griffiths (“Brothers & Sisters”) Chandra Wilson and Sandra Oh (“Grey’s Anatomy”) and Dianne Wiest (“In Treatment”)
My pick: I’m pulling for Wilson, who has been nominated twice before and had some heavy material this season as Dr. Bailey dealt with her crumbling marriage. Let’s hope the third time is the charm.

Best Reality Competition Series
Nominees: “American Idol,” “The Amazing Race,” “Dancing With the Stars,” “Project Runway” and “Top Chef”
My pick: “The Amazing Race” has dominated this category since 2003. So it’s time for “Runway” or “Top Chef,” two of the classiest reality shows on television, to get some Emmy love.