Nominations for the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will be announced Thursday morning. Looking ahead to this particular awards show should start with a quick look back.
The Television Academy has a history of nominating some of the same series and actors year after year (hello “Modern Family’), as long as the quality has not completely fallen off and series is still on the air.
There’s no longer an opportunity to show love to perennial favorite “Mad Men,” since the show ended its run, and thus Emmy eligibility, in 2015. (We will miss you Jon Hamm.) But there are still some eligible Emmy favorites that have continued to garner critical acclaim. Nominations for shows like “Game of Thrones,” “Orange is the New Black,” “House of Cards” and “Homeland” seem likely.
The Emmys always exhibit tension between the old and new, between the next hot thing and nostalgia. If the pendulum swings the latter direction, it could mean nominations for “The Good Wife” and “Downton Abbey,” which both concluded their runs earlier this year.
Julianna Margulies, star of “The Good Wife,” has already won two Emmys for her portrayal of Alicia Florrick. She could garner a sentimental nod from her peers. Similarly, “Downton Abbey’s” Michelle Dockery, could also earn a nomination for Lady Mary Crawley’s gloved goodbye.
That’s not to say The Television Academy doesn’t occasionally surprise.
Will “UnREAL,” Lifetime’s loosely veiled drama about what goes on behind the scenes of a reality dating show, seal its praise from fans and critics alike with nominations? Are the major streaming services Netflix, Amazon and Hulu going to make further inroads against their cable and broadcast competitors? Watch for potential nominations in the comedy categories from streamed series like “Master of None,” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” and “Transparent.”
And will “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” star and creator, Rachel Bloom, be the golden girl to finally earn the CW it’s first Emmy nomination? Bloom won a Golden Globe last year for her role in the quirky comedy, but the network has never managed to make it on the boards when it comes to the Emmys.
One seemingly sure bet is USA Network’s “Mr. Robot.” There is hardly a prediction list the thriller, about a cybersecurity engineer who is also a hacker, does not appear on. Its lead actor, Rami Malek, seems practically assured an individual nomination.
“Black-ish” star, Anthony Anderson, will join “Gilmore Girls” star, Lauren Graham, to announce the full list of nominees. The Emmy Awards, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, will air on ABC September 18.