The rubber stamp won鈥檛 be at play in this year鈥檚 Emmy nominations.
More than in recent years, there鈥檚 a real opportunity for a newcomer to slip in and get a shot at taking home the hardware. With shows like 鈥淪uccession鈥 and 鈥淪hogun鈥 out of the running, it鈥檚 an open field for others and that could create a new must-see contender.
For those on the outside, this is the week voters decide nominees for this year鈥檚 prizes. Judging from the number of ads in trade publications, it鈥檚 an open field with surprises lurking.
Here are some of the outliers that could become insiders in a matter of weeks:
COMEDY SERIES
While 鈥淗acks鈥 still has a firm hand on many of the prizes (when Jean Smart pulls her name from contention, we鈥檒l see an opening), there are opportunities for others.
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鈥淭he Studio,鈥 for example, has a strong bench for Best Guest Actor/Actress and could make star/producer Seth Rogen a real kingmaker. Ike Barinholtz, too, seems a likely candidate for Best Supporting Actor, particularly since he had such a great Golden Globes episode. Look for Bryan Cranston to be back in the mix as the wild studio head and don鈥檛 discount Kathryn Hahn from getting a double shot (for 鈥淎gatha All Along鈥 in lead and 鈥淭he Studio鈥 in support). The series should be one of the top candidates for Best Comedy as well.
Seth Rogen gets much-needed advice from Catherine O'Hara in "The Studio."聽
Then what? Look at 鈥淣obody Wants This,鈥 the rom-com with Kristen Bell and Adam Brody, 鈥淭he Four Seasons鈥 with Tina Fey and friends, 鈥淎 Man on the Inside鈥 with Ted Danson and 鈥淭he Residence鈥 with Uzo Aduba.
Series that aren鈥檛 getting the traction they should: 鈥淓nglish Teacher鈥 (which featured an incredible guest performance from Jenn Lyon as the meddling parent), 鈥淐olin from Accounts鈥 (which is a better rom-com than 鈥淣obody Wants This鈥) and 鈥淪omebody Somewhere,鈥 which stakes a claim for everyone who isn鈥檛 a selfie-ready star. If Hollywood wants to honor one of its own, it鈥檒l give Linda Lavin a nod for 鈥淢id-Century Modern,鈥 her last series.
Parker Posey plays the Southern mom who expounds on everything in "The White Lotus."聽
DRAMA SERIES
This is a strong field 鈥 particularly since 鈥淪everance鈥 had its best season. But it will be swimming against the buzzy third season of 鈥淭he White Lotus鈥 and newcomer 鈥淭he Pitt.鈥 鈥淎ndor鈥 and 鈥淭he Last of Us鈥 also can鈥檛 be discounted.
So, what鈥檚 likely? Look for a host of nominations from 鈥淭he White Lotus.鈥 Who wasn鈥檛 nominated will probably be the headline. Similarly, this could be Noah Wyle鈥檚 best claim to an acting prize (for his moving work as the lead doctor on 鈥淭he Pitt鈥) and Pedro Pascal鈥檚 last shot for 鈥淭he Last of Us.鈥
Isabela Merced, left, and Bella Ramsey star in "The Last of Us."聽
鈥淭he Diplomat,鈥 鈥淧aradise鈥 and, maybe, 鈥淟andman鈥 will make life difficult.
An interesting option: Kathy Bates could bring 鈥淢atlock鈥 into the top ranks. She鈥檚 guaranteed a nomination for Best Actress (and probably a win) and could pull her co-stars into the competition. 鈥淵ellowjackets鈥 has hovered around the edges but has the best shot now of moving up. 鈥淪low Horses鈥 and 鈥淎ndor鈥 will also be butting up against 鈥淪everance.鈥
And don鈥檛 overlook 鈥淥vercompensating.鈥 It beat the cut-off deadline for series and has been attracting buzz from younger voters.
The Emmy nominations will be announced July 15.
