TAGGED AS: 73rd Emmy Awards, Awards, streaming, television, TV
(Photo by Cliff Lipson/CBS)
Another year of TV programming, another pandemic-dampened Emmy Awards show. That means fewer people attending, including some stars — like Jennifer Aniston — who’ve cited the ongoing health crisis as the reason they’re staying away from the 73rd Emmy Awards on Sunday. The Television Academy decreased the number of production staff, cut the red-carpet press spots to about a dozen, and set up a virtual press room for media to interview winners.
Despite a tempered environment, there’s a lot of great TV to honor at the annual event, which is hosted by Cedric the Entertainer this year. Expect Jason Sudeikis and the Ted Lasso crew to grab awards for the comedy about a relentlessly upbeat soccer coach. The Apple TV+ show’s biggest competition comes from HBO Max comedy Hacks and its star Jean Smart as a sassy Vegas stand-up comedy legend who is tested by her Millennial writing partner, played by fellow nominee Hannah Einbinder.
In the drama categories, The Crown promises to make a splash with newcomer Emma Corrin facing off against her costar, four-time Emmy nominee and Oscar winner Olivia Colman. No pressure!
The most competitive race, however, has to be Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie with first-time Emmy nominees Michaela Coel (I May Destroy You), Cynthia Erivo (Genius: Aretha), Elizabeth Olsen (WandaVision), and Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s Gambit) competing against Kate Winslet (Mare Of Easttown), who won the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie Emmy award in 2011 for Mildred Pierce.
More on that later, as we offer our predictions for who will walk away with Emmys on Sunday.
Disagree with our picks? Let us know who you think will win in the comments.
Read also: Rotten Tomatoes’ 2021 Fall TV Reader Survey — The Witcher and Hawkeye Lead Our Top Categories
(Photo by Apple TV+)
What’s nominated?
92%
black-ish
92%
Cobra Kai
63%
Emily in Paris
99%
Hacks
97%
PEN15
90%
Ted Lasso
What will win? Ted Lasso
And why? Ted Lasso is a feel-good juggernaut that will decimate the other contenders in this category with a smile and then offer them a buttery biscuit. The show has 20 nominations overall this year and is only challenged by Hacks with its 15 nominations.
(Photo by HBO Max)
Who’s nominated?
100%
Hacks: Season 1
(2021)
– Jean Smart
97%
The Flight Attendant: Season 1
(2020)
– Kaley Cuoco
100%
black-ish: Season 7
(2020)
– Tracee Ellis Ross
Mom: Season 8 (2020) – Allison Janney
89%
Shrill: Season 3
(2021)
– Aidy Bryant
Who will win? Smart
And why? Smart is expected to sashay away with this award with little competition. A few experts put their money on Cuoco, but they would be wrong. Eleven-time Emmy nominee Smart is also nominated for Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for Mare Of Easttown.
(Photo by Apple TV+)
Who’s nominated?
92%
Ted Lasso: Season 1
(2020)
– Jason Sudeikis
100%
The Kominsky Method: Season 3
(2021)
– Michael Douglas
100%
black-ish: Season 7
(2020)
– Anthony Anderson
69%
Kenan: Season 1
(2021)
– Kenan Thompson
70%
Shameless: Season 11
(2020)
– William H. Macy
Who will win? Sudeikis
And why? Another category that is no contest, the lead actor award will go to Sudeikis – who just might wear a more formal sweatshirt to receive this particular award. Is it rude to not mention the performances of his competition? They’re great, but Sudeikis wins.
(Photo by Apple TV+)
Who’s nominated?
97%
The Flight Attendant: Season 1
(2020)
– Rosie Perez
100%
Hacks: Season 1
(2021)
– Hannah Einbinder
70%
Saturday Night Live: Season 46
(2020)
– Aidy Bryant
70%
Saturday Night Live: Season 46
(2020)
– Kate McKinnon
70%
Saturday Night Live: Season 46
(2020)
– Cecily Strong
92%
Ted Lasso: Season 1
(2020)
– Juno Temple
92%
Ted Lasso: Season 1
(2020)
– Hannah Waddingham
Who will win? Waddingham
And why? Finally, a category where there’s a real contest — or is it? Most experts are expecting Waddingham to take the category for her role as biscuit-loving boss-lady Rebecca Welton, but keep an eye on Einbinder, who may surprise us for her role as a feisty young writer with everything to prove.
(Photo by Apple TV+)
Who’s nominated?
100%
Hacks: Season 1
(2021)
– Carl Clemons-Hopkins
100%
The Kominsky Method: Season 3
(2021)
– Paul Reiser
70%
Saturday Night Live: Season 46
(2020)
– Kenan Thompson
70%
Saturday Night Live: Season 46
(2020)
– Bowen Yang
92%
Ted Lasso: Season 1
(2020)
– Brett Goldstein
92%
Ted Lasso: Season 1
(2020)
– Brendan Hunt
92%
Ted Lasso: Season 1
(2020)
– Nick Mohammed
92%
Ted Lasso: Season 1
(2020)
– Jeremy Swift
Who will win? Goldstein
And why? OK, so this is the category with a contest – mostly among Ted Lasso supporting actors. Many experts think Goldstein, Hunt, Swift, and Mohammed are fighting each other for second place to Thompson, who is also competing in the lead comedy actor category. Team Ted Lasso may split the vote, but we’re still predicting Goldstein will take it.
(Photo by Netflix)
What’s nominated?
93%
The Boys
84%
Bridgerton
81%
The Crown
90%
The Mandalorian
98%
Pose
94%
This Is Us
What will win? The Crown
And why? The trick in predicting winners in awards programs is to consider the voting body and what their predilections might be. And while we’re inclined to think that everyone was moved by season 2 of The Mandalorian and the saga of Grogu’s journey, the drama baked into season 4 of The Crown cannot be denied. The final season of Pose is another favorite, but House Ryan Murphy has a real challenge in competing against the House of Windsor.
(Photo by Des Willie / Netflix)
Who’s nominated?
81%
The Crown
– Olivia Colman
81%
The Crown
– Emma Corrin
83%
The Handmaid's Tale
– Elisabeth Moss
90%
In Treatment
– Uzo Aduba
88%
Lovecraft Country
– Jurnee Smollett-Bell
98%
Pose
– Mj Rodriguez
Who will win? Corrin
And why? Though a win by Rodriguez would be historic for the transgender community and a deserving victory, most, including us, are betting on Corrin to take the crown here for her compelling turn as Princess Diana.
(Photo by Des Willie / Netflix)
Who’s nominated?
84%
Bridgerton
– Regé-Jean Page
81%
The Crown
– Josh O’Connor
88%
Lovecraft Country
– Jonathan Majors
80%
Perry Mason
– Matthew Rhys
98%
Pose
– Billy Porter
94%
This Is Us
– Sterling K. Brown
Who will win? O’Connor
And why? The lead drama actor category sees another Pose heavyweight – 2019’s winner in the category, Porter – competing against The Crown’s Prince Charles, O’Connor. We predict O’Connor will be rewarded for being one-half of this year’s most riveting TV couples.
(Photo by Des Willie / Netflix)
Who’s nominated?
81%
The Crown
– Gillian Anderson
81%
The Crown
– Helena Bonham Carter
81%
The Crown
– Emerald Fennell
83%
The Handmaid's Tale
– Madeline Brewer
83%
The Handmaid's Tale
– Ann Dowd
83%
The Handmaid's Tale
– Yvonne Strahovski
83%
The Handmaid's Tale
– Samira Wiley
88%
Lovecraft Country
– Aunjanue Ellis
Who will win? Anderson
And why? Speaking of The Crown’s sweep in the drama categories, Anderson is favored to win a second career Emmy for her remarkable transformation into Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
(Photo by Eli Joshua Ade/HBO)
Who’s nominated?
81%
The Crown
– Tobias Menzies
83%
The Handmaid's Tale
– O.T. Fagbenle
83%
The Handmaid's Tale
– Max Minghella
83%
The Handmaid's Tale
– Bradley Whitford
88%
Lovecraft Country
– Michael Kenneth Williams
90%
The Mandalorian
– Giancarlo Esposito
80%
Perry Mason
– John Lithgow
94%
This Is Us
– Chris Sullivan
Who will win? Williams
And why? It would be easy to say that Williams’ expected win in this category would have something to do with the beloved actor’s recent tragic death. The truth is, however, that Williams gave a powerful, layered, and deserving performance in Lovecraft Country. Some expect Menzies to be caught up in The Crown’s awards frenzy, but we think Williams will take it.
(Photo by Netflix)
What’s nominated?
95%
Mare of Easttown
92%
WandaVision
What will win? The Queen’s Gambit
And why? This category is second only to the next in the strength of each of its contenders. Rotten Tomatoes expects The Queen’s Gambit to prevail, though Mare Of Easttown or I May Destroy You could easily take the prize in this category. Oscar winner Barry Jenkin’s transcendent Railroad may have been a frontrunner if it had been more widely seen.
(Photo by Michele K. Short/HBO)
Who’s nominated?
71%
Genius
– Cynthia Erivo
98%
I May Destroy You
– Michaela Coel
95%
Mare of Easttown
– Kate Winslet
96%
The Queen's Gambit
– Anya Taylor-Joy
92%
WandaVision
– Elizabeth Olsen
Who will win? Winslet
And why? Winslet is the frontrunner here among industry watchers. We’re inclined to call it for Taylor-Joy, but this is one contest in which the expert consensus is probably right.
(Photo by Marvel Studios)
Who’s nominated?
67%
Halston
– Ewan McGregor
98%
Hamilton
(2020)
– Lin-Manuel Miranda
98%
Hamilton
(2020)
– Leslie Odom Jr.
75%
The Undoing
– Hugh Grant
92%
WandaVision
– Paul Bettany
Who will win? Bettany
And why? Bettany and Grant are toe-to-toe in this contest. We’ll give it to Bettany for his dual role as Wanda’s Vision and as White Vision.
(Photo by Marvel Studios)
Who’s nominated?
98%
Hamilton
(2020)
– Renée Elise Goldsberry
98%
Hamilton
(2020)
– Phillipa Soo
95%
Mare of Easttown
– Julianne Nicholson
95%
Mare of Easttown
– Jean Smart
96%
The Queen's Gambit
– Moses Ingram
92%
WandaVision
– Kathryn Hahn
Who will win? Hahn
And why? Speaking of WandaVision, Hahn is favored to win as supporting actress, so charmed were audiences by her duplicitous role as spellbound neighbor Agnes/witch Agatha Harkness. The two Mare Of Easttown actresses, Nicholson and Smart, are the biggest threats to Hahn’s win.
(Photo by Sarah Shatz/HBO)
Who’s nominated?
98%
Hamilton
(2020)
– Daveed Diggs
98%
Hamilton
(2020)
– Jonathan Groff
98%
Hamilton
(2020)
– Anthony Ramos
98%
I May Destroy You
– Paapa Essiedu
95%
Mare of Easttown
– Evan Peters
96%
The Queen's Gambit
– Thomas Brodie-Sangster
Who will win? Peters
And why?
Peters will take the award here for his detective role in Mare Of Easttown. His hefty Hamilton competition could deny him the prize, but may also split the vote, leaving Peters a smoother path to the win.
This year’s telecast talent lineup includes Paulina Alexis, Anthony Anderson, Annaleigh Ashford, Angela Bassett, Adrien Brody, Awkwafina, Stephen Colbert, Jennifer Coolidge, Misty Copeland, Kaley Cuoco, Michael Douglas, Ava DuVernay, Lane Factor, Beanie Feldstein, Allyson Felix, America Ferrera, Sterlin Harjo, Taraji P. Henson, Devery Jacobs, Ken Jeong, Mindy Kaling, Gayle King, LL Cool J, Vanessa Lachey, Dan Levy, Eugene Levy, Jessica Long, Annie Murphy, Catherine O’Hara, Sarah Paulson, Dolly Parton, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Amy Poehler, Ellen Pompeo, Billy Porter, Michaela Jaé (Mj) Rodriguez, Seth Rogen, Tracee Ellis Ross, Yara Shahidi, Hailee Steinfeld, Patrick Stewart, Wilmer Valderrama, Kerry Washington, Rita Wilson, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Bowen Yang, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. R&B artist Leon Bridges and recording artist Jon Batiste (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert) will perform a special “in memoriam” song by Bridges. Also, bandleader Reggie Watts (The Late Late Show with James Corden) will serve as DJ for the evening.
The 73rd Emmy Awards airs live on CBS and Paramount+ on Sunday, September 19 at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET.
