The 2013 PajEmmys: Who We Think Should Win

By Sarah Carlson | TV | September 17, 2013 |

By Sarah Carlson | TV | September 17, 2013 |

Several things you can learn about us (Dustin Rowles, Joanna Robinson and Sarah Carlson) by looking at our Emmy picks: We watch a lot of the same shows, we have a lot of the same favorite actors/characters, and Sarah finally caught up with Breaking Bad this season. Choosing between that excellent drama and the similarly excellent Mad Men is a her version of Sophie’s Choice, but it beats the alternative — a TV landscape filled with unmemorable shows no one cares to award. Sure, the Emmys aren’t perfect and can often get things wrong, but as the Golden Age of TV thrives, the categories only get more competitive.

Another trend among the Pajiba pickers this season is a hope for a break in tradition. Dustin and Joanna would like Bryan Cranston to continue his Best Actor in a Drama Series reign, but Sarah is rooting for Jon Hamm. Let Hamm have it this round, then give Cranston the statue for the final half of Season Five. Or does Mad Men really need to run for two more seasons just so it can have an Emmy year in which it doesn’t go against Breaking Bad? (Update: It will.) Joanna and Sarah also are rooting for Elisabeth Moss as Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Claire Danes and her cry face be d. (OK, fine, Danes is great.) And Daily Show with Jon Stewart? Let Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert have a chance, will ya?

Will favorites such as Amy Poehler finally bring home an Emmy? Will Modern Family inexplicably continue to win most of the Comedy categories? Tune in Sunday to find out, and check back here that night for a rundown of the ceremony.

BIGGEST NOMINATION SLIGHT:

Dustin’s pick: Michael Cudlitz, Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Southland

Joanna’s pick: Walton Goggins, Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Justified

Sarah’s pick: Tie for Rectify and Boardwalk Empire, Drama Series

LOSS THAT WOULD CAUSE US THE MOST PAIN:

Dustin’s pick: Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad

Joanna’s pick: Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad

Sarah’s pick: Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad

LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES:

Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey, PBS
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad, AMC
Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom, HBO
Jon Hamm, Mad Men, AMC
Damian Lewis, Homeland, Showtime
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards, Netflix

Dustin’s pick: Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad

Joanna’s pick: Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad

Sarah’s pick: Jon Hamm, Mad Men

LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES:

Connie Britton, Nashville, ABC
Claire Danes, Homeland, Showtime
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey, PBS
Vera Farmiga, Bates Motel, A&E
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men, AMC
Kerry Washington, Scandal, ABC
Robin Wright, House of Cards, Netflix

Dustin’s pick: Claire Danes, Homeland

Joanna’s pick: Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men

Sarah’s pick: Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men

COMEDY SERIES:

The Big Bang Theory, CBS
Girls, HBO
Louie, FX
Modern Family, ABC
30 Rock, NBC
Veep, HBO

Dustin’s pick: Veep

Joanna’s pick: Louie

Sarah’s pick: Girls

LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES:

Jason Bateman, Arrested Development, Netflix
Louis C.K., Louie, FX
Don Cheadle, House of Lies, Showtime
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes, Showtime
Jim Parsons, Big Bang Theory, CBS
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock, NBC

Dustin’s pick: Louis C.K., Louie

Joanna’s pick: Louis C.K., Louie

Sarah’s pick: Louis C.K., Louie

LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES:

Lena Dunham, Girls, HBO
Laura Dern, Enlightened, HBO
Tiny Fey, 30 Rock, NBC
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation, NBC
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep, HBO
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie, Showtime

Dustin’s pick: Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

Joanna’s pick: Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

Sarah’s pick: Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES:

Adam Driver, Girls, HBO
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family, ABC
Ed O’Neill, Modern Family, ABC
Ty Burrell, Modern Family, ABC
Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live, NBC
Tony Hale, Veep, HBO

Dustin’s pick: Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live

Joanna’s pick:Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live

Sarah’s pick: Adam Driver, Girls

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES:

Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory, CBS
Jane Lynch, Glee, Fox
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family, ABC
Julie Bowen, Modern Family, ABC
Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie, Showtime
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock, NBC
Anna Chlumsky, Veep, HBO

Dustin’s pick: Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock

Joanna’s pick: Anna Chlumsky, Veep

Sarah’s pick: Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock

DRAMA SERIES:

Breaking Bad, AMC
Downton Abbey, PBS
Homeland, Showtime
Game of Thrones, HBO
House of Cards, Netflix
Mad Men, AMC

Dustin’s pick: Breaking Bad

Joanna’s pick: Breaking Bad

Sarah’s pick: Breaking Bad (OH IT HURTS)

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES:

Bobby Cannavale, Boardwalk Empire, HBO
Jonathan Banks, Breaking Bad, AMC
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad, AMC
Jim Carter, Downton Abbey, PBS
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones, HBO
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland, Showtime

Dustin’s pick: Aaron Paul for Breaking Bad, but it’s really close with Bobby Cannavale for Boardwalk Empire

Joanna’s pick: Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad

Sarah’s pick: Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES:

Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad, AMC
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey, PBS
Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones, HBO
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife, CBS
Morena Baccarin, Homeland, Showtime
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men, AMC

Dustin’s pick: Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad

Joanna’s pick: Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad

Sarah’s pick: Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad

LEAD ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE:

Michael Douglas, Behind The Candelabra, HBO
Matt Damon, Behind The Candelabra, HBO
Toby Jones, The Girl, HBO
Benedict Cumberbatch, Parade’s End, HBO
Al Pacino, Phil Spector, HBO

Dustin’s pick: Matt Damon, Behind The Candelabra

Joanna’s pick: Matt Damon, Behind The Candelabra

Sarah’s pick: Michael Douglas, Behind The Candelabra

LEAD ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE:

Jessica Lange, American Horror Story, FX
Laura Linney, The Big C: Hereafter, Showtime
Helen Mirren, Phil Spector, HBO
Sigourney Weaver, Political Animals, USA
Elisabeth Moss, Top of the Lake, Sundance Channel

Dustin’s pick: Elisabeth Moss, Top of the Lake

Joanna’s pick: Elisabeth Moss, Top of the Lake

Sarah’s pick: Elisabeth Moss, Top of the Lake

MINISERIES OR MOVIE:

American Horror Story: Asylum, FX
Behind the Candelabra, HBO
Phil Spector, HBO
Political Animals, USA
The Bible, History
Top of the Lake, Sundance Channel

Dustin’s pick: Top of the Lake

Joanna’s pick: Top of the Lake

Sarah’s pick: Top of the Lake

VARIETY SERIES:

The Colbert Report, Comedy Central
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, Comedy Central
Jimmy Kimmel Live, ABC
Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, NBC
Real Time With Bill Maher, HBO
Saturday Night Live, NBC

Dustin’s pick: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

Joanna’s pick: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

Sarah’s pick: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

WRITING FOR A VARIETY SERIES:

The Colbert Report, Comedy Central
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, Comedy Central
Jimmy Kimmel Live, ABC
Portlandia, IFC
Real Time With Bill Maher, HBO
Saturday Night Live, NBC

Dustin’s pick: The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Joanna’s pick: The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Sarah’s pick: The Colbert Report

WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES:

Breaking Bad (“Dead Freight”), AMC
Breaking Bad (“Say My Name”), AMC
Downton Abbey (“Episode 4”), PBS
Game of Thrones (“The Rains of Castamere”), HBO
Homeland (“Q&A”), Showtime

Dustin’s pick:Breaking Bad (“Dead Freight”)

Joanna’s pick: Game of Thrones (“The Rains of Castamere”)

Sarah’s pick: Breaking Bad (“Dead Freight”)

DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES:

Tim Van Patten, Boardwalk Empire, “Margate Sands”
Michelle MacLaren, Breaking Bad, “Gliding Over All”
Jeremy Webb, Downton Abbey, “Episode 4”
Lesli Linka Glatter, Homeland, “Q&A”
David Fincher, House Of Cards, “Chapter 1”

Dustin’s pick: Michelle MacLaren, Breaking Bad, “Gliding Over All”

Joanna’s pick: Michelle MacLaren, Breaking Bad, “Gliding Over All”

Sarah’s pick: Michelle MacLaren, Breaking Bad, “Gliding Over All” (I wish Tim Van Patten could get it, too)

WRITING FOR COMEDY SERIES:

David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik, Episodes, “Episode 209”
Louis C.K. and Pamela Adlon, Louie, “Daddy’s Girlfriend (Part 1)”
Greg Daniels, The Office, “Finale”
Jack Burditt and Robert Carlock, 30 Rock, “Hogcock!”
Tina Fey and Tracey Wigfield, 30 Rock, “Last Lunch”

Dustin’s pick: Would It Be So Bad If I said Greg Daniels for The Office? Because I really liked that episode.

Joanna’s pick: Louis C.K. and Pamela Adlon, Louie, “Daddy’s Girlfriend (Part 1)”

Sarah’s pick: Tina Fey and Tracey Wigfield, 30 Rock, “Last Lunch”

DIRECTING FOR COMEDY SERIES:

Lena Dunham, Girls, “On All Fours”
Paris Barclay, Glee, “Diva”
Louis C.K., Louie, “New Year’s Eve”
Gail Mancuso, Modern Family, “Arrested”
Beth McCarthy-Miller, 30 Rock, “Hogcock! / Last Lunch”

Dustin’s pick: Lena Dunham, Girls, “On All Fours”

Joanna’s pick: Lena Dunham, Girls, “On All Fours”

Sarah’s pick: Lena Dunham, Girls, “On All Fours”

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN MINISERIES OR MOVIE:

James Cromwell, American Horror Story: Asylum, FX
Zachary Quinto, American Horror Story: Asylum, FX
Scott Bakula, Behind The Candelabra, HBO
John Benjamin Hickey, The Big C: Hereafter, Showtime
Peter Mullan, Top of the Lake, Sundance Channel

Dustin’s pick: Peter Mullan, Top of the Lake

Joanna’s pick: Zachary Quinto, American Horror Story: Asylum

Sarah’s pick: Peter Mullan, Top of the Lake

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN MINISERIES OR MOVIE:

Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Asylum, FX
Imelda Staunton, The Girl, HBO
Charlotte Rampling, Restless, Sundance Channel
Alfre Woodard, Steel Magnolias, Lifetime

Dustin’s pick: Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Asylum, I guess?

Joanna’s pick: Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Asylum

Sarah’s pick: I haven’t seen any of these.

OUTSTANDING VARIETY SPECIAL:

The Kennedy Center Honors, CBS
Louis C.K.: Oh My God, HBO
Mel Brooks Strikes Back! With Mel Brooks And Alan Yentob, HBO
Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update Thursday (Part One), NBC
12-12-12: The Concert For Sandy Relief

Dustin’s pick: Louis C.K.: Oh My God

Joanna’s pick: Louis C.K.: Oh My God, HBO

Sarah’s pick: Louis C.K.: Oh My God, HBO

The Emmys, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, will air at 8E/5P Sunday on CBS.