2015 EMMY Predictions: The Drama Categories

Our first set of winner predictions for the 2015 Emmys from the Emmy Experts are up and so far there is a tight battle for Drama Series between four-time winner Mad Men closing out its final season and Game of Thrones, the nomination leader in this (and all) categories and with its highest total to date.

On the acting side, submissions are trickling in on the Lead Actor side (Bob Odenkirk in Better Call Saul and Liev Schreiber in Ray Donovan) and the Guest categories, as you know, are already announced. Right now Jon Hamm has a slight lead on Odenkirk in hopes of earning his first Emmy win for Mad Men‘s final season. It’s still hard to believe that the show has never gotten a win for its acting. That could all change this year. The Supporting men are also finding a close heat between Jonathan Banks (Better Call Saul) and Ben Mendelsohn (Bloodline).

Lead Actress should be a serious catfight between two newcomers Viola Davis (How to Get Away with Murder) and Taraji P. Henson (Empire). Both come from last season’s two biggest freshman hits and this first time EVER the Television Academy has nominated two African-American women in this category in the same year. But watch out for a previous winner, Homeland‘s Claire Danes, to mount a comeback (as the show did in Drama Series this year) for a season that many saw as a return to form. Supporting Actress was full of surprises on nomination morning with former winner and Emmy stalwart Maggie Smith being snubbed in favor of her co-star Joanne Froggatt in Downton Abbey. Christine Baranski (The Good Wife) managed to stick it out another year even as her show’s lead was snubbed yet again (and just after a win last year). Right now Lena Headey (Game of Thrones) holds the lead but the newly category switched Uzo Aduba (winner last year for Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for Orange is the New Black) could make a play for another win.

Here is the full list of winner predictions in the main Drama categories: