Final 2020 Emmy Predictions: the COMEDY categories

Erik Anderson July 22, 2020

Will there be huzzahs in the future for **The Great**? (Ollie Upton/Hulu)

Of the eight categories in the Comedy race cover, Kevin, Amanda and I only agree on one: all three of us are predicting the exact same six for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Are we right or is there a returning previous nominee we’re all missing or is it that easy this year?

Elsewhere, where we really separate is the writing and directing categories, with one-offs everywhere and something you’ll only find here. Check out our full predictions below with some notes about last year to this year, eligibility and a few facts and stats.

COMEDY SERIES (8)

Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO) – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Dead to Me (Netflix) – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
The Great (Hulu) – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
The Good Place (NBC) – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon) – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Schitt’s Creek (PopTV) – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Silicon Valley (HBO) – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Insecure (HBO) – Erik, Kevin
The Kominsky Method (Netflix) – Amanda

Only three of last year’s seven nominees return this year. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has been nominated for its first two seasons, winning in 2018. The Good Place broke through with its first Series nomination last year. It is eligible for its fourth and final season this year. Schitt’s Creek broke through with its first Series nomination last year. It is eligible for its sixth and final season this year.

Emmy Podcast #35: Final Emmy predictions in Drama, Comedy, Limited Series

black-ish was nominated for its second, third and fourth seasons. It is eligible this year for its sixth. Curb Your Enthusiasm has been nominated eight times in this category, never winning. They have also entered a writing submission for the first time in 10 seasons. As it’s a largely improvised show, it’s never been a contender here before. First time’s a charm? Modern Family is eligible for its final season, a winner in this category five consecutive times from 2010-2014. Silicon Valley is eligible for its final season, a nominee for each of its first five seasons.

LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES (6)

Don Cheadle – Black Monday – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Ted Danson – The Good Place – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Larry David – Curb Your Enthusiasm – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Michael Douglas – The Kominsky Method – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Eugene Levy – Schitt’s Creek – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Ramy Youssef – Ramy – Erik, Kevin, Amanda

Last year’s winner (Bill Hader from Barry) is ineligible, but all the other nominees are eligible again this year. Previous nominees who find themselves eligible again: Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm; Thomas Middleditch, Silicon Valley; William H. Macy, Shameless; Zach Galifianakis, Baskets; John Goodman, The Conners (he was nominated seven times for the same role on Roseanne)

LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES (6)

Pamela Adlon – Better Things – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Christina Applegate – Dead to Me – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Rachel Brosnahan – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Catherine O’Hara – Schitt’s Creek – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Linda Cardellini – Dead to Me – Kevin, Amanda
Issa Rae – Insecure – Erik, Kevin
Kristen Bell – The Good Place – Amanda
Elle Fanning – The Great – Erik

Our winner from last year is gone and so is Emmy stalwart Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Natasha Lyonne is ineligible this year. So, we’ve got three empty slots.

Previous nominees who find themselves eligible again: Pamela Adlon, Better Things; Jane Fonda, Grace and Frankie; Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie; Allison Janney, Mom; Issa Rae, Insecure; Tracee Ellis Ross, black-ish and Helen Hunt, Mad About You

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES (8)

Alan Arkin – The Kominsky Method – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Sterling K. Brown – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Nicholas Hoult – The Great – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Daniel Levy – Schitt’s Creek – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Tony Shalhoub – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Mahershala Ali – Ramy – Erik, Kevin
James Marsden – Dead to Me – Erik, Amanda
Louie Anderson – Baskets – Amanda
Chris Elliott – Schitt’s Creek – Amanda
Marc Maron – GLOW – Erik
Noah Reid – Schitt’s Creek – Kevin
Kenan Thompson – Saturday Night Live – Kevin

The three Barry actors and plus previous winner Tony Hale are all gone, making room for four new nominees this year.

A ton of previous nominees are eligible this year, including 2017 winner Alec Baldwin and Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live), 2011 and 2014 winner Ty Burrell and Ed O’Neill (Modern Family), 2016 winner Louie Anderson (Baskets) and Andre Braugher (Brooklyn Nine-Nine).

Mahershala Ali and Sterling K. Brown both have inaugural eligibility for Ramy and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, respectively. Saturday Night Live hasn’t had a huge stranglehold on this category, with Baldwin and Thompson as the show’s only nominees since 2013.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES (8)

Alex Borstein – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
D’Arcy Carden – The Good Place – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Betty Gilpin – GLOW – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Marin Hinkle – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Jane Lynch – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Kate McKinnon – Saturday Night Live – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Annie Murphy – Schitt’s Creek – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Emily Hampshire – Schitt’s Creek – Kevin, Amanda
Yvonne Orji – Insecure – Erik

Four of last year’s eight are ineligible this year.

Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) has won two years in a row.

A host of previous nominees are eligible again this year, including Aidy Bryant (Saturday Night Live), Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Megan Mullally (Will & Grace) and Laurie Metcalf (The Connors).

Jane Lynch (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), eligible in Supporting this year, won the Emmy last year for Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for the same role.

GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES (6)

Jon Hamm – Curb Your Enthusiasm – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Luke Kirby – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
John Mulaney – Saturday Night Live – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Eddie Murphy – Saturday Night Live – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Jason Alexander – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – Erik, Kevin
Brad Pitt – Saturday Night Live – Erik, Amanda
Victor Garber – Schitt’s Creek – Amanda
Fred Willard – Modern Family – Kevin

Saturday Night Live has occupied at least two spots in this category since 2013.

Jane Krakowski – Curb Your Enthusiasm – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Maya Rudolph – The Good Place – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Wanda Sykes – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Saturday Night Live – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Lisa Kudrow – The Good Place – Kevin, Amanda
Judith Light – The Politician – Erik, Amanda
Angela Bassett – A Black Lady Sketch Show – Erik
Valerie Mahaffey – Dead to Me – Kevin

Luke Kirby (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), last year’s winner, is eligible again this year. John Mulaney (Saturday Night Live) is the only other eligible nominee who was nominated last year.

GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES (6)

Saturday Night Live has occupied at least two spots the last four years, winning three times. Last year’s winner, Jane Lynch (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), has been bumped to Supporting. Maya Rudolph (The Good Place) is the only nominee from last year who is eligible again this year…at least for the same show.

DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES (7)

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – “It’s Comedy or Cabbage” (Amy Sherman-Palladino) – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – “Marvelous Radio” (Daniel Palladino) – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Schitt’s Creek – “Happy Ending” (Andrew Cividino & Daniel Levy) – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Silicon Valley – “Artificial Lack of Intelligence” (Mike Judge) – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
The Good Place – “Whenever You’re Ready” (Michael Schur) – Erik, Kevin
The Great – “The Great (Pilot)” (Matt Shakman) – Kevin, Amanda
Will & Grace – “We Love Lucy” (James Burrows) – Erik, Kevin
Curb Your Enthusiasm – “Happy New Year” (Jeff Schaffer) – Erik
The Neighborhood – “Welcome to the Hockey Game” (Mark Cendrowski) – Amanda
Silicon Valley – “Exit Event” (Alec Berg) – Amanda

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel received two nominations here last year and won in 2018. Curb Your Enthusiasm didn’t receive a directing nomination for its previous two seasons but in 2004 and 2003 took three of five spots, winning in 2003. Silicon Valley has received a directing nomination for every year of its run so far, including two in 2017 and 2016.

WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES (7)

The Good Place – “Whenever You’re Ready” (Michael Schur) – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – “It’s Comedy or Cabbage” (Amy Sherman-Palladino) – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Schitt’s Creek – “Happy Ending” (Daniel Levy) – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Silicon Valley – “Exit Event” (Alec Berg) – Erik, Kevin, Amanda
Dead to Me – “It’s Not You, It’s Me” (Liz Feldman & Kelly Hutchinson) – Erik, Kevin
The Great – “The Great” (Tony McNamara) – Erik, Amanda
Curb Your Enthusiasm – “Happy New Year” – Amanda
Insecure – “Lowkey Happy” (Natasha Rothwell) – Erik
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – “Marvelous Radio” – Amanda
Schitt’s Creek – “The Presidential Suite” (David West Read) – Kevin
Sex Education – “Episode 1” (Laurie Nunn) – Kevin

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel won the writing Emmy in 2018 but missed out on a nomination last year. Silicon Valley has received a writing nomination for every year of its run so far, including two in 2016. Curb Your Enthusiasm enters the writing race for the first time in its 10 seasons this year.

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Erik Anderson

Erik Anderson is the founder/owner and Editor-in-Chief of AwardsWatch and has always loved all things Oscar, having watched the Academy Awards since he was in single digits; making lists, rankings and predictions throughout the show. This led him down the path to obsessing about awards. Much later, he found himself in film school and the film forums of GoldDerby, and then migrated over to the former Oscarwatch (now AwardsDaily), before breaking off to create AwardsWatch in 2013.

He is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, accredited by the Cannes Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and more, is a member of the International Cinephile Society (ICS), The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics (GALECA), Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) and the International Press Academy. Among his many achieved goals with AwardsWatch, he has given a platform to underrepresented writers and critics and supplied them with access to film festivals and the industry and calls the Bay Area his home where he lives with his husband and son.