FINAL 2021 Emmy Predictions: The Limited Series categories

Tyler Doster September 15, 2021

The Emmys are almost here, coming up this Sunday, September 19. The culmination of a long season, we’ll finally find out who will prevail in the biggest categories the Emmys have to offer. The Limited Series race has been arguably the toughest race of all the main series races (Drama, Comedy, Limited), and now this past weekend The Queen’s Gambit has cemented itself as the frontrunner for the award, nabbing 9 Creative Arts Emmys, including the Emmy for Outstanding Casting for a Limited Series. Will it keep the momentum going in the main ceremony? It’s highly likely.

2021 Creative Arts Emmy Awards Night One: ‘The Queen’s Gambit,’ ‘Pose’ dominate, ‘WandaVision’ falters

2021 Creative Arts Emmy Awards – Night Two, Show One: Condragulations, ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ is the winner of this challenge

2021 Creative Arts Emmy Awards – Night Two, Show Two: ‘The Mandalorian,’ ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ surge going into the Primetime Emmys

Erik and I are in agreement that The Queen’s Gambit seems poised to take the top award for Outstanding Limited Series and also that its lead, Anya Taylor-Joy, will take home Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series. Perhaps before the Creative Arts Emmys I might have thought that someone like Elizabeth Olsen had enough hype around her performance and show to take the prize, but after The Queen’s Gambit took home so many awards, it just makes sense that it has the momentum to go all the way (and to bring its leading actress with it!). The series also seeks to win in Outstanding Directing and looks likely that it could do so, but WandaVision’s Matt Shakman is not to be underestimated in this category. WandaVision is loved by many and is propelled by Shakman’s direction, so it could be a spoiler in the category.

FINAL 2021 Emmy Predictions: Variety, Reality Categories

Speaking of WandaVision, Kathryn Hahn could be its most solid chance at winning the Emmy for the supporting actress category, but Julianne Nicholson is right behind her in a very memorable performance from Mare of Easttown. Even “Agatha All Along” won this past weekend for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics, could its performer be right behind it? I also believe Paul Bettany (WandaVision)might have a shot at winning Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series, whereas Erik believes that Ewan McGregor could take home the gold for his Halston performance.

FINAL 2021 Emmy Predictions: The Comedy categories

Erik and I disagreed on a few more predictions, including Outstanding Writing in a Limited Series, where he thinks Michaela Coel will prevail for I May Destroy You, where I think that the Television Academy might go for Brad Inglesby might sneak in for the win for his work on Mare of Easttown. We also disagreed on Outstanding Supporting Actor as I went with Evan Peters and Erik went with Daveed Diggs, who could win for his performance in the filmed version of Hamilton.

Can anything stop The Queen’s Gambit? We’ll find out this Sunday!

The 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards will be broadcast on Sunday, September 19, (8:00-11:00 PM, live EDT/5:00-8:00 PM, live PDT) on the CBS Television Network and will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+ and be hosted by Cedric the Entertainer.

Presenters include: Paulina Alexis, Anthony Anderson, Angela Bassett, Kate Beckinsale, Adrien Brody, Stephen Colbert, Jennifer Coolidge, Kaley Cuoco, Lane Factor, Beanie Feldstein, Allyson Felix, America Ferrera, Sterlin Harjo, Devery Jacobs, Ken Jeong, Mindy Kaling, Vanessa Lachey, Dan Levy, Eugene Levy, Jessica Long, Annie Murphy and Catherine O’Hara plus Sarah Paulson, Amy Poehler, Billy Porter, Michaela Jaé (Mj) Rodriguez, Seth Rogen, Tracee Ellis Ross, Hailee Steinfeld, Patrick Stewart, Wilmer Valderrama, Kerry Washington, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai and Bowen Yang.

Here are the final 2021 Emmy winner predictions in variety and reality categories by AwardsWatch Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson and TV Awards Editor Tyler Doster.

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Tyler Doster

Tyler is the TV Awards Editor for AwardsWatch and from Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He’s been obsessed with movies and the oscars since he was about 14. He enjoys reading, but even more, talking about Amy Adams more and will, at any given moment, bring up her Oscar snub for Arrival. The only thing he spends more time on than watching TV is sitting on Twitter. If you ever want to discuss the movie Carol at length, he’s your guy. You can find Tyler at @wordswithtyler