2020 Emmy Predictions for Comedy Series & Acting: Matt Roush’s Picks
Things are changing at the 2020 Emmy Awards ceremony, airing September 20 on ABC. But even without the ongoing global pandemic, the races remain fierce on TV’s biggest night, with so many more platforms and so much talent vying for recognition.
Below, critic Matt Roush analyzes the categories, suggesting which nominees are most likely to — and should — win. And after having scoured the official ballot, he also points out contenders he wishes had made the cut.
Scroll down to see Matt’s picks in the categories of Comedy Series, Lead Comedy Actor and Actress, Supporting Comedy Actor and Actress, and Guest Comedy Actor and Actress.
72nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, Sunday, September 20, 8/7c, ABC
Comedy Series
Curb Your Enthusiasm, HBO
Dead to Me, Netflix
The Good Place, NBC
Insecure, HBO
The Kominsky Method, Netflix
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Amazon Prime Video
Schitt’s Creek, Pop TV
What We Do in the Shadows, FX
I couldn’t be happier to see wonderful sleepers like The Good Place (for its final season) and What We Do in the Shadows making the cut in a very competitive year. Any of the eight nominees deserves to win, and the buzz around the twisty Dead to Me is also considerable, but the horse race comes down to a delightful past winner (Mrs. Maisel) and a beloved cult underdog (Schitt’s Creek) that ended on a high. Emmys don’t often honor the newly departed, but this year, they’re likely to make an exception.
Most Likely to Win
Schitt’s Creek
Should Win
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (though I’d probably have voted for the hilarious Shadows)
Wish They'd Been Nominated
After Life, Better Things, Mom, Never Have I Ever, One Day at a Time, Upload
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson, black-ish
Don Cheadle, Black Monday
Ted Danson, The Good Place
Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method
Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Ramy Youssef, Ramy
In a year when inclusion and diversity are so prevalent, Ramy Youssef‘s boldly distinctive — and, yes, funny — portrayal of a flawed Muslim may triumph, as he did at the Golden Globes, against much better known competition. However, Eugene Levy could ride a Creek wave, and representing another terrific final season, The Good Place‘s Ted Danson is indisputably a living legend in the role of an afterlife-time.
Most Likely to Win
Ramy Youssef or Eugene Levy
Should Win
Ted Danson
Wish They'd Been Nominated
Hank Azaria, Brockmire; Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm; Ricky Gervais, After Life; Walton Goggins, The Unicorn; Kayvan Novak, What We Do in the Shadows; Paul Rudd, Living with Yourself
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Christina Applegate, Dead to Me
Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Linda Cardellini, Dead to Me
Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek
Issa Rae, Insecure
Tracee Ellis Ross, black-ish
Another tough toss-up between Maisel and Creek, between its leading ladies, both tremendous stars: the veteran Catherine O’Hara as the delusional Moira, and past winner Rachel Brosnahan as the irrepressible Midge. I’d be OK with either, but a win for O’Hara — whose last Emmy was in 1983 as part of the fabled SCTV crew — would truly be delicious.
Most Likely to Win, Should Win
Catherine O’Hara, with Rachel Brosnahan a close second
Possible Spoiler
Issa Rae, Insecure (long overdue)
Wish They'd Been Nominated
Pamela Adlon, Better Things (c’mon, Emmys!); Kristen Bell, The Good Place; Aidy Bryant, Shrill; Natasia Demetriou, What We Do in the Shadows; Sara Gilbert, The Conners; Allison Janney, Mom; Jane Levy, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist; Justina Machado, One Day at a Time; Amy Sedaris, At Home with Amy Sedaris
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Mahershala Ali, Ramy
Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method
Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Sterling K. Brown, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
William Jackson Harper, The Good Place
Dan Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Kenan Thompson, Saturday Night Live
If prior awards cred were the issue, four-time Emmy winner (including last year) Tony Shalhoub and two-time Oscar champ Mahershala Ali would be favored. And yet Dan Levy was the creative and emotional heart and soul of Schitt’s Creek, and I can’t see anyone else taking this one home. (Sterling K. Brown was terrific in Mrs. Maisel, but might have been better suited in the guest category.)
Most Likely to Win, Should Win
Dan Levy
Possible Spoilers
Tony Shalhoub, Mahershala Ali, Sterling K. Brown
Wish They'd Been Nominated
William Fichtner, Mom; Peter Gallagher, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist; Harvey Guillén, What We Do in the Shadows; Manny Jacinto, The Good Place; John Malkovich, Space Force; Marc Maron, GLOW; Alex Newell, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist; Zach Woods, Silicon Valley and/or Avenue 5
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
D’Arcy Carden, The Good Place
Betty Gilpin, GLOW
Marin Hinkle, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
Annie Murphy, Schitt’s Creek
Yvonne Orji, Insecure
Cecily Strong, Saturday Night Live
There are those scene-stealing roles that just keep reaping Emmys year after year. Alex Borstein‘s hilarious performance as Mrs. Maisel‘s loyal and gruff manager, Susie, gets richer by the season, and it’s hard (though not impossible) to imagine anyone else winning. Yet.
Most Likely to Win, Should Win
Alex Borstein
Possible Spoilers
Annie Murphy (if there’s a Schitt’s Creek sweep), Kate McKinnon (for sustained brilliance)
Wish They'd Been Nominated
Rita Moreno, One Day at a Time (now and forever); Hiam Abbass, Ramy; Jane Alexander, Modern Love; Anne Hathaway, Modern Love; Ashley Jensen, After Life; Kristen Johnston, Mom; Michaela Watkins, The Unicorn; Penelope Wilton, After Life
Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Adam Driver, Saturday Night Live
Luke Kirby, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Eddie Murphy, Saturday Night Live
Dev Patel, Modern Love
Brad Pitt, Saturday Night Live
Fred Willard, Modern Family
Eddie Murphy‘s long-awaited (and worth the wait) return to the showplace that made him famous is a bit of TV history that the Emmys are unlikely to ignore. Although a chance to honor the late Fred Willard will also be difficult to pass up.
Most Likely to Win
Eddie Murphy
Should Win
Murphy or Fred Willard
Wish They'd Been Nominated
Diedrich Bader, Better Things; Pete Buttigieg, Jimmy Kimmel Live guest host; Mark Hamill, What We Do in the Shadows; John Mulaney, Saturday Night Live; J.K. Simmons, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Angela Bassett, A Black Lady Sketch Show
Bette Midler, The Politician
Maya Rudolph, The Good Place
Maya Rudolph, Saturday Night Live
Wanda Sykes, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Saturday Night Live
A lot of formidable talent in this category, but I’ll go with what becomes a comedy legend most: Wanda Sykes‘ brief but memorable turn on Mrs. Maisel as the great comic Moms Mabley. This win could go any number of ways, but Sykes’ performance defines what this category should represent.
Most Likely to Win, Should Win
Wanda Sykes
Possible Spoilers
Take your pick
Wish They'd Been Nominated
Vanessa Bayer, Brooklyn Nine-Nine; Cristin Milioti, Modern Love
Variety Sketch Series
A Black Lady Sketch Show, HBO
Drunk History, Comedy Central
Saturday Night Live, NBC
The king of this category, which scrambled to produce at-home versions after the pandemic darkened New York City’s stages, is almost impossible to beat. Saturday Night Live is likely to make it four in a row, although HBO’s raucous showcase for hilarious Black ladies is even more of the moment.
Most Likely to Win
Saturday Night Live
Should Win, Possible Spoiler
A Black Lady Sketch Show
Wish They'd Been Nominated
At Home with Amy Sedaris; Sherman’s Showcase
Variety Talk Series
Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Comedy Central
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, TBS
Jimmy Kimmel Live, ABC
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, HBO
Late Show with Stephen Colbert, CBS
Now John Oliver knows how Jon Stewart felt, dominating this category with an unbroken string of wins — for good reason. The odds of a fifth consecutive win for Last Week Tonight are high, but if the industry’s awakening to racial equality swings the pendulum back to The Daily Show, few would complain.
Most Likely to Win
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Should Win
Daily Show with Trevor Noah or Late Show with Stephen Colbert (for some variety; check the name of the category)
Possible Spoiler
Daily Show
Wish It Had Been Nominated
Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj
Animated Program
Big Mouth, Netflix
Bob’s Burgers, Fox
BoJack Horseman, Netflix
Rick and Morty, Adult Swim
The Simpsons, Fox
What better reward as Bojack Horseman rides away forever than to get the Emmy this unsparing satire has so long deserved. If ignominiously ignored again, Bojack will just have to trot back.
Most Likely to Win, Should Win
BoJack Horseman
Wish It Had Been Nominated
Central Park
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