The 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will be airing on Sunday, September 18, 2011, on NBC, but before then, let’s take a look at the nominations for Best Actor in a Drama Series.
Steve Buscemi – Boardwalk Empire
Michael C. Hall – Dexter
Hugh Laurie – House
Jon Hamm – Mad Men
Kyle Chandler – Friday Night Lights
Timothy Olyphant – Justified
Now here’s a stellar group of actors if there’s ever been one! Truly there’s not a bad one in the bunch. But while five of these nominees are being recognized for shows into at least their second season, as much as their seventh (Hugh Laurie for House), the winner in this category will probably be a nominee for the very first season of his awesome HBO show. Steve Buscemi has always been a respected, prolific character actor, but he rarely wins awards, and he almost never gets lead roles in anything. Boardwalk Empire gives Buscemi his richest, most complex role ever, and it’s likely, unless there’s a big upset, he’ll take home the award this year. Let’s take a closer look at the nominees for Best Actor in a Drama Series.
Steve Buscemi – Boardwalk Empire
Even bad Michael Bay movies are made better by Buscemi’s presence. When he’s occasionally given a great script, like Ghost World, he manages to create full, rich characters with flaws and humanity. There’s a lack of humanity to his character in Boardwalk Empire, but that’s what makes this character so compelling, and so chilling. He’s not the most likely choice for this role, but he makes it his own, and makes the strong show all the better.
Michael C. Hall – Dexter
Hall really deserved an Emmy last year for his work on Dexter’s best season yet, season four, with John Lithgow. Season five was probably the weakest season of the show to date, still great of course, just not as great as before. Hall still hasn’t won the Emmy, so he should get it one of these years, but it’s unlikely he’ll be awarded for such a lackluster season.
Hugh Laurie – House
Another year, another Hugh Laurie nomination, and sorry to say, another loss in this category, This guy must be getting really bored of the Emmys by now!
Jonn Hamm – Mad Men
Will Hamm ever win an Emmy? He’s so smooth and confident in his leading role on AMC’s break-out hit that it seems unlikely he’ll be able to win out over some more of these deserving nominees.
Kyle Chandler – Friday Night Lights
One of the most beloved TV shows of the past ten years has just gone off the air, so this is the last time Emmy voters can award Kyle Chandler an Emmy for his outstanding work on this beloved show. Will he beat out these other contenders? He’s the dark horse, for sure!
Timothy Olyphant – Justified
Two supporting actors from Justified were nominated, and the star of the show is nominated. One of these fine actors has to go home a winner, right? And does Olyphant, who’s been so good in films for the last fifteen years and is now fantastic as the lead sheriff deputy role on this show, have a shot? Never say never!
WILL WIN: Steve Buscemi – Boardwalk Empire
SHOULD WIN: Steve Buscemi – Boardwalk Empire
