By Spencer Coile
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When you consider all of the funny women working in television, you might think that the past winners in the Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series race would be competitive. However, with Julie Bowen, Allison Janney, and now Kate McKinnon monopolizing the 2010’s with two wins apiece, the other nominees don’t seem to stand a chance. (That’s not to say there aren’t shocking winners every once in a while – look no further than Merritt Wever’s win in 2013 for Nurse Jackie.) With McKinnon back in the race, can anyone overtake her?
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Nominees:
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Zazie Beetz as “Van” on Atlanta: “Helen”
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Alex Borstein as “Susie Myerson” on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: “Doink”
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Aidy Bryant as Various Characters on Saturday Night Live: “Host: Chadwick Boseman”
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Betty Gilpin as “Debbie Eagan” on GLOW: “Debbie Does Something”
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Leslie Jones as Various Characters on Saturday Night Live: “Host: Donald Glover”
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Kate McKinnon as Various Characters on Saturday Night Live: “Host: Bill Hader”
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Laurie Metcalf as “Jackie Harris” on Roseanne: “No Country for Old Women”
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Megan Mullally as “Karen Walker” on Will & Grace: “Rosario’s Quinceañera”
Will Win: Between Atlanta and being the best part of Deadpool 2, Beetz is having a great year, but her nomination feels like the reward. Gilpin is a marvelous Liberty Belle, but with the omission of Alison Brie and Marc Maron in their respective categories, perhaps she was lucky to have gotten in at all. It's nice to see Metcalf and Mullally return for their Emmy winning roles, but the buzz for both Roseanne and Will & Grace has cooled considerably.
As much admiration as I have for the cast members of Saturday Night Live, I’ve always found it odd that they compete in the comedy categories when the series itself does not. In many ways, it feels like we’re comparing apples and oranges – Bryant, Jones, and McKinnon are simply doing a different kind of work than the others.
Despite these reservations, the other women in this category are no match for McKinnon, who will likely take home her third consecutive Emmy.
Should Win: Remember the good old days when submission tapes helped determine one’s Emmy chances? If that were the case today, Mullally would be winning this with ease. Sure, the Will & Grace revival was not completely embraced by voters, but Mullally’s performance in “Rosario’s Quinceañera” reminded us why Karen Walker was so beloved in the first place. It was equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking and a proper return for a previous Emmy darling.
Gilpin would also be a worthy winner, but I have a feeling I will be banging the drum for her victory next year for her stellar work on the second season of GLOW.
Could Spoil: If voters are experiencing some slight McKinnon fatigue, the likeliest runner-up is Borstein. She is a scene-stealer on an Emmy favorite, and if The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel cleans up on Emmy night, Borstein might get swept up in the Maisel love. Plus, she’s great on the show.
Your turn! Is McKinnon a slam dunk and, more importantly, who do you think deserves to win?