Who will win the Emmy for Leading Actress in a Comedy?
Saturday, September 8, 2018 at 3:07PM By Spencer Coile
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After six consecutive years of Julia Louis-Dreyfus deservedly dominating this category for her performance on Veep, we finally have a race on our hands in the Lead Actress in a Comedy Series field! Or do we? As diverse as this lineup is – consisting of newcomers, veterans, and representation from six different networks – it feels as though Rachel Brosnahan’s name has been on that Emmy statue since the pilot for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel premiered last March. Is she going for the gold, or is the race more competitive than we think?
Best Leading Actress in a Comedy Series Nominees:
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Pamela Adlon as “Sam Fox” on Better Things: “Eulogy”
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Rachel Brosnahan as “Miriam ‘Midge’ Maisel” on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: “Thank You and Good Night”
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Allison Janney as “Bonnie Plunkett” on Mom: “Phone Confetti and a Wee Dingle”
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Issa Rae as “Issa Dee” on Insecure: “Hella Great”
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Tracee Ellis Ross as “Rainbow Johnson” on Black-ish: “Elder. Scam.”
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Lily Tomlin as “Frankie Bergstein” on Grace & Frankie: “The Home”
Will Win: Despite the Julia Louis-Dreyfus absence for Veep, this is one of the easiest races to call. Janney’s won before in the Supporting category, Tomlin is comfortable getting nominated every year without winning, and Ross supposedly had a stellar season on Black-ish.That said, a series win for Mrs. Maisel may not be guaranteed, but it certainly is for the show’s leading player. Sorry ladies, but Brosnahan is taking this one without a fight.
Should Win: It is truly a delight to see Rae sneak in for the second season of Insecure, considering her glaring omission last year. Adlon, too, is turning in stunning work on Better Things – especially in her submission. Seriously, watch the last five minutes of “Eulogy” and try not to sob. Still, Brosnahan is bulldozing this category for a reason. Her performance as Midge Maisel is light, witty, and utterly absorbing. It’s truly a revelatory turn and deserves every accolade.
Could Spoil: There really isn’t one, but I would say Ross is sitting in second. She is certainly beloved (as is the show), but she’s lucky to be a runner-up this year.
Your turn! Is Brosnahan a sure bet, or might we be in for a surprise?
Reader Comments (16)
Tracee Ellis Ross might take it. She had some great moments last season, and it might seem like the time to finally reward her.
Brosnahan is splendid on "Mazel" so I wont be too upset if she wins but I really want to see Ross, who I've loved since "Girlfriends", clutching the emmy in her hand. Sadly it feels like her biggest chance would've been last year when she had the Globes win afterglow on her side.
I watched all the clips that the Emmy has on their YouTube (they've been doing it for every category, it's quite fun). All were funny but Brosnahan leapt ahead of everybody else for me.
Adlon gets my vote.
Brosnahan is good but totally miscast.
Gina Rodríguez is better in a any weak episode of Jane the Virgin than half of these nominees.
Ditto on Gina Rodriguez. She's such a firecracker.
"Deservedly" my foot. No performer is the objective best in a subjective awards race for six consecutive years. None. I'm glad the Emmy's are forced to award some new blood this year because, gosh...
Rooting for Ross.
I'm sure Rachel is great (haven't seen the show), but I'm rooting for Tracee Ellis Ross tbh. She should've won last year. If not Ross, I'd love to see Issa Rae win, even though I know that ain't happening.
I'm in total agreement with the article, I was knocked out by Brosnahan as the unforgettable Midge Maisel, and I'm hoping she wins. Love her and I love the show.
Such a shame they changed the voting system. In the old days when episode submissisons made such a splash we could be looking at an actual race since Rae and Adlon's episodes were so good. Curiously Brosnahan made a Margulies sized error in its episode selection.
Being the Emmys, I expect half of the membership to vote for Julia Louis-Dreyfus even if she's not eligible.
Rachel Brosnahan should win this quite easily. She was the best.
I'm thrilled that Pamela Adlon got nominated again. She's just so good in Better Things.
Allison Janney and Lily Tomlin are solid as always.
Black-ish didn't have the best season so I think Ross won't win.
I don't watch Insecure.
Alison Brie not being there is so disappointing but I think she'll get in next year.
I'd like to see Pamela Adlon get it for the wonderfully insightful Better Things.
(And mention in her acceptance speech that Louis C.K. co-created/co-produced, and had solo writing credit on many of the season's best episodes, which indicates that nowadays he is far more accurately attuned to women's POV and concerns than folks might think based on his past behavior.)
As I've said here before, I really don't get the love for Mrs. Maisel at all - cartoonish period details, endless offensive Jewish stereotypes, and I find Brosnahan's performance shrill and overwrought. I could only handle two episodes.
I suspect Brosnahan triumphs in a landslide, with one of the two Emmy mainstays (Janney or Tomlin) a distant runner-up.
KBJr -- agreed. I also bristled at "deservedly" haha. I just think it's impossible to be the single best constantly and even if you are theoretically or it's close, it ought to be a given that if it's a tossup in quality (as it often is in awards) than the person who has won several times doesn't need another! I'm thrilled that she is not in the race this year.
Dr -- i liked Mrs Maisel but also think its overpraised. I have a ton of problems with the many anachronisms in dialogue (i guess Mad Men spoiled me for authenticity in terms of period dialogue)
I agree about Mad Men, Nathaniel. Nearly everything about it was darn accurate as the timeframe moved from 1960 to 1970. (Of course, that's only one of many reasons it's a masterpiece.) I was there: I'm essentially Sally Draper's age.
More generally period-stylized shows like Pan Am and Masters of Sex fall down in this department, as do generic "sixties"-set films like The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and X-Men: First Class (where you have Xavier using later-sixties words like "groovy" well before the Cuban Missile Crisis!)
I was good with Julia Louis Dreyfus winning once. I don't need to see Allison Janney win another one either. Let's celebrate fresh talent with a first Emmy.