I’m still sad that Elle Fanning isn’t here for The Great and I can’t understand how Better Things gets nothing but rave reviews and somehow Pamela Adlon isn’t nominated? That said, the list of actresses here is strong, And you'd think that previous winner Rachel Brosnahan would be the frontrunner with last year’s tough competition, victor Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag) and six-time consecutive champ Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep) out of the way. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel may be the comedy nominations leader, but Brosnahan isn’t likely to eclipse Moira Rose.
I’ll try to avoid major plot details in my analysis – but if you’d like more spoiler-filled descriptions, click on the episode titles. Let’s consider each nominee…
Christina Applegate as Jen Harding in Dead to Me (Netflix)
Episode: “It’s Not You, It’s Me”
Applegate won an Emmy in 2003 for guest-starring on Friends, and was also nominated twice in this category for her starring role on Samantha Who? Last year, she was the lone representative of this show, and now her costar Linda Cardellini is nominated, along with the show itself in the top category. Her portrayal of a recently widowed realtor is brimming with unrestrained rage, and therefore her submission of the penultimate episode that finds her contemplating her future in a more careful and consequential manner is an interesting choice that shows range. Frankly, season one gave her more to do, and now with internal competition, her chances at a win are much lower.
Rachel Brosnahan as Midge Maisel in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)
Episode: “A Jewish Girl Walks into the Apollo…”
This is Brosnahan’s third consecutive nomination. She won for season one of this show and also contended in the guest category in 2015 for reprising her House of Cards role. You can say that Brosnahan has already been sufficiently rewarded – an Emmy, two Globes, two Critics Choice Awards, a SAG, and more – but she is absolutely fantastic as the fast-talking comedienne. Her work in season three is just as good as in the pilot, and in the season finale she gets to relive hopeful days in flashbacks, confront a vengeful person from her past, and face unexpected news about her future. If this category didn’t have a frontrunner, Brosnahan would be the default winner.
Linda Cardellini as Judy Hale in Dead to Me (Netflix)
Episode: “If Only You Knew”
Cardellini wasn’t included last year for her show’s first season when costar Christina Applegate was, so it's wonderful that she's in this year. This is her second career nomination following a guest bid in 2013 for Mad Men. To me, she was the undisputed MVP of Dead to Me this season, with Judy eagerly chatting up anyone she encountered and going above and beyond to insert herself into every situation, even those where she should have stayed far away. Cardellini's episode submission is a knockout, involving a comedic start that she handles fabulously and a far deeper and more haunting turn as it goes on. I don’t think she has any shot to win, but if she did, I’d be so happy.
Catherine O’Hara as Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek (Pop)
Episode: “The Incident”
O’Hara won an Emmy along with her current costar Eugene Levy as part of the writing staff of SCTV Network 90 back in 1982. She was nominated for Temple Grandin in 2010 and then last year for this role when Emmy voters finally realized Schitt’s Creek existed. I don’t love the show or her performance nearly as much as every person I’ve met (I’m sorry), but there’s no denying that she’s working hard and doing very well playing an actress committed to an impressive presentation at every moment in her life. The episode submission involves a social media channel and it's peak Moira. It's easy to see how it will likely win over more than enough voters to propel her to a win.
Issa Rae as Issa Dee in Insecure (HBO)
Episode: “Lowkey Happy”
It’s great to see Rae nominated again after her first bid two years ago, and her show is up for Best Comedy Series for the first time. She’s always been energetic and entertaining as a hard-working woman in Los Angeles encountering frequent relationship and professional troubles, but her performance in season four was even more watchable as her character took on a daunting community project. Her submitted episode finds her delving back into an old romance and showcases the best of her awkwardness and her aspirations. If somehow O’Hara doesn’t win, she could be a formidable and exciting spoiler.
Tracee Ellis Ross as Dr. Rainbow “Bow” Jackson in Black-ish (ABC)
Episode: “Kid Life Crisis”
This is Ross’ fourth nomination, making a return to this category after missing out last year. She plays one half of the parenting team raising five Black children in what they see as a predominantly white world. Ross also provides narration on the latest spin-off of this show, Mixed-ish , which explores Bow’s biracial childhood. Ross is often the glue that holds her show together when costar Anthony Anderson is leaning into the comedy of his character, Dre, which sometimes makes her episodes more serious. This year’s submission finds Bow and Dre on vacation struggling to relax, and it’s simply not the best or most prominent work Ross has done. Not this year but she might have a shot to win when it’s announced that this show is ending, whenever that might be.
Personal Ranking
- Linda Cardellini, Dead to Me
- Rachel Brosnahan, Marvelous Mrs Maisel
- Issa Rae, Insecure
- Christina Applegate, Dead to Me
- Catherine O'Hara, Schitt's Creek
- Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish
What's yours?
Predicted Winner: Catherine O’Hara – Schitt’s Creek
Potential Spoiler: Rachel Brosnahan – Mrs. Maisel
All Categories Covered:
DRAMA: Lead Actress | Lead Actor | Guest Actor | Guest Actress
COMEDY: Lead Actor | Guest Actress | Guest Actor |
MISC: TV Movie | Costumes Fantasy