Mahershala Ali as Sheikh Ali Malik in Ramy (Hulu)
Episode: “Little Omar”

The Emmys love Oscar winners. Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Maggie Smith, Al Pacino and Michael Douglas all earned wins this past decade. However, as we saw with Ali’s True Detective nomination last year, one can’t coast to a win. Though it’s a comedy category, Ali gives the strongest dramatic performance. “Little Omar” finds Sheikh Malik sitting vigil for a anti-Muslim protestor who was hurt by Dennis (Jared Abrahamson), a member of his mosque. Ali shows the strength it takes to walk with grace, even while comforting racists. His statuesque strength pairs nicely with Ramy Youssef’s ne'er-do-well with religious ambitions. After visiting Dennis in jail, the Sheikh tasks Ramy with finding Dennis’ dog Boomer. Ali understands the Sheikh’s desire to help Ramy find his way. Yet, behind his eyes is a sinking suspicion that maybe Ramy may not be able to handle the responsibilities he gives him.

 Alan Arkin as Norman Newlander in The Kominski Method (Netflix)
Episode: “A Secret Leaks, A Teacher Speaks”

The Kominski Method plays like a parody of an Emmy voters’ taste in shows. Two 75+ year old Oscar winners star as old showbusiness friends trading Chuck Lorre prostate jokes over drinks at Musso & Frank. As groan worthy as the show can be, Arkin’s episode starts strong. Norman (Arkin) takes his friend/client, Sandy Kominski (Michael Douglas), to his cancer treatment. On the way home, Norman tries to convince Sandy to process his diagnosis rather than wallow. Rather, he spurts friendly wisdom in between foul-mouthed insults to drivers upset at his slow speed. Arkin ping pongs between comedy and drama very well, never losing the scene. Unfortunately, that’s the high point of the episode. As we follow Norman’s solo subplots, the episode falls flat. Older voters may go for Arkin, but it likely won’t be enough to win.

 Andre Braugher as Captain Raymond Holt in Brooklyn Nine-Nine (NBC)
Episode: “Ransom”

Andre Braugher’s hilarious performance was the biggest surprise of the lineup. The legendary TV actor gives his funniest submission yet as the stone-faced Captain Raymond Holt. His normally measured demeanor comes completely unglued when his fluffy dog, Cheddar, is kidnapped. Holt enlists Jake (Andy Samburg) to help figure out which disgruntled criminal took Cheddar. Braugher elicits laughs by taking matters deathly seriously. This includes a climax that involves him passionately delivering catchphrases and holding onto a car like the T-1000. No moment in any episode made me laugh harder than him coaching Jake on how to say “look, Raymond, a yellow crested warbler” like his husband Kevin (Marc Evan Jackson). Seven seasons in and Braugher continues to show new sides to one of the most three-dimensional gay characters on TV. After being snubbed the past three years, Braugher’s nomination is the win. Still, he deserves to be in the conversation to win. 

 Sterling K. Brown as Reggie in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video)
Episode: “Panty Pose”

Sterling K. Brown hasn’t missed a year at the Emmys since he won his first award for American Crime Story: The People vs. OJ Simpson in 2016. Brown has received two Emmy wins and seven Emmy nominations in just five years. Put simply, they adore him! His nomination for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel isn’t just a coattails nomination; he’s a major highlight of the show’s uneven third season. You wouldn’t know it from his episode submission though, as he’s barely featured in it. He gets some good laughs when he chastises Susie (Alex Borstein) for profanity during a press conference. Brown probably picked this episode because he croons “Is You or Is You Ain’t My Baby” in the hotel lobby. He displays good vocal pipes and charisma during the performance. Unfortunately, it’s too little too late, especially among stronger competition.

 William Jackson Harper as Chidi Anagonye in The Good Place (NBC)
Episode: “Whenever You’re Ready” 

Better late than never. William Jackson Harper finally nabbed his first Emmy nomination for playing Chidi, the nervous Philosophy Professor. Harper submitted the series finale of The Good Place, which gave his beloved character a satisfying end. Having fixed the afterlife, Chidi finally finishes all his philosophy books and moves on to junk like “The DaVinci Code.” Happiness and contentment define his character in the hour-long finale. After countless Bearimies, Chidi finds himself reaching the end of his afterlife to-do list. Eleanor (Kristen Bell) takes Chidi on an elaborate tour through his favorite places to convince him to stay in the Good Place, rather than move on. Harper delivers a quietly moving performance, displaying a newfound calmness to the character. However, the submission will likely only work for voters who followed the series throughout. Chidi gets a fabulous ending, but not much of an arc.

Dan Levy as David Rose in Schitt’s Creek (Pop)
Episode: “Happy Ending”

In the war of series finales, Schitt’s Creek gives Dan Levy more of a showcase than The Good Place gives William Jackson Harper. Levy nails the comedy and emotion as his character, David, makes his way down the aisle. Upon learning that his wedding is being rained out, David freaks out. His husband-to-be, Patrick (Noah Reid), gifts David a massage to relax while he works with David’s family to salvage the wedding. David isn’t prepared for the happy ending that the masseuse leaves him with. Levy nails the physical comedy of the massage and the calm that follows. This fun all precedes the main event, David and Patrick’s wedding. Levy melts one’s heart as he looks into Patrick’s eyes and swoons. His banter with sister Alexis (Annie Murphy), dressed in a wedding gown, drips with love and sibling rivalry. The final moments of the episode are guaranteed to make fans cry. Levy sketches wonderful wordless exchanges between each of the main cast members. As both a creator and actor, Levy’s fondness for this world bleeds through in his performance.

Tony Shalhoub as Abe Weissman in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video)
Episode: “Marvelous Radio” 

Tony Shalhoub proves once again why he is one of the most dependable comic actors in Season Three. Desperate to leave Moise (Kevin Pollack) and Shirley’s (Caroline Aaron) house, Shalhoub’s Abe gleefully calculates he has enough money to live only five years longer. "I need to be dead by 1965,” he quips. This desperation leads him to stalk old University colleagues, hijack a lesson in his former class and nearly pick  a dollar off the subway. Abe finds a reason to live (and brag) once his diatribe makes it into The New York Times. Even at his grandson’s bris, Abe can’t help but hog the spotlight, giving Shalhoub ample time to showboat. What may earn him the Emmy this time is a more serious scene during the bris. As Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) describes a radio gig she is taking, Abe deduces she’s working for Phylis Schlafly. “If you’re gonna have a voice, you’d better be careful what that voice says,” Abe advises, finally being the voice of reason. In combining comedy with being the moral center of the episode, Shalhoub makes a compelling case for a second consecutive win.

Kenan Thompson as Various Characters in Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Episode: “SNL At Home #2”

It’s not easy to win as a variety performer. Only Alec Baldwin and Kate McKinnon have won supporting Emmys for Saturday Night Live, primarily for playing political figures. Thompson likely submitted SNL’s “at home” episode to show the degree of difficulty involved in putting on a live show on Zoom. His best moment comes in one of the first sketches as he reprises "What Up With That?" As host Diondre Cole, Thompson brings terrific energy over Zoom. There’s lots of dancing, ignoring guests Charles Barkley and DJ Khaled and a throwback to running joke Lindsey Buckingham. Unfortunately, he’s only in two other sketches that aren’t nearly as strong. In the Big Dominican Lunch sketch, Thompson hits the same tired accent joke over and over again. OJ Simpson’s Twitter is a funny idea, but doesn’t go anywhere. If he had more to do throughout, he might have stood a shot given the adaptability on display.

Personal Ranking:

1. Dan Levy, Schitt’s Creek

2. Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

3. Mahershala Ali, Ramy

4. Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

5. William Jackson Harper, The Good Place

6. Sterling K. Brown, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

7. Alan Arkin, The Kominski Method

8. Kenan Thompson, Saturday Night Live

Predicted Winner: Dan Levy - Schitt’s Creek