Posted in: ABC, Amazon Studios, Awards Shows, FX, HBO, Hulu, Netflix, Preview, streaming, Trailer, TV, YouTube | Tagged: ABC, bctv, bctv sunday slices, better call saul, bleeding cool, cable, Curb Your Enthusiasm, dead to me, emmy awards, Emmys, insecure, jimmy kimmel, Killing Eve, ozark, Schitt's Creek, stranger things, streaming, Succession, sunday slices, television, the crown, the good place, the handmaid's tale, the kominsky method, The Mandalorian, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, tv, Watchmen, what we do in the shadows

Better Call Saul, Watchmen, Ozark, SNL & More: BCTV Sunday Slices

Welcome back for another edition of BCTV Sunday Slices, on what is a very special day across the television landscape: The Emmys. To no one's surprise, this year's ceremony is being done virtually- which means it will end up being something innovative and groundbreaking, or a bunch of famous people telling the same "look how funny I can be at home" joke over and over again. Either way, with only hours to go until some gold hardware starts being given out from a socially-safe distance I thought I'd offer up my personal picks for tonight as well as some thoughts on the main categories (choices are in bold).

To be clear, these are purely selfish and narcissistic picks based on the premise that we eliminate the democratic voting and just install me as the one to make the decisions. Translation? I'm not sure you'd want to run to Vegas with this intel.

DRAMA SERIES

Better Call Saul

The Crown

The Handmaid's Tale

Killing Eve

The Mandalorian

Ozark

Stranger Things

Succession

What The Hell, Ray?: BCS continues to get better and better, with a season highlighted by Rhea Seehorn's amazing turn as Kim Wexler. Ozark and Succession could cause trouble, possibly The Crown. The Mandalorian won its award by getting nominated.

COMEDY SERIES

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Dead to Me

The Good Place

Insecure

The Kominsky Method

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Schitt's Creek

What We Do in the Shadows

What The Hell, Ray?: What We Do in the Shadows made impressive growth over the course of only one season, but I could see Schitt's Creek getting the honors. Maybe The Good Place as a final tribute, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is always in play.

LEAD ACTRESS, DRAMA

Jennifer Aniston, The Morning Show

Olivia Colman, The Crown

Jodie Comer, Killing Eve

Laura Linney, Ozark

Sandra Oh, Killing Eve

Zendaya, Euphoria

What The Hell, Ray?: BCTV would like to start off by saying that the lack of Rhea Seehorn for Better Call Saul is a crime. That said, with Zendaya you feel like you're watching someone who you'll see accepting a ton of awards over the years and you'll remember back to where the springboard was. Linney would also be a great choice, as would Colman. The others didn't shine as much in comparison to their ensemble casts.

LEAD ACTOR, DRAMA

Jason Bateman, Ozark

Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us

Steve Carell, The Morning Show

Brian Cox, Succession

Billy Porter, Pose

Jeremy Strong, Succession

What The Hell, Ray?: BCTV would like to start off by saying that the lack of Bob Odenkirk for Better Call Saul is a crime. That said, in a tough race I'd like to see Bateman squeeze out a win- but look at that line-up? Tough to have issue with any of them winning (though Odenkirk should've been in Strong's spot).

SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA

Nicholas Braun, Succession

Billy Crudup, The Morning Show

Kieran Culkin, Succession

Mark Duplass, The Morning Show

Giancarlo Esposito, Better Call Saul

Matthew Macfadyen, Succession

Bradley Whitford, The Handmaid's Tale

Jeffrey Wright, Westworld

What The Hell, Ray?: The man who currently stars in every cool franchise out there (The Boys, Better Call Saul, The Mandalorian, The Babysitter's Club, Nailed It!– not sure about those last two) deserves the gold for a role that's come to redefine his career. Wright taking the gold instead would be fine, but that's where BCTV draws the line.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA

Helena Bonham Carter, The Crown

Laura Dern, Big Little Lies

Julia Garner, Ozark

Thandie Newton, Westworld

Fiona Shaw, Killing Eve

Sarah Snook, Succession

Meryl Streep, Big Little Lies

Samira Wiley, The Handmaid's Tale

What The Hell, Ray?: Newton kicked serious ass on both the physical and emotional levels, but I can't help feeling that Streep and her viral "scream" will take the title. That said, hearing from Bonham Carter wouldn't be a jaw-dropper.

LEAD ACTRESS, COMEDY

Christina Applegate, Dead to Me

Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Linda Cardellini, Dead to Me

Catherine O'Hara, Schitt's Creek

Issa Rae, Insecure

Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish

What The Hell, Ray?: Ellis Ross stands out in a killer line-up of talent in this category. She's had to help carry the load of a sitcom that found itself having to be more than just a sitcom in today's heated political and social environment. That said, O'Hara will always have my heart for SCTV so seeing her win all the awards would make my Guy Caballero heart smile.

LEAD ACTOR, COMEDY

Anthony Anderson, Black-ish

Don Cheadle, Black Monday

Ted Danson, The Good Place

Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method

Eugene Levy, Schitt's Creek

Ramy Youssef, Ramy

What The Hell, Ray?: Danson deserves it because BCTV wants this to be a "body of work" honor for a dude who's been doing some great comedic and (like in Fargo) dramatic work- and because he was owed more for that great HBO series he did with Zach Galifianakis and Jason Schwartzman, Bored to Death. Fair to the other nominees? Nope, but other than Levy losing? I'll be able to sleep at night.

SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY

Mahershala Ali, Ramy

Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method

Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Sterling K. Brown, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

William Jackson Harper, The Good Place

Daniel Levy, Schitt's Creek

Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Kenan Thompson, Saturday Night Live

What The Hell, Ray?: Just the fact that BCTV has to keep reminding itself that this is the same Braugher who starred in Homicide: Life on the Streets speaks volumes for the work he's done on Brooklyn Nine-Nine to bring heart and humor to Holt. Also, Shalhoub and his awards case can afford to take the night off.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY

Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

D'Arcy Carden, The Good Place

Betty Gilpin, GLOW

Marin Hinkle, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live

Annie Murphy, Schitt's Creek

Yvonne Orji, Insecure

Cecily Strong, Saturday Night Live

What The Hell, Ray?: McKinnon can do more with markers, brown paper, and five minutes of prep than most can do with a script and three months of rehearsal. Not meant as an insult to the others, just wanting to appreciate McKinnon's craft but BCTV feels like the voters won't. Pencil in a The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel win here.

LIMITED SERIES

Little Fires Everywhere

Mrs. America

Unbelievable

Unorthodox

Watchmen

What The Hell, Ray?: All very worthy nominees- and all worthy enough to lose to Damon Lindelof's pseudo-sequel "remix" of the classic comic book series. Going into Sunday night, it already has 7 Emmy wins- and that number's only going to grow. That said? BCTV would like to take a minute to appreciate that entire line-up: any one of those could win this category in ay other year. But this year? The Television Academy watched Watchmen– and they liked what they saw.

LEAD ACTRESS, TV MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES

Cate Blanchett, Mrs. America

Shira Haas, Unorthodox

Regina King, Watchmen

Octavia Spencer, Self Made

Kerry Washington, Little Fires Everywhere

What The Hell, Ray?: All amazing actresses, all deserving of being nominated. This is King's win. I can't even select a viable runner-up apart from Washington and Haas.

LEAD ACTOR, TV MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES

Jeremy Irons, Watchmen

Hugh Jackman, Bad Education

Paul Mescal, Normal People

Jeremy Pope, Hollywood

Mark Ruffalo, I Know This Much Is True

What The Hell, Ray?:  This is an interesting one because it's come down to a battle of which major film name the Television Academy wants to praise more for working in television. I'm giving the edge to Irons, though Jackman's right there at #1b and Ruffalo's a strong second. Being honest? Would've replaced Pope with Watchmen's Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, TV MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES

Uzo Aduba, Mrs. America

Toni Collette, Unbelievable

Margo Martindale, Mrs. America

Jean Smart, Watchmen

Holland Taylor, Hollywood

Tracey Ullman, Mrs. America

What The Hell, Ray?:  My heart screams Smart, but there's a voice in the back of my BCTV brain telling me not to sleep on Collette for an amazing turn in Unbelievable.

SUPPORTING ACTOR, TV MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Watchmen

Jovan Adepo, Watchmen

Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend

Louis Gossett Jr., Watchmen

Dylan McDermott, Hollywood

Jim Parsons, Hollywood

What The Hell, Ray?: Similar to what I said about King earlier, this should be Abdul-Mateen II and a no-brainer even with multiple nominees from the series. That said? McDermott deserves praise for the way he continues to evolve as an actor, and Parsons went bold and it paid off in his first major role post-The Big Bang Theory.

COMPETITION PROGRAM

The Masked Singer

Nailed It!

RuPaul's Drag Race

Top Chef

The Voice

What The Hell, Ray?: BCTV loves Nicole Byer, I love the vibe of the show, and I love a reality competition cooking show that knows how to be fun and informative with just the right amount of snark. That said, RuPaul's Drag Race has become a global sensation that continues to keep franchising around the world so I wouldn't be surprised to see some gold love go that way. The Masked Singer, maybe? Wondering if there would've been any "Nick Cannon backlash" among the voters…

VARIETY/TALK SERIES

The Daily Show With Trevor Noah

Full Frontal With Samantha Bee

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert

What The Hell, Ray?: Noah didn't need a pandemic to convince anyone that he was the host of Comedy Central's The Daily Show, but it was a pandemic that gave him the opportunity to make the The Daily Show his own. Noah and his team found a way to keep the show on the air with broadcasting innovations that others quickly adopted, getting the series back on the air in less than a month. And from it, Noah's been offering some of the best commentary of his career.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!