Monday night’s Emmy awards will mark the awards season’s first tribute to Robin Williams, who made his TV debut on “Mork & Mindy” in 1978.
That may cast a pall over the proceedings, but there’s still much to be excited about.
It was an outstanding year on TV, so much so that many deserving shows, such as “The Good Wife,” didn’t make the cut for a nomination.
Here are our picks for the winners:
Best drama series
“Breaking Bad”
“Downton Abbey”
“Game of Thrones”
“House of Cards”
“Mad Men”
“True Detective”
Should win: “Game of Thrones.” The most ambitious series on the air had a thrilling season, packed with head-crushing battle scenes, patricide, incest, ordinary murders and a terrific performance by Peter Dinklage, who gets top billing in the cast and should be nominated for Best Actor rather than Best Supporting Actor.
Will win: “Breaking Bad.” Because the voters love this too much to let it go without a final valentine. And the series finale was outstanding.
Best comedy series
“The Big Bang Theory”
“Louie”
“Modern Family”
“Orange Is the New Black”
“Silicon Valley”
“Veep”
Should and will win: “Orange Is the New Black.” There is nothing else like it on TV (well, it is on Netflix). Creator Jenji Kohan’s band of wayward women — Crazy Eyes, Red, Taystee, Pennsatucky, et al. — have enlivened the landscape and moved audiences in unexpected ways. Casting director Jennifer Euston already won for this show last weekend, a bellwether of good things to come Monday night.
Best actor (drama)
Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad”
Jeff Daniels, “The Newsroom”
Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”
Woody Harrelson, “True Detective”
Matthew McConaughey, “True Detective”
Kevin Spacey, “House of Cards”
Should and will win: Matthew McConaughey, “True Detective.” The Oscar winner’s lucky streak will continue on Emmy night. He also delivered what no Emmy voter can resist: terrific and unique monologues.
Best actress (drama)
Lizzy Caplan, “Masters of Sex”
Claire Danes, “Homeland”
Michelle Dockery, “Downton Abbey”
Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife”
Kerry Washington, “Scandal”
Robin Wright, “House of Cards”
Should win: Lizzy Caplan, “Masters of Sex.” Caplan plays a smart woman who surprises her adversaries in her fight against 1950s sexism with pluck and a subtle sensuality.
Will win: Robin Wright, “House of Cards.” Claire Underwood is a sleek, impeccably dressed psycho and Wright’s understated performance is chilling. She also gave a killer monologue about being raped.
Best actor (comedy)
Don Cheadle, “House of Lies”
Louis C.K., “Louie”
Ricky Gervais, “Derek”
William H. Macy, “Shameless”
Matt LeBlanc, “Episodes”
Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory”
Should win: Louis C.K. and Matt LeBlanc are playing slightly fictionalized versions of themselves; nobody’s watching Cheadle’s show. Macy is new in this group, after Showtime stopped submitting him in the overcrowded drama category. So he’s the surprise here and the best actor in the bunch.
Will win: Jim Parsons. “Big Bang” is now the No. 1 show on television and this is a weak field. Plus, Parsons’ work in “The Normal Heart” was equally impressive and the academy will reward him here.
Best actress (comedy)
Lena Dunham, “Girls”
Edie Falco, “Nurse Jackie”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep”
Melissa McCarthy, “Mike & Molly”
Amy Poehler, “Parks and Recreation”
Taylor Schilling, “Orange Is the New Black”
Should win: Amy Poehler. Just do the right thing, already.
Will win: Julia Louis-Dreyfus. She has enough Emmys for any peformer — four — but she’s the strongest comedy performer here. Could be upset by Schilling, if “Orange” wins a bunch of prizes.
Mini-series
“American Horror Story: Coven”
“Bonnie and Clyde”
“Fargo”
“Luther”
“Treme”
“The White Queen”
Should and will win: “Fargo.” The adaptation of the Oscar-winning Coen brothers movie was a successful reinvention on every front, with excellent performances from Billy Bob Thornton and the supporting cast.
TV movie
“Killing Kennedy”
“Muhammad Ali’s Great Fight”
“The Normal Heart”
“Sherlock: His Last Vow”
“The Trip to Bountiful”
Should and will win: “The Normal Heart.” The best movie HBO has aired in years, with incredibly gutsy and moving performances from the entire cast.
