The nominees are: Orange Is the New Black's Uzo Aduba, Laverne Cox & Natasha Lyonne; Shameless' Joan Cusack; and Saturday Night Live's Tina Fey & Melissa McCarthy.
1. LAVERNE COX - ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK (NETFLIX)
EPISODE SUBMISSION: "LESBIAN REQUEST DENIED"
It's Orange Is the New Black vs. Saturday Night Live in this category with the Netflix series seemly like it will make a big splash come Emmy night. Of the three nods in this category, I think there's urgency for Laverne Cox to win. She's the first transgendered woman to be nominated for an Emmy and she has the type of role where she could very well win. Think of how satisfying that will be.
2. UZO ADUBA - ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK (NETFLIX)
EPISODE SUBMISSION: "LESBIAN REQUEST DENIED"
Aduba is doing a very specific and committed role on the prison dramedy and she is fantastic. And yet, her greatest competition is co-star Cox because they both submitted the same episode. They both have greats scene that justified both feeling the need to submit it. However, it may help Cox more because she's the chief focus of the episode's flashbacks which gives her a screentime advantage. Aduba is a big part of the episode too - and yet I'm more inclined for Cox to win this year and Aduba to win next year (because of how amazing she is in Season 2).
3. MELISSA MCCARTHY - SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (NBC)
EPISODE SUBMISSION: "HOST: MELISSA MCCARTHY"
Emmy voters just love Melissa McCarthy because she's movie star Melissa McCarthy. She has the potential to win in every category she's nominated in. She's the major competition that the Orange Is the New Black ladies will face.
4. TINA FEY - SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (NBC)
EPISODE SUBMISSION: "HOST: TINA FEY"
You just can't count out Tina Fey either. She's a Saturday Night Live and Emmy favorite - already winning before in this category for the sketch comedy and in multiple categories for 30 Rock.
5. NATASHA LYONNE - ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK (NETFLIX)
EPISODE SUBMISSION: "WAC PACK"
Lyonne is wonderful on the Netflix series. However, of the three ladies nominated for it in this category, I just think people would want to reward Sophia or Suzanne before they would do the same for Nicky. That's not a criticism of Nicky. This episode submission is a great moment for Nicky. I just believe the voters will reward one of the other two.
6. JOAN CUSACK - SHAMELESS (SHOWTIME)
EPISODE SUBMISSION: "LIVER, I HARDLY KNOW HER"
Cusack will get her obligatory Emmy nomination for Shameless no matter where the Showtime series is submitted. I don't think she'll ever win but at least she'll always be nominated.
1. LAVERNE COX - ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK (NETFLIX)
EPISODE SUBMISSION: "LESBIAN REQUEST DENIED"
It's Orange Is the New Black vs. Saturday Night Live in this category with the Netflix series seemly like it will make a big splash come Emmy night. Of the three nods in this category, I think there's urgency for Laverne Cox to win. She's the first transgendered woman to be nominated for an Emmy and she has the type of role where she could very well win. Think of how satisfying that will be.
2. UZO ADUBA - ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK (NETFLIX)
EPISODE SUBMISSION: "LESBIAN REQUEST DENIED"
Aduba is doing a very specific and committed role on the prison dramedy and she is fantastic. And yet, her greatest competition is co-star Cox because they both submitted the same episode. They both have greats scene that justified both feeling the need to submit it. However, it may help Cox more because she's the chief focus of the episode's flashbacks which gives her a screentime advantage. Aduba is a big part of the episode too - and yet I'm more inclined for Cox to win this year and Aduba to win next year (because of how amazing she is in Season 2).
3. MELISSA MCCARTHY - SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (NBC)
EPISODE SUBMISSION: "HOST: MELISSA MCCARTHY"
Emmy voters just love Melissa McCarthy because she's movie star Melissa McCarthy. She has the potential to win in every category she's nominated in. She's the major competition that the Orange Is the New Black ladies will face.
4. TINA FEY - SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (NBC)
EPISODE SUBMISSION: "HOST: TINA FEY"
You just can't count out Tina Fey either. She's a Saturday Night Live and Emmy favorite - already winning before in this category for the sketch comedy and in multiple categories for 30 Rock.
5. NATASHA LYONNE - ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK (NETFLIX)
EPISODE SUBMISSION: "WAC PACK"
Lyonne is wonderful on the Netflix series. However, of the three ladies nominated for it in this category, I just think people would want to reward Sophia or Suzanne before they would do the same for Nicky. That's not a criticism of Nicky. This episode submission is a great moment for Nicky. I just believe the voters will reward one of the other two.
6. JOAN CUSACK - SHAMELESS (SHOWTIME)
EPISODE SUBMISSION: "LIVER, I HARDLY KNOW HER"
Cusack will get her obligatory Emmy nomination for Shameless no matter where the Showtime series is submitted. I don't think she'll ever win but at least she'll always be nominated.
