Emmy Predictions 2016 - Who Will Likely Be Nominated for Guest Actress in a Comedy Series?

From June 13 to June 27, voting is taking place for The 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. To add to the excitement of the past year in television, I'm providing analysis on which shows and performers are likely to get nominated this year. Next up is Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.

2015 Nominees:
        Pamela Adlon for FX's Louie
        Elizabeth Banks for ABC's Modern Family
        Christine Baranski for CBS' The Big Bang Theory
        Joan Cusack for Showtime's Shameless (WINNER)
        Tina Fey for Netflix's Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
        Gaby Hoffmann for HBO's Girls

Out of last year's nominees, Tina Fey and Christine Baranski are the only ones who have a shot in this race again. In fact, Tina Fey has two opportunities with both seeming like locks for nominations. She co-hosted Saturday Night Live with Amy Poehler (and have submitted as a pair) and she did another role on her show Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (which was significantly better than her Season 1 guest spot). Plus, there are so many possibilities in this race that not even perennial Emmy favorite Christine Baranski is guaranteed a slot. In fact, Fey and Poehler could be the only hosts from SNL to gets nods - despite several other hosts being great this season. This feels like a category where name recognition and appreciation will help greatly boost the odds of a nomination. Hopefully, they'll be some surprises too. But it's also hard to argue with people like Tina Fey, Lisa Kudrow, Claire Danes and Ellen Burstyn getting nominated again. 

So now, here's my thoughts on the actors most likely to be nominated for Guest Actress in a Comedy Series:

1. Tina Fey & Amy Poehler for NBC's Saturday Night Live
2. Tina Fey for Netflix's Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
3. Lisa Kudrow for Netflix's Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
4. Claire Danes for Netflix's Master of None
5. Ellen Burstyn for CBS' Mom
6. Anjelica Huston for Amazon's Transparent

And now, for some serious threats that could break into the list:

1. Christine Baranski, Laurie Metcalf and June Squibb for CBS' The Big Bang Theory
2. Melissa McCarthy, Amy Schumer, Brie Larson and Ariana Grande for NBC's Saturday Night Live
3. Michaela Watkins for Amazon's Transparent
4. Betty White for NBC's Crowded
5. Amy Sedaris, Anna Camp and Zosia Mamet for Netflix's Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
6. Octavia Spencer, Linda Lavin, Emily Osment and Rosie O'Donnell for CBS' Mom
7. Lisa Kudrow for TBS' Angie Tribeca
8. Danielle Brooks for Netflix's Master of None
9. Natasha Lyonne for IFC's Portlandia
10. Megan Fox for FOX's New Girl
11. Sherilyn Fenn and Sasha Alexander for Showtime's Shameless
12. Kyra Sedgwick, Katey Sagal and Kathryn Hahn for FOX's Brooklyn Nine-Nine
13. Rita Moreno for The CW's Jane the Virgin
14. Andrea Martin for ABC's Modern Family

Some considerable long-shots:

1. Sarah Silverman and Mira Sorvino for Netflix's Lady Dynamite
2. Jenny Slate, Aidy Bryant and Becky Ann Baker for HBO's Girls
3. Regina Hall for ABC's black-ish
4. Melissa Leo, Cynthia Nixon, Susie Essman and Vanessa Williams for Comedy Central's Broad City
5. June Squibb and Rhea Perlman for HBO's Getting On
6. Kate McKinnon for Hulu's Difficult People
7. Frances Conroy for ABC's The Real O'Neals
8. Swoosie Kurtz, Amy Madigan and Estelle Parsons for Netflix's Grace and Frankie
9. Archie Panjabi and Merrin Dungey for FOX's Brooklyn Nine-Nine
10. Pamela Adlon and Jane Kaczmarek for USA's Playing House
11. Elisabeth Shue and Sharon Lawrence for Starz's Blunt Talk
12. Rhea Perlman for Hulu's The Mindy Project

And now, just some colorful oddities who still have an outside chance:

1. Lea Salonga, Tovah Feldshuh and Michael Hyatt for The CW's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
2. Carrie Fisher for Amazon's Catastrophe
3. Brie Larson for IFC's Comedy Bang! Bang!
4. Camryn Manheim, Martha Plimpton and Kathy Najimy for TV Land's Younger
5. Eliza Coupe for NBC's Superstore
6. Alison Brie for TV Land's Teachers
7. Aidy Bryant for IFC's Documentary Now!
8. Kirstie Alley and Heather Graham for Netflix's Flaked
9. Brooke Shields for ABC's The Middle
10. Naya Rivera for Lifetime's Devious Maids

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with my choices? Let me know in the comments below!