The Nominees Ranked By Which Should Win:
- Catherine O'Hara for Pop's Schitt's Creek - "The Incident"
- Rachel Brosnahan for Amazon's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel - "A Jewish Girl Walks Into the Apollo"
- Issa Rae for HBO's Insecure - "Lowkey Happy"
- Christina Applegate for Netflix's Dead to Me - "It's Not You, It's Me"
- Linda Cardellini for Netflix's Dead to Me - "If Only You Knew"
- Tracee Ellis Ross for ABC's Black-ish - "Kid Life Crisis"
The specificity of how Catherine O'Hara carried her character on Schitt's Creek was marvelous to watch. Every episode the audience would be in anticipation of how she would pronounce every word in her lines. It was so unique and comedically rewarding too. Her vocabulary was always on point. She could be cruel and dismissive. However, it was fun to watch her peel back the layers of who Moira was as she genuinely showcased her love for her family and the friends she made along the way. She always was steadfast in her need to get out of this town. But that was always wrapped up in the idea of needing to stay relevant and appreciated. She didn't care what happened to her so long as people were talking about her. That always gave her such confidence. It made her aloof and disconnected. She seemingly cared more about herself than others. And yet, it was always grounded with heart as she tried in the best way that she could. It was the best performance in the show that deserves to be rewarded at some point. Elsewhere, the third season finale of Mrs. Maisel was a fantastic showcase for Rachel Brosnahan. She has won already. And yet, it remains a performance worthy of constant recognition. She is funny when the narrative requires it. She is emotionally devastating when it's necessary too. Her character is absolutely oblivious and privileged. Her unawareness of the world around her costs her a lot in the end. The show is sometimes tentative about approaching that conversation. However, everything worked in such a searing way in the finale that creates a massive upheaval for Midge's career. And Brosnahan ensures that the audience can always identify with her.
The Nominees Ranked by Which Will Win:
- Catherine O'Hara for Pop's Schitt's Creek - "The Incident"
- Rachel Brosnahan for Amazon's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel - "A Jewish Girl Walks Into the Apollo"
- Christina Applegate for Netflix's Dead to Me - "It's Not You, It's Me"
- Issa Rae for HBO's Insecure - "Lowkey Happy"
- Linda Cardellini for Netflix's Dead to Me - "If Only You Knew"
- Tracee Ellis Ross for ABC's Black-ish - "Kid Life Crisis"
Catherine O'Hara deserves to win. That victory is what I want the most from the entire ceremony. And yes, it can realistically happen as well. It's not a guarantee. In some races, people can accurately predict what's going to happen. Here, it's hard to rule anyone out. O'Hara has momentum on her side. She has urgency because this is the final time Schitt's Creek can win. However, Rachel Brosnahan is a formidable opponent. She is a former winner who once again has a solid episode submission. Schitt's Creek and Mrs. Maisel will be competing across the board. This race is no different. It may be swayed based on how well the two shows are doing in the other comedy races. If one is sweeping the night, then that actress will likely prevail here. Of course, the leading ladies of Dead to Me could be spoilers as well. Sure, that's a series that doesn't have much of an impact with the voters beyond this specific category. And yet, both of its central performances were nominated this year. That's an improvement on what happened a year ago. It also means they get to help each other shine because of their episode submissions. The voters will get to see two episodes from Dead to Me. That can highlight all the nuances that are present in both Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini's performances. Applegate may have the edge only because her performance has been more universally acclaimed and accepted. Cardellini's is more underrated. However, both could pull off an upset. Issa Rae could as well. She stars in and writes a personal comedy series. That has been a winning formula for several performances - including last year's winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge. The strength of the top two performances may be too powerful to overcome. And yet, it doesn't seem impossible.
What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with my predictions? Let me know in the comments below!
