Should win: Pose. An opulent, clear-eyed embrace of the late-20th-century LGBTQ ballroom scene deserves its due.
Will win: Game of Thrones. A landmark show that brought cinematic sweep to TV gets a big farewell, finale naysayers be damned.
Mark Kennedy
Should win: Agreed on Pose, a loving look at a world that has never been celebrated on TV before, starring the largest LGBTQ cast ever for a scripted series.
Will win: Pose is up against the behemoth Game of Thrones, which triggered parodies and homages, memes and talk show publicity. Even the president tried to co-opt its tagline Winter Is Coming. The Emmy is coming.
COMEDY SERIES
Elber
Should win: Fleabag. Such shocking sexual abandon and emotional dysfunction is downright un-American. Three cheers for this British invasion!
Will win: Veep. A three-for-three winner won't be defeated in its last hurrah, especially when politics are all the rage.
Kennedy
Should win: The second season of Fleabag — with a woman resisting her feelings for a priest — and the debut of Russian Doll — in which a New Yorker keeps reliving the night of her 36th birthday — were deeply worthy of wins for writing and originality.
Will win: Veep, the safe and more popular choice. But Emmy voters may learn to regret this predictable decision.
ACTOR, DRAMA SERIES
Elber
Should win: Billy Porter, Pose. The Tony-winning actor's performance, by turns brassy, tender and brave, anchors the sprawling drama.
Will win: Billy Porter. He found the TV role he deserved and gets the award he earned.
Kennedy
Should win: Yes, yes, yes. Porter is always the best thing in whatever he's in and he's truly fierce in Pose. But did enough people watch?
Will win: Kit Harington, buffeted by the waves of Game of Thrones nostalgia, will give a knightly farewell to Jon Snow with a statuette.
ACTRESS, DRAMA SERIES
Elber
Should win: Sandra Oh, Killing Eve. A tour-de-force performance of vulnerability and, to her character's dismay, brutality.
Will win: Sandra Oh. Deserved, history-making recognition as she becomes the first actress of Asian descent to win a lead actress trophy. Also makes up for her five Grey's Anatomy supporting nods without wins.
Kennedy
Should win: The mouse to Sandra Oh's cat — Jodie Comer. She has, criminally, not earned enough recognition for her special brand of killer.
Will win: Sandra Oh. Especially since there's no Claire Foy from The Crown to ruin her night.
ACTOR, COMEDY SERIES
Elber
Should win: Bill Hader, Barry. His scarily winning portrayal of a hit man with a Hollywood dream was voted tops last year and remains deserving.
Will win: Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method. The movie star's inner comedian comes out and plays, wowing Emmy voters.
Kennedy
Should win: Hader already has his Emmy. Douglas won a Golden Globe for The Kominsky Method.The Emmy should go to Anthony Anderson, the beating heart of "black-ish," who makes lovingly exasperated completely hysterical but has been overlooked too long.
Will win: The award clearly will go to Eugene Levy, who is a comedic treasure and rightfully should be showered with awards. His last Emmy was in 1983. It's time, people.
ACTRESS, COMEDY SERIES
Elber
Should win: Catherine O'Hara, Schitt's Creek. Consider it a lifetime achievement award, with her delectably self-absorbed, absurd Moira topping her inventive catalogue of characters (and yes, I'm including the Christopher Guest films. Movies, TV — it's all the same now).
Will win: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep. The queen of TV comedy (Seinfeld, The New Adventures of Old Christine, this) will add a record-setting ninth Emmy to her haul, breaking a tie with Cloris Leachman for most-honoured performer ever.
Kennedy
Should win: Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who in Fleabag needs only to look over her shoulder at us, lower her eyes and convey everything that's churning in her complex mind.
Will win: Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Who is silly enough to vote against her?
LIMITED SERIES
Elber
Should win: When They See Us. The superb cast, the unsparing writing, the dismaying currency of a 20-year-old case's implications for American justice and racial inequality demand an Emmy.
Will win: When They See Us. Chernobyl is a deeply worthy competitor, but Emmy voters put domestic concerns first.
Kennedy
Should win: In many ways, this category represented the best of TV this season — Chernobyl, Escape at Dannemora, Fosse/Verdon, When They See Us and Sharp Objects. Any is a worthy winner.
Will win: When They See Us, perhaps the best of this exciting category. It had searing acting, harrowing circumstances and brilliant writing.
- AP
