Gutsy Emmy Award predictions from TV's smartest experts

September 18, 2009 | 11:45 pm

We've assembled a batch of top-notch pundits to predict who'll win the Emmy Awards when bestowed this Sunday night (CBS, 8 p.m. PDT/ EDT): Michael Ausiello (Entertainment Weekly), Marc Berman (MediaWeek), Chris "Boomer" Beachum (The Envelope, AwardsHeaven.net), Hal Boedeker (Orlando Sentinel), Lane Brown (Vulture, New York Magazine), Maggie Furlong (AOL), Joseph Kapsch (Zap2It.com), John Kubicek (BuddyTV), Robert "Rob L" Licuria (The Envelope, AwardsHeaven.net), Matt Mitovich (freelance entertainment journalist — Matt scored highest among our Emmy prophets last year), Rick Porter (Zap2It.com), Ray Richmond (just some guy), Richard Rushfield (Gawker) and David Zurawik (Baltimore Sun).

Also check out the in-depth category-per-category analysis by Beachum and Licuria in these races: best comedy series, lead comedy actor, lead comedy actress, supporting comedy actor, supporting comedy actress, guest comedy actor, guest comedy actress, comedy writing, comedy directing, best lead drama actor, lead drama actress, lead actor in movie/mini and lead actress in a movie/mini. See Boomer, Rob and I battle over which shows may win best comedy series in our video slugfest here. Read more predix in our forums.

DRAMA SERIES
"Breaking Bad" - Richmond
"House" – Kubicek
"Mad Men" – Ausiello, Beachum, Berman, Boedeker, Brown, Furlong, Kapsch, Licuria, Mitovich, O'Neil, Porter, Rushfield, Zurawik

COMEDY SERIES:
"Family Guy" - Kapsch
"30 Rock" – Ausiello, Beachum, Berman, Boedeker, Brown, Furlong, Kubicek, Licuria, Mitovich, O'Neil, Porter, Richmond, Rushfield, Zurawik

ACTOR, DRAMA SERIES:
Gabriel Byrne, "In Treatment" - Licuria, Porter
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad" – Beachum, Boedeker, Brown, Kapsch, O'Neil
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men" – Berman, Rushfield
Hugh Laurie, "House" – Ausiello, Furlong, Kubicek, Mitovich, Richmond, Zurawik

ACTRESS, DRAMA SERIES:
Glenn Close, "Damages" – Ausiello, Beachum, Boedeker, Brown, Kapsch, Kubicek¸ Licuria, Mitovich, O'Neil, Porter, Richmond, Rushfield, Zurawik
Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men" - Furlong
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer" - Berman

ACTRESS, COMEDY SERIES:
Toni Collette, "United States of Tara" - Furlong, Mitovich, Richmond
Tina Fey, "30 Rock" – Ausiello, Beachum, Berman, Boedeker, Brown, Kapsch, Kubicek, Licuria, O'Neil, Porter, Rushfield, Zurawik

ACTOR, COMEDY SERIES:
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock" – Boedeker, Brown, Kapsch, Kubicek, Licuria, O'Neil, Rushfield, Zurawik
Steve Carell, "The Office" - Beachum, Porter
Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory" - Ausiello, Berman, Furlong, Mitovich, Richmond

REALITY HOST:
Tom Bergeron, "Dancing With the Stars" - Boedeker, Furlong, Richmond
Phil Keoghan, "The Amazing Race" - Ausiello, Beachum, Licuria, Porter
Jeff Probst, "Survivor" - Brown, O'Neil
Ryan Seacrest, "American Idol" – Berman, Kapsch, Kubicek, Mitovich, Rushfield, Zurawik

REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM:
"The Amazing Race" – Ausiello, Beachum, Berman, Boedeker, Brown, Licuria, Mitovich, O'Neil, Porter, Richmond, Rushfield, Zurawik
"American Idol" – Kapsch, Kubicek
"Top Chef" - Furlong

MINISERIES:
"Generation Kill" – Ausiello, Berman, Boedeker, Furlong, Kapsch, Kubicek, Licuria, Mitovich, O'Neil, Porter, Richmond, Rushfield, Zurawik
"Little Dorrit" – Beachum, Brown

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE:
"Prayers for Bobby" - Kapsch
"Grey Gardens" – Ausiello, Beachum, Berman, Boedeker, Brown, Furlong, Kubicek, Licuria, O'Neil, Porter, Richmond, Rushfield, Zurawik
"Taking Chance" - Mitovich

ACTOR, MINISERIES OR A MOVIE:
Kevin Bacon, "Taking Chance" – Furlong, Zurawik
Kenneth Branagh, "Wallander: One Step Behind" - Boedeker
Brendan Gleeson, "Into the Storm" – Kubicek¸ Mitovich, Richmond, Rushfield
Ian McKellen, "King Lear" – Ausiello, Beachum, Berman, Brown, Kapsch, Licuria, O'Neil, Porter

ACTRESS, MINISERIES OR A MOVIE:
Drew Barrymore, "Grey Gardens" – Furlong, Kapsch, Rushfield, Zurawik
Jessica Lange, "Grey Gardens" – Ausiello, Berman, Boedeker, Kubicek, Richmond
Sigourney Weaver, "Prayers for Bobby" – Beachum, Brown, Licuria, Mitovich, O'Neil, Porter

VARIETY, MUSIC OR COMEDY SERIES:
"The Colbert Report" – Zurawik
"The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" – Beachum, Boedeker, Brown, Licuria, Mitovich, Richmond, Rushfield
"Saturday Night Live" – Ausiello, Berman, Furlong, Kapsch, Kubicek, O'Neil, Porter

Uh, oh! Beware: Last year's top Emmys winners may repeat

Podcast: We dig up Emmy's dirty little secrets

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