The Road to the Emmys 2014 (Or Jenn's Slightly Narrowed Ballot)

it's back to that time of year again, folks! back to when i write up my narrowed ballot for the emmys just like i have done the past two years! as i've said both years, here is how i usually determine what i select:

now, the way that i determined who i’d like to be nominated is as follows: if it is an episode that is nominated, i’ve seen the episode (not necessarily the entire series itself. i.e. without having seen the entire series, i think the finale of house deserves an award.) if, however, when you get to the lead actor, actress, etc. categories, i have only nominated shows which i have watched more than one episode, and mostly consistently throughout this season (i’ve seen some episodes of season 2 of modern family, for instance, but not this season, therefore none of the cast is mentioned, etc.)

this year, i am throwing a little twist into the ring and i'm going to try to predict who will be nominated (mainly to see how accurate i am at guessing what programs will be rewarded.). so, shows like breaking bad and the americans and homeland are listed on here, even though i've never seen them. based on the past two years (or more) and trends within the emmys, this year i'm going to try to accurately predict nominations in these categories. that being said, is here's the code:

if there is an asterisk (*), it is something that i want to be nominated.

if there is a (~), it is something i feel WILL be nominated, whether or not i believe it deserves to be.

if there is nothing by the item, it's something i feel deserves mentioning but not nomination.

okay, ready? set... go, emmys, go!

*NOW UPDATED WITH NOMINEES HIGHLIGHTED.

outstanding art direction for a contemporary or fantasy series (single-camera)

*~the blacklist: pilot

~breaking bad: felina

~game of thrones: the laws of god and men or the mountain and the viper

~hannibal: sakizuke, takiawase, or futamono

~homeland: good night

~house of cards: chapter 18 or chapter 24

once upon a time: good form

~true detective: form and void, the locked room, or seeing things

outstanding art direction for a period series, miniseries, or movie

~the americans: stealth

~downton abbey: episode 8

~fargo

~masters of sex: pilot

~the normal heart

*~sherlock: his last vow

outstanding art direction for a contemporary program (half-hour or less)

*~the big bang theory: the hofstadter insufficiency

~brooklyn nine-nine: pilot or the vulture

*community: app development and condiments or geothermal escapism

*the crazy ones: pilot, sydney australia, or monster

~girls: beach house

*how i met your mother: how your mother met me

*the mindy project: danny and mindy

~modern family: las vegas

*parks and recreation: moving up

~veep: clovis, detroit, or special relationship

outstanding art direction for variety or nonfiction programming

~cosmos: hiding in the light, the lost worlds of planet earth, or unafraid of the dark

~the 56th grammy awards

~the oscars

~saturday night live: jimmy fallon, jonah hill, or anna kendrick

the sound of music: live!

~67th tony awards

~the voice: episode 601, 516a, or 607

outstanding casting for a comedy series

*about a boy

*~the big bang theory

*~brooklyn nine-nine

*the crazy ones

*enlisted

~girls

*~how i met your mother

~louie

*~the mindy project

~modern family

*new girl

~orange is the new black

trophy wife

outstanding casting for a drama series

~the americans

*the blacklist

~breaking bad

graceland

~homeland

~house of cards

~mad men

*once upon a time

*sleepy hollow

~true detective

outstanding casting for a miniseries, movie, or special

~american horror story: coven

~fargo

~killing kennedy

~the normal heart

*~sherlock: his last vow

outstanding cinematography for a multi-camera series

~the big bang theory: the proton transmogrification

how i met your mother: daisy

outstanding cinematography for a single-camera series

*the blacklist: pilot

~breaking bad: buried or granite state

~game of thrones: mockingbird, oathkeeper, the lion and the rose, or two swords

~girls: beach house

~the good wife: dramatics, your honor

*parks and recreation: moving up

~true detective: who goes there

outstanding cinematography for a miniseries or movie

~american horror story coven: head or the sacred taking

~fargo: the crocodile's dilemma

~the normal heart

*~sherlock: his last vow

outstanding commercial

what's your 20 - american express everyday card

outstanding costume for a series

*the blacklist: pilot or madeline pratt

~breaking bad: felina

~brooklyn nine-nine: the bet

~downton abbey: episode 8

~game of thrones: the lion and the rose

~mad men: time zones

*the mindy project: danny and mindy

*new girl: prince

once upon a time: curious thing

parks and recreation: moving up

pretty little liars: shadow play

*sleepy hollow: necromancer

outstanding costume for a miniseries, movie, or special

~american horror story: coven

~fargo: a muddy road

~killing kennedy

~the normal heart

sherlock: his last vow

outstanding directing for a comedy series

*~the big bang theory: the locomotive manipulation

~brooklyn nine-nine: any episode

*community: basic intergluteal numismatics or geothermal escapism

*the crazy ones: pilot, dead and improved, or sixteen-inch softball

*enlisted: pilot

~girls: beach house

glee: 100

how i met your mother: last forever (parts 1 and 2)

~louie

*the mindy project: danny and mindy or music festival

~modern family: any episode

*new girl: birthday, fired up, or prince

~orange is the new black: any episode

*parks and recreation: london, dopplegangers, or moving up

~veep: any episode

outstanding directing for a drama series

~the americans: any episode

*the blacklist: anslo garrick (part 2) or pilot

~breaking bad: any episode (but probably felina, ozymandias, to'hajiilee, or rabid dog)

~game of thrones: any episode

hannibal: any episode

~homeland: any episode

~house of cards: any episode

~mad men: the strategy or waterloo

~scandal: any episode

*sleepy hollow: pilot or the golem

*suits: yesterday's gone

outstanding directing for a miniseries, movie, or special

~american horror story coven: any episode

~fargo: any episode

~flowers in the attic

~the normal heart

*~sherlock: his last vow

outstanding directing for a variety series

dancing with the stars

~@midnight

~late night with seth meyers

~saturday night live

~the tonight show with jimmy fallon

~the voice

outstanding directing for a variety special

~the kennedy center honors

the maya rudolph show

~the oscars

~the sound of music: live!

~67th annual tony awards

outstanding documentary or nonfiction program

(no nominations)

outstanding documentary or nonfiction series

(no nominations)

outstanding single-camera picture editing for a drama series

~the americans: any episode

*the blacklist: pilot

~breaking bad: any episode

~game of thrones: any episode

~homeland: any episode

~house of cards: any episode

~mad men: any episode

*sleepy hollow: pilot or necromancer

outstanding single-camera picture editing for a comedy series

~brooklyn nine-nine: any episode

*the crazy ones: dead and improved or pilot

~girls: beach house

glee: the quarterback

*the mindy project: danny and mindy or you've got sext

~modern family: any episode

*new girl: prince

~orange is the new black

*parks and recreation: moving up

~veep: any episode

outstanding multi-camera picture editing for a comedy series

*~the big bang theory: the cooper extraction

how i met your mother: gary blauman

outstanding single-camera picture editing for a miniseries or movie

~american horror story coven: any episode

~fargo: any episode

~flowers in the attic

~killing kennedy

~the normal heart

*~sherlock: his last vow

outstanding picture editing for short-form segments and variety specials

~the colbert report: any episode

~the daily show: any episode

~dancing with the stars

~the oscars

~saturday night live

outstanding lead actor in a comedy series

~louis c.k. as louie: louie

~don cheadle as marty kaan: house of lies

*johnny galecki as leonard hofstadter: the big bang theory

*jake johnson as nick miller: new girl

~matt leblanc as matt leblanc: episodes

*joel mchale as jeff winger: community

*~chris messina as danny castellano: the mindy project

~jim parsons as sheldon cooper: the big bang theory

*josh radnor as ted mosby: how i met your mother

~andy samberg as detective jake perelta: brooklyn nine-nine

*david walton as will: about a boy

*robin williams as simon roberts: the crazy ones

oustanding lead actor in a drama series

patrick j. adams as mike ross: suits

hugh bonneville as robert, earl of grantham

~bryan cranston as walter white: breaking bad

~jon hamm as don draper: mad men

woody harrelson as martin hart: true detective

~damian lewis as nicholas brody: homeland

*gabriel macht as harvey specter: suits

~matthew mcconaughey as rust cohle: true detective

*tom mison as ichabod crane: sleepy hollow

matthew rhys as philip jennings: the americans

~kevin spacey as francis underwood: house of cards

*~james spader as raymond reddington: the blacklist

outstanding lead actor in a miniseries or a movie

*~benedict cumberbatch as sherlock holmes: his last vow

idris elba as john luther: luther

~martin freeman as lester nygaard: fargo

~rob lowe as john f. kennedy: killing kennedy

~mark ruffalo as ned weeks: the normal heart

~billy bob thorton as lorne malvo: fargo

outstanding lead actress in a comedy series

*~zooey deschanel as jessica day: new girl

~lena dunham as hannah horvath: girls

~edie falco as jackie peyton: nurse jackie

*mindy kaling as dr. mindy lahiri: the mindy project

~julia louis-dreyfus as vice president selina meyer: veep

*~amy poehler as leslie knope: parks and recreation

~emmy rossum as fiona gallagher: shameless

outstanding lead actress in a drama series

*nicole beharie as lt. abbie mills: sleepy hollow

*megan boone as elizabeth keen: the blacklist

~lizzie caplan as virginia johnson: masters of sex

~claire danes as carrie mathison: homeland

tatiana maslany as EVERYTHING: orphan black

~elisabeth moss as peggy olsen: mad men

~keri russell as elizabeth jennings: the americans

~kerry washington as olivia pope: scandal

~robin wright as claire underwood: house of cards

outstanding lead actress in a miniseries or movie

(no nominations)

outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series

andre braugher as captain ray holt: brooklyn nine-nine

~ty burrell as phil dunphy: modern family

adam driver as adam sackler: girls

~jesse tyler ferguson as mitchel pritchett: modern family

*max greenfield as schmidt: new girl

~tony hale as gary walsh: veep

*neil patrick harris as barney stinson: how i met your mother

*~taran killam as various characters: saturday night live

*seth meyers as himself: saturday night live

*lamorne morris as winston bishop: new girl

*nick offerman as ron swanson: parks and recreation

~ed o'neill as jay pritchett: modern family

*adam pally as dr. peter prentice: the mindy project

*danny pudi: community

*jim rash as dean pelton: community

*jason segel as marshall eriksen: how i met your mother

~eric stonestreet as cameron tucker: modern family

*james wolk as zach cropper: the crazy ones

*parker young as randy hill: enlisted

outstanding supporting actor in a drama series

*robert carlyle as rumplestiltskin/mr. gold: once upon a time

~josh charles as will gardner: the good wife

~brendan coyle as john bates: downton abbey

~peter dinklage as tyrion lannister: game of thrones

*rick hoffman as louis litt: suits

*colin o'donoghue as hook: once upon a time

~aaron paul as jesse pinkman: breaking bad

~mandy patinkin as saul berenson: homeland

oustanding supporting actor in a miniseries or movie

~matt bomer as felix turner: the normal heart

~martin freeman as john watson: sherlock

outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series

*vanessa bayer as various characters: saturday night live

~mayim bialik as amy farrah fowler: the big bang theory

~julie bowen as claire dunphy: modern family

*alison brie as annie edison: community

*yvette nicole brown as shirley bennett: community

~anna chlumsky as amy brookheimer: veep

*kaley cuoco as penny: the big bang theory

*gillian jacobs as britta perry: community

*rashida jones as ann perkins: parks and recreation

~kate mckinnon as various characters: saturday night live

*cristin milioti as tracy mcconnell: how i met your mother

*aubrey plaza as april ludgate: parks and recreation

retta as donna meagle: parks and recreation

*amanda setton as lauren slotsky: the crazy ones

~amy schumer as amy: inside amy schumer

*hannah simone as cece: new girl

*cobie smulders as robin scherbatsky: how i met your mother

~merritt wever as zoey barkow: nurse jackie

outstanding supporting actress in a drama series

betsy brandt as marie schrader: breaking bad

~emilia clarke as daenerys targaryen: game of thrones

~joanne froggatt as anna bates: downton abbey

~anna gunn as skyler white: breaking bad

~christina hendricks as joan harris: mad men

olivia munn as sloan sabbith: the newsroom

*lana parilla as regina: once upon a time

*sarah rafferty as donna paulsen: suits

~maggie smith as the dowager countess: downton abbey

*gina torres as jessica pearson: suits

~mae whitman as amber holt: parentood

outstanding supporting actress in a miniseries or movie

*~amanda abbington as mary morstan: sherlock

*laura benanti as elsa schrader: the sound of music live!

~julia roberts as dr. emma brookner: the normal heart

outstanding guest actor in a comedy series

*jonathan banks as professor buzz hickey: community

*adam brody as berkley: new girl

*~billy eichner as craig: parks and recreation

jimmy fallon as host: saturday night live

*james franco as dr. paul leotard: the mindy project

*brad garrett as gordon lewis: the crazy ones

*~tim gunn as himself: how i met your mother

~bob newhart as arthur: the big bang theory

*john oliver as professor ian duncan: community

*~prince as himself: new girl

~andy samberg as host: saturday night live

*ben schwartz as jean-ralphio: parks and recreation

*damon wayans, jr. as coach: new girl

outstanding guest actor in a drama series

*gary cole as cameron dennis: suits

*ritchie coster as anslo garrick: the blacklist

*~john noble as henry parrish: sleepy hollow

~pedro pascal as oberyn martell: game of thrones

outstanding guest actress in a comedy series

~sarah baker as vanessa: louie

*kristen bell as ingrid de forest: parks and recreation

*laura bell bundy as becky: how i met your mother

*linda cardellini as abby: new girl

~tina fey as host: saturday night live

*cheryl hines as beth minker: the crazy ones

~dot-marie jones as coach beiste: glee

outstanding guest actress in a drama series

*michelle fairley as ava hessington: suits

*rebecca mader as zelena: once upon a time

outstanding comedy series

~the big bang theory

~brooklyn nine-nine

*the crazy ones

community

*enlisted

~girls

*the mindy project

~modern family

*new girl

~orange is the new black

*parks and recreation

*psych

~veep

outstanding drama series

the americans

the blacklist

~breaking bad

downton abbey

~game of thrones

~homeland

~house of cards

~mad men

*sleepy hollow

~true detective

outstanding miniseries

~american horror story: coven

~fargo

~the hollow crown

~luther

~the white queen

outstanding television movie

*~sherlock: his last vow

~killing kennedy

outstanding variety series

~*the colbert report

~*the daily show with jon stewart

~inside amy shumer

~jimmy kimmel live

~saturday night live

*the soup

~the tonight show starring jimmy fallon

*whose line is it anyway

outstanding variety special

the kennedy center honors

the maya rudolph show

michael buble's 3rd annual christmas special

outstanding children’s program

good luck charlie

outstanding informational series or special

~*inside the actors studio

~oprah's master class

~*the writers' room

outstanding structured reality program

~catfish: the tv show

~*mythbusters

~*shark tank

~*undercover boss

~who do you think you are?

outstanding unstructured reality program

keeping up with the kardashians

million dollar listing new york

real housewives of new york city

outstanding reality competition program

~the biggest loser

~dancing with the stars

four weddings

*hollywood game night

~*so you think you can dance

~*the voice

outstanding host for a reality or reality-competition program

~tom bergeron: dancing with the stars

~anthony bourdain: the taste

~carson daly: the voice

~*cat deely: so you think you can dance

~*heidi klum/tim gunn: project runway

~ryan seacrest: american idol

outstanding writing for a comedy series

~brooklyn nine-nine: any episode (but likely either tactical village or pilot)

*community: cooperative polygraphy

~girls: any episode (but likely beach house)

glee: the quarterback

~louie: so did the fat lady or pamela 3

~*the mindy project: any episode (but likely either danny and mindy or indian bbw)

~*modern family: any episode (but likely the wedding)

*new girl: mars landing

~*parks and recreation: any episode (but likely either moving up or london)

outstanding writing for a drama series

~the americans: any episode

*the blacklist: pilot

~boardwalk empire: any episode

~breaking bad: any episode (but likely either ozymandias, rabid dog, to'hajiilee or felina)

~game of thrones: the children

~homeland: any episode

~mad men: any episode (but likely the strategy or waterloo)

*sleepy hollow: any episode

*suits: heartburn

outstanding writing for a miniseries, movie or dramatic special

~american horror story: coven

~fargo: the crocodile's dilemma

~the normal heart

~*sherlock: his last vow

oustanding writing for a variety series

~*the colbert report

~*the daily show with jon stewart

~jimmy kimmel live

~saturday night live

*the soup

~*the tonight show starring jimmy fallon

oustanding writing for a variety special

the comedy central roast of james franco

~*the 71st annual golden globe awards

the maya rudolph show

~the oscars

~67th annual tony awards

(p.s. there are a lot more categories like sound mixing and stunt coordination but i really don't have strong opinions on those categories, so they're left off this list. the only technical things i mainly just stuck to were directing and picture editing.)