Can you feel the anticipation? No? Even so, the Emmys are on Sunday, and we’d be a terrible culture blog if we didn’t weigh in with our predictions. Will it be a Mad Men sweep? Will The Wire lose the award for Outstanding Writing, the only category in which it’s nominated? And whose rightful Best Actor in a Drama Series Emmy will James Spader take home this year? (No, yes, and Jon Hamm’s.) After the jump, we pick the likely winners.
Best Drama Series
Boston Legal
Damages
Dexter
House
Lost
Mad Men
Best Comedy Series
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
The Office
30 Rock
Two and a Half Men
Best Mini-Series
John Adams
Cranford
Tin Man
The Andromeda Strain
Best Actor, Drama
Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House
James Spader, Boston Legal
Best Actress, Drama
Glenn Close, Damages
Sally Field, Brothers and Sisters
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Holly Hunter, Saving Grace
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer
Best Actor, Comedy
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Steve Carell, The Office
Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies
Tony Shalhoub, Monk
Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men
Best Actress, Comedy
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, New Adventures of Old Christine
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds
Best Actor in a Mini-Series
Ralph Fiennes, Bernard and Doris
Ricky Gervais, Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale
Paul Giamatti, John Adams
Kevin Spacey, Recount
Tom Wilkinson, Recount
Best Actress in a Mini-Series
Dame Judi Dench, Cranford -
Catherine Keener, An American Crime
Laura Linney, John Adams
Phylicia Rashad, A Raisin in the Sun
Susan Sarandon, Bernard and Doris
Best Supporting Actor, Drama
Ted Danson, Damages
Michael Emerson, Lost
Zeljko Ivanek, Damages
William Shatner, Boston Legal
John Slattery, Mad Men
Best Supporting Actress, Drama
Candice Bergen, Boston Legal
Rachel Griffiths, Brothers and Sisters
Sandra Oh, Grey’s Anatomy
Dianne Wiest, In Treatment
Chandra Wilson, Grey’s Anatomy
Best Supporting Actor, Comedy
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Kevin Dillon, Entourage
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Jeremy Piven, Entourage
Rainn Wilson, The Office
Best Supporting Actress, Comedy
Kristin Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies
Amy Poehler, Saturday Night Live
Jean Smart, Samantha Who?
Holland Taylor, Two and a Half Men
Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty
Best Reality Competition Show
The Amazing Race
American Idol
Dancing With the Stars
Project Runway
Top Chef
Best Host for a Reality Program
Ryan Seacrest, American Idol
Tom Bergeron, Dancing With the Stars
Howie Mandel, Deal or No Deal
Heidi Klum, Project Runway
Jeff Probst, Survivor
Best Variety Series
The Colbert Report
The Daily Show With John Stewart
Late Show With David Letterman
Real Time With Bill Maher
Saturday Night Live
