Emmy Contenders: Best Drama Series

Potential Contenders
Mad Men
Boardwalk Empire
The Good Wife

Dexter

Friday Night Lights

Sons of Anarchy

The Killing

The Walking Dead

Game of Thrones

The Borgias

In Treatment

Shameless
True Blood
Justified
Men of a Certain Age
Big Love
Blue Bloods
Grey's Anatomy

Breakout Kings

Harry's Law

The Closer

House, M.D.
Treme
Southland
Parenthood
Burn Notice
Camelot
The Mentalist
NCIS
Fringe

Commentary
Without Breaking Bad, this category is a little less potent in my opinion. That being said, there is plenty of competition for six or seven precious spots. The top three have to be Mad Men, Boardwalk Empire, and The Good Wife, and with this competition, Mad Men may not win again. Beyond those three, there are plenty of returning dramas that stand a shot at being nominated again including Dexter, House, In Treatment, Big Love, and True Blood. Newcomers are also populating the field including very good possibilities such as The Walking Dead and The Killing, and other lesser contenders such as Game of Thrones and The Borgias. There are solid, critics favorites such as Parenthood, Treme, Sons of Anarchy, Justified, and Friday Night Lights, but there is a good possibility that all of them miss the cut. There are some newcomers such as Shameless and Blue Bloods, both of which could be Emmy magnets. Finally, I'd like to make a plug for this season of Grey's Anatomy, which came storming back this season with a vengeance, reminding all of us why we loved the show in its first three seasons, the ones that got Emmy nominations.