2016 Emmy Contenders: Best Drama Series

2016 Contenders
Game of Thrones
Mr. Robot
Better Call Saul
House of Cards
Downton Abbey
Homeland
Orange is the New Black
Billions
The Americans
Horace and Pete
The Affair
The Path
The Good Wife
Empire
The Blacklist
UnReal
Orphan Black
Bloodline
The Leftovers
Bates Motel
Ray Donovan
Marvel's Daredevil
Fear the Walking Dead
The Walking Dead
Mercy Street
Poldark
Vikings
Penny Dreadful
Underground
Quantico
Narcos
The Knick
The Man in The High Castle
Grey's Anatomy
Scandal
How to Get Away With Murder
Blindspot
Sense8
Hannibal
Hap and Leonard
Being Mary Jane
Black Sails
Bosch
Damien
Supergirl
Shades of Blue
Happy Valley
Humans
Hell on Wheels
Mr. Selfridge
Nashville
Longmire
Madam Secretary
Da Vinci's Demons
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
The Flash
DC's Legends of Tomorrow
12 Monkeys
Bones
TURN: Washington's Spies
The Catch
Colony
Code Black
Gotham
Grimm
Halt and Catch Fire
Rectify
The Royals

Commentary - House of Cards, Downton Abbey, Better Call Saul, and Game of Thrones, are coming back. I feel good about this. Homeland had a great Season 5, and it should return. I was happy to see it get back in for rebounding in Season 4 after a dismal Season 3. It showed that Emmy voters were paying attention. That leaves two slots. Mad Men is gone, and Orange is the New Black, while currently in my predictions, is a bit weaker since it moved to Drama, and it has a lot of competition. We know though at least one slot is open. Mr. Robot feels like the natural successor, and I think it can get in. There ya go, seven  slots. Done. Right? The Good Wife has nostalgia, The Americans has the critics and a passionate fanbase (albeit small one), Empire is still owed a nod, Narcos is not, The Path, Horace and Pete, and Billions have enough critical support and famous faces to make a dent, and it was unreal how surprisingly good UnReal was in its first season. Bloodline, The Affair, The Leftovers, The Blacklist, and Orphan Black are all veteran shows that have gotten Emmy attention, but not the top nomination. Genre pieces like Bates Motel, Daredevil, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., The Flash, Penny Dreadful, Colony, Legends of Tomorrow, 12 Monkeys, Da Vinci's Demons, Grimm, Gotham, Supergirl, Hannibal, The Man in The High Castle, Humans, Sense8, Hap and Leonard, Black Sails, The Walking Dead, and Fear the Walking Dead hope to join their Game of Thrones brother. There are period pieces like Hell on Wheels, Turn, Mr. Selfridge, Halt and Catch Fire, Mercy Street, Poldark, Vikings, and Underground. Finally, don't forget the broadcast big guys like Code Black, The Catch, Greys, Scandal, HTGAWM, Madam Secretary, Bones, Nashville, Blindspot, and Quantico looking to cash in on the large majority of broadcast voters.