Emmy Contenders: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

So it is that time, Emmy time is upon us again! I wanted to start a new series that looked at all of the potential contenders for the top categories, then discuss which ones I think have the best shot.

Here is the long list of potential contenders as I see it right now for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series:

Betty White "Hot in Cleveland"
Jane Lynch "Glee"
Naya Rivera "Glee"
Sofia Vergara "Modern Family"
Julie Bowen "Modern Family"
Jane Krakowski "30 Rock"
Martha Plimpton "Raising Hope"
Cloris Leachmen "Raising Hope"
Merrit Wever "Nurse Jackie"
Anna Deveare Smith "Nurse Jackie"

Eva Best "Nurse Jackie"

Swoosie Kurtz "Mike & Molly"

Allison Janey "Mr. Sunshine"

Jenna Fischer "The Office"

Holland Taylor "Two and a Half Men"

Tamsin Grieg "Episodes"

Kristen Wiig "SNL"

Phyliss Somerville "The Big C"

Christa Millier "Cougar Town"

Busy Phillips "Cougar Town"

Jane Adams "Hung"

Vanessa Williams "Desperate Housewives"

Rosemarie de Witt "The United States of Tara"

Brie Larson "The United States of Tara"

Elizabeth Perkins "Weeds"

Carrie Brownstein "Portlandia"

I think a lot of past contenders will fill in this race. For example Bowen and Vergara from Modern Family should return, as should Kristen Wiig, who has still not won an Emmy. Neither has Jane Krakowski, who is also a big contender for the continual Emmy fave 30 Rock. Jane Lynch could be a repeat winner for Glee, but my guess is that the biggest contender is this year's SAG winner Betty White for Hot in Cleveland. I think that show will be popular with the Emmys, even though critics have stayed away from it, plus they love Betty White, so she is definitely in. I think that Nurse Jackie is also popular, so watch out for Wever and Smith, who both are fantastic on the show. Elizabeth Perkins could also get back into the race, although Weeds has lost of a lot of Emmy steam the last couple of years. Finally, watch out for TV veterans Swoosie Kurtz and Allison Janey, who both do a good job on okay shows, and are big names that Emmy voters could check off to fill space.