2012 Emmy Contenders: Best Supporting Actress in a TV Movie/Miniseries

It is that time of year again! Emmy season is upon us, and it is time to start looking at this years contenders in the major categories.

2012 Contenders
Jessica Lange "American Horror Story"
Ellen Burstyn "Coma"
Judy Davis "Page Eight"
Mare Winningham "Hatfields and McCoys"
Sarah Paulson "Game Change"
Tammy Blanchard "Of Two Minds"
Francis Conroy "American Horror Story"
Jena Malone "Hatfields and McCoys"
Geena Davis "Coma"
Gillian Anderson "Moby Dick"
Gillian Anderson "Great Expectations"
Molly Parker "Hemingway and Gellhorn"
Monica Dolan "Appropriate Adult"
Louise Fletcher "Of Two Minds"
Anika Noni Rose "Bag of Bones"
Anika Noni Rose "Have a Little Faith"
Marcia Gay Harden "Innocent"
Kaley Cuoco "Drew Peterson: Untouchable"
Clemence Poesy "Birdsong"
Kathy Baker "Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost"
Rosario Dawson "Five"
Ruth Wilson "Luther"
Melissa George "Bag of Bones"

Commentary - When American Horror Story switched from Drama Series to Miniseries (which I was initially skeptical of, but when I heard the new plot for Season 2, I realized it actually fits this category better), Jessica Lange went from being the frontrunner in one category, to well...being the frontrunner in this one. She is loved by the Television Academy (3 Nominations, 1 Win) almost as much as she is by the Motion Picture one (6 Nominations, 2 Wins), and her role as Constance in AHS is simply stunning, and will be hard to beat. But there are a couple of excellent actresses that will be putting up a fight. Judy Davis was probably in the lead before Lange's switch, and she is a previous Emmy winner. So is Ellen Burstyn, who also managed to get nominated before in this category for literally seconds on the screen, so she is definitely in the running for Coma, as is her co-star, and previous Emmy nominee Geena Davis. Also a previous nominee, Frances Conroy, Lange's co-star in AHS could get in on the coat tails of Lange. Sarah Paulson is almost a certain nominee for holding her own and standing out in the critically acclaimed Game Change alongside the likes of Julianne Moore, Ed Harris, and Woody Harrelson. Hatfields and McCoys offers several options including Jena Malone, and previous Emmy champ Mare Winningham. Another past winner Tammy Blanchard will contend again for her role in Of Two Minds. There are some contending in two categories, Gillian Anderson and Anika Noni Rose, but neither of their roles look like they are going to make the final cut. I hope this race remains interesting, and the competition is strong, although a win for Jessica Lange would make me very happy.