2014 Nomination Predictions: Best Actress in a Comedy Series

2014 Nomination Predictions
Lena Dunham "Girls"
Edie Falco "Nurse Jackie"
Mindy Kaling "The Mindy Project"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus "Veep"
Amy Poehler "Parks and Recreation"
Taylor Schilling "Orange is the New Black"

Other Contenders - Anna Faris "Mom", Emmy Rossum "Shameless", Melissa McCarthy "Mike and Molly", Wendi McLendon-Covey "The Goldbergs", Zooey Deschanel "New Girl", Laurie Metcalf "Getting On", Abbi Jacobson "Broad City", Ilana Glazer "Broad City", Patricia Heaton "The Middle", Lea Michele "Glee", Martha Plimpton "Raising Hope", Malin Akerman "Trophy Wife", Minnie Driver "About A Boy"

Commentary - For years, this has been a category where so few contenders were safe, you never knew who was going to get in and who was going to get snubbed. This year, there seems to be about five women that are seemingly safe, unless we are all underestimating some of the other contenders. It looks like Amy Poehler and Julia Louis-Dreyfus will battle it out once again, and after winning the Globe, and getting a lot more attention across the board, I think that this could be the year she finally takes the gold. While I don't think either can win this year, expect Emmy favorites Lena Dunham and Edie Falco to return as well. I also think there will be some new blood joining the race. Orange is the New Black is set to have a big morning come July 10th. I expect its star Taylor Schilling to ride a wave of support to her first Emmy nomination. It is the last slot that is tricky. Previous nominees and winners like Melissa McCarthy, Zooey Deschanel, Laurie Metcalf, Patricia Heaton, and Martha Plimpton are all still on the radar. Newcomers Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer, as well as their show Broad City got a huge boost of media attention with some Critics Choice Television Awards. Wendi McLenon-Covey also got some critical love, and her film roles do not hurt her boost her profile on a popular ballot. But I think that the last slot is a three-way race. Emmy Rossum could never break through in Drama, probably because her role has a broad comedic appeal that might fair better on the other side of the aisle. But I really think she is a distant third place. Anna Faris is probably ahead of her competition, according to pundits, but I don't know if Mom will have broad support with the exception of Allison Janney. Instead, I am predicting that Mindy Kaling will earn her first acting nomination. She is one of the big reasons The Mindy Project got a well-deserved third season. She is hilarious, and is also the writer, producer, and star of her show, kind of like Lena Dunham for Girls. I think they will reward her for her efforts, also considering that she is announcing the nominations on July 10th. We have seen many actors in recent years (including Jim Parsons, Chandra Wilson, and Melissa McCarthy), get to react to their nomination on stage.