2015 Emmy Nomination Predictions: Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series

2016 Nomination Predictions
Christine Baranski "The Big Bang Theory"
Kathy Bates "Mike & Molly"
Joan Cusack "Shameless"
Tyne Daly "Modern Family"
Tina Fey "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
Kyra Sedgwick "Brooklyn Nine-Nine"

Other Contenders - Rita Moreno "Jane the Virgin", Laurie Metcalf "The Big Bang Theory", Octavia Spencer "Mom", Elizabeth Banks "Modern Family", Christine Ebersole "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt", Mary Steenburgen "Togetherness", Mary Steenburgen "The Last Man On Earth", Laverne Cox "The Mindy Project", Susie Essman "Broad City", Rhea Perlman "The Mindy Project", Carol Burnett "Glee", Naya Rivera "Glee", Jenifer Lewis "black-ish", Jaime Pressly "Mom", Kristen Johnston "Modern Family", Pamela Adlon "Louie", Jennifer Coolidge "Inside Amy Schumer", Megan Mulally "Parks & Recreation", Eva Longoria "Brooklyn Nine-Nine", Gaby Hoffman "Girls", Dana Delaney "The Comedians", Patricia Clarkson "Broad City", Ellen Barkin "HAPPYish", Rachel Dratch "Parks & Recreation",  Lennon Parham "Veep", June Squibb "Getting On", Jenny Slate "House of Lies"

Commentary - The Guest categories are always the hardest to predict because every year, they seem to throw you a curve ball. This is also the first year in a while that will feature a lineup that truly embodies the spirit of a guest performance, by weeding out all of the supporting actors that drop down to guest to get a better chance of a nomination. Of the bunch, I think two are pretty safe. Joan Cusack continues to get nominated for Shameless, and I would be shocked if she didn't get in again. The other is Tina Fey, a winner is this category, and a nominee last year for SNL. She is a scene-stealer in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and is an Emmy fave. But beyond those two it looks like there are about eight or nine actresses for only four slots. Christine Baranski has gotten two nominations for The Big Bang Theory, and her episode this year, sparring with the great Laurie Metcalf, could earn her a third, but what about Metcalf? She, for some weird reason, has never gotten a nod for her Mary Cooper, despite being a scene-stealer. Maybe this year, her sparring with Baranski, two titans of the small screen can get her in. For now though, she is right on the outside, so its the great Rita Moreno, simply because the ratings for Jane the Virgin were low, and I'm not sure how my exposure the show has gotten. Octavia Spencer could well join Jaime Pressly and Mimi Kennedy as guest stars that became supporting characters, and she definitely had an impact on Mom this season. Elizabeth Banks is always a hoot as Sal, Mary Steenburgen has two great characters, Christine Ebersole is great on Kimmy Schmidt, and folks like Laverne Cox, Susie Essman, Rhea Perlman, Carol Burnett, Jenifer Lewis, the aforementioned Jaime Pressly (will become full-time next season), Megan Mulally, Lennon Parham, and Kristen Johnston are all possibilities. But for those last three slots, I am filling them with three Emmy-winning veterans who are clearly well liked among voters: Kathy Bates, Kyra Sedgwick, and Tyne Daly. There will probably be a curve ball pick among the bunch, and until the nominations are announced none us will have any idea who that will be.