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

2015 Nomination Predictions
Kate Burton "Scandal"
Allison Janney "Masters of Sex"
Margo Martindale "The Americans"
Diana Rigg "Game of Thrones"
Lois Smith "The Americans"
Cicely Tyson "How to Get Away With Murder"

Other Contenders - Jennifer Hudson "Empire", Julianne Nicholson "Masters of Sex", Marcia Gay Harden "How to Get Away With Murder", Patricia Arquette "Boardwalk Empire", CCH Pounder "Sons of Anarchy", Mary-Louise Parker "The Blackist", Ann-Margaret "Ray Donovan", Julia Ormond "Mad Men", Alison Brie "Mad Men", Kiernan Shipka "Mad Men", Jessica Pare "Mad Men", Elizabeth Reaser "Mad Men", Khandi Alexander "Scandal", Linda Lavin "The Good Wife", Carrie Preston "The Good Wife", Rita Wilson "The Good Wife" Stockard Channing "The Good Wife", Jessalyn Gilsig "Vikings" Laura Prepon "Orange is the New Black", Rachel Brosnahan "House of Cards", Courtney Love "Empire", Taraji P. Henson "Person of Interest", Sarah Silverman "Masters of Sex", Amanda Plummer "The Blacklist", Kate Burton "Grey's Anatomy", Debbie Allen "Grey's Anatomy", Betsy Brandt "Parenthood", Joan Collins "The Royals", Rosario Dawson "Marvel's Daredevil", Kaitlyn Dever "Justified", Meagan Good "Law & Order: SVU", Mariksa Hargitay "Chicago P.D.", Mary McCormack "Scandal"

Commentary - This category is so stacked, I kind of feel bad for voters who have to only pick a few. There are four returning nominees from last year. Kate Mara is off of House of Cards, and Jane Fonda was bumped up to Supporting Actress. I honestly think that all four of them will return. Janney might be beatable this year, as she was only in one or two (I can't remember) episodes early in the second season of Masters of Sex, and did not have the screen time she did last year, but she will definitely return with a nomination. Margo Martindale has rapidly become an Emmy favorite, and her role on The Americans is juicy to say the least. Diana Rigg is a scene-stealer, and has gotten several nods in a row. She probably will never win because there is not one stand-out episode, but another nomination seems likely. Finally, after getting a surprise nod last year (she is clearly well-liked among her peers, so it shouldn't have been a big surprise), but her character was back in full force this season, and another nod seems appropriate. Finally, I think that there will be a spot for the great Cicely Tyson. She is beloved, she is amazingly talented, and has a great role opposite Viola Davis in How to Get Away With Murder. That leaves one slot, hypothetically, although we all know that these guest races are known for a lot of surprises. Jennifer Hudson could get 3/4 to EGOT for Empire. One of my personal favorites was Julianne Nicholson for Masters of Sex. I know Janney is the bigger name, but maybe they can make room for both of them this year. Oscar winners Marcia Gay Harden and Patricia Arquette both had big roles in How to Get Away With Murder and Boardwalk Empire respectively. CCH Pounder has another fierce role in Sons of Anarchy, Mary-Louise Parker is an Emmy favorite, and the multitude of talent from Mad Men and The Good Wife should not be discounted, as history has suggested that both shows do well with actors. But a new contender has emerged, with a CCTA nomination under her belt, and a performance that still has folks talking. I think that veteran Lois Smith will get her first Emmy nomination after 64 years on television.