2015 Emmy Nomination Predictions: Best Actor in a Comedy Series

2015 Emmy Nomination Predictions
Louis C.K. "Louie"
Billy Crystal "The Comedians"
Matt LeBlanc "Episodes"
William H. Macy "Shameless"
Jim Parsons "The Big Bang Theory"
Jeffrey Tambor "Transparent"

Other Contenders - Don Cheadle "House of Lies", Thomas Middleditch "Silicon Valley", Anthony Anderson "black-ish", Will Forte "The Last Man on Earth", Jon Cryer "Two and a Half Men", Andy Samberg "Brooklyn Nine-Nine", Johnny Galecki "The Big Bang Theory", Matthew Perry "The Odd Couple", Thomas Lennon "The Odd Couple", Chris Messina "The Mindy Project", Gael Garcia Bernal "Mozart in the Jungle", John Goodman "Alpha House", Adam Scott "Parks and Recreation", Jonathan Groff "Looking", Steve Coogan "HAPPYish", Billy Gardell "Mike & Molly", Chris Geere "You're the Worst", Jay Baruchel "Man Seeking Woman", Tim Allen "Last Man Standing", Kevin Daniels "Sirens", Nat Faxon "Married", Jeff Garlin "The Goldbergs", Kevin Hart "Real Husbands of Hollywood", Joel McHale "Community"

Commentary - For the first time in a long time, Emmy voters have a chance to shake up this category, and unfortunately, I think that despite a few changes, a lot of folks are going to remain intact. I fully expect Louis C.K. and Jim Parsons to return, and after getting in last year and winning the SAG, William H. Macy seems like a safe bet as well. We know that Jeffrey Tambor is a potent threat for the win, and a nomination seems all but certain for his role in Transparent. That leaves those two slots that have been filled in by Don Cheadle and Matt LeBlanc. I don't know if both drop out this year, although it would be refreshing to see two new guys in those positions. This is tough, but I think that one of them is going to be replaced. Don Cheadle is the movie star and Oscar nominee, and LeBlanc is the television star, beloved Emmy favorite for now two shows. I think LeBlanc is favored here, although he is weak. The Cheadle slot will probably go to the likes of Billy Crystal, a beloved comedian who is a personal favorite of mine, but is in a show that is decent at best, and not that great at worst. I would love to see the likes of Anthony Anderson (simply brilliant in black-ish), Thomas Middleditch (a real threat as Silicon Valley seems on the rise), Will Forte (I hated his character, but he played it well), Andy Samberg (seriously, how is he not an shoo-in along with Anderson?), and Adam Scott (it is the last season, nominated for gods-sake!). But I would be hard pressed to pick any of them over a legend like Crystal, or the perennial favorites like LeBlanc and Cheadle. I hope I am wrong by the way, and I hope Emmy voters get creative come July 16th.