2015 Emmy Predictions: Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series

Will Win - Cicely Tyson "How to Get Away With Murder"

Could Win - Allison Janney "Masters of Sex", Diana Rigg "Game of Thrones", or Rachel Brosnahan "House of Cards"

Should Win - Cicely Tyson "How to Get Away With Murder"

Commentary - I assumed, after the Season 2 opener of Masters of Sex, that Allison Janney was set to win this category back to back. Her episode in Season 3 could snag her another Emmy next year, but this episode, while impressive, is more about Beau Bridges than Janney, and she lacks the overall arch that she had in Season 1. Can she still win? Of course she can, she is Allison Janney, a beloved actress, a double nominee again this year, and has won for this role before. Diana Rigg has herself a pretty decent set of scenes, a problem that has kept her from winning the last couple of years, but I still don't see it. And while most of us were shocked to see Rachel Brosnahan get nominated for House of Cards, she actually has one of the better episodes of the bunch, and therefore could be a wild card. Margo Martindale and Khandi Alexander are both beloved veterans, but if either of them wins this, it is solely because of their personal popularity, because neither's episode is particularly strong. All that being said, I think this is Cicely Tyson's to lose. She was a lock last year, until the power that is Jessica Lange won again. So probably saying she is a lock here, with Emmy favorite Allison Janney looming, would not smart. But I do think she is out front. In terms of popularity she is a legend, well-respected, and overdue for some more Emmy recognition (she hasn't won in 21 years, despite six nominations since), and she has the episode. She is stunning next to Viola Davis, and is the only one that has a really knockout episode.