Awards season officially kicks off tonight with the Golden Globe Awards. In between all the boozing and award handouts, show hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are sure to amaze as always. You know how these gals get down and make us laugh throughout the extensive night with their hilarious jabs at the guests while sipping on some champagne. If you don’t watch the awards show for the actual awards, you watch it for them.
If you haven’t checked out Preston’s film predictions, head over there after you read my TV picks. Let us know if you think we’re on the mark or way, way off.
And don’t forget to tune into the Golden Globes tonight at 8:00PM on NBC.
Best TV Series, Drama
Nominees: DOWNTON ABBEY, THE AFFAIR, GAME OF THRONES, HOUSE OF CARDS, THE GOOD WIFE
Will win: HOUSE OF CARDS
Could win: DOWNTON ABBEY
Should win: THE AFFAIR
The second season of HOUSE OF CARDS found a larger audience for the Netflix original and nearly caused the internet to break (sorry, Kim K.). The Kevin Spacey lead political thriller mixes intrigue with morality questions, but it is also an amazing character study of what does a man do when he controls so much. But, in a perfect world, the Showtime freshman series, THE AFFAIR, should really win as it completely ruined me. If only I were allowed to vote, things might be different.
Best Actress in a TV series, Drama
Nominees: Viola Davis (HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER), Claire Danes (HOMELAND), Julianna Marguilies (THE GOOD WIFE), Robin Wright (HOUSE OF CARDS), Ruth Wilson (THE AFFAIR)
Will win: Viola Davis
Could win: Robin Wright
Should win: Ruth Wilson
I think you’re probably seeing a trend here; I really want THE AFFAIR to sweet this show. Ruth Wilson (LUTHER) gives Tatiana Maslany (ORPHAN BLACK) a run for her money in the playing-more-than-one-character department. She is sweet, brutal, sensual, and bleak in the drama, but in every iteration, Wilson owns the screen. Viola Davis, the frontrunner, is likely to win — and she deserves it — as she begins a second-coming of strong Shonda Rhimes characters who get the award appreciation they deserve. Something we have not seen since Sanda Oh’s award sweep during her GREY’S ANATOMY heyday.
Best Actor in a TV series, Drama
Nominees: Kevin Spacey (HOUSE OF CARDS), Clive Owen (THE KNICK), James Spader (THE BLACKLIST), Dominic West (THE AFFAIR), Live Schreiber (RAY DONOVAN)
Will win: Kevin Spacey
Could win: James Spader
Should win: Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey had a year he deserved. His Netflix series is a powerhouse and he is commanding and captivating on it. With no Bryan Cranston this year to steal the award, this could finally be Spacey’s chance to take the Globe home for HOUSE OF CARDS.
Best TV Series, Musical or Comedy
Nominees: ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, GIRLS, JANE THE VIRGIN, TRANSPARENT, SILICON VALLEY
Will win: ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK
Could win: TRANSPARENT
Should win: SILICON VALLEY
Most people say the best television is coming out of the dramas, but I would have to disagree. Just look at this impressive representation of broadcast, cable, and online tv up for nomination. There are no losers here, even if all the series do not get quite the same amount of eyeballs. ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK continues to fuel a fervent love and garner more eyes each season. Netflix has already started filming the third season and expects to air it later this year. There is just something so magical about this prison dramedy, and some award consideration will likely bring more eyes over to Netflix.
Best Actress in a TV series, Comedy or Musical
Nominees: Julia Louis-Dreyfus (VEEP), Edie Falco (NURSE JACKIE), Gina Rodriguez (JANE THE VIRGIN), Lena Dunham (GIRLS), Taylor Schilling (ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK)
Will win: Gina Rodriguez
Could win: Taylor Schilling
Should win: Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Gina Rodriguez was the critical darling of the fall season. JANE THE VIRGIN is adorable and Rodriguez shines on the series. The Globes also have a tendency to pick the underdog and freshest nominee to win in some of the TV acting categories. Since it is a critics award show, it looks likely that Rodriguez will be the upset to take it all, and I’m totally fine with that.
Best Actor in a TV series, Comedy or Musical
Nominees: Don Cheadle (HOUSE OF LIES), William H. Macy (SHAMELESS), Ricky Gervais (DEREK), Jeffrey Tambor (TRANSPARENT), Louis C.K. (LOUIE)
Will win: Louis C.K.
Could win: Jeffrey Tambor
Should win: Jeffrey Tambor
The Amazon original TRANSPARENT is a perfect mix of funny and moving. Also technically a comedy-drama hybrid, the series follows a family who find out their patriarch plans to transition from a man to a woman. Tambor plays the dad with such respect and delightful comedic timing that I often forget there are other characters on the show. He deserves to win, even though I think C.K. might take the award home for his sardonic FX series.
Best TV Movie or Mini-Series
Nominees: OLIVE KITTERIDGE, FARGO, THE MISSING, TRUE DETECTIVE, THE NORMAL HEART
Will win: TRUE DETECTIVE
Could win: FARGO
Should win: TRUE DETECTIVE
The Globes, unlike the EMMYS, is a perfect audience for TRUE DETECTIVE to capture. It is a critical darling and emotional beating. FARGO is a close second, but I’m only here for the southern murder-mystery that really just explores the brutality of human nature and how it cannot always be contained.
Best Actress in a Mini-Series or TV Movie
Nominees: Jessica Lange (AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAK SHOW), Maggie Gyllenhaal (THE HONORABLE WOMAN), Frances McDormand (OLIVE KITTERIDGE), Allison Tolman (FARGO), Frances O’Connor (THE MISSING)
Will win: Jessica Lange
Could win: Allison Tolman
Should win: Allison Tolman
Allison Tolman is my everything and her performance on FARGO was breathtaking. It is a shame that she will not be on the second season (time jumps into the past do not allow for it), but she was the heart of the first series. I would love to see her get the accolades for her performance she justly deserves.
Best Actor in a Mini-Series or TV Movie
Nominees: Martin Freeman (FARGO), Matthew McConaughey (TRUE DETECTIVE), Woody Harrelson (TRUE DETECTIVE), Billy Bob Thornton (FARGO), Mark Ruffalo (THE NORMAL HEART)
Will win: Matthew McConaughey
Could win: Martin Freeman
Should win: Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey embodied Rust Cohle, the broken, yet determined investigator trying to solve a brutal series of murders in a sleepy Louisiana town so beautifully this year. He almost usurped Bryan Cranston for the EMMY, but in the end the man searching for the Yellow King could not beat out the Meth King. This is his chance (also his only chance) to win for this role and hopefully the Oscar winner can also add a TV Globe to his growing cabinet of shiny awards.
Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Mini-Series, or TV Movie
Nominees: Kathy Bates (AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAK SHOW), Uzo Aduba (ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK), Joanne Froggatt (DOWNTON ABBEY), Michelle Monaghan (TRUE DETECTIVE), Allison Janney (MOM)
Will win: Uzo Aduba
Could win: Allison Janney
Should win: Kathy Bates
I’m all over the map in this category, as you can tell. So many strong performances represented that I would not be upset to see any of these talented women take home the gold. Bates will always be my favorite, especially for this season’s turn as a bearded carney with a strangely amusing Pennsylvania Dutch accent. She has had a really rough time this season, but if anyone could handle the turns her character has made it is Kathy Bates.
Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Mini-Series, or TV Movie
Nominees: Bill Murray (OLIVE KITTERIDGE), Jon Voight (RAY DONOVAN), Matt Bomer (THE NORMAL HEART), Alan Cumming (THE GOOD WIFE), Colin Hanks (FARGO)
Will win: Bill Murray
Could win: Colin Hanks
Should win: Bill Murray
Real talk: I have not seen OLIVE KITTERIDGE so I am actually not the person to ask if you want a thoughtful consideration on the TV adaptation. But I do know that I love Bill Murray. So, in my final prediction I’m giving it to Murray. There you go, professional opinion. And let’s be honest, I picked him in the same way that many others probably pick the winners of these awards anyway.
