You don’t have to be an Emmy voter to feel like you’ve been undulated by For Your Consideration ads the past few weeks. There are many, many great TV shows vying for the attention of Emmy voters, but they often don’t get the recognition they deserve from the TV Academy.
Therefore, we decided to come up with our own Emmys Dream Ballot, recognizing the shows and performances we’ve enjoyed the most this past season. Twenty-two of the Young Folks staffers took a survey voting for what they considered the best shows and performances. Those with the highest number of votes made our dream nominee list. As with anything voted on by a small group of people, this is just a general reflection of an eclectic group’s taste in television. There are shows like Orange Is the New Black, Rectify, The Americans, Outlander, and many more that almost edged their way in but didn’t make the cut. That doesn’t take away from how much several of us love those shows and wouldn’t mind seeing them nominated.
With that all out of the way, here are The Young Folks’ 2015 Dream Emmys Nominees…
Click through the slideshow to see which shows and performances made the cut.
Outstanding Drama Series
As you’ll find with most of the nominees, there is a mix of shows that are Emmy contenders and shows that would likely never have a chance to get nominated into those “major” categories. For Drama series, The CW’s new hit show The Flash is a show that no one is talking about in regards to awards (besides the Teen Choice Awards). The Flash is BIG favorite of the staff, and what it has done with in its first season in terms of plot and characterization makes it just as worthy as these other outstanding shows. Game of Thrones may not have had its strongest season, but the finale sure left an impression on fans and viewers. Mad Men wrapped up this year with its final season and one of the best finales ever, while Better Call Saul seriously riveted it us with its first season. Hannibal is hands down one of the best network shows, and it’s a shame it doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. Finally, new favorite Daredevil proved that Marvel can make great, dark television. – Gabrielle Bondi
Game of Thrones
The Flash
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Marvel’s Daredevil
Hannibal
Mad Men
Better Call Saul
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Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
It comes as very little surprise to see so many actresses absolutely killing it in the television medium, but the lineup below is an excellent showcase of the variety on display currently. Elizabeth Moss has been steady and effective for years, and her final bow on Mad Men had some of her finest moments. Tatiana Maslany and Robin Wright have three seasons under their belts in their respective roles on Orphan Black and House of Cards, and both continue to deliver powerful performances, Maslany in particular finding new ways to impress viewers. Breakouts this past year included Viola Davis in the first season of How to Get Away with Murder, delivering one of the best performances on television this year, period. Taraji P. Henson also captivated in season one of Empire. Then, while a favorite on our site, there’s the longshot in Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, whose mesmerizing charisma is enough to build a show on. – Allyson Johnson
Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men)
Hayley Atwell (Marvel’s Agent Carter)
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Robin Wright (House of Cards)
Taraji P. Henson (Empire)
Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black)
Viola Davis (How To Get Away with Murder)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
We had many major contenders in this category, which is never a surprise when it comes to Lead Actor in a Drama. Bob Odenkirk’s darkly comedic turn in Better Call Saul is nothing short of fantastic, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he ran away with an Emmy this fall. Jon Hamm has yet to win an Emmy for his role as Don Draper; this is his last chance. Mads Mikkelsen is quietly menacing and pristine as Hannibal Lecter, and it’s unbelievable he has yet to be recognized for his great work on one of network TV’s best shows. Kevin Spacey, once again, impresses as dirty politician (and now president) Frank Underwood. Finally, we felt these two superheroes deserved the spotlight: Grant Gustin and Charlie Cox. Both actors bring so much to their superhero counterparts; they are a big part of the reason why we love The Flash and Daredevil so much. – Gabrielle Bondi
Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul)
Jon Hamm (Mad Men)
Mads Mikkelsen (Hannibal)
Kevin Spacey (House of Cards)
Grant Gustin (The Flash)
Charlie Cox (Marvel’s Daredevil)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Um…we love Game of Thrones a lot? Clearly. Game of Thrones is not known for treating its female characters well. However, the actresses who portray them all give a hell of a performance. Sophie Turner, especially, is noteworthy, as Sansa’s arc took a dark and sad turn we hadn’t expected. Edging their way in are January Jones for her work in the last season of Mad Men and Candice Patton for her underrated work as Iris West in The Flash. – Gabrielle Bondi
Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones)
Candice Patton (The Flash)
Lena Headey (Game of Thrones)
Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones)
January Jones (Mad Men)
Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
The list for supporting players is long and spans multiple television shows, from serious, “highbrow” dramas to more cult favorites and CW fanfare. There’s huge support for The Flash on our site, and Jesse L. Martin is soulful and effortless as Joe West, while Carlos Valdes became the shows secret weapon in latter half of the season as Cisco Ramon. Clearly, we also enjoy Game of Thrones, and while Peter Dinklage is always a highlight as Tyrion Lannister, Kit Harrington really came into his own as Jon Snow, bringing authority and old school action hero charm and dexterity to the role. Norman Reedus had a another strong year on AMC’s The Walking Dead, and, depending on who you ask, Vincent D’Onofrio was one of the best parts of the Netflix series Daredevil. – Allyson Johnson
Jesse L. Martin (The Flash)
Kit Harrington (Game of Thrones)
Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones)
Carlos Valdes (The Flash)
Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead)
Vincent D’Onofrio (Marvel’s Daredevil)
Outstanding Comedy Series
The comedy world is thriving. That much is clear when you look at the picks below–whether it’s new Tina Fey shows such as The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt that took a surprising premise and made it comedic, or old favorites such as Parks & Rec creating an emotional and hilarious season, with one of the strongest finale seasons a show has ever done. Jane the Virgin has been appropriately lauded as one of the best new shows in recent years, with charm, wit, and pathos to spare, and it will be a shame if it misses out come Emmy nomination morning. New Girl proved to be the comeback kid of the season, with its fourth year arguably being its funniest, and Broad City and Brooklyn Nine-Nine both had excellent second seasons, with the latter in particular proving it has one of the best ensemble casts, if not the best, on television right now. – Allyson Johnson
Broad City
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Parks & Recreation
Jane the Virgin
New Girl
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Again, you cannot deny the absolute wealth of talent in our actresses on television right now, which is evident by the amount of new and old faces we see continuing to impress. A personal favorite is Gina Rodriguez, who manages to evoke both gleeful happiness and honest sadness and is such a highlight that it’s surprising she hasn’t been heavily featured on a television show prior. Julia Louis-Dreyfus continues to wring any and all comedy out of every line delivery in Veep, and I’d love to see Amy Poehler receive more credit for the work she did as Leslie Knope, who will surely go down as one of the best TV characters ever. Ellie Kemper is half of the reason why Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt worked as well as it did out of the gate, and Mindy Kaling continues to be a selling point for her The Mindy Project. Ilana Glazer will never stand a chance in the awards season this year, but as she continues to be one of the funniest people are TV, I certainly wouldn’t mind a shocker. – Allyson Johnson
Amy Poehler (Parks & Recreation)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)
Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)
Gina Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin)
Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project)
Ilana Glazer (Broad City)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Lead Comedy Actor is always a toss-up for me, but I think our list is good look at some of the great comic performances of the past year. Louis C.K. is a no-brainer, as is Andy Samberg for Brooklyn Nine-Nine. We give Adam Scott some love for his work in the last season of Parks and Recreation. Jake Johnson is a little underrated on New Girl, with Max Greenfield kind of stealing the show. Jeffrey Tambor’s incredible work on Transparent is more than deserving, as is Will Forte’s original performance in The Last Man on Earth. – Gabrielle Bondi
Adam Scott (Parks & Recreation)
Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
Jeffery Tambor (Transparent)
Louis CK (Louie)
Will Forte (The Last Man on Earth)
Jake Johnson (New Girl)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
All of our supporting comedy actress contenders are strong performers in different ways. Aubrey Plaza has been killing it in Parks and Recreation for years and totally deserves some serious attention. Both Melissa Fumero and Stephanie Beatriz add a huge comic element to Brooklyn Nine-Nine. We can’t argue with Sofia Vergara being nominated every year for her performance in Modern Family. A couple surprises come from the Jane the Virgin cast. Andrea Navarro is sweet and funny as Jane’s mother, while Yael Grobglas is devious and vulnerable as Jane’s nemesis. – Gabrielle Bondi
Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation)
Melissa Fumero (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
Andrea Navarro (Jane the Virgin)
Sofia Vergara (Modern Family)
Yael Grobglas (Jane the Virgin)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
What a lineup! Chris Pratt has always been great as the loveable doofus Andy on Parks and Rec, and I’m wondering if his new-found star power in Hollywood could actually land him a spot with the nominees this year. However, if someone from Parks and Rec deserves it this year, it’s Nick Offerman as Ron Swanson, who brought so much emotional resonance to the character this year that it was hard to say goodbye. Adam Driver continues to be the only good thing about Girls, and Tituss Burgess is the other half of why Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt worked as well as it did. No one does a line reading like Max Greenfield on New Girl, and he continues to kill it when given good material, and if anyone on Jane the Virgin deserves a nomination who isn’t Rodriguez, it’s her onscreen father played by the scene-stealing Jaime Camil. – Allyson Johnson
Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation)
Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation)
Adam Driver (Girls)
Jaime Camil (Jane the Virgin)
Max Greenfield (New Girl)
Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)
Disclaimer: Okay, we’re going to be honest. The miniseries and TV movie categories are the few we don’t have strong opinions or much knowledge of, but those of us who caught a few limited series or TV movies voted on their favorites.
For the following two categories, some highlights include HBO’s Olive Kitteridge and Bessie, which recently received a ton of praise from critics. Of course, the latest season of American Horror Story made the cut, as did the Maggie Gyllenhaal-led The Honorable Woman and Starz’s harrowing drama, The Missing. – Gabrielle Bondi
Outstanding Miniseries or Limited Series
Olive Kitteridge
24: Live Another Day
American Horror Story: Freak Show
American Crime
The Honorable Woman
The Missing
Outstanding TV Movie
Bessie
Nightingale
Grace of Monaco
Derek – The Final Chapter
Agatha Christie’s Poirot – Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case
A Poet in New York
It’s no surprise to see American Horror Story get a ton of love. With a cast like that and such outlandish characters to portray, their performances are guaranteed to make an impression. That’s also why David Oyelowo deserves a nomination for his one man show in the HBO TV movie, Nightingale. Olive Kitteridge had a wealth of engaging performances, as does Bessie with Queen Latifah and Mo’Nique. – Gabrielle Bondi
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie
Frances McDormand (Olive Kitteridge)
Queen Latifah (Bessie)
Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Honorable Woman)
Felicity Huffman (American Crime)
Jessica Lange (American Horror Story: Freak Show)
Anna Gunn (Gracepoint)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie
Richard Jenkins (Olive Kitteridge)
David Oyelowo (Nightingale)
Kiefer Sutherland (24: Live Another Day)
Adrien Brody (Houdini)
Evan Peters (American Horror Story: Freak Show)
Bill Paxton (Texas Rising)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie
Zoe Kazan (Olive Kitteridge)
Kathy Bates (American Horror Story: Freak Show)
Regina King (American Crime)
Mo’Nique (Bessie)
Angela Bassett (American Horror Story: Freak Show)
Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story: Freak Show)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie
Bill Murray (Olive Kitteridge)
John Gallagher Jr. (Olive Kitteridge)
Finn Wittrock (American Horror Story: Freak Show)
Tobias Menzies (The Honorable Woman)
Michael Chiklis (American Horror Story: Freak Show)
Damian Lewis (Wolf Hall)
Outstanding Variety Series
There are a lot of endings in the lineup of the TYF’s best picks for Variety News Program. While both Jimmys provide solid work and David Letterman could take home an Emmy for his legacy alone, it’s the more scathing comedy outputs that stole the show this year. John Oliver was tremendous on his platform, where he got to be funny, sure, but also used his HBO outlet to go all-out on criticism, picking one subject and running with it. Stephen Colbert had his last outing on The Colbert Show with an emotional but hilarious final bow. However, even though he’s won this award almost too many times to count, and often in years that would have been better suited for his buddy Colbert, Jon Stewart is having a hell of a finale season–just compare the recent videos of the Charlestown shooting and Donald Trump’s announcement of his run for Presidency, and try to convince me that anyone will be able to take his place. – Allyson Johnson
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Late Show with David Letterman
The Colbert Report
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
Whew! This is the final category, honoring our favorite Reality-Competition shows. Dancing with the Stars puts on a solid production, but I won’t say it’s quite on the level as So You Think You Can Dance. Project Runway is always interesting, as is Top Chef. Dethroning American Idol, The Voice is the best singing competition show on TV. Finally, The Amazing Race, an Emmy favorite, is so ambitious that despite it winning almost every year, it still deserves a spot on this list. – Gabrielle Bondi
Dancing with the Stars
So You Think You Can Dance
Project Runway
The Voice
The Amazing Race
Top Chef
Click NEXT to vote for your favorite shows and performances.
Now it’s time to vote for your favorite shows and performances from our list of nominees!
Fill out the form below and comment on our picks. Do you agree? Disagree?
We skipped voting on the TV Movie and Miniseries categories. However, if you feel strongly about those categories, please feel free to sound off in the comments.
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