Variety's Awards Circuit is home to the official predictions for the upcoming Emmys ceremonies from film awards editor Clayton Davis. Following history, buzz, news, reviews and sources, the Emmy predictions are updated regularly with the current year's list of contenders in all categories. Variety's Awards Circuit Prediction schedule consists of four phases, running all year long: Draft, Pre-Season, Regular Season and Post Season. The eligibility calendar and dates of awards will determine how long each phase lasts and is subject to change.
To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit THE EMMYS COLLECTIVE
Visit each individual category, according to the awards show from THE EMMYS HUB
Link to film awards hub THE OSCARS HUB
(DRAFT>>>PRE-SEASON>>>REGULAR SEASON>>>POST SEASON)
2021 EMMY PREDICTIONS:
ALL CATEGORIES
UPDATED: Aug 19, 2021
*** = PREDICTED WINNER
The viewing platform for Emmy nominees opens on Aug. 13, with final-round voting, beginning on Aug. 19 at 9:00 am PT until Aug. 30 at 10:00 pm PT.
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Outstanding Drama Series
Image Credit: Des Willie/Netflix “The Boys” (Amazon Prime Video)
“Bridgerton” (Netflix)
“The Crown” (Netflix)***
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu)
“Lovecraft Country” (HBO)
“The Mandalorian” (Disney Plus)
“Pose” (FX)
“This Is Us” (NBC)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Comedy Series
Image Credit: Courtesy of Apple TV+ “Black-ish” (ABC)
“Cobra-Kai” (Netflix)
“Emily in Paris” (Netflix)
“The Flight Attendant” (HBO Max)
“Hacks” (HBO Max)
“The Kominsky Method” (Netflix)
“Pen15” (Hulu)
“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV Plus)***Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series
Image Credit: Courtesy of Marvel Studios “I May Destroy You” (HBO)
“Mare of Easttown” (HBO)
“The Queen’s Gambit” (Netflix)
“The Underground Railroad” (Amazon Prime Video)
“WandaVision” (Disney Plus)***Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Television Movie
Image Credit: Larry D. Horricks/HBO “Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square” (Netflix)
“Oslo” (HBO)***
“Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia” (Lifetime)
“Sylvie’s Love” (Amazon Prime Video)
“Uncle Frank” (Amazon Prime Video)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Image Credit: Courtesy of Eric Liebowitz/FX Sterling K. Brown
“This Is Us” (NBC)
Jonathan Majors
“Lovecraft Country” (HBO)
Josh O’Connor
“The Crown” (Netflix)
Regé-Jean Page
“Bridgerton” (Netflix)
Billy Porter***
“Pose” (FX)
Matthew Rhys
“Perry Mason” (HBO)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Image Credit: ABC Anthony Anderson
“Black-ish” (ABC)
Michael Douglas
“The Kominsky Method” (Netflix)
William H. Macy
“Shameless” (Showtime)
Jason Sudeikis***
“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV Plus)
Kenan Thompson
“Kenan” (NBC)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Image Credit: Courtesy of Disney Paul Bettany***
“WandaVision” (Disney Plus)
Hugh Grant
“The Undoing” (HBO)
Ewan McGregor
“Halston” (Netflix)
Lin-Manuel Miranda
“Hamilton” (Disney Plus)
Leslie Odom Jr.
“Hamilton” (Disney Plus)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Image Credit: Courtesy of Marvel Studios Don Cheadle
“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” (Disney Plus)
Charles Dance***
“The Crown” (Netflix)
Timothy Olyphant
“The Mandalorian” (Disney Plus)
Courtney B. Vance
“Lovecraft Country” (HBO)
Carl Weathers
“The Mandalorian” (Disney Plus) -
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
Dave Chappelle
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
Morgan Freeman
“The Kominsky Method” (Netflix)
Daniel Kaluuya
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
Dan Levy***
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC) -
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Image Credit: Courtesy of Hulu Uzo Aduba
“In Treatment” (HBO)
Olivia Colman
“The Crown” (Netflix)
Emma Corrin***
“The Crown” (Netflix)
Elisabeth Moss
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu)
Mj Rodriguez
“Pose” (FX)
Jurnee Smollett
“Lovecraft Country”Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Aidy Bryant
“Shrill” (Hulu)
Kaley Cuoco
“The Flight Attendant” (HBO Max)
Allison Janney
“Mom” (CBS)
Tracee Ellis Ross
“Black-ish” (ABC)
Jean Smart***
“Hacks” (HBO Max)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Image Credit: HBO Michaela Coel
“I May Destroy You” (HBO)
Cynthia Erivo
“Genius: Aretha” (National Geographic)
Elizabeth Olsen
“WandaVision” (Disney Plus)
Anya Taylor-Joy
“The Queen’s Gambit” (Netflix)
Kate Winslet***
“Mare of Easttown” (HBO)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Image Credit: SAEED ADYANI/NETFLIX Alexis Bledel
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu)
Claire Foy***
“The Crown” (Netflix)
Mckenna Grace
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu)
Sophie Okonedo
“Ratched” (Netflix)
Phylicia Rashad
“This Is Us” (NBC) -
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Image Credit: Ali P. Goldstein/HBO Jane Adams
“Hacks” (HBO)
Yvette Nicole Brown
“A Black Lady Sketch Show” (HBO)
Bernadette Peters
“Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” (NBC)
Issa Rae
“A Black Lady Sketch Show” (HBO)
Maya Rudolph***
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
Kristen Wiig
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC) -
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Image Credit: Courtesy of Eli Joshua Ade/HBO Giancarlo Esposito
“The Mandalorian” (Disney Plus)
O-T Fagbenle
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu)
John Lithgow
“Perry Mason” (HBO)
Tobias Menzies
“The Crown” (Netflix)
Max Minghella
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu)
Chris Sullivan
“This Is Us” (NBC)
Bradley Whitford
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu)
Michael K. Williams***
“Lovecraft Country” (HBO)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Image Credit: COURTESY OF NETFLIX Carl Clemons-Hopkins
“Hacks” (HBO)
Brett Goldstein***
“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV Plus)
Brendan Hunt
“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV Plus)
Nick Mohammed
“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV Plus)
Paul Reiser
“The Kominsky Method” (Netflix)
Kenan Thompson
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
Bowen Yang
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Thomas Brodie Sangster
“The Queen’s Gambit” (Netflix)
Daveed Diggs
“Hamilton” (Disney Plus)
Paapa Essiedu
“I May Destroy You” (HBO)
Jonathan Groff
“Hamilton” (Disney Plus)
Evan Peters***
“Mare of Easttown” (HBO)
Anthony Ramos
“Hamilton” (Disney Plus)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Image Credit: Courtesy of Des Willie/Netflix Gillian Anderson***
“The Crown” (Netflix)
Helena Bonham Carter
“The Crown” (Netflix)
Madeline Brewer
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu)
Ann Dowd
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu)
Aunjanue Ellis
“Lovecraft Country” (HBO)
Emerald Fennell
“The Crown” (Netflix)
Yvonne Strahovski
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu)
Samira Wiley
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (HuluCheck out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Image Credit: Courtesy of HBO Max Aidy Bryant
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
Hannah Einbinder
“Hacks” (HBO Max)
Kate McKinnon
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
Rosie Perez
“The Flight Attendant” (HBO Max)
Cecily Strong
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
Juno Temple
“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV Plus)
Hannah Waddingham***
“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV Plus)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Image Credit: Courtesy of Disney+ Renée Elise Goldsberry
“Hamilton” (Disney Plus)
Kathryn Hahn***
“WandaVision” (Disney Plus)
Moses Ingram
“The Queen’s Gambit” (Netflix)
Julianne Nicholson
“Mare of Easttown” (HBO)
Jean Smart
“Mare of Easttown” (HBO)
Phillipa Soo
“Hamilton” (Disney Plus)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Competition Program
Image Credit: BBC/World of Wonder/Ray Burmiston “The Amazing Race” (CBS)
“Nailed It!” (Netflix)
“RuPaul’s Drag Race” (VH1)***
“Top Chef” (Bravo)
“The Voice” (NBC)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Structured Program
Image Credit: Ryan Collerd/Netflix “Antiques Roadshow” (PBS)
“Property Brothers” (HGTV)
“Queer Eye” (Netflix)***
“Running Wild with Bear Grylls” (National Geographic)
“Shark Tank” (ABC)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Unstructured Program
Image Credit: Courtesy of Disney Plus “Becoming” (Disney Plus)***
“Below Deck” (Bravo)
“Indian Matchmaking” (Netflix)
“RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked” (VH1)
“Selling Sunset” (Netflix)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Reality Host
Image Credit: Courtesy of Netflix Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Tan France, Antoni Porowski and Jonathan Van Ness
“Queer Eye” (Netflix)
Nicole Byer***
“Nailed It!” (Netflix)
Barbara Corcoran, Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, Kevin O’Leary
“Shark Tank” (ABC)
Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons
“Top Chef” (Bravo)
RuPaul
“RuPaul’s Drag Race” (VH1)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series
Image Credit: Courtesy of Netflix “Allen v. Farrow” (HBO)
“American Masters” (PBS)
“City So Real” (National Geographic)
“Pretend It’s a City” (Netflix)***
“Secret of the Whales” (Disney Plus)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Documentary Special
Image Credit: Red Arrow Studios International “The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” (HBO)
“Boys State” (Apple TV Plus)
“Framing Britney Spears” (FX)***
“The Social Dilemma” (Netflix)
“Tina” (HBO)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Variety Talk Series
Image Credit: "Conan" “Conan” (TBS)***
“The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” (Comedy Central)
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC)
“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” (HBO)
“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
Image Credit: Variety “A Black Lady Sketch Show” (HBO)***
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)
“Bo Burnham: Inside” (Netflix)***
“David Byrne’s American Utopia” (HBO)
“8:46 Dave Chappelle” (Netflix)
“Friends: The Reunion” (HBO Max)
“Hamilton” (Disney Plus)
“A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote” (HBO Max)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Variety Special (Live)
“Celebrating America – An Inauguration Night Special” (Multiple Platforms)
“The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards” (CBS)
“The Oscars” (ABC)
“The Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show Starring The Weeknd” (CBS)***
“Stephen Colbert’s Election Night 2020: Democracy’s Last Stand” (Showtime)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
Image Credit: Liam Daniel / Netflix Steven Canals
“Pose” (FX) – “Series Finale”
Benjamin Caron***
“The Crown” (Netflix) – “Fairytale”
Liz Garbus
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu) – “The Wilderness”
Jon Favreau
“The Mandalorian” (Disney Plus) – “Chapter 9: The Marshal”
Jessica Hobbs
“The Crown” (Netflix) – “War”
Julie Anne Robinson
“Bridgerton” (Netflix) – Diamond of the First Water” -
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
Image Credit: Courtesy of Phil Caruso/HBO Max Lucia Aniello
“Hacks” (HBO Max) – “Pilot”
Zach Braff***
“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV Plus) – “Biscuits”
James Burrows
“B Positive” (CBS)
M.J. Delaney
“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV Plus) – “The Hope That Kills You”
Susanna Fogel
“The Flight Attendant” (HBO Max) – “In Case of Emergency”
James Widdoes
“Mom” (CBS)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special
Image Credit: COURTESY OF NETFLIX Michaela Coel, Sam Miller
“I May Destroy You” (HBO) – “Ego Death”
Scott Frank***
“The Queen’s Gambit” (Netflix)
Barry Jenkins
“The Underground Railroad” (Amazon Prime Video)
Thomas Kail
“Hamilton” (Disney Plus)
Sam Miller
“I May Destroy You” (HBO) – “Eyes Eyes Eyes Eyes”
Matt Shakman
“WandaVision” (Disney Plus)
Craig Zobel
“Mare of Easttown” (HBO)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series
Image Credit: Lloyd Bishop/NBC Paul G. Casey
“Real Time With Bill Maher” (HBO)
Christopher Werner***
“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” (HBO)
Jim Hoskinson
“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (NBC)
Don Roy King
“Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Alexander J. Vietmeier
“Late Night With Seth Meyers” (NBC)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program
Image Credit: Courtesy of Netflix Kirby Dick, Amy Ziering***
“Allen V. Farrow” (HBO)
Frank Marshall
“The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” (HBO)
Amanda McBaine, Jesse Moss
“Boys State” (Apple TV Plus)
Kirsten Johnson
“Dick Johnson Is Dead” (Netflix)
Jeff Orlowski
“The Social Dilemma” (Netflix)
Dan Lindsay, TJ Martin
“Tina” (HBO)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Image Credit: Jasper Savage/Amazon Studios “The Crown”***
(Netflix)” Peter Morgan “War”
“Lovecraft Country”
(HBO)” Misha Green “Sundown”
“The Boys”
(Amazon Prime Video)” Rebecca Sonnenshine “What I Know”
“The Mandalorian”
(Disney Plus)” Jon Favreau “Chapter 16: The Rescue”
“The Mandalorian”
(Disney Plus)” Dave Filoni “Chapter 13: The Jedi”
“The Handmaid’s Tale”
(Hulu)” Yahlin Chang “Home”
“Pose”
(FX)” Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Steven Canals, Janet Mock, Our Lady J “Series Finale”Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Image Credit: Courtesy of Lara Solanki/Hulu “The Flight Attendant” (HBO Max) – “In Case of Emergency”
“Girls5eva” (Peacock) – “Pilot”
“Hacks” (HBO) – “There Is No Line (Pilot)”
“Pen15” (Hulu) – “Play”
“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV Plus) – “Pilot”***
“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV Plus) – “Make Rebecca Great Again”Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special
Image Credit: Courtesy of HBO Max “Mare of Easttown”
(HBO)” Brad Inglesby
“The Queen’s Gambit”***
(Netflix)” Scott Frank
“I May Destroy You”
(HBO)” Michaela Coel
“WandaVision”
(Disney Plus)” Jac Shaeffer “Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience”
“WandaVision”
(Disney Plus)” Laura Donney “Previously On”
“WandaVision”
(Disney Plus)” Chuck Hayward, Peter Cameron “All-New Halloween Spooktacular”Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
Image Credit: The Daily Show With Trevor Noah YouTube “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah” (Comedy Central)
“Full Frontal With Samantha Bee” (TBS)
“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” (HBO)
“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS)
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series
“The Crown”***
(Netflix) – Robert Sterne (casting by)
“Lovecraft Country”
(HBO) – Kim Taylor-Coleman (casting by), CSA, Meagan Lewis, CSA (location casting)
“The Handmaid’s Tale”
(Hulu) – Sharon Bialy, CSA (casting by), Sherry Thomas, CSA (casting by), Russell Scott, CSA (casting by), Robin D. Cook, CSA (location casting)
“The Mandalorian”
(Disney Plus) – Sarah Halley Finn, CSA (casting by)
“Bridgerton”
(Netflix) – Kelly Valentine Hendry, CDG, CSA (casting by) -
Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series
Image Credit: COURTESY OF NETFLIX “Hacks”
HBO Max – Jeanne McCarthy, CSA (casting by), Nicole Abellera Hallman, CSA (casting by)
“Ted Lasso”
Apple TV Plus – Theo Park (casting by)
“The Flight Attendant”
HBO Max – Kim Miscia, CSA (casting by), Beth Bowling, CSA (casting by), John Papsidera, CSA (original casting)
“Pen15”
Hulu – Melissa DeLizia, CSA (casting by)
“The Kominsky Method”
Netflix – Nikki Valko, CSA (casting by), Ken Miller, CSA (casting by), Tara Treacy, CSA (casting by) -
Outstanding Casting for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Image Credit: Courtesy of Amazon Prime Video “The Queen’s Gambit”
Netflix – Ellen Lewis (casting by), Kate Sprance (casting by), Olivia Scott-Webb (casting by), Tina Gerussi (location casting), Anna-Lena Slater (location casting), Tatjana Moutchnik (location casting), Stephanie Maile (location casting)
“Mare of Easttown”
HBO – Avy Kaufman, CSA (casting by), Diane Heery, CSA (location casting), Jason Loftus, CSA (location casting)
“WandaVision”
Disney Plus – Sarah Halley Finn, CSA (casting by), Jason B. Stamey, CSA (casting by)
“The Underground Railroad”
Amazon Prime Video – Francine Maisler, CSA (casting by), Meagan Lewis, CSA (location casting)
“I May Destroy You”
HBO – Julie Harkin, CDG (casting by) -
Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program
Image Credit: Netflix “The Circle” (Netflix)
“Indian Matchmaking” (Netflix)
“90 Day Fiance” (TLC)
“Queer Eye” (Netflix)
“Top Chef” (Bravo)Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Animated Program
Image Credit: 20th Century TV/Matt Groening “Archer” (FX) – “The Orpheus Gambit”
“Big Mouth” (Netflix) – “The New Me”
“Bob’s Burgers” (Fox) – “Worms Of In-Rear-Ment”
“The Simpsons” (Fox) – “The Dad-Feelings Limited”
“Solar Opposites” (Hulu) – “The Unlikely Demise Of Terry’s Favorite Shot Glass”Check out the full category rankings here>>>
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Outstanding Short Form Animated Program
“The Andy Cohen Diaries”
“Black Death (Cake)”
“Love, Death + Robots”
“Maggie Simpson In: The Force Awakens From Its Nap”
“Robot Chicken“Check out the full category rankings here>>>