Poll: What will be the big Emmy jaw-dropper?

At the Emmys, upsets occur often because of the award's unique voting process. Winners are decided by judges who view sample episodes submitted by nominees as examples of their best work. In the acting races, for example, there are only about 50 to 75 judges per category, all fellow actors, and you never know what they're thinking. No pundit, for example, foresaw that jaw-dropper pulled off last year by Archie Panjabi ("The Good Wife") in the race for best supporting drama actress.

Below is a list of some upsets I believe are possible Sunday night. Which one do you think has the best chance to occur?

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Emmy diva smackdown: Julianna Margulies vs. Elisabeth Moss

-- Tom O'Neil

Photo: The cast of "Project Runway" Season 8. Credit: Lifetime

Emmy diva smackdown: Julianna Margulies vs. Elisabeth Moss

Last year, most Emmy pundits foolishly believed Julianna Margulies would win lead drama actress for "The Good Wife" even though we knew she picked the wrong sample episode to be evaluated by judges. Instead of submitting the excellent pilot, she picked her subdued performance in "Threesome" and lost to Kyra Sedgwick. This year, Margulies wised up and submitted "In Sickness," in which she kicks her husband out of the house after learning that he once slept with her best friend, Kalinda (Archie Panjabi). Then she has a tearful powwow with her children and battles guest star Martha Plimpton in court. All that can be hard to beat.

But it's beatable. Also submitting a powerhouse episode is Elisabeth Moss, who promoted herself to the lead category after receiving a supporting actress nomination for "Mad Men" last year. In her submission episode, "The Suitcase," she and Jon Hamm bond, battle and get drunk while putting together an ad campaign for Samsonite.

Most Emmy watchers agree that this Emmy race is a close one between Moss and Margulies, but an unlikely contender has a better than expected chance to upset, because "The Killing's" Mireille Enos submitted a strong two-hander of her own. In her episode, "Missing," the murder investigation around which the show revolves takes a back seat when her character must search for her missing son. The episode is dominated by her and her partner (Joel Kinnaman), and though her performance is largely subdued, she has a very emotional moment near the episode's end when she breaks down in tears at a crime scene while thinking her son has been killed.

Sizing up the other candidates in this category, it would be foolish to disregard Kathy Bates. The Oscar-winning actress is a widely respected leader in the acting community, and despite nine total Emmy nominations, she's never won TV's top prize. More important, she plays a lawyer on a David E. Kelley series, "Harry's Law," and Kelley has TV's best track record when it comes to winning awards for his actors. However, her episode submission lacks the kind of stirring speechifying that won James Spader three Emmys for "The Practice" and "Boston Legal." In "Innocent Man," her character, lawyer Harriet Korn, argues for the parole of a wrongly convicted inmate.

Do the broadcast networks' drama series direct themselves?

The domination by cable drama series over their broadcast network counterparts in recent years is nowhere more noticeable than in the Emmy category for drama directing.

This year marks the first time that all five nominees stem from cable shows: Two are for HBO's "Boardwalk Empire" ("Anastasia," directed by Jeremy Podeswa and the pilot helmed by Martin Scorsese). Also in the mix are the pilots of these three shows: Showtime's "The Borgias" (Neil Jordan), HBO's "Game of Thrones" (Tim Van Patten) and AMC's "The Killing" (Patty Jenkins).

Over the last 10 years, cable has made significant inroads as far as TV directors are concerned. Last year, 4 out of 5 nominees in the directing race were cable offerings, and over the course of the last decade, drama series from AMC, FX, HBO, Showtime and even Syfy wiped the floor with their broadcast rivals.

Broadcast TV certainly had a lot of strong contenders. "The Good Wife" — the only broadcast show nominated for outstanding drama series — was touted as a strong possibility for show runner Robert King, who won raves for directing the season finale, "Closing Arguments." Other contenders — like Tony Phelan for the buzzed-about "Grey's Anatomy" musical episode, "Song Beneath the Song"; Bill D'Elia for the pilot episode of "Harry's Law"; and segments of Fox's "House" and NBC's "Parenthood" — were in the hunt, but they were completely shut out in favor of lavish big-budget period pieces ("Boardwalk," "Borgias" and "Thrones") and moody, cutting-edge thrillers ("The Killing").

So, who is likely to take home the prize? The smart money is on Academy Award winner Martin Scorsese to triumph for bringing Prohibition-era Atlantic City to life in "Boardwalk Empire." Close behind as a possible spoiler: "Game of Thrones" pilot, directed by five-time Emmy nominee Tim Van Patten (for "The Sopranos"), who has yet to win.

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Photo: Julianna Margulies and Josh Charles in the "Closing Argument" episode of "The Good Wife," which was surprisingly not nominated for drama directing at the Emmys. Credit: CBS.

Julianna Margulies on 'Good Wife,' Emmys and 'insane' awards [video]

All Emmy eyes are on Julianna Margulies (“The Good Wife”) in the race for lead drama actress. Last year, after early victories at the Golden Globes and SAG Awards, she was a heavy favorite to win the Emmy next, but Kyra Sedgwick (“The Closer”) pulled off an upset. This time, Sedgwick isn’t nominated, but Margulies faces a tough challenge from Elisabeth Moss (“Mad Men”). Over at Gold Derby, most site users (56%) predict Margulies will prevail, but Moss leads among the site’s editors (55%) compared with 45% for Margulies.

Curiously, Margulies’ first encounter with the Emmy Award is what put her on the Hollywood map back in 1995 when she won best supporting actress in a drama series.

“When I won for ‘ER,’ I was a recurring” character, she recalls in our webcam chat. “I was the lowest paid on the totem pole. I was barely in the press the first year of ‘ER.’ I won the Emmy and it catapulted me to a point where I was finally acknowledged as a cast member. They had to make me a series regular. They had to up my payroll and take me a little more seriously.”

After that, Margulies lost six Emmy bouts, but now she’s a favorite of many prognosticators thanks to the strength of the episode she chose to submit to Emmy judges -- “In Sickness” –- in which she responds to the news that her husband once had an affair with her best friend. It includes a powerful scene where she must discuss the messy situation with her children, who are not completely sympathetic to her point of view.

“That episode was a real showcase for a lead actress because it was completely and wholly my story,” Margulies tells Awards Tracker. “In terms of dramatic, roller-coaster emotions, it was the best showcase I had for the entire year. The scene with the children … was one of the saddest scenes I’ve ever done.”

-- Tom O'Neil

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Photo: Julianna Margulies in "The Good Wife." Credit: CBS 

Emmys: Can 'Game of Thrones' or 'Friday Night Lights' win best drama? [Poll]

The Emmy race over best drama series is a real drama, pitting reigning champ "Mad Men" against "Boardwalk Empire," "Dexter," "Friday Night Lights," "Game of Thrones" and "The Good Wife."

After sweeping the category for three years in a row, "Mad Men" seems poised to win for a fourth consecutive time, just like "The West Wing" and "Hill Street Blues." ("L.A. Law" won four times too, but not consecutively.) Perhaps its strongest rival is "Boardwalk Empire," which won the Golden Globe and the Screen Actors Guild Award for ensemble drama. However, "Mad Men" and "Boardwalk Empire" aired in late 2010. Out of sight, out of mind?

Although "Game of Thrones" is certainly top of mind right now, based on its mega-buzz driven by fanboy obsession, it faces a tough time reigning on Emmy night: It probably skews too young for the old guys who rule the TV academy. And let's be honest: "Dexter" hasn't got a shot. If it couldn't win last year after its greatest, critically hailed season, it can't win for just a very good one since.

Possible spoilers may be CBS' "The Good Wife" and DirecTV/NBC's "Friday Night Lights" –- the former a broadcast-network show and the latter a program that began its life as one. Remember, most of the 16,000 members of the TV academy work in the broadcast-TV business. One of their shows hasn't won for drama series since "24" (2006). "The Good Wife" is relatively new and sexy, and it has another thing going for it: It's a legal drama like past champs "L.A. Law," "The Practice" and, heck, even "The Defenders" back in the 1960s. It could very well pull off an upset.

But watch out for "Friday Night Lights," which could very well catch a Hail Mary pass and go for a surprise touchdown. In Hollywood, there's enormous love for that program beloved by TV critics but overlooked by Emmy voters in this race up until now. Yes, the show is canceled, but that may not matter. Over in the comedy category, let's not forget that "Barney Miller" got the last laugh after it was off the air. Yes, "Friday Night Lights" didn't have amazing ratings, but neither did "Arrested Development" when it won for comedy series. It had the Cool Factor –- just like "Friday Night Lights."

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-- Tom O'Neil

Left photo: A scene from "Game of Thrones." Credit: HBO

Right photo: Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton in "Friday Night Lights." Credit: DirecTV, NBC

6 episodes 'The Good Wife' considers Emmy-worthy

Emmy Awards voters have always been kind to legal shows, probably because they offer grandstanding courtroom performances and ripped-from-the-headlines stories. Legal winners in the drama series category over the years have included "The Practice" (1998, 1999), "Law and Order" (1997), "L.A. Law" (1987, 1989, 1990, 1991) and "The Defenders" (1962, 1963, 1964).

After its first season last year, the Chicago-based law drama "The Good Wife" scored nominations for drama series, lead actress (Julianna Margulies), supporting actress (Christine Baranski, Archie Panjabi), writers (Robert and Michelle King for the pilot episode) and guest stars (Dylan Baker and Alan Cumming). Panjabi won. Except for Baker, all of those contenders are back to try again, although Cumming is switching from the guest to the supporting slot. Other "Good Wife" contenders in supporting: Josh Charles, Matt Czuchry and Chris Noth. Five-time Emmy winner Michael J. Fox competes in the guest category.

Below are the six episodes that will be submitted to Emmy judges if "The Good Wife" is nominated again for drama series. Take special note that producers did not choose the mega-buzzed season finale, "Closing Arguments," in which Alicia Florrick (Margulies) and Will Gardner (Charles) finally hook up after flirting for many weeks.
 

The actors' Emmy episode submissions: What we know so far

The Emmy nominations won't be announced until July 14, but many acting contenders are already weighing which sample episodes they should submit to judges if they score a bid. Below is a compilation of what we know about their leanings so far, but the decisions are not final. This information has been gathered from the stars' publicists, our interviews with contenders and various Internet sources. Nothing is final until specific episodes are submitted officially to Emmy jurors.

Among the drama contenders, "Mad Men" might finally win an acting trophy (or two) thanks to Jon Hamm and Elisabeth Moss submitting "The Suitcase," which feels like a two-person play packed with drunken confessions. Speaking of boozing, two-time past Emmy champ William H. Macy gets big, grandstanding scenes in the season finale of "Shameless" when he must atone for his drunken behavior.

In her showcase episode of "Sons of Anarchy," Katey Sagal appears tough and tender as she reunites with her father (Hal Holbrook), who suffers from dementia. Timothy Olyphant ("Justified") is considering one of two final episodes of a season filled with great action scenes, murders and a suicide.

Emmy contenders: Behind the scenes of 'The Good Wife' with Christine Baranski and Alan Cumming

This post has been corrected. See the note at the bottom for details.

 
Today, Awards Tracker checks in with CBS' "The Good Wife," the series in which Julianna Margulies plays Alicia Florrick, a woman who returns to the law career she abandoned after her politician husband is jailed in a scandal. She joins the firm run by her former classmate Will Gardner (Josh Charles) and his partner Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski). She befriends the elusive investigator Kalinda Sharma (Archie Panjabi) and squares off against opposing lawyer Cary Agos (Matt Czuchry). Released from prison, Peter Florrick (Chris Noth) takes another run for office with the help of his obnoxious campaign manager, Eli Gold (Alan Cumming).

Here, Christine Baranski and Alan Cumming share their thoughts.

What has been your favorite scene to shoot so far?
Baranski: Dancing with Will after we win back the firm.

Cumming: I have enjoyed dropping my trousers and demanding whomever to kiss my …. It's not exhibitionism on my part, honestly. I just think it is great to be embodying a person who at that moment is so completely impervious and immune to all the social rules and mores, and is just behaving in a really base, instinctual way. It’s very liberating for both of us.

What is your favorite off-camera moment on set?
Baranski: Making Josh laugh when I rap.

Cumming: I love seeing the girls rehearse with their curlers in and their Uggs on. It makes me laugh every time. And I love making my behind-the-scenes videos for the CBS website and turning the tables on the crew.

In what way do you hope your character grows?
Baranski: Taller and slimmer and younger.

Cumming: I would like to continue to get more of a glimpse into his personal life. The great thing about him is that he keeps surprising us, and by “us” I mean the audience and me. He has a lot of foibles and a lot of baggage and he is very complex, so I hope I am allowed to keep delving deeper to find out more about him. I also hope we get to see him play the piano, as Chris Noth’s character mentioned he was a concert pianist in the first episode we saw him!

Tell us something about one of your cast mates that most people don't know.
Baranski: Archie is a pussycat.

Cumming: They are all fantastic kissers.

What's your favorite legal or political drama of the past and why?
Baranki: "Law and Order." Early years.

Cumming: There was a series on the BBC in the early ’90s called "House of Cards" that starred Ian Richardson as a Machiavellian politico in Westminster that was absolutely brutal and funny and gasp-inducing. I loved it because the themes were very grand and Shakespearian and yet at the same time it was set in the now. Ring any bells?

[For the record, 11:16 a.m. June 15: A previous version of this post referred to Josh Charles as John Charles.]

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--Elena Howe

Top photo: America Ferrera, left, with Christine baranski on "The Good Wife." Credit: John Paul Filo / CBS

Photo of Alan Cumming by Jeffrey Neir / CBS

Emmy contenders: Behind the scenes of 'The Good Wife' with Archie Panjabi and Matt Czuchry

This post has been corrected. See the note at the bottom for details.

 
Today, Awards Tracker checks in with CBS' "The Good Wife," in which Julianna Margulies plays Alicia Florrick, a woman who returns to the law career she abandoned after her politician husband is jailed in a scandal. She joins the firm run by her former classmate Will Gardner (Josh Charles) and his partner Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski). She befriends the elusive investigator Kalinda Sharma (Archie Panjabi) and squares off against opposing lawyer Cary Agos (Matt Czuchry). Released from prison, Peter Florrick (Chris Noth) takes another run for office with the help of his obnoxious campaign manager, Eli Gold (Alan Cumming).

Here, Panjabi and Czuchry offer their insights.

What has been your favorite scene to shoot so far?
Panjabi: “The scene in which Kalinda bashes the car with a baseball bat! I had so much fun with that!

Czuchry: Oftentimes, Cary and Alicia are at each other’s throats. So, I love the scene towards the end of Season 2 where they are on the phone together discussing a case; and then suddenly, the scene turns into a gentle moment between the two of them where they ask how the other is doing in their personal lives.

What is your favorite off-camera moment on set?
Panjabi: I attended the Artist in Residence program at Harvard University and at the end they presented me with a signed Harvard baseball bat!”

Czuchry: When Archie Panjabi won the Emmy.

In what way do you hope your character grows?
Panjabi: It would be fun to peel off a few more layers of Kalinda so as to get a deeper insight into her backstory.

Czuchry: I would love for the audience to have a new window into who Cary is through the lens of his personal and family relationships outside of work.

Tell us something about one of your cast mates that most people don't know.
Panjabi: Matt Czuchry is the first person from East Tennessee to ever win the Tennessee State singles tennis championship.

Czuchry: It can’t be said enough: Christine Baranski has an absolutely beautiful singing voice. Hearing it boom in between scenes is quite special.

What's your favorite legal or political drama of the past and why?
Czuchry: "Damages." I love how all of the characters are interwoven in such beautiful ways, which forces the audience to re-evaluate what is truly right and wrong.

[For the record, 11:18 a.m. June 15: A previous version of this post referred to Josh Charles as John Charles.]

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--Elena Howe

Photo at top: Julianna Margulies, left, and Archie Panjabi in "The Good Wife." Credit: John Paul Filo/CBS

Photo of Matt Czuchry by David M. Russell / CBS

Emmy contenders: Behind the scenes with 'The Good Wife's Josh Charles

This post has been corrected. See the note at the bottom for details.

 
Upon occasion, we here at Awards Tracker will check in with a show’s cast members to get their responses to some random questions. Today we spotlight CBS' "The Good Wife," in which Julianna Margulies plays Alicia Florrick, a woman who returns to the law career she abandoned after her politician husband is jailed in a scandal. She joins the firm run by her former classmate Will Gardner (Josh Charles) and his partner Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski). She befriends the elusive investigator Kalinda Sharma (Archie Panjabi) and squares off against opposing lawyer Cary Agos (Matt Czuchry). Released from prison, Peter Florrick (Chris Noth) takes another run for office with the help of his obnoxious campaign manager, Eli Gold (Alan Cumming).

Here, Charles offers his insights into the "Good Wife" set and his castmates.

What has been your favorite scene to shoot so far?
I love doing scenes when we are in the judges’ chambers. Getting to do scenes with Denis O’Hare, Linda Emond and Jane Alexander is really a joy. While researching the role, I found it fascinating to hear how differently lawyers and judges behave when they are behind closed doors and I think our writers do a wonderful job of showing that dynamic. I always enjoy any scenes with Julianna, but the scenes in the finale were really special to film.

What is your favorite off-camera moment on set?
When we all get the giggles and feel like naughty school kids while the crew patiently waits for us to get it out of our system. When F. Murray Abraham was with us, he told dirty jokes in between takes and kept us in stitches. I’m as bad as anyone: Around Halloween, I walked into a scene between Christine Baranski and Michael Boatman wearing a full Baltimore Ravens football uniform (with pads). Their reaction was priceless.

In what way do you hope your character grows?
Oftentimes, TV lawyers are portrayed as moral angels — always trying to do the right thing and sweating over the details. Will isn’t like that. He wants to win, he’s passionate about his clients, and he has shown that he is willing to do just about anything to win — from dumping a gun to going after a judge. At the same time, though, he’s been struggling in his personal relationships. I hope that we get to see Will pay a price for his choices — something that hits him hard and rocks his approach to the law or to his relationships. Clearly, Will’s sexual relationship with Alicia will change things and it will be interesting to see how Alicia’s relationships and passions impact Will. I also hope that as we uncover Will’s past, it will shed some more light on why he behaves the way he does.

Tell us something about one of your cast mates that most people don't know.
Well, Christine Baranski is a huge sports fan and loves the Red Sox and Patriots (as well as the Bills, since she is from Buffalo.) Also, Matt Czuchry is one of the best pingpong players I’ve ever seen.

What's your favorite legal or political drama of the past and why?
I’d have to go with "The Wire." True, it’s not a legal drama but the show was one of the most poignant indictments of city politics to ever hit the air. It doesn’t make a difference what season you watch: Each one stands as some of the best political TV ever.

[For the record, 11:20 a.m. June 15: A previous version of this post referred to Josh Charles as John Charles.]

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--Elena Howe

Photos: Julianna Margulies and Josh Charles in "The Good Wife." Credit: David M. Russell / CBS