The 71st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will be handed out this evening, honoring the best in television from the 2018-2019 season.

HBO is hoping to capitalize on industry goodwill for the final seasons of two Emmy darlings in “Game of Thrones” and “Veep”, though it’s the Emmys - so anything’s possible! Taking a cue from this year’s Oscars ceremony, the show will have no official host and will air live on FOX beginning at 8pm ET. My full predictions are below…

Outstanding Drama Series
"Better Call Saul" (AMC)
"Bodyguard" (Netflix)
√ ”Game of Thrones” (HBO)
"Killing Eve" (BBC America)
"Ozark" (Netflix)
”Pose” (FX)
”Succession” (HBO)
"This Is Us" (NBC)

Despite fan and critical backlash for a final season that maybe wasn’t up to par with the rest of the series, “Game of Thrones” should take this with ease, marking its fourth victory in this top category.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Emilia Clarke, "Game of Thrones"
Jodie Comer, “Killing Eve”
Viola Davis, "How to Get Away With Murder"
Laura Linney, “Ozark”
Mandy Moore, “This Is Us”
√ Sandra Oh, “Killing Eve”
Robin Wright, “House of Cards”

Oh has strong competition from costar Comer, possibly resulting in vote-splitting and paving the way for an Emilia Clarke victory - especially if “Game of Thrones” sweeps. Never count out Laura Linney at the Emmys though…

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Jason Bateman, "Ozark"
Sterling K. Brown, "This Is Us"
Kit Harington, “Game of Thrones”
Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul”
√ Billy Porter, “Pose”
Milo Ventimiglia, "This Is Us"

Odenkirk has yet to win here and Bateman won the SAG earlier this year, but current awards heat points to a Billy Porter victory.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Gwendoline Christie, “Game of Thrones”
Julia Garner, “Ozark”
Lena Headey, "Game of Thrones"
Fiona Shaw, “Killing Eve”
Sophie Turner, “Game of Thrones”
√ Maisie Williams, “Game of Thrones”

More than likely the “Game of Thrones” actresses siphon support from each other and Julia Garner emerges the winner, but my heart is leaning towards a Maisie Williams win (even if it’s criminal that Lena Headey never won an Emmy for her work as Cersei).

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Alfie Allen, “Game of Thrones”
Jonathan Banks, “Better Call Saul”
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, "Game of Thrones"
√ Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones"
Giancarlo Esposito, “Better Call Saul”
Michael Kelly, “House of Cards”
Chris Sullivan, “This Is Us”

The Emmys can occasionally be unpredictable with their selections, but just as often they tend to stick to what’s familiar, so I can easily see Dinklage (the only GoT actor to win an Emmy thus far) cruising to a fourth win here.

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
"Game of Thrones" — "The Iron Throne" (David Benioff & D.B. Weiss)
"Game of Thrones" — "The Last of the Starks" (David Nutter)
√ "Game of Thrones" — "The Long Night" (Miguel Sapochnik)
"The Handmaid's Tale" — "Holly" (Daina Reid)
"Killing Eve" — "Desperate Times" (Lisa Brühlmann)
”Ozark” — “Reparations” (Jason Bateman)
"Succession" — "Celebration" (Adam McKay)

Though many viewers complained the episode was too dark, “The Long Night” provided all the spectacle and logistical difficulty voters like to award in Directing.

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
"Better Call Saul" -- "Winner" (Peter Gould & Thomas Schnauz)
"Bodyguard" -- "Episode 1" (Jed Mercurio)
"Game of Thrones" -- "The Iron Throne" (David Benioff and D.B. Weiss)
"The Handmaid's Tale" -- "Holly" (Bruce Miller & Kira Snyder)
√ "Killing Eve" -- "Nice And Neat" (Emerald Fennell)
"Succession" -- "Nobody Is Ever Missing" (Jesse Armstrong)

Because “Game of Thrones” won’t win everything (and the writing was not the show’s strongest at the end), I’d say “Killing Eve” has the edge in this race.

Outstanding Comedy Series
”Barry” (HBO)
"Fleabag" (Amazon)
”The Good Place” (NBC)
”The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Amazon)
”Russian Doll” (Netflix)
"Schitt’s Creek” (Pop TV)
√ ”Veep” (HBO)

One of the closest races of the evening, as returning champs “Veep” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” hope to fend off critical darling “Fleabag”. Just as HBO will take Drama Series for the final season of a beloved show, I’ll stick with three-time champ “Veep” to prevail one last time.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Christina Applegate, “Dead to Me”
Rachel Brosnahan, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel"
√ Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep”
Natasha Lyonne, “Russian Doll”
Catherine O’Hara, “Schitt’s Creek”
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, “Fleabag”

Waller-Bridge is looming, and last year’s winner Brosnahan can’t be counted out, but the safe money is on Emmy Queen Julia Louis-Dreyfus to make it a perfect 7/7 in this category for this role with a win here (and in the process breaking the record for most Primetime Emmy awards for a performer - a distinction she currently holds alongside Cloris Leachman).

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson, “black-ish”
Don Cheadle, “Black Monday”
Ted Danson, "The Good Place"
Michael Douglas, “The Kominsky Method”
√ Bill Hader, “Barry”
Eugene Levy, “Schitt’s Creek”

Voters really went for season 2 of “Barry” in a major way, making Hader’s chances to repeat here even stronger - though veteran Danson or Globe winner Douglas might surprise.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Alex Borstein, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel"
√ Anna Chlumsky, “Veep”
Sian Clifford, “Fleabag”
Olivia Colman, “Fleabag”
Betty Gilpin, “GLOW”
Sarah Goldberg, “Barry”
Marin Hinkle, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
Kate McKinnon, "Saturday Night Live"

It’s often smart to predict the previous year’s champion, especially in a crowded field, so that would favor Borstein, though she may have added competition from her own show as Hinkle is even better on “Maisel.” Olivia Colman, fresh off an upset Best Actress Oscar, might capitalize on her awards buzz, though I’m very hesitantly sensing voters might hand the overdue Chlumsky a statue for “Veep”’s last season. Though this category is an embarrassment of riches, I’m personally rooting for a Gilpin or Goldberg surprise.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Alan Arkin, “The Kominsky Method”
Anthony Carrigan, “Barry”
√ Tony Hale, “Veep”
Stephen Root, “Barry”
Tony Shalhoub, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel"
Henry Winkler, “Barry”

I suspect the "Barry” gents might cannibalize each other’s support (though a second consecutive Emmy for Winkler wouldn’t shock), and though Arkin and Shalhoub especially seem like good bets, I’m sticking with Hale to take a third trophy.

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
"Barry" — "The Audition" (Alec Berg)
√ ”Barry” — “ronny/lily” (Bill Hader)
"The Big Bang Theory" — "The Stockholm Syndrome" (Mark Cendrowski)
"Fleabag" — "Episode 1" (Harry Bradbeer)
"The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" — "All Alone" (Amy Sherman-Palladino)
"The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" — "We’re Going to the Catskills!" (Daniel Palladino)

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
"Barry" — "ronny/lily" (Alec Berg and Bill Hader)
"Fleabag" — "Episode 1" (Phoebe Waller-Bridge)
”The Good Place” — “Janet(s)” (Josh Siegal & Dylan Morgan)
”PEN15” — “Anna Ishii-Peters” (Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle, & Stacy Osei-Kuffour)
”Russian Doll” — “Nothing in This World is Easy” (Leslye Headland, Natasha Lyonne, & Amy Poehler)
”Russian Doll” — “A Warm Body” (Allison Silverman)
√ "Veep" — "Veep" (David Mandel)

Smart money says this is where voters award Waller-Bridge with a “Fleabag” win, though I’m conservatively guessing voter nostalgia gives “GoT” and “Veep” all the Emmys they can get.

Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
"The Amazing Race" (CBS)
"American Ninja Warrior" (NBC)
"Nailed It!" (Netflix)
√ "RuPaul's Drag Race" (VH1)
"Top Chef" (Bravo)
"The Voice" (NBC)

Outstanding Variety Talk Series
"The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” (Comedy Central)
"Full Frontal with Samantha Bee" (TBS)
"Jimmy Kimmel Live!" (ABC)
√ "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" (HBO)
”The Late Late Show with James Corden” (CBS)
"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" (CBS)

Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
"At Home with Amy Sedaris" (truTV)
”Documentary Now!” (IFC)
"Drunk History" (Comedy Central)
"I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman" (Hulu)
√ "Saturday Night Live" (NBC)
"Who Is America?" (Showtime)

Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series
"Documentary Now!" — “Waiting for the Artist” (Alex Buono & Rhys Thomas)
"Drunk History" — “Are You Afraid of the Drunk?” (Derek Waters)
"Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" — “Psychics” (Paul Pennolino)
”The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” — “Live Midterm Election Show” (Jim Hoskinson)
√ "Saturday Night Live" — “Host: Adam Sandler” (Don Roy King)
"Who Is America?" — “Episode 102” (Sacha Baron Cohen, Nathan Fielder, Daniel Gray Longino, & Dan Mazer)

Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
"Documentary Now!" (IFC)
”Full Frontal with Samantha Bee" (TBS)
√ "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" (HBO)
”Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC)
"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" (CBS)
"Saturday Night Live" (NBC)

Outstanding Limited Series
"Chernobyl" (HBO)
"Escape at Dannemora" (Showtime)
"Fosse/Verdon" (FX)
"Sharp Objects" (HBO)
√ "When They See Us" (Netflix)

“Chernobyl” vs. “When They See Us” will likely come down to the wire, but I think Ava DuVernay’s Netflix powerhouse has the edge.

Outstanding Television Movie
”Bandersnatch (Black Mirror)” (Netflix)
”Brexit” (HBO)
√ ”Deadwood: The Movie” (HBO)
”King Lear” (Amazon)
”My Dinner With Hervé” (HBO)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Amy Adams, “Sharp Objects”
Patricia Arquette, “Escape at Dannemora”
Aunjanue Ellis, “When They See Us”
Joey King, “The Act”
Niecy Nash, “When They See Us”
√ Michelle Williams, “Fosse/Verdon”

It’s truly a crime how stacked this category is and to know that there can only be one winner. With apologies to Amy Adams and Patricia Arquette (both reaching new career heights), it looks like Michelle Williams will net her first Emmy with a narrow victory here.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Mahershala Ali, “True Detective”
Benicio del Toro, “Escape at Dannemora”
√ Hugh Grant, “A Very English Scandal”
Jared Harris, “Chernobyl”
Jharrel Jerome, “When They See Us”
Sam Rockwell, “Fosse/Verdon”

Though the “Chernobyl” vs. “When They See Us” competition likely extends to this category and either Harris or Jerome seem like the frontrunner, I’m stubbornly thinking the under-rewarded Hugh Grant sneaks in and upsets.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Patricia Arquette, “The Act”
Marsha Stephanie Blake, “When They See Us”
√ Patricia Clarkson, “Sharp Objects”
Vera Farmiga, “When They See Us”
Margaret Qualley, “Fosse/Verdon”
Emily Watson, “Chernobyl”

In The Battle of the Patricias, I’ll side with Clarkson over Arquette.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Asante Blackk, “When They See Us”
Paul Dano, “Escape at Dannemora”
John Leguizamo, “When They See Us”
Stellan Skarsgård, “Chernobyl”
√ Ben Whishaw, “A Very English Scandal”
Michael K. Williams, “When They See Us”

Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special
”Chernobyl” (Johan Renck)
”Escape at Dannemora” (Ben Stiller)
”Fosse/Verdon” — “Glory” (Jessica Yu)
”Fosse/Verdon” — “Who’s Got the Pain” (Thomas Kail)
”A Very English Scandal” (Stephen Frears)
√ ”When They See Us” (Ava DuVernay)

Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special
”Chernobyl” (Craig Mazin)
”Escape at Dannemora” — “Episode 6” (Brett Johnson, Jerry Stahl, & Michael Tolkin)
”Escape at Dannemora” — “Episode 7” (Brett Johnson & Michael Tolkin)
”Fosse/Verdon” — “Providence” (Steven Levenson & Joel Fields)
”A Very English Scandal” (Russell T. Davies)
√ ”When They See Us” — “Part Four” (Ava DuVernay & Michael Starrbury)