Hi everyone! This week is a special week long Emmy coverage here at Tit for Tat! Before Mindy Kaling and Carson Daly announce the official 66th Emmy nominees on Thursday, I’ll be doing a four-parter prediction post to cover who I think will be nominated in 30 different categories. And like in the past three years, we’ll begin with the Reality and Variety categories.

OUTSTANDING REALITY/COMPETITION SERIES:

• The Amazing Race (CBS)
• Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
• Project Runway (Lifetime)
• Survivor (CBS)
• Top Chef (Bravo)
• The Voice (NBC)

Seventh nominee: So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)

This category rarely does some major shake up if history is to be looked at. The Amazing Race has consistently been nominated since the inception of the award and has a perfect track record of 11 nominations by far. Project Runway meanwhile has been nominated 9 times, Dancing with the Stars got in eight times, while one time winner Top Chef  has stayed in this category for the past seven years. Thus, it’s easy to assume all will be getting in easily again. And then there’s current champion The Voice. With no other singing competition in the mix right now (Idol hew?), it’ll easily grab a spot as well and try to be the other multiple winning show here. Now as for the last spot, I’d say it’s between Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance and Survivor from CBS. SYTYCD has been nommed here for the last three years and it makes sense that we’ll have the same line up again considering how barren this category is, but Survivor has achieved a creative resurgence in terms of critical and commercial aspects that I think this once 4x nominee will make a comeback since it last got in back in 2006.

OUTSTANDING REALITY/COMPETITION HOST:

• Tom Bergeron, “Dancing with the Stars”
• Anthony Bourdain, “The Taste”
• Carson Daly, “The Voice“
• Cat Deeley, “So You Think You Can Dance”
• Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn, “Project Runway”
• Jane Lynch, “Hollywood Game Night”

Seventh nominee: Phil Keoghan, “The Amazing Race”

Despite six slots in contention this year, this still feels like a very crowded race. Probably it’s because they combined reality show with reality competition hosts in here. Let’s start with the last two champs in this category: 2011 winner Tom Bergeron and last year’s pair of winners, Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn. With both their shows still showing signs of strength in the Reality/Competition category, I think they are shoo-ins thus far. Cat Deeley seems like another good bet, though I won’t be surprised if both she and her show would miss this year. Then there’s also Anthony Bourdain from The Taste. After getting the surprise nod last year, I think he’ll be a consecutive nominee for it. And while it’s no sure thing, I’ve quite grown confidence with Carson Daly because one, he’s the host of the current Reality/Competition winner. Second, he will be doing the Emmy nomination announcement and more often than not, it bodes well to one of the two announcers. Lastly, I’m predicting Jane Lynch to cross over with a nod here. After her last year’s surprise comeback in Comedy Supporting Actress, it’s clear she has her fans within the voting bloc. I think that will translate to a support here just like how Betty White got in here after being shafted in the acting races.

OUTSTANDING VARIETY SERIES

• The Colbert Report (Comedy Central)
• The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central)
• Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC)
• Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)
• Saturday Night Live (NBC)
• The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (NBC)

Seventh nominee:  Late Show with David Letterman (CBS)

There’s a huge chance we’d be getting the same line up as from last year. The only possible factor I can see making waves is if David Letterman’s retirement. And that’s a real possibility. But for now, don’t fix if it ain’t broken – when predicting at least.

REALITY PROGRAM

• Antiques Roadshow (PBS)
• Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives (Food Network)
• Mythbusters (Discovery Channel)
• Shark Tank (ABC)
• Undercover Boss(CBS)
• Who Do You Think You Are? (NBC)

This category is very much confusing in terms of possible nominees since some winners suddenly get left out the following year. That said, I’m sticking with the same line up form last year except for the ineligible Deadliest Catch. In its place, I’m going with the NBC celebrity story Who Do You Think You Are? which was nominated also back in 2012.

There you have it! 🙂 Tomorrow, I’ll be going on the eight categories in the longform section (TV Movie, Miniseries, four acting categories, Writing and Directing). Do not hesitate to write your predictions in the Comments section as well.

And by the way, you can follow me on Twitter: @nikowl

Hey everybody! How are you all doing? It’s time again to reward the best of the best in the small screen, as the Emmy nomination announcement take place five days from now. Come July 18, House of Cards‘ Kate Mara and 2x Emmy winner Aaron Paul of breaking Bad will have the honors of unveiling this year’s nominees. Last year was really a sucky year for me in terms of my nominee prediction results, so I don’t know what’s in store for me this year. My prediction for the predictions will, once again, be divided into four parts: reality and variety, TV movie and miniseries, comedy, and drama. For now, let’s begin with reality and variety.

OUTSTANDING REALITY/COMPETITION SERIES:

 

• The Amazing Race (CBS)
• Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
• Project Runway (Lifetime)
• So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)
• Top Chef (Bravo)
• The Voice (NBC)

Seventh nominee: Survivor (CBS)

There’s a big chance that we’ll be getting the same set of nominees as last year in this category. 9x winner The Amazing Race is still safe for another nom (and perhaps a win too). The same can be said for the only other winner in this category, Top Chef, perennial nominees Dancing with the Stars and Project Runway. Nigel Lythgoe’s American Idol seems settled on being not nominated again, but worry not as his So You Think You Can Dance can easily reap a thrid consecutive nom. The Voice, which is the biggest singing show in TV nowadays, is also poised to receive another nod and even a bid for the win. If any of these choices falter, then maybe another Mark Burnett show can sneak in, as Survivor is a past nominee in this category too.

OUTSTANDING REALITY/COMPETITION HOST:

 

• Carson Daly, “The Voice”
• Tom Bergeron, “Dancing with the Stars”
• Cat Deeley, “So You Think You Can Dance”
• Phil Keoghan, “The Amazing Race”
• Ryan Seacrest, “American Idol”

Sixth nominee: Betty White, “Betty White: Off the Rockers”

Current winner Tom Bergeron, Cat Deeley, and Phil Keoghan are all safe for the nomination now. American Idol might have fallen off the ATAS’ radar, but Ryan Seacrest is still a big TV personality, and I can still see him sticking in for another nomination, at least this year. As for the last spot, I won’t be shocked if it goes to Betty White. After all, Betty White is still a household name that they can easily check, or to Jeff Probst after snubbing him last year. However, I’m going with Carson Daly. While the coaches grab the buzz in the show, I’m expecting an increase in nomination for The Voice, and it might carry Carson Daly to a nod.

OUTSTANDING VARIETY SERIES

• The Colbert Report (Comedy Central)
• The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central)
• Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC)
• Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (NBC)
• Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)
• Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Seventh nominee:  Conan (TBS)

I’ve learned my lesson. Never ever predict a Real Time with Bill Maher snub until it actually happens. Until then, sorry Conan, you have to sit this one out.

OUTSTANDING VARIETY SPECIAL

 

• Betty White’s Second Annual 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America’s Golden Girl (NBC)
• Kathy Griffin: Kennedie Center On-Hers (Bravo)
• Kennedy Center Honors (CBS)
• Louis CK: Oh My God (HBO)
• Rod Stewart: Merry Christmas, Baby (Great Performances) (PBS)

I just patterned this year’s batch of nominees from last year. You know they’ll reward Betty White somewhere, and this might be it. Kathy Griffin is a staple here, as well as the Kennedy Center Honors. Louis CK has been an Emmy darling the past few years, and you know they’ll find this way to nominate him some more. For the last spot, I’m predicting one of PBS” Great Performances this year, though a Mel Brooks nomination is also expected if one of them falters.

That’s it! First batch of predictions over. Next part will consist of the TV movie and miniseries categories. You can also write your predictions in the Comments section. 🙂

As always, you can follow me on Twitter: @nikowl