Emmy Award's Drama Series Submissions (2011-2012)

I posted the Comedy Series submissions over a week ago, but the drama categories have not fully released their episodes.  I am tired on waiting to hear what Mad Men has submitted in the Drama series category, so here I go with my thoughts/predictions at this moment.

Best Drama Series

BOARDWALK EMPIRE * Season 2 * HBO  
Tape A: "21" & "Ourselves Alone"
Tape B: "Peg of Old" & "Two Boats and a Lifeguard"
Tape C: "Under God's Power She Flourishes" & "To the Lost"

BREAKING BAD * Season 4 * AMC
Tape A: "Box Cutter" & "Salud"
Tape B: "Problem Dog" & "Crawl Space"
Tape C: "End Times" & "Face Off"

DOWNTON ABBEY * Season 2 * PBS
Tape A: "Episode 1"
Tape B: "Episode 6"
Tape C: "Episode 7"

GAME OF THRONES * Season 2 * HBO
Tape A: "What is Dead May Never Die" & "Garden of Bones"
Tape B: "The Old Gods and the New" & "A Man Without Honor"
Tape C: "Blackwater" & "Valar Morghulis"

HOMELAND * Season 1 * SHOWTIME
Tape A: "Pilot" & "Grace"
Tape B: "The Good Soldier" & "The Weekend"
Tape C: "Marine One"

MAD MEN * Season 5 * AMC 
Tape A: "Signal 30" & "Far Away Places"
Tape B: "At the Codfish Ball" & "The Other Woman"
Tape C: "Commissions and Fees" & "The Phantom"

I grew tired of waiting for Mad Men's tape submissions, but this four time winner is in the game no matter what they submit.  While I agree Mad Men is the most accessible of the shows  I do not think it will become the most winning show of all time after an underwhelming season.  Breaking Bad is currently airing, and the episodes are on fire, Mad Men used to have this during the Emmy voting, and it help them incredibly.  I think Breaking Bad or Downton will take the crown.  Downton is an an incredibly impressive show, and feels so important, the same way Mad Men does.  This is a tight three way.
UPDATE: Mad Men submitted incredibly well!!  They truly have a great shot at breaking the record and winning their fifth trophy in this category.

1-Downton Abbey
2-Mad Men
3-Breaking Bad
4-Homeland
5-Boardwalk Empire
6-Game of Thrones

BEST DRAMA ACTOR: 
Hugh Bonneville - Downton Abbey ("Episode 7")
Steve Buscemi - Boardwalk Empire ("Two Boats and a Lifeguard")
Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad ("Crawl Space")
Michael C. Hall - Dexter ("Nebraska")
Jon Hamm - Mad Men ("The Other Woman")
Damian Lewis - Homeland ("Marine One")

Cranston for the fourpeat with a great episode, and no Kelsey Grammer I think he has this one locked up again.  Damien Lewis could be a spoiler; he has a great tape, and could carry the popularity of one of the few shows in their first year to be successful.  The rest of the men have outside shots, last year's winner Kyle Chandler was a shock, although his tape was great and won the writing award. Everyone but Hall has a shot because he submitted the worst episode of Dexter EVER!

1-Bryan Cranston
2-Damien Lewis
3-Steve Buscemi
4-John Hamm
5-Hugh Bonneville
6-Michael C. Hall

BEST DRAMA ACTRESS:
Kathy Bates - Harry's Law ("Onward and Upward")
Glenn Close - Damages ("I've Done Way Too Much For This Girl")
Claire Danes - Homeland ("The Vest")
Michelle Dockery - Downton Abbey ("Episode 7")
Julianna Margulies - The Good Wife ("Parenting Made Easy")
Elisabeth Moss - Mad Men ("The Other Woman")

I think Danes submission is a weak one, and she has always been the favorite to win this award this past year, in my opinion.  Look out for David E. Kelley's Emmy machine to potentially steal Kathy Bates her first ever Emmy.  Kelley produces Emmy magic for his stars, but her show was cancelled, which can work against her.  The only other threat to Danes is Marguilles, but this is not her year.

1-Claire Danes
2-Kathy Bates
3-Julianne Marguilles
4-Glen Close-Damages
5-Elisabeth Moss
6-Michelle Dockery

BEST DRAMA SUPPORTING ACTOR:
Jim Carter - Downton Abbey ("Episode 2")
Brendan Coyle - Downton Abbey ("Episode 7")
Peter Dinklage - Game of Thrones ("Blackwater")
Giancarlo Esposito - Breaking Bad ("Hermanos")
Jared Harris - Mad Men ("Commissions and Fees")
Aaron Paul - Breaking Bad ("End Times")

A fight between the Breaking Bad guys and Jared Harris.  Of the tapes I would say Aaron Paul has the best tape, one interesting statistic stands in his way, no person has repeated a win in this category in 16 years!  Do the voters know this, probably not as well award show gurus.  Esposito was the talk of the season and he has a great tape as well, so I think he has a better shot than Paul, but there is one other factor, Jared Harris.  Harris is a first time nominee for the show, and has a much better story line than John Slattery ever had.  It would be ironic if Harris were the shows first win because he is no longer with the show.  

1-Giancarlo Esposito
2-Jared Harris
3-Aaron Paul
4-Brendan Coyle
5-Peter Dinklage
6-Jim Carter

BEST DRAMA SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
Christine Baranski - The Good Wife ("Alienation of Affection")
Joanne Froggatt - Downton Abbey ("Episode 7")
Anna Gunn - Breaking Bad ("Cornered")
Christina Hendricks - Mad Men ("The Other Woman")
Archie Panjabi - The Good Wife ("The Dream Team")
Maggie Smith - Downton Abbey ("Episode 1")

After watching the tapes (which help) look at Margo Martindale's win this race is down to two women.  Joanne Froggatt, and Christina Hendricks.  Factor in the other anomalies of this category like Blythe Danner winning two years in a row, and Diane Wiest winning, and you have to throw in Maggie Smith, and Christine Baranski.  How do the dice shake up?  Will Hendricks score Mad Men's first win?  This is one of the tougher categories on the drama side to predict, with so many variant factors.  Smith is great, and she did win last year I could see this counting against her; she also never shows up, which does not effect things most of the time, but watching Froggatt's excitment she will be campaigning. Hendricks has one of the best tapes she has ever had.  Right now my gut and heart is going with Hendricks, but Froggatt and Smith (by name) are nipping at her heals.

1-Christina Hendricks
2-Joannne Froggatt
3-Maggie Smith
4-Christine Baranski
5-Anna Gunn
6-Archie Panjabi

BEST DRAMA GUEST ACTOR:
Dylan Baker - The Good Wife ("Marthas and Caitlins")
Jeremy Davies - Justified ("Coalition")
Ben Feldman - Mad Men ("Dark Shadows")
Michael J. Fox - The Good Wife ("Parenting Made Easy")
Mark Margolis - Breaking Bad ("Face Off")
Jason Ritter - Parenthood ("Politics")

The Good Wife men will square off in the battle of who will win this award, my money is on Michael J. Fox, I think he will win here (Fallon in Guest Comedy).  Look out for Dylan Baker he is nipping on his heals, and Mark Margolis could be a spoiler.

Prediction: Michael J. Fox-The Good Wife

BEST DRAMA GUEST ACTRESS:
Joan Cusack - Shameless ("Can I Have a Mother")
Loretta Devine - Grey's Anatomy ("If Only You Were Lonely")
Julia Ormond - Mad Men ("The Phantom")
Martha Plimpton - The Good Wife ("The Dream Team")
Jean Smart - Harry's Law ("The Rematch")
Uma Thurman - Smash ("Tech")

Patricia Clarkson is the only actress who has won this award for playing the same character, and her win came 4 years a part from each other.  Can Loretta Devine break this pattern; she has a great shot.  Truth be told as a Good Wife junkie I would love to see Plimpton and Fox win together, but that won't happen.  David E, Kelley is an Emmy machine so look for Jean Smart another Emmy favorite to be a strong possibility, in fact I am predicting her at the moment.  

Prediction: Jean Smart-Harry's Law

BEST DRAMA SERIES DIRECTING
Tim Van Patten, "Boardwalk Empire" - "To the Lost"
Vince Gilligan, "Breaking Bad" - "Face Off"
Brian Percival, "Downton Abbey" - "Episode 7"
Michael Cuesta, "Homeland" - "Pilot"
Phil Abraham, "Mad Men" - "The Other Woman"

Despite the fact that "Blackwater" from Game of Thrones was snubbed, I think that this is a fight between Vince Gilligan's "Face Off" and the Homeland "Pilot."  Mad Men has shockingly never won this category, but this is not going to be their year here.  I think I am going to give the slight edge to Breaking Bad, but watch out for Homeland, this is a tight race.

Prediction-Breaking Bad "Face Off"

BEST DRAMA SERIES WRITING
Julian Fellowes, "Downton Abbey" - "Episode 7"
Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon, and Gideon Raff, "Homeland" - "Pilot"
Semi Chellas and Matthew Weiner, "Mad Men" - "The Other Woman"
Andre Jacquemetton and Maria Jacquemetton, "Mad Men" - "Commissions and Fees"
Semi Chellas and Matthew Weiner, "Mad Men" - "Far Away Places"

Mad Men had won this award for its first three seasons, but lost last year for one of their best written episodes ever, The Suitcase.  "The Other Woman" has the best shot here the help them reclaim this category, but I think Fellowes will claim the writing category again this year in the drama series race.

Prediction-Downton Abbey "Episode 7"