Here Come The Emmy Picks...

Jane Lynch is hosting this year's Emmys and while that doesn't have me so excited, the nice thing about low expectations is all she can do is rise above and impress. For some reason, honestly, very little about this year's Emmys have me excited. There were few surprise nominees and I suspect there will be few surprise winners. Here are my picks for the big categories:

Outstanding Comedy Nominees: The Big Bang Theory, Glee, Modern Family, The Office, Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock
While I feel like The Big Bang Theory had a strong year, along with Parks and Rec, Modern Family continues to impress with their great characters, strong writing and consistency.

Outstanding Drama Nominees: Boardwalk Empire, Dexter, Friday Night Lights, Game of Thrones, The Good Wife, Mad Men
It's an HBO drama so if it wins it will be no surprise. Game of Thrones, the other HBO drama, was solid too, but Boardwalk seem to have more buzz. I'd love to watch Friday Night Lights take it in their final season, but beyond the critics, no one else ever watched it so I just don't think it has the support. I feel like Mad Men's time has passed and The Good Wife, while a really solid drama, is more likely to get actor awards. Dexter had a good year, but maybe a slight step down after the Lithgow year.

Supporting Actor, Drama Nominees: John Slattery, Mad Men; Andre Braugher, Men of a Certain Age; Walton Goggins, Justified; Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones; Josh Charles, The Good Wife; Alan Cumming, The Good Wife
He played an amazing character on The Shield and he's doing an even better job on FX's Justified. He steals every scene he's in and deserves the award. I do have to say, Alan Cumming too does a great job, but Goggins is better.

Supporting Actress, Drama Nominees: Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire; Christina Hendricks, Mad Men; Michelle Forbes, The Killing; Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife; Margo Martindale, Justified; Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
Going back to the Justified well once again, Margo Martindale a career character actress found the character of her career on that show and should win the award. Kelly Macdonald could also slip in with the HBO rule.

Lead Actor, Drama Nominees: Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire; Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights; Michael C. Hall, Dexter; Jon Hamm, Mad Men; Hugh Laurie, House; Timothy Olyphant, Justified
This show was so well acted over the last couple of years, Chandler really deserves the nod, but this could be a tough category. Buscemi was great, as was Michael C. Hall, Olyphant and Hamm, but I feel like Hugh Laurie (who I always loved on Wooster and Jeeves-- look it up) might have been nominated on past works rather than a weak season of House.

Lead Actress, Drama Nominees: Kathy Bates, Harry's Law; Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights; Mireille Enos, The Killing; Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: SVU; Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife; Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Connie deserves it, but could easily lose to award favs Margulies and Bates.

Best Reality Competition Program Nominees: So You Think You Can Dance, The Amazing Race, Project Runway, American Idol, Dancing With the Stars, Top Chef
It's really a two horse race between The Amazing Race, which is always solid and Top Chef which finally broke through and won last year. I think Chef takes it again this year on the heels of another solid year.

Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series Nominees: The Colbert Report; Late Night With Jimmy Fallon; Saturday Night Live; Conan; Real Time With Bill Maher; The Daily Show
While I feel like the show really misses Bush (as a comedian, who wouldn't?), with the giant rally, the ability to bully congress to pass a bill taking care of first responders and some first rate interviews and satire, The Daily Show remains at the top.

Lead Actress, Comedy Nominees: Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie; Tina Fey, 30 Rock; Laura Linney, The Big C; Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly; Martha Plimpton, Raising Hope; Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
Amy Poehler really had a great season and this is more a pick of hope than reason. Laura Linney will probably win. She's an amazing actress and her show is good, but not great in my opinion. Plimpton could be a dark horse.

Lead Actor, Comedy Nominees: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock; Louis C.K., Louie; Steve Carell, The Office; Johnny Galecki; The Big Bang Theory; Matt LeBlanc, Episodes; Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
This might be the one big surprise or, at the very least, it should be. Louis C.K.'s show is hysterical and he's tremendous, even if he is only playing himself. He deserves the win. I wouldn't be shocked to see Parsons or Carell win, but I would be disappointed.

Supporting Actor, Comedy Nominees: Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men; Chris Colfer, Glee; Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family; Ed O'Neill, Modern Family; Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family; Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Jon Cryer probably deserves it personally for everything he had to put up with but Burrell stood out on a cast full of nominees and he really should get the statue.

Supporting Actress, Comedy Nominees: Jane Lynch, Glee; Betty White, Hot in Cleveland; Julie Bowen, Modern Family; Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live; Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock; Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Could the host also win an award? She is always the best thing about Glee, but a lot of the buzz seems to be leaning towards Sofia Vergara. The real hope is that Betty White wins, if only for her speech.

That's what I've got, what are your picks?