Emmy Awards: Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Homeland and House of Cards set for close Best Drama tussle

CAN Breaking Bad take a sword to Game of Thrones and House of Cards or will Homeland blow up the competition at this year's Emmy Awards?

By Colin Vickery National TV Writer

5 min read

September 22, 2013 - 12:01AM

News Corp Australia Network

CAN Breaking Bad take a sword to Game of Thrones and House of Cards or will Homeland blow up the competition?

And does Cory Monteith really deserve to be eulogised alongside the great James Gandolfini?

These are the big questions in the lead-up to the Primetime Emmy Awards which looks set for the closest tussle in its 65-year history.

GALLERY: Stars dazzle on the red carpet

Monday's ceremony, will include a controversial special memorial tribute to Glee's Monteith - which Variety editor Andrew Wallenstein contended was not justified considering his slim body-of-work - and Gandolfini. The must-see TV event will also include a performance by Elton John.

Last year the first season of Homeland made a clean sweep of the major categories - Outstanding Drama Series, Claire Danes for Outstanding Actress Drama Series and Damian Lewis for Outstanding Actor Drama Series.

Much has changed since then. The popularity of Game of Thrones has reached a whole new level, becoming a worldwide cult phenomenon, its "red wedding" episode setting social media records for network HBO, with 700,000 mentions in the 24 hours after it aired in the US.

Breaking Bad, with Bryan Cranston as schoolteacher turned drug dealer Walter White, has just been named by Forbes as the best television series of all time. When its third-to-last episode aired this week fans described it as the most intense hour of television ever made.

And then there's new kid on the block, House of Cards, powered by a standout performance from Oscar winner Kevin Spacey as an all-powerful Southern senator and Robin Wright as his equally ruthless ice-cool wife.

Meanwhile, the second season of Homeland was seen as a slight disappointment after the fireworks of series one.

So it's well and truly game on this year.

Cranston will be a favourite to take out this year's Outstanding Actor gong from Lewis, Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey), Kevin Spacey (House of Cards), Jon Hamm (Mad Men) and Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom). It would be Cranston's fourth Emmy win for playing White. That might usually stymie his chances, but this is the final season of the gritty show so sentiment may be on his side.

Danes would give herself a big chance of back-to-back wins against Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel), Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey), Robin Wright (House of Cards) and Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) with her main competition being Scandal's Kerry Washington.

Game of Thrones may be less lucky. It has a large ensemble cast and its only major acting nominations are for Peter Dinklage and Emilia Clarke in the supporting categories.

Some of the most closely fought tussles will be in the comedy categories where Modern Family's Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ed O'Neill, and Ty Burrell as well as Sofia Vergara and Julie Bowen are all nominated.

Will the judges have forgiven O'Neill for describing Jane Lynch's role as coach Sue Sylvester as "one dimensional" and "strident" when she beat Vergara to the prize in 2010?

Aussie-based Jane Campion has a shot at winning an Outstanding Directing award for the New Zealand-made crime thriller Top of the Lake which is also up for Outstanding Miniseries or Movie. The oddball Twin Peaks-type mystery has already won a cinematography award in the technical part of the competition which is held a week before the main event.

Campion's main competition will be Behind the Candelabra, from director Steven Soderbergh. The telemovie, which screened in cinemas in Australia, stars Michael Douglas as flamboyant entertainer Liberace and Matt Damon as his lover Scott Thorson.

Soderbergh envisioned the film for a cinematic release, but claimed Hollywood studios considered it "too gay" to invest in it, so he brought it to HBO instead. But being shunted from the big to the small screen could well pay off with an Emmy.

The Emmys screen on Fox 8 from 10am tomorrrow. Red carpet coverage is on E! from 8am.

WHO'LL WIN AND WHO'LL GO HOME EMPTY HANDED. OUR TV EXPERTS' TIPS.

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES

Breaking Bad

Downton Abbey

Game of Thrones

Homeland

House of Cards

Mad Men

Colin Vickery: Breaking Bad been nominated in this category multiple times but is yet to win - until now. Game of Thrones is hampered by a lack of major acting nominations. House of Cards the main threat.

Holly Byrnes: One of the strongest fields in years, House of Cards gets my vote.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad

Hugh Bonneville - Downton Abbey

Damian Lewis - Homeland

Kevin Spacey - House of Cards

Jon Hamm - Mad Men

Jeff Daniels - The Newsroom

Colin Vickery: It is time for Bryan Cranston to clear another space on the mantelpiece. Hard to believe he was in sitcom Malcolm in the Middle.

Holly Byrnes: Walter White (Bryan Cranston) by a switchblade over Kevin Spacey

Bryan Cranston is a likely winner of the best actor gong.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Vera Farmiga - Bates Motel

Michelle Dockery - Downton Abbey

Claire Danes - Homeland

Robin Wright - House of Cards

Elisabeth Moss - Mad Men

Kerry Washington - Scandal

Connie Britton - Nashville

Colin Vickery: The second season of political drama Scandal turned Kerry Washington into a bona fide star. I'm tipping she will beat out Danes.

Holly Byrnes: Kerry Washington in an upset over Homeland's Claire Danes.

Kerry Washington is a deserving best actress winner.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Bobby Cannavale - Boardwalk Empire

Jonathan Banks - Breaking Bad

Aaron Paul - Breaking Bad

Jim Carter - Downton Abbey

Peter Dinklage - Game of Thrones

Mandy Patinkin - Homeland

Colin Vickery: Mandy Patinkin is the unsung hero of Homeland and would be a worthy winner.

Holly Byrnes: Final season sentimentality should win this for Aaron Paul.

Mandy Patinkin from Homeland (right, with Claire Danes) would be a popular best supporting actor winner, but Aaron Paul has sentiment on his side for the final season of Breaking Bad.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Anna Gunn - Breaking Bad

Maggie Smith - Downton Abbey

Emilia Clarke - Game of Thrones

Christine Baranski - The Good Wife

Morena Baccarin - Homeland

Christina Hendricks - Mad Men

Colin Vickery: I'd love to see Christina Hendricks win but reckon Maggie Smith will make it back-to-back.

Holly Byrnes: There's nothing like a Dame, Maggie Smith for mine.

There's nothing like a Dame Maggie Smith.

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES

The Big Bang Theory

Girls

Louie

Modern Family

30 Rock

Veep

Colin Vickery: Will voters play it safe and go for Modern Family, give 30 Rock a warm send-off or take a risk and give the edgy Louie the gong? I'm tipping the latter.

Holly Byrnes: Love to see Veep win but 30 Rock to get the gong.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Jason Bateman - Arrested Development

Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory

Matt Le Blanc - Episodes

Don Cheadle - House of Lies

Louis C.K. - Louie

Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock

Colin Vickery: Louis CK - Last year's winner Jon Cryer isn't even nominated - that's how strong the field is. I'm tipping Louis CK in a narrow victory over Baldwin.

Holly Byrnes: Jim Parsons in a tight one from Louis C.K.

Can comedian Louis C.K win for his series Louie?

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Laura Dern - Enlightened

Lena Dunham - Girls

Edie Falco - Nurse Jackie

Amy Poehler - Parks and Recreation

Tina Fey - 30 Rock

Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Veep

Colin Vickery: All would be worthy winners but I reckon Julia Louis-Dreyfus, of Seinfeld fame, will make it two-in-a-row.

Holly Byrnes: Again, Julie L-D is masterful on Veep, but Tina Fey for the win.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays the vice-president in Veep.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Adam Driver - Girls

Jesse Tyler Ferguson - Modern Family

Ed O'Neill - Modern Family

Ty Burrell - Modern Family

Bill Hader - Saturday Night Live

Tony Hale - Veep

Colin Vickery: Voters probably haven't forgiven Ed O'Neill for dissing Emmy winner Jane Lynch a few years back. That could give Jesse Tyler Ferguson a chance.

Holly Byrnes: Love to see Ed O'Neill get it for the Jay/Gloria double.