What a noteworthy event it is to witness iconic figures like Meryl Streep and Carol Burnett being nominated jointly in the Emmys’ category. An even more significant aspect is that neither of them is considered as the prime contestant for the victory. The award for Best Comedy Supporting Actress, as per the collective verdict of Gold Derby pundits, is set to go to Hannah Einbinder from ‘Hacks’ with influential odds of 71/20. Adding a feather in her cap, this would mark her inaugural Emmy win on the third opportunity of being nominated.
At present, the forecast leans towards Einbinder to bag the award with the survey results from the panels of 17 distinguished journalists from leading media platforms accounting for a hefty 12 votes. Moreover, her nomination is backed by 10 out of the total 11 Gold Derby editors, 19 of the premier 24 users, and 20 of the all-star group of 24. It’s noteworthy that she initially vied for this esteemed award in 2021, but had to concede the achievement to Hannah Waddingham from the first season of ‘Ted Lasso’.
Adding to the competition, both Hannah nominees of the 2022 session were surpassed by Sheryl Lee Ralph with her performance in ‘Abbott Elementary’, causing a surprise upstage. Streep, for ‘Only Murders in the Building’; Burnett for ‘Palm Royale’; Liza Colon-Zayas for ‘The Bear’; and Janelle James for ‘Abbott Elementary’ are the other noteworthy rivals for Einbinder and Ralph this year.
Streep, recognized for her distinguished role in the third season of ‘Only Murders’, is expected to pose the greatest challenge to Einbinder. Streep’s performance has received accolades, epitomized by her triumph at the Critics Choice Awards. Betting in Streep’s favor are four experts, one editor, two top users, and three all-stars.
Although Streep remains a strong entrant, sporting three Emmy awards in her cabinet already, her vulnerability for this role has been exposed in the past. She lost the Golden Globe trophy to Elizabeth Debicki from ‘The Crown’ and didn’t even manage a nomination at the SAG Awards for this performance.
Another unexpected contender might be Colon-Zayas, who clinches the third rank in the prediction list with support from one expert and one top user. It should be noted that she enjoys the advantage of being one of the prime stars in ‘The Bear’, which is anticipated to be the winner of the Best Comedy Series. Moreover, ‘The Bear’ has broken the record by receiving an outstanding number of comedy nominations in one season (23). Therefore, it would not come as a surprise if Colon-Zayas rides on the success of ‘The Bear’.
Then, Sheryl Lee Ralph can’t be overlooked. We might be underestimating her capacities yet again. Ralph is currently positioned fourth in the odds, akin to her position two years ago when she astonishingly clinched the award. One of our top users voices his support in favor of her winning, repeating her past glory. And if proven right, it would indeed be a jolting realization for the rest.
Carol Burnett hasn’t attracted any predictions from our elite panel yet. However, this should not distract us from the possibility of underestimating her potentials. Burnett enjoys wide admiration and additionally features in a series that has secured substantial backing from the industry. Her series, ‘Palm Royale’, has surpassed many expectations by garnering 11 total nominations, including Best Comedy Series and Best Comedy Actress for Kristen Wiig.
Furthermore, regarding the notable fact that Burnett’s last Emmy Award, in an acting category, came back in 1997 for her guest appearance on ‘Mad About You’, one might argue that she’s overdue for another.
Lastly, in the nomination list, is Janelle James. Historically, scene-stealers like her, akin to Megan Mullally from ‘Will and Grace’ or Jane Lynch from ‘Glee’, have been favorites of the voters. However, she has been at a disadvantage since her co-star Ralph outperformed her in 2022.
But the predictions and odds shouldn’t be mistaken as absolutes, as Einbinder’s victory isn’t yet a foregone conclusion. In fact, the nominees in this category from the very top to the very bottom warrant consideration, underlining the fierce contest this year.
Therefore, it would be wise to stay vigilant for an unexpected turn of events, owing to the unpredictable nature of the Television Academy awards.