"The Courageous Heart of
Irena Sendler"
"Grey Gardens"
"My Zinc Bed"
"Prayers for Bobby"
"Taking Chance"
"24: Redemption"
"Wallander: One Step Behind"
Possible
"Accidental Friendship"
"Coco Chanel"
"Front of the Class"
"Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story"
"God on Trial"
"Jesse Stone: Thin Ice"
"The Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalice"
"Living Proof"
"Loving Leah"
"The Natalee Holloway Story"
"Sybil"
Spotlight: If any telefilm can break HBO's stranglehold on this category (14 of the last 16 races, including the last five in a row), it may be the Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation of "The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler." After all, this sponsored series has won 78 Emmys over the last 55 years, including five awards for the first true made-for-TV movie, "Macbeth," starring Maurice Evans and Judith Anderson in 1961. Nine more of its programs claimed top honors. Like 11 of HBO's winners, "Irena Sendler" is based on real events, telling the story of a heroic Polish woman who saved Jewish children during World War II.
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MINISERIES
Front-runners
"Generation Kill"
"House of Saddam"
"Little Dorrit"
"Maneater"
"Oliver Twist"
Possible
"Burn Up"
"Diamonds"
"The Last Templar"
Spotlight: HBO won this category in half of the last 10 derbies, so odds look good for either "Generation Kill" or "House of Saddam" to prevail this year. But the paycaster should beware of the pubcaster. PBS minis such as "Prime Suspect" and "The Lost Prince" have pulled off upsets in the past and now it competes with two critically acclaimed longforms based upon Charles Dickens classics ("Oliver Twist," "Little Dorrit"). An adaptation of "Nicholas Nickleby" won this category in 1983.
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LEAD ACTOR
IN A TV MOVIE/MINI
Front-runners
Kevin Bacon, "Taking Chance"
Kenneth Branagh, "Wallander: One Step Behind"
Paddy Considine, "My Zinc Bed"
Brendan Gleeson, "Into the Storm"
Cuba Gooding Jr., "Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story"
Kevin Kline, "Cyrano de Bergerac"
Ian McKellen, "King Lear"
Igal Naor, "House of Saddam"
Jonathan Pryce, "My Zinc Bed"
Tom Selleck, "Jesse Stone: Thin Ice"
Alexander Skarsgard, "Generation Kill"
Kiefer Sutherland, "24: Redemption"
Possible
Scott Foley, "The Last Templar"
Adam Kaufman, "Loving Leah"
Eriq La Salle, "Relative Stranger"
Alex Loynaz, "Pedro"
Matthew MacFadyen, "Little Dorrit"
Ted McGinley, "Taking a Chance on Love"
Noah Wyle, "The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice"
Spotlight: Winning an Emmy is just what Cuba Gooding Jr. needs to prove that he doesn't suffer from an Oscar curse. Since snagging an Academy Award for "Jerry Maguire" (1996), he's appeared in so many duds that he's become a multiple Razzie nominee ("Boat Trip," "Daddy Day Camp"). Now he's reminded us of his ace acting chops in "Gifted Hands" while portraying a man who rose from poverty and insecurity to become a celebrated neurosurgeon.
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LEAD ACTRESS
IN A TV MOVIE/MINI
Front-runners
Lauren Ambrose, "Loving Leah"
Kathy Baker, "Jesse Stone: Thin Ice"
Drew Barrymore, "Grey Gardens"
Tammy Blanchard, "Sybil"
Sarah Chalke, "Maneater"
Jessica Lange, "Grey Gardens"
Shirley MacLaine, "Coco Chanel"
Anna Paquin, "The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler"
Tracy Pollan, "The Natalee Holloway Story"
Mira Sorvino, "The Last Templar"
Uma Thurman, "My Zinc Bed"
Chandra Wilson, "Accidental Friendship"
Sigourney Weaver, "Prayers for Bobby"
Possible
Claire Foy, "Little Dorrit"
Florence Henderson, "Ladies of the House"
Heather Locklear, "Flirting With Forty"
Rosie O'Donnell, "America"
Jane Seymour, "Dear Prudence"
Lesley Ann Warren, "Bound by a Secret"
Spotlight: In the battle between the two Edies in "Grey Gardens," Jessica Lange had the upper hand as a stern, domineering mother who held the purse strings, but Drew Barrymore may have an edge in their Emmy bout. Barrymore had the more emotionally flashy role as a debutante yearning to pursue forbidden dreams to become a performer. But Lange has two Oscars ("Blue Sky," "Tootsie") and Emmy voters are snobs. Checkmate?
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VARIETY, MUSIC, COMEDY SERIES
Front-runners
"The Colbert Report"
"Daily Show With Jon Stewart"
"Late Night With Conan O'Brien"
"Late Night With Jimmy Fallon"
"Late Show With David Letterman"
"MADtv"
"Real Time With Bill Maher"
"Saturday Night Live"
"Tracey Ullman's State of the Union"
Possible
"Chelsea Lately"
"Criss Angel Mindfreak"
"Important Things With Demetri Martin"
"Jimmy Kimmel Live"
"The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson"
"Little Britain USA"
"Shatner's Raw Nerve"
"Spectacle"
"Tonight Show With Jay Leno"
