2011 Emmy Nominations & Predictions: Actors, Actresses & Shows that SHOULD Win

"Mad Men", "Modern Family" among top Emmy nominees — Elisabeth Moss (L) and Jon Hamm are both up for Emmy's this year. Credit: Reuters/Eric Gaillard

The 63^rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards air live on FOX Sunday, September 18, 2011 from 8-11 p.m. ET.

What shows will win the big prizes and what stars deserve a chunk of gold? Here's a look at the list of 2011 nominees and a complete breakdown of who will likely win and, more importantly, who should win!

The list of nominees for the 63^rd annual Emmy Awards is stocked largely with the same series as previous years (The Office, 30 Rock, Mad Men, Dexter, etc.). However, there are some notable newcomers, including HBO's Boardwalk Empire and Game of Thrones and NBC's long-snubbed Friday Night Lights.

Without further adieu, here's a look at the complete list of nominees and our predictions for who will win Sunday night. Who we think deserves the prize will appear underlined. Who we think will actually win the Emmy will appear in bold. If the two coincide, the answer will appear underlined and in bold. Got it?

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!

Outstanding Drama Series

Boardwalk Empire

Dexter

Friday Night Lights

Game of Thrones

The Good Wife

Mad Men

AMC's Mad Men has a monopoly on this award. Nearly every critic predicts that the slow-burn period drama about an advertising agency will win again this year. Mad Men, is truly a work of television art, don't get me wrong, but the completely underrated and under-watched Friday Night Lights deserves every bit of its nomination after four seasons going unrecognized by the Emmys. One can hope, right?

Outstanding Comedy Series

Big Bang Theory

Glee

Modern Family

The Office

Parks and Recreation

30 Rock

Modern Family or 30 Rock - that is the question. NBC's 30 Rock dominated this category until ABC's Modern Family swept in during the 2010 awards and snatched the prize. Modern Family's second season kept the laugh-o-meter pretty dang high, and we're predicting another spot at the top for the quirky mockumentary in 2011.

Outstanding Actor in a Drama

Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire

Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights

Michael C. Hall, Dexter

Jon Hamm, Mad Men

Hugh Laurie, House

Timothy Olyphant, Justified

This one is pretty much guaranteed. 2011 will likely be the year that Jon Hamm finally gets his long awaited Emmy for Outstanding Actor in a Drama. Why this year? Due to the show's timing, three-time winner Bryan Cranston, of AMC's Breaking Bad, is not in the running.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama

Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones

Josh Charles, The Good Wife

Alan Cumming, The Good Wife

Walton Goggins, Justified

John Slattery, Mad Men

Andrew Braugher, Men of a Certain Age

This one is always tough, as it's a category that favors variety. There have been no repeat winners since 1996 and none of this year's nominees have ever won this category. While John Slattery may win after four nominations, he didn't have the strongest plot line on the last season of AMC's Mad Men. Our vote's on Peter Dinklage of HBO's Game of Thrones.

Outstanding Actress in a Drama

Kathy Bates, Harry's Law

Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights

Mireille Enos, The Killing

Mariska Hargitay, Law and Order: SVU

Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife

Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men

We vote for Connie Britton whose dramatic decision in the final episodes of NBC's Friday Night Lights brought women across America to tears. That said, CBS' The Good Wife is right up the Academy's alley, and the voters love Margulies.

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama

Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire

Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife

Christine Baranski, The Good Wife

Margo Martindale, Justified

Michelle Forbes, The Killing

Christina Hendricks, Mad Men

Critics are unanimous that Margo Martindale's riveting portrayal of Mags Bennett, the matriarch of a crime family in FX's Justified, is a shoe-in for the win. There's no argument here. We couldn't agree more.

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy

Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock

Louis C.K., Louie

Steve Carrell, The Office

Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory

Matt LeBlanc, Episodes

Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

After six straight nominations and no more chances (since he's off the show), this is without a doubt Steve Carrell's year for his role in NBC's The Office. However, no actor was more fearless and fascinating to watch last year than Louis C.K.

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy

Chris Colfer, Glee

Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family

Ed O'Neill, Modern Family

Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

Ty Burrell, Modern Family

Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men

Winning the Golden Globe in January, it looks like Chris Colfer of FOX's Glee may have the momentum for the prize. However, in our book, this one is all about the supporting actors in ABC's Modern Family. They're all so hysterical that it's hard to choose. Eric Stonestreet won last year, but if anyone deserves the award in 2011, it'd be the devastatingly funny Ty Burrell.

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy

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

This year, it looks to be Laura Linney's turn for her role in Showtime's The Big C. The Academy loves to choose actresses in shows that tiptoe across the Comedy/Drama line. That said, we're still in love with Edie Falco's neurotic, pill-popping performance in Showtime's other dramedy, Nurse Jackie.

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy

Jane Lynch, Glee

Betty White, Hot In Cleveland

Julie Bowen, Modern Family

Sofia Vergara, Modern Family

Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live

Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock

Long live Betty White. The former Golden Girl and five time Emmy winner looks primed to add another piece of gold to her collection. However, our vote's on the night's presenter, Jane Lynch, of FOX's Glee.

Outstanding Reality Show

The Amazing Race

American Idol

Dancing With the Stars

Project Runway

So You Think You Can Dance

Top Chef

For seven years, CBS' Amazing Race owned this category. Then, in 2010, Bravo's Top Chef finally ousted the long-time champ to come out on top. Will Amazing Race fight its way back to the top? Our bet is on another win for Top Chef.

Outstanding Variety, Comedy Or Musical Series

The Colbert Report

Conan

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

Real Time With Bill Maher

Saturday Night Live

First things first, note that Conan was nominated for an Emmy, while Jay Leno's The Tonight Show was not. Will he win? Probably not. Our vote is on Emmy and fan-favorite The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, as it has taken the top prize for eight years running.

Other nominations:

Outstanding TV Miniseries or Movie

Cinema Verite

Downton Abbey

The Kennedys

Mildred Pierce

The Pillars of the Earth

Too Big To Fail

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy

Kristin Chenoweth, Glee

Dot-Marie Jones, Glee

Gwyneth Paltrow, Glee