Golden Globes 2014: Television Acting Predictions

The 2014 Golden Globes are coming on the heels on one of the most insane Emmy Awards in recent memory, one that saw Jeff Daniels inexplicably rob the Best Actor trophy from Bryan Cranston (very bad) and finally honored the deserving “Nurse Jackie” underdog, Merritt Wever (very good). We’re not expecting the Golden Globes television acting awards to shock us in the same way the 2013 Emmys did, but we are hoping that the Hollywood Foreign Press looks beyond the obvious in some categories (not all of them, though: Sometimes a frontrunner is a frontrunner for a reason).

Here are the Golden Globes Television acting nominees, along with our predictions:

Best TV Actress, Drama

Here are the Golden Globe Television acting nominees and our predictions:

Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife”

Tatiana Maslany, “Orphan Black”

Kerry Washington, “Scandal”

Robin Wright, “House of Cards”

Taylor Schilling, “Orange Is the New Black”

Predicted winner: Tatiana Maslany, “Orphan Black.” I’ve second-guessed myself on this a number of times, but I keep coming back to Maslany. Say what you will about her accent, but pound for pound, she’s working harder than any of her competitors, and she more than pulls it off. Also, “Orphan Black” is a BBC America show, which might give it a bit of an edge with the Hollywood Foreign Press. And she’s Canadian!

Likeliest challenger: Kerry Washington, “Scandal”

Equally deserving: Robin Wright, “House of Cards.” But we think the Netflix series will earn its gold in another category.

Best TV Actor, Drama

Kevin Spacey, “House of Cards”

Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad”

Live Schreiber, “Ray Donovan”

James Spader, “The Blacklist”

Michael Sheen, “Masters of Sex”

Predicted Winner: Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad.” Cranston killed it in every season of “Breaking Bad,” but no more so than his final. Even without the mind-boggling Emmy snub, we’d be predicting a Cranston win by a comfortable margin.

Likeliest challenger: Kevin Spacey, “House of Cards”

Best TV Actress, Comedy

Lena Dunham, “Girls”

Edie Falco, “Nurse Jackie”

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep”

Amy Poehler, “Parks and Recreation”

Predicted Winner: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep”

Likeliest challenger: Lena Dunham, “Girls” (We think it will be close.)

Equally deserving: Edie Falco, if only for the next-to-final moments in the “Nurse Jackie” season finale, when she breaks our hearts without saying a word. Chilling.

Best TV Actor, Comedy

Don Cheadle, “House of Lies”

Michael J. Fox, “The Michael J. Fox Show”

Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory”

Andy Sandberg, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”

Jason Bateman, “Arrested Development”

Predicted Winner: Michael J. Fox, “The Michael J. Fox Show.” Let’s face it: None of these shows is great, but Fox is one of the most beloved, and classiest, actors in Hollywood. No one would argue with a win for him. And Jim Parsons, while we like him, too, has won the Emmy/Golden Globe too many damn times already. (Why wasn’t Adam Driver nominated? That would have made things a lot more interesting.)

Best Actress, Miniseries or TV Movie

Helen Mirren, “Phil Spector”

Elisabeth Moss, “Top of the Lake”

Jessica Lange, “American Horror Story: Coven”

Helena Bonham Carter, “Burton and Taylor”

Rebecca Ferguson, “White Queen”

Predicted Winner: Elisabeth Moss, “Top of the Lake”

Likeliest Challenger: Jessica Lange, “American Horror Story: Coven”

Best Actor, Miniseries or TV Movie

Idris Elba, “Luther”

Matt Damon, “Behind the Candelabra”

Michael Douglas, “Behind the Candelabra”

Al Pacino, “Phil Spector”

Chiwetel Ejiofor, “Dancing on the Edge”

Predicted Winner: Michael Douglas, “Behind the Candelabra”

Likeliest Challenger: Matt Damon, “Behind the Candelabra”

Best Supporting Actress, TV Series, Miniseries or TV Movie

Hayden Panettiere, “Nashville”

Jacqueline Bisset, “Dancing on the Edge”

Janet McTeer, “White Queen”

Monica Potter, “Parenthood”

Sofia Vergara, “Modern Family”

Predicted Winner: Monica Potter, “Parenthood.” I’m choosing her with the full recognition that it’s a little bit of a longshot, but I still think it could – and more importantly, should – happen. Kristina Braverman is the beating heart of a show that gets only a small fraction of the accolades it deserves. It’s about time Potter, or anyone from the Braverman family, got some recognition.

Likeliest challenger: Sofia Vergara, “Modern Family”

Best Supporting Actor, TV Series, Miniseries or TV Movie

Rob Lowe, “Behind the Candelabra”

Josh Charles, “The Good Wife”

Aaron Paul, “Breaking Bad”

Corey Stoll, “House of Cards”

Jon Voigt, “Ray Donovan”

Predicted Winner: Corey Stoll, "House of Cards." Again, I’m guessing Aaron Paul might be considered the favorite here, but I’m putting my faith in the Hollywood Foreign Press. Let’s just hope the voters saw the entire series – Stoll’s Peter Russo slowly crept up on you until it was impossible to stop watching “House of Cards” (after those first few disorienting episodes). I cannot say everything I’d like to say here without ruining it for those who haven’t watched the series yet.

Likeliest challenger: Aaron Paul, “Breaking Bad”

Check here for our Best Motion Picture predictions; and we’ll continue to bring you Golden Globes predictions throughout the week. The 2014 Golden Globes will air Sunday, Jan. 12, at 8 p.m. on NBC.