Gold Standard: ‘Mr. Robot’ stars could break into the Emmy acting races

“Downton Abbey” and “The Good Wife” have racked up 47 Emmy acting nominations over the course of their runs, and you can bet your Yorkshire pudding that voters are going to send these two departing shows out with a warm embrace. Anything else would be a slap in the face, something we know “Good Wife” fans do not appreciate one bit.

Here’s an early look at the drama series acting races ...

LEAD ACTOR

Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul”

Rami Malek, “Mr. Robot”

Kevin Spacey, “House of Cards”

Paul Giamatti, “Billions”

Matthew Rhys, “The Americans”

Kyle Chandler, “Bloodline”

Analysis: “Mad Men’s” Jon Hamm finally won this Emmy last year. Will it now be Spacey’s turn? Perhaps. But voters have an array of actors from new shows this year, including some – Giamatti (“Billions”), Aaron Paul (“The Path”) and Bobby Cannavale (“Vinyl”) – who have won Emmys for past work. And then there’s Malek, so good as the lonely, delusional cyber-vigilante in “Mr. Robot,” easily the year’s best new drama.

All of these actors have solid shots at earning a nod, as does Liev Schreiber, nominated last year for “Ray Donovan.” But I think that voters will smile on Chandler, rewarded last year for “Bloodline” and owning a much more interesting character arc in the show’s second season. And I’m hoping that Television Academy members finally recognize Rhys’ turn as the psychologically scarred Soviet spy in “The Americans.” The FX series remains essential viewing in its fourth season.

LEAD ACTRESS

Viola Davis, “How to Get Away With Murder”

Robin Wright, “House of Cards”

Claire Danes, “Homeland”

Taraji P. Henson, “Empire”

Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife”

Caitriona Balfe, “Outlander”

Analysis: Margulies won this Emmy in 2014, but wasn’t nominated last year. The 10-time nominee should return for a victory lap, even if “The Good Wife’s” farewell season was uneven at best. “Empire” quickly (and not surprisingly) went off the rails, but Henson probably makes it back in on the sheer force of her personality. For the final spot, I’m subbing one cult favorite (Balfe) in for another (Tatiana Maslany, nominated last year for “Orphan Black”), though it could easily go the other way. Or, if voters really decide to nerd-out, there’s Krysten Ritter from “Marvel’s Jessica Jones.”

SUPPORTING ACTOR

Peter Dinklage, “Game of Thrones”

Jim Carter, “Downton Abbey”

Christian Slater, “Mr. Robot”

Jonathan Banks, “Better Call Saul”

Alan Cumming, “The Good Wife”

Michael Kelly, “House of Cards”

Analysis: It’s not unthinkable that all six 2015 nominees – Dinklage, Carter, Banks, Cumming, Kelly and “Bloodline’s” Ben Mendelsohn – return, though that kind of rubber-stamping hasn’t happened in 35 years. Best bets to break through: Slater playing “Mr. Robot’s” mysterious title character or Tobias Menzies, playing dual and very different characters on “Outlander.” Slater has the name and résumé, but Menzies the more challenging role(s).

The longest résumé of all though belongs to 80-year-old Alan Alda, who has four wins out of 21 nominations in Emmy acting categories. Louis C.K. cast him against type in “Horace and Pete,” having Alda play a foul-mouthed horror of a human being. Alda exerts a hateful force in his scenes that is, at times, startling. He deserves a nomination.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Uzo Aduba, “Orange Is the New Black”

Christine Baranski, “The Good Wife”

Joanne Froggatt, “Downton Abbey”

Rhea Seehorn, “Better Call Saul”

Emilia Clarke, “Game of Thrones”

Lena Headey, “Game of Thrones”

Analysis: This category is crazy crowded, so much so that I can’t even see the crumpet contingent managing to put “Downton’s” Maggie Smith back among the nominees. But I do think Clarke will return for the first time since “Thrones’” third season on the strength of her epic fire goddess scene in the show’s “Book of the Stranger” episode.

With perennials Aduba, Baranski, Froggatt and Headey almost assured spots, there’s precious little room for worthy candidates like Miranda Otto (boy, did I hate her this year in “Homeland”), Regina King (“The Leftovers”), Constance Zimmer (“UnReal”), Maggie Siff (“Billions”), Linda Cardellini (“Bloodline”) and Edie Falco (“Horace and Pete”). Who would object if any of these women earn nominations? No one!

But I’m going to stump for Seehorn, who stole “Saul’s” second season as the smart, staunch, mostly incorruptible attorney trying to shepherd Odenkirk’s Jimmy McGill from turning into Saul Goodman. We know she’s not going to succeed, but Seehorn is so persuasive that we can almost believe otherwise.

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