Los Angeles:
Will blood-splattered fantasy epic
Game of Thrones finally take home top television honors, or will voters instead offer sentimental favorite
Mad Men and its retro-cool advertising execs a golden send-off?
Millions will tune in on Sunday to find out.
The Emmy Awards, the biggest honors in television, will be handed out at a star-studded ceremony in Los Angeles that could see some major surprises - and maybe even a history-making win for black women.
"We're going to see some new winners in most of the top races, and that's going to be great for Emmy fans," said Tom O'Neil, a showbiz journalist who founded Hollywood awards prediction site Gold Derby.
One big question on everyone's minds for this year's 67th Primetime Emmys, television's version of the Oscars, is: will Jon Hamm of
Mad Men finally win on his eighth try for his work as troubled ad man Don Draper?
Though the wildly popular AMC series about the sex- and booze-fueled world of 1960s Madison Avenue has won the coveted outstanding drama trophy four times, its leading man has come up empty every year.
Awards pundits say it would be a slap in the face if Hamm is once again overlooked.
"I think this is the year for Jon Hamm," predicted Debra Birnbaum, executive editor of television at Variety.
"Certainly he is the sentimental favorite going into Emmy night," she told AFP.
"Everyone loves a story like that and it would be great to see him get the Emmy he so richly deserves for creating such a fantastic iconic character."
Mad Men faces stiff competition in the best drama category from
Better Call Saul, Downton Abbey, Homeland, House of Cards, Orange is the New Black and
Game of Thrones, which earned an impressive 24 nominations.Ms Birnbaum said despite the fierce competition,
Mad Men may win again if only to ensure it goes out in style.
"It's its last time to get nominated and as we saw last year, 'Breaking Bad' swept the Emmys because it was a fantastic show and it was its last chance to get nominated," she said.
History in the Making?In the lead actress in a drama category, a black actress could win for the first time. Two of the six nominees are African-Americans: Viola Davis for ABC's
How to Get Away with Murder and Taraji P Henson for Fox's music melodrama
Empire."Most of the experts are picking Viola, but Taraji is certainly in the hunt and we will see an overdue milestone happen in that category," said Tom.Taraji told
Entertainment Weekly that she was praying for a win for either Viola or herself at Sunday's ceremony, to be hosted by comedian Andy Samberg.
"Here we are in 2015, and we're still saying things like 'First African-American,' 'First woman this'," she said. "I just pray to God and it's not even about me. I hope Viola wins. I hope I win; just so we can get past this and we don't have to say in 2020 or 2030 or 3000, 'The first.'"
New Comedy Gold?ABC's
Modern Family has won the prize for best comedy series five years in a row. A sixth win on Sunday would set a record.
But many are predicting new winners in the comedy categories, and perhaps even a big Emmy win for online retail giant Amazon and its
Transparent, about a family patriarch who comes out as transgender.
"Actor Jeffrey Tambor of
Transparent delivered a fantastic performance as a transgender woman and really sparked the national conversation long before the name Caitlyn Jenner, so I think he is certainly considered a walk to win in the comedy actor race," Ms Birnbaum said.
Jeffery won a Golden Globe earlier this year for his performance.
Some are also tipping HBO's
Veep - a political satire about a female vice president (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) who surprisingly becomes head of state - to ride the buzz of the 2016 White House race and dethrone
Modern Family.
"
Veep has been a tremendous hit for HBO and considering that we are going into an election season, everyone is talking about political issues right now," she said.
Here is a list of the nominees in key categories for the 2015 Primetime Emmy awards, which will be handed out in Los Angeles on Sunday.
Outstanding Drama SeriesBetter Call SaulDownton AbbeyGame of ThronesHomelandHouse of CardsMad MenOrange is the New BlackOutstanding Comedy SeriesLouieModern FamilyParks and RecreationSilicon ValleyTransparentUnbreakable Kimmy SchmidtVeepLead Actor, DramaBob Odenkirk,
Better Call SaulKyle Chandler,
BloodlineKevin Spacey,
House of CardsJon Hamm,
Mad MenJeff Daniels,
The NewsroomLiev Schreiber,
Ray DonovanLead Actress, DramaTaraji P Henson,
EmpireClaire Danes,
HomelandViola Davis,
How to Get Away with MurderTatiana Maslany,
Orphan BlackElisabeth Moss,
Mad MenRobin Wright,
House of CardsLead Actor, ComedyAnthony Anderson,
Black-ishMatt LeBlanc,
EpisodesDon Cheadle,
House of LiesWill Forte,
The Last Man On EarthLouis C.K.,
LouieWilliam H. Macy,
ShamelessJeffrey Tambor,
TransparentLead Actress, ComedyLisa Kudrow,
The ComebackLily Tomlin,
Grace And FrankieAmy Schumer,
Inside Amy SchumerEdie Falco,
Nurse JackieAmy Poehler,
Parks And RecreationJulia Louis-Dreyfus,
VeepSupporting Actor, DramaJonathan Banks,
Better Call SaulBen Mendelsohn,
BloodlineJim Carter,
Downton AbbeyPeter Dinklage,
Game Of ThronesAlan Cumming,
The Good WifeMichael Kelly,
House Of CardsSupporting Actress, DramaJoanne Froggatt,
Downton AbbeyLena Headey,
Game Of ThronesEmilia Clarke,
Game Of ThronesChristine Baranski,
The Good WifeChristina Hendricks,
Mad MenUzo Aduba,
Orange Is The New BlackSupporting Actor, ComedyAndre Braugher,
Brooklyn Nine-NineAdam Driver,
GirlsKeegan-Michael Key,
Key & PeeleTy Burrell,
Modern FamilyTituss Burgess,
Unbreakable Kimmy SchmidtTony Hale,
VeepSupporting Actress, ComedyMayim Bialik,
The Big Bang TheoryNiecy Nash,
Getting OnJulie Bowen,
Modern FamilyAllison Janney,
MomKate McKinnon,
Saturday Night LiveGaby Hoffmann,
TransparentJane Krakowski,
Unbreakable Kimmy SchmidtAnna Chlumsky,
VeepLead Actor, Limited Series Or MovieTimothy Hutton,
American CrimeRicky Gervais,
Derek SpecialAdrien Brody,
HoudiniDavid Oyelowo,
NightingaleRichard Jenkins,
Olive KitteridgeMark Rylance,
Wolf HallLead Actress, Limited Series Or MovieFelicity Huffman,
American CrimeJessica Lange,
American Horror Story: Freak ShowQueen Latifah,
BessieMaggie Gyllenhaal,
The Honorable WomanFrances McDormand,
Olive KitteridgeEmma Thompson,
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet StreetOutstanding Television MovieAgatha Christie's Poirot: Curtain, Poirot's Last CaseBessieGrace of MonacoHello Ladies: The MovieKilling JesusNightingale