2016 Emmys Buzzmeter: Critics predict who will win in the major categories

1/6

10 nominations, including comedy series, lead actor in a comedy series, casting and directing.

(Jennifer Clasen / Associated Press)

2/6

Aziz Ansari’s “Master of None” received four nominations, including comedy series, lead actor, directing and writing. (K.C. Bailey / Associated Press)

3/6

Lead actress in a limited series or movie for “American Crime”

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

4/6

Lead actress in a limited series or movie in “American Crime”

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

5/6

Lead actor in a limited series or movie for “All the Way”

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

6/6

Anthony Anderson is nomated as lead actor in a comedy series for “Black-ish.”

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Aug. 9, 2016 5:45 PM PT

Emmy nominations are in and there were certainly some surprises this time around. Who saw “The Americans” finally getting in for a best drama nomination? Well, some of our television and Emmy experts actually did. But now the question is which performers and shows are going to take home the gold? Can our panelists be just as savvy when it comes to the win on Sept. 18? Here are their picks. What do you think? Tell us who you think the winners will be – or should be – in the comments below.

Our panelists:

Robert Bianco/USA Today; Matt Roush/TV Guide Magazine; Tom O’Neill/Gold Derby; Mary McNamara/LA Times; Glenn Whipp/The Envelope

Their picks in the key categories:

Drama series | "Game of Thrones"

“It wouldn’t be wise to bet against HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones,’ as one-and-done winners are a rarity in the series categories. But now that the voters have finally seen fit to nominate ‘The Americans,’ I’m hoping they’ll go that extra step and give it the Emmy it deserves”

— Robert Bianco

Critics' Picks

"The Americans"

"Better Call Saul"

"Downton Abbey"

"Game of Thrones": Bianco, McNamara, Whipp, O’Neill, Roush

"Homeland"

"House of Cards"

"Mr. Robot"

Comedy series | "Veep"

“Smart, silly, serious and universally resonant; if 'black-ish' doesn’t win best comedy, I will need a written explanation.”

— Mary McNamara

Critics' Picks

"Black-ish": McNamara

"Master of None"

"Modern Family"

"Silicon Valley"

"Transparent"

"Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"

"Veep": Bianco, Whipp, O’Neil, Roush

Comedy actor | Jeffrey Tambor, "Transparent"

“Thomas Middleditch and Aziz Ansari are great additions to the category (and Jim Parsons once again a stunning omission), but for the second year in a row, nothing stacks up to Jeffrey Tambor's exquisitely yearning performance as Maura. ‘Transparent’ suffers whenever she isn't center stage.”

— Glenn Whipp

Critics' Picks

Anthony Anderson, "black-ish"

Will Forte, "The Last Man on Earth"

Aziz Ansari, "Master of None": McNamara

William H. Macy, "Shameless"

Thomas Middleditch, "Silicon Valley"

Jeffrey Tambor, "Transparent": Bianco, Whipp, O’Neil, Roush

Drama actor | Rami Malek, "Mr. Robot"

“Last year, Kevin Spacey had to step aside to let Jon Hamm win his first Emmy. Now can it finally be Spacey’s turn, please?”

— Tom O’Neil

Critics' Picks

Matthew Rhys, "The Americans"

Bob Odenkirk, "Better Call Saul"

Kyle Chandler, "Bloodline"

Kevin Spacey, "House of Cards": O’Neil

Rami Malek, "Mr. Robot": Bianco, Whipp, Roush, McNamara

Liev Schreiber, "Ray Donovan"

Comedy actress | Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep"

“What will it take to snap the ‘Veep’ star's winning streak, now at four in a row? We'll likely be asking that question again next year, because with the possible exception of the indomitable Amy Schumer, it's hard to imagine Julia Louis-Dreyfus not winning again for another epic season of comic humiliation.”

— Matt Roush

Critics' Picks

Tracee Ellis Ross, "black-ish": McNamara

Laurie Metcalf, "Getting On"

Lily Tomlin, "Frankie and Grace"

Amy Schumer, "Inside Amy Schumer"

Ellie Kemper, "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep": Bianco, Whipp, O’Neil, Roush

Drama actress | Robin Wright, "House of Cards"

“I wouldn’t mind seeing Viola Davis repeat: She’s worth prizing, even if her show wasn’t quite this season. But I’d be happier seeing Keri Russell win for ‘The Americans.’”

— Robert Bianco

Critics' Picks

Keri Russell, "The Americans": Bianco

Taraji P. Henson, "Empire"

Claire Danes, "Homeland"

Robin Wright, "House of Cards": Whipp, O’Neil, Roush

Viola Davis, "How to Get Away With Murder"

Tatiana Maslany, "Orphan Black": McNamara

Comedy supporting actress | Allison Janney, "Mom"

(Darren Michaels / Warner Bros. Entertainment via AP)

“If Allison Janney prevails again, she'll have seven career Emmys. That's one shy of the record held by Cloris Leachman.”

— Tom O’Neil

Critics' Picks

Niecy Nash, "Getting On"

Allison Janney, "Mom": Bianco, McNamara, Whipp, Roush, O’Neil

Kate McKinnon, "Saturday Night Live"

Judith Light, "Transparent"

Gaby Hoffman, "Transparent"

Anna Chlumsky, "Veep"

Drama supporting actress | Lena Headey, "Game of Trones"

“In a performance like no other, Maisie Williams has taken Arya Stark from childish firebrand to self-aware warrior with ferocious grace.”

— Mary McNamara

Critics' Picks

Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey": Bianco

Maura Tierney, "The Affair"

Lena Headey, "Game of Thrones": Whipp, Roush, O’Neil

Emilia Clarke, "Game of Thrones"

Maisie Williams, "Game of Thrones": McNamara

Constance Zimmer, "Unreal"

Comedy supporting actor | Louie Anderson, "Baskets"

“Going with Louie Anderson, even though it’s the only nomination for his show, ‘Baskets.’ It’s a deeply felt, special performance, well worth celebrating.”

— Glenn Whipp

Critics' Picks

Louie Anderson, "Baskets": Bianco, Whipp, Roush

Andre Braugher, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine"

Keegan-Michael Key, "Key & Peele"

Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"

Tituss Burgess, "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt": McNamara

Tony Hale, "Veep": O’Neil

Matt Walsh, "Veep"

Drama supporting actor | Kit Harington, "Game of Thrones"

“Peter Dinklage won twice, but now costar Kit Harington may upstage him just as boldly as he took over ‘Game of Thrones’ this season”

— Tom O’Neil

Critics' Picks

Jonathan Banks, "Better Call Saul": Bianco

Ben Mendelsohn, "Bloodline"

Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones": McNamara

Kit Harington, "Game of Thrones": Whipp, O’Neil, Roush

Michael Kelly, "House of Cards"

Jon Voight, "Ray Donovan"

Limited series | "The People v. O.J. Simpson"

“‘The People v. O.J. Simpson’ might be the most surprising television landmark in the history of the medium. No one saw its greatness — or its relevance — coming. It’s going to have a big night.”

— Glenn Whipp

Critics' Picks

"American Crime": McNamara

"Fargo"

"The Night Manager"

"People v. O.J. Simpson": Bianco, Whipp, O’Neil, Roush

"Roots"

TV movie | "All the Way"

“The race would seem to be between ‘All the Way’ and ‘Confirmation,’ good movies graced by some great performances. It’s a tough call, but I’d probably go with ‘Confirmation,’ and I’m guessing Emmy will as well.”

— Robert Bianco

Critics' Picks

"All the Way": Whipp, O’Neil, Roush, McNamara

"Confirmation": Bianco

"Luther"

"Sherlock"

"A Very Murray Christmas"

Movie/Limited series actor | Courtney B. Vance, "The People v. O.J. Simpson"

“This is a too-close-to-call showdown between two titanic performances channeling larger-than-life personalities. I'm guessing that Courtney B. Vance's cunningly charismatic Johnnie Cochran will ride an ‘O.J.’ sweep, but I won't be at all surprised if Bryan Cranston adds an Emmy to the Tony he won for impersonating LBJ to the fullest.”

— Matt Roush