One critic picks who should win Emmys — and why they should

Sunday, August 27, 2006 This round of Emmy nominations has proved to be a bit controversial. By TERRY MORROW KNOXVILLE (TENN.) NEWS SENTINEL Don't even try to guess who's going to win at the Primetime Emmy Awards (8 tonight, NBC) because the list of nominees don't even make sense. Kevin James for Outstanding Lead Actor/ Comedy? No nomination for Hugh Laurie for "House"? (Yet the series is up for Outstanding Drama? What gives?) Where are "Six Feet Under" or "Lost" in the Outstanding Drama competition? Argh! It's enough to cause a couch potato to get off the couch and turn the channels the old-fashion way! Well, let's not be too hasty. Not all the nominees are unworthy. These are definitely the most controversial Primetime Emmy Awards nominations in recent memory, but host Conan O'Brien will keep the mood lively, at least. Fox's "24" is the most nominated series, up in 12 slots. ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" is a close second with 11. Both are up for Outstanding Drama. This critic may not be able to predict who will win in the major categories — but here's a best-guess look at who should win, and why: BEST COMEDY SERIES *Nominees: "Arrested Development" (Fox); "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (HBO); "The Office" (NBC); "Scrubs" (NBC); "Two And A Half Men" (CBS). *Who should win: "Scrubs." *Why: This show has plenty of power left in it. The past season was more strange and over-the-top than any time in its history. And yet the comedy always went back to its heart. That makes it a winner. LEAD ACTOR, COMEDY *Nominees: Larry David ("Curb Your Enthusiasm"); Kevin James ("The King Of Queens"); Tony Shalhoub ("Monk"); Steve Carell ("The Office"); Charlie Sheen ("Two and a Half Men"). *Who should win: Tony Shalhoub. *Why: Even when "Monk" stories are at their most predictable, Shalhoub delivers one of television's most fully formed characters week after week. There's no one else quite like Mr. Monk, but there should be. LEAD ACTRESS, COMEDY *Nominees: Lisa Kudrow ("The Comeback"); Jane Kaczmarek ("Malcolm In The Middle"); Julia Louis-Dreyfus ("The New Adventures Of Old Christine"); Stockard Channing ("Out Of Practice"); Debra Messing ("Will & Grace"). *Who should win: Lisa Kudrow. *Why: Kudrow created one of HBO's most memorable characters in this little-seen comedy about an actress desperate for a return to glory. It was a sharp performance that got little attention at the time. Now, here's the moment to reward it. SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY *Nominees: Will Arnett ("Arrested Development"); Jeremy Piven ("Entourage"); Bryan Cranston ("Malcolm In The Middle"); Jon Cryer ("Two And A Half Men"); Sean Hayes ("Will & Grace"). *Who should win: Jeremy Piven. *Why: I'll always love Sean Hayes as Jack on "Will & Grace," but Jeremy Piven sets the screen on fire as Ari Gold, the heartless agent on "Entourage." SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY *Nominees: Cheryl Hines ("Curb Your Enthusiasm"); Alfre Woodard ("Desperate Housewives"); Jaime Pressly ("My Name Is Earl"); Elizabeth Perkins ("Weeds"); Megan Mullally ("Will & Grace"). *Who should win: Megan Mullally. *Why: I'm torn. Megan Mullally, Elizabeth Perkins and Jaime Pressly are equally worthy, but only Mullally will not get this shot again. And, come on, Karen Walker deserves one last, grand send off. DRAMA SERIES *Nominees: "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC); "House" (Fox); "The Sopranos" (HBO); "24" (Fox); "The West Wing" (NBC). *Who should win: "The Sopranos." *Why: "Grey's" is a guilty pleasure, not the avatar for dramatic standards, as befitting an Emmy winner. "House" is dependent on one performance (the aforementioned Mr. Laurie). The voters will give it to "West Wing," but it's not deserving. The show lost its zing three years ago. LEAD ACTOR, DRAMA *Nominees: Christopher Meloni ("Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"); Denis Leary ("Rescue Me"); Peter Krause ("Six Feet Under"); Kiefer Sutherland ("24"); Martin Sheen ("The West Wing"). *Who should win: Peter Krause. *Why: As Nate Fisher, he was the voice of angst that carried "Six Feet Under." The character's death was a dramatic risk that paid off. Throw "Six Feet" a bone and honor this performance. LEAD ACTRESS, DRAMA *Nominees: Kyra Sedgwick ("The Closer"); Geena Davis ("Commander In Chief"); Mariska Hargitay ("Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"); Frances Conroy ("Six Feet Under"); Allison Janney ("The West Wing"). *Who should win: Frances Conroy *Why: Like Krause, Frances was given an unparalleled showcase with her role as the Fisher matriarch. She was dark and understated and remained that way for years. Her deft style was unusual for the small screen. SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA *Nominees: William Shatner ("Boston Legal"); Oliver Platt ("Huff"); Michael Imperioli ("The Sopranos"); Gregory Itzin ("24"); Alan Alda ("The West Wing"). *Who should win: Michael Imperioli. *Why: As the drug addict gangster on the HBO drama, Michael Imperioli makes you care for a man whose actions are unforgivable. That's a rare talent, indeed. SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA *Nominees: Candice Bergen ("Boston Legal"); Sandra Oh ("Grey's Anatomy"); Chandra Wilson ("Grey's Anatomy"); Blythe Danner ("Huff"); Jean Smart ("24"). *Who should win: Jean Smart *Why: She's the looniest first lady we've seen in the White House for quite some time. Smart gave us a memorable performance as a woman on the edge on a series that was chock full of strong actors. Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.