The 61st Primetime Emmy Awards 2009: Previews, picks and more

September 17, 1:02 PMLong Island Television ExaminerJennifer Wagner

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             Neil Patrick Harris hosting the Tonys

The Emmy Awards is the show to watch for fans of quality television, fans of award show, or fans of celebrity and fashion watching. The 61st annual primetime Emmy Awards show will air live, this Sunday, September 20th at 8pm.

With Neil Patrick Harris as the Host of this years Emmy awards show, it should be very funny and entertaining. His work hosting the Tonys was "legendary". If you aren't familar with his work, Neil is one of the wittiest, most charming and versatile actors working today. After last year's Emmy host debacle (reality show hosts), the bar certainly isn't set very high anyway.

In addition to many of the nominated actors, presenters at the 61st Emmy Awards include Michael J. Fox, Ellen Burstyn, Dana Delany, Jimmy Fallon, Alyson Hannigan, Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Stephen Moyer, Jason Segel, Kaley Cuoco, Cat Deeley, Johnny Galecki, LL Cool J, Chris O'Donnell, Anna Torv, Kate Walsh, Patricia Arquette, David Boreanaz, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Rob Lowe, Hayden Panettiere, Josh Radnor and Cobie Smulders. It appears that most of Neil Patrick Harris's How I Met Your Mother co-stars are going to be presenting, which should hopefully lead to some funny bits with the host himself.

Now on to the nominees (Those in italics are the ones expected to win by a majority of critics. If more than one is italicized in a given category, the critics are too divided to call):

Best Supporting Actor Comedy
Jon Cyer - Two and a Half Men
Kevin Dillon - Entourage
Neil Patrick Harris - How I Met Your Mother
Jack McBrayer - 30 Rock
Tracy Morgan - 30 Rock
Rainn Wilson - The Office

Best Supporting Actress Comedy
Kristin Chenoweth - Pushing Daisies
Jane Krakowski - 30 Rock
Elizabeth Perkins - Weeds
Amy Poehler - Saturday Night Live
Kristen Wiig - Saturday Night Live
Vanessa Williams - Ugly Betty

Best Actor Comedy - Tony Shalhoub has enough Emmys already
Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock
Steve Carell - The Office
Jemaine Clement - Flight of the Concords
Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory
Tony Shalhoub - Monk
Charlie Sheen - Two and a Half Men

Best Actress Comedy - Tina Fey already won this year for guest actor as Sarah Palin on SNL
Christina Applegate - Samantha Who
Toni Collette - United States of Tara
Tina Fey - 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus- The New Adventures of Old Christine
Mary-Louise Parker - Weeds
Sarah Silverman - The Sarah Silverman Program

Best Comedy Series
30 Rock
Entourage
Family Guy
Flight of the Conchords
How I Met Your Mother
The Office
Weeds

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama
Rose Byrne - Damages
Hope Davis- In Treatment
Cherry Jones - 24
Sandra Oh - Grey's Anatomy
Dianne Wiest - In Treatment
Chandra Wilson - Grey's Anatomy

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama - this category is wide open
Christian Clemenson - Boston Legal
Michael Emerson - Lost
William Hurt - Damages
Aaron Paul - Breaking Bad
William Shatner - Boston Legal
John Slattery - Man Men

Best Actress Drama
Glenn Close - Damages
Sally Field - Brothers & Sisters
Mariska Hargitay - Law & Order: SVU
Holly Hunter - Saving Grace
Elizabeth Moss - Mad Men
Kyra Sedgwick - The Closer

Best Actor Drama - Many aren't aware that Hugh Laurie has never won this before
Simon Baker - The Mentalist
Gabriel Byrne - In Treatment
Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall - Dexter
Jon Hamm - Mad Men
Hugh Laurie - House

Best Drama Series
Big Love
Breaking Bad
Damages
Dexter
House
Lost
Mad Men

What are your picks. Any favorites. Don't forget to watch the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards this Sunday night on ABC with Neil Patrick Harris.

See also:
Profile of Neil Patrick Harris New York Magazine
Official home of the 61st Primetime Emmy Award