Hollywood’s best and brightest will gather together on Sunday, January 8, to duke it out (figuratively, of course) for the honor of bringing home one of the most important trophies in showbiz. The Golden Globe Awards are a major awards-season event, and a coveted honor for actors, directors and producers of both big- and small-screen fare — and this year, every nominated field is packed deep with talented folks, making it a fierce competition.
Who will go home with a Globe, while the rest walk away empty-handed? We’re taking a peek at the best picks in the TV categories, with potential winners including such buzzy series as This Is Us, Stranger Things, Westworld and The People v. O.J. Simpson. And be sure to check out Us Weekly on the day of the event for full coverage of the red carpet, ceremony and parties!
Best Comedy/Musical Series
Atlanta
Black-ish
Mozart in the Jungle
Transparent
Veep
Will Win: Atlanta
Should Win: Atlanta
A host of critically acclaimed but mostly familiar shows are in the running for this category: Black-ish, Mozart in the Jungle, Veep, Transparent. However, newcomer and critical darling Atlanta is also up for a Globe — and not only is it a worthy winner, it’s a likely one in a year when black voices and narratives were a very big deal.
Best Drama Series
Game of Thrones
Stranger Things
This Is Us
Westworld
The Crown
Will Win: Westworld
Should Win: Stranger Things
Medieval war games, naked sentient robots, family dramas (royal and otherwise) and a terrifying topsy-turvy trip to the Upside Down: the best TV dramas of the year are as different from each other as they were spectacular to watch. The likeliest winner? We’re guessing Westworld, given HBO’s strength in this category, as well as the show’s massive debut success. But for sheer inventiveness, production values and killer-cool sci-fi world-building with a distinctive 1980s flavor, Stranger Things would be a very deserving dark horse contender for the trophy.
Best TV Actor: Comedy
Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
Gael García Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle
Donald Glover, Atlanta
Nick Nolte, Graves
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent
Will Win: Donald Glover
Should Win: Anthony Anderson
In a field populated mostly with older industry veterans — including folks like Jeffrey Tambor, who have so many awards that they’re probably running out of display space to hold ’em all — our money is on the fresh blood: Donald Glover. If Atlanta doesn’t take home the award for best comedy series, Glover will definitely nab this one for his fantastic, nuanced, darkly funny performance. However, Anthony Anderson — the eternal bridesmaid of awards season for his work on Black-ish — should really take home an actual win one of these days, if only for fairness’ sake. Could this be his year?
Best TV Actress: Comedy
Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Sarah Jessica Parker, Divorce
Issa Rae, Insecure
Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin
Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish
Will Win: Sarah Jessica Parker
Should Win: Issa Rae
Hollywood loves a comeback, which means that the multiple award-winning Sarah Jessica Parker might be a top contender in this category for her darkly comedic performance in new series Divorce. But who deserves the win? We’re going with newcomer Issa Rae for Insecure, not least because she’s been tweeting adorably about her excitement for this ceremony all week long. Give that woman a Globe!
Best TV Actor: Drama
Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Matthew Rhys, The Americans
Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan
Billy Bob Thornton, Goliath
Will Win: Rami Malek
Should Win: Bob Odenkirk
After he was somehow overlooked last year for playing the dreamboat lead on Mr. Robot, it’ll be a shock if Rami Malek doesn’t take home the Globe for best actor this time around. However, we can’t deny that Bob Odenkirk is a highly deserving contender for Better Call Saul, for which he was also a nominee-but-not-winner at the Globes last year.
Best TV Actress: Drama
Caitriona Balfe, Outlander
Claire Foy, The Crown
Keri Russell, The Americans
Winona Ryder, Stranger Things
Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld
Will Win: Winona Ryder
Should Win: Winona Ryder
This category may be the biggest no-brainer of the evening: Winona Ryder’s performance as a harried single mom in Stranger Things was a super standout that can, should and almost certainly will be rewarded with a shiny Golden Globe. All hail the Ryder-ssance!
Best Supporting TV Actress
Olivia Colman, The Night Manager
Lena Headey, Game of Thrones
Chrissy Metz, This Is Us
Mandy Moore, This Is Us
Thandie Newton, Westworld
Will Win: Thandie Newton
Should Win: Chrissy Metz
In this category, where comedic and dramatic performances go head to head, This Is Us has already achieved the remarkable distinction of snagging two nomination slots: Mandy Moore and Chrissy Metz are both in the running. And let’s be real, Chrissy Metz seriously deserves to be recognized for her poignant performance on the NBC drama. However: Both women are up against Thandie Newton and Westworld, a performance that was just as nuanced, while also being a thousand percent more nude. If unclothed screen time is even remotely a factor in the Globes’ committee’s decision — not that we’re saying it would be, but if! — then Newton will snag it for sure.
Best Supporting TV Actor
Sterling K. Brown, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Hugh Laurie, The Night Manager
John Lithgow, The Crown
Christian Slater, Mr. Robot
John Travolta, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Will Win: John Lithgow
Should Win: John Lithgow
Again, we’ve got a deep field of contenders — including John Travolta and Sterling K. Brown for the American Crime Story recreation of the O.J. Simpson trial, as well as last year’s winner, Christian Slater, who turned in another great round of performances on Mr. Robot in 2016. But if you’ve caught even one episode of Netflix’s The Crown, you’ll know that John Lithgow’s exceptional performance as Winston Churchill is the clear front-runner.
Best TV Limited Series or Motion Picture
American Crime
The Dresser
The Night Manager
The Night Of
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Will Win: The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Should Win: The Dresser
In a field dominated by crime, nighttime and sometimes both at once, it’ll be damn difficult for the committee to choose between American Crime Story, American Crime, The Night Manager or The Night Of. The obvious solution? Give the award to The Dresser, the one entry on the list starring two grande hommes of the old-school English theatre, and in which there is absolutely no night crime at all.
Best Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie
Riz Ahmed, The Night Of
Bryan Cranston, All the Way
Tom Hiddleston, The Night Manager
John Turturro, The Night Of
Courtney B. Vance, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Will Win: Riz Ahmed
Should Win: Riz Ahmed
Knock Bryan Cranston out of the running, due in part to his awards-rich run on Breaking Bad, and we’re guessing that HBO’s dark, slow-burn drama The Night Of will be recognized in this category, with a win for either Riz Ahmed or John Turturro (our money’s on Ahmed).
Best Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie
Riley Keough, The Girlfriend Experience
Sarah Paulson, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Charlotte Rampling, London Spy
Kerry Washington, Confirmation
Felicity Huffman, American Crime
Will Win: Sarah Paulson
Should Win: Sarah Paulson
Sarah Paulson has been three-times nominated in this category, but hasn’t yet won, which puts some added pressure on Sunday’s outcome. Our guess? One of the based-on-a-true-story performances will nab it: either Paulson, for her role as Marcia Clark on American Crime Story, or Kerry Washington for playing Anita Hill in Confirmation.
The Golden Globe Awards, hosted by Jimmy Fallon, airs on NBC Sunday, January 8, at 8 p.m. ET.
