My Dream Emmy Ballot: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

As you can see, my Dream Emmy Ballot experiment took a backseat to real life. I still want to get these out before the Emmy nomination announcements on July 19, so I'm giving it the old college try. Next up is Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, and to be honest it's pretty straightforward.

Remember, these picks are my "wouldn't it be nice" nominees and not real predictions because it's just easier to dream than try to face reality. If you want more legit insights, I'm sure you can find some online.

Morena Baccarin, Homeland
Like I mentioned before, Homeland was one of my favorite new shows of the season, and while Morena Baccarin's performance was not as captivating as those around her, she started off strong as a women trying to deal with the return of her dead husband after she had finally moved on. It would've been easy to hate Jessica Brody, but Baccarin was able to make her genuinely sympathetic, which wasn't a small feat.

Joelle Carter, Justified
Justified's known for its amazing performances, but one that gets lost in the shuffle is Joelle Carter's Ava Crowder. Now, she didn't have too many standout moments early on, but Ava really came into her own during Season 3, and Carter was the main reason why things worked. Carter may not be as flashy as Walton Goggins or Neal McDonough, but she was just as effective.

Christina Hendricks, Mad Men
While I didn't love everything that happened to Joan Holloway (the whole prostitution angle still feels contrived), Christina Hendricks still nailed it at every turn. Heck, that scene between Joan and Don was by far one of the best things filmed this year, and I credit Hendricks more than I do Jon Hamm. I don't think she's actually going to win the Emmy, but she definitely deserves to be in the mix.

Lena Headey, Game of Thrones
Every good story needs a good villain, and Lena Headey's Cersei Lannister filled that role quite well during Game of Throne's second season. Some highlights include her speech to Sansa, her multiple clashes with Tyrion, and her story about lions and the rest of the animal kingdom. While I cannot say that she was as good as Dinklage, she was able to hold her own and was a strong second fiddle.

Beth Riesgraf, Leverage
Yes, I know that Leverage doesn't belong on any Emmy lists because it's not dark enough or realistic enough, and it's nothing but a fun, con-man procedural, but that's exactly why I love it and why it should get some recognition. While all five of the Leverage actors make the show work, Beth Riesgraf's Parker takes things to another level and has been the most well-rounded character of the bunch. Plus, she constantly cracks my shit up, and that should be worth something.

Maggie Siff, Sons of Anarchy
Katey Sagal gets the most Emmy buzz, which is well deserved, but Maggie Siff was able to hold her own during Sons' 4th season as Tara usurped the matriarchal role from the aforementioned Sagal's Gemma. It could be argued that Siff was a liability during the show's early seasons, but she's come into her own and cemented herself as a major player in Charming.

So there you have it. Those would be my top six contenders for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series if I controlled the Emmys. Agree? Disagree? Who would your nominess be?