Emmy Predictions 2011

With less than 5 hours until the 63rd Emmy Awards telecast, I'm recording my official predictions for prosperity.

Outstanding Drama Series

Will win: Mad Men

Should win: Friday Night Lights

Notable Snub: Fringe

Outstanding Comedy Series

Will win: Modern Family

Should win: Parks and Recreation

Notable Snub: Community

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Will win: Jon Hamm (Mad Men)

Should win: Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights)

Notable snub: Nathan Fillion (Castle)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Will win: Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife)

Should win: Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Will win: Steve Carell (The Office)

Should win: Steve Carell (The Office)

Notable snub: Joel McHale (Community)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Will win: Laura Linney (The Big C)

Should win: Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)

Notable snub: Courtney Cox (Cougar Town)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Will win: Chris Colfer (Glee)

Should win: Ed O'Neill (Modern Family)

Notable snub: Donald Glover (Community)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Will win: Betty White (Hot in Cleveland)

Should win: Sofia Vergara (Modern Family)

Notable snub: Alison Brie (Community)

Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series

Will win: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Should win: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Notable snub: The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

Outstanding Reality-Competition Program

Will win: American Idol

Should win: The Amazing Race

Notable snub: Survivor

Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program

Will win: Jeff Probst (Survivor)

Should win: Cat Deeley (So You Think You Can Dance)

Notable snub: Tim Gunn (Project Runway)

Outstanding Miniseries or TV Movie

Will win: Mildred Pierce

Should win: Downton Abbey

Welcome to the TV Wasteland

"When television is good, nothing -- not the theater, not the magazines or newspapers -- nothing is better.

"But when television is bad, nothing is worse. I invite each of you to sit down in front of your television set when your station goes on the air and stay there, for a day, without a book, without a magazine, without a newspaper, without a profit and loss sheet or a rating book to distract you. Keep your eyes glued to that set until the station signs off. I can assure you that what you will observe is a vast wasteland.

"You will see a procession of game shows, formula comedies about totally unbelievable families, blood and thunder, mayhem, violence, sadism, murder, western bad men, western good men, private eyes, gangsters, more violence, and cartoons. And endlessly commercials -- many screaming, cajoling, and offending. And most of all, boredom. True, you'll see a few things you will enjoy. But they will be very, very few. And if you think I exaggerate, I only ask you to try it."

- Excerpt from Television and Public Interest, Newton M. Minow, May 9, 1961

Often cited as one of the top speeches of the 20th century, Minow's address is now more relevant than ever.  Given in the infancy of TV, at a time when only three networks programmed a limited number of hours a night, the speech was, nevertheless, a milestone in television development. Now, the "vast wasteland" of television has expanded to hundreds of networks programming 24 hours a day, which can only further obscure the good programming among the bad.