My Eighth Annual Fantasy Emmy Ballot

For all intents and purposes, the 2012-13 television season is in the books. A little speculation is already brewing for this year's Emmys, and for the eighth year in a row I will throw my most educated guesses into the gauntlet. It was a weak year for first-year series so I don't expect too many fresh faces, but the rise of pay-on-demand original programming (thanks, Netflix!) might prove to be a curious X-factor. Than again, I predicted minimal turnover last year and look at how that turned out.

With that said, here is my 2013 Fantasy Emmy Ballot:

Writing in a Variety/Comedy/Music Series: (name listed is head writer) Barry Julien, The Colbert Report; Mike Sweeney, Conan; Steve Bodow, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; A.D. Miles, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon; Bill Maher, Real Time with Bill Maher; Colin Jost and Seth Meyers, Saturday Night Live.
Outstanding Variety/Comedy/Music Series: "The Colbert Report," Comedy Central; "Conan," TBS; "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," Comedy Central; "Jimmy Kimmel Live," ABC; "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," NBC; "Saturday Night Live," NBC.

Outstanding Miniseries or Made-for-TV Movie: "American Horror Story: Asylum," FX; "Behind the Candelabra," HBO; "Political Animals," USA; "Phil Spector," HBO; "Top of the Lake," Sundance Channel.

Supporting Actress, Comedy: Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory; Julie Bowen, Modern Family; Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock; Sofia Vergara, Modern Family; Jessica Walter, Arrested Development; Allison Williams, Girls.
Supporting Actor, Comedy: Ty Burrell, Modern Family; Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family; Max Greenfield, New Girl; Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother; Ed O'Neill, Modern Family; Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family.
Supporting Actress, Drama: Morena Baccarin, Homeland; Christine Baranski, The Good Wife; Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey; Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad; Christina Hendricks, Mad Men; Dame Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey.
Supporting Actor, Drama: Jim Carter, Downton Abbey; Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones; Gabriel Byrne, Vikings; Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad; James Purefoy, The Following; John Slattery, Mad Men.

Lead Actress, Comedy: Lena Dunham, Girls; Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie; Tina Fey, 30 Rock; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep; Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly; Amy Poehler, Parks & Recreation.
Lead Actor, Comedy: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock; Jason Bateman, Arrested Development; Louie C.K. Louie; Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory; Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory; Matthew Perry, Go On.
Lead Actress, Drama: Connie Britton, Nashville; Claire Danes, Homeland; Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey; Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife; Keri Russell, The Americans; Kerry Washington, Scandal.
Lead Actor, Drama: Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire; Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad; Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom; Jon Hamm, Mad Men; Damian Lewis, Homeland; Kevin Spacey, House of Cards.

Best Comedy Series: "30 Rock," NBC; "The Big Bang Theory," CBS; "Girls," HBO; "Modern Family," ABC; "Parks & Recreation," NBC; "Veep," HBO.
Best Drama Series: "Boardwalk Empire," HBO; "Breaking Bad," AMC; "Game of Thrones," HBO; "Homeland," Showtime; "House of Cards," Netflix; "Mad Men," AMC.

I look forward to the debate that will ensue.

Next Week: my Class of '13 memory list.