Emmy Awards 2017 predictions

Offred (Elisabeth Moss) lives in the Biblically-based dystopia of The Handmaid's Tale.

The Emmy Awards are on today, and the most exciting categories this year might all involve the limited-run series. The addictive Big Little Lies (and its cast of A-list stars) is up against heavy hitters like The Night Of and Feud: Bette and Joan. But don't forget about the weepy This Is Us, the first broadcast TV show to land a best drama series nod in six years.

Saturday Night Live is tied with Westworld for the most nominations, with 22. Here are some predictions for what will probably win, who actually deserves to win, and who could sneak through and surprise everyone.

Outstanding drama series

The Crown (Netflix)
The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu)
Westworld (HBO)
Stranger Things (Netflix)
This Is Us (NBC)
Better Call Saul (AMC)
House of Cards (Netflix)

Will probably win: This Is Us

This is the toughest field of the night, but Post TV critic Hank Stuever said it best - America needed a hug and a good cry this year, and broadcast TV's big breakout hit delivered.

Deserves to win: The Handmaid's Tale

The oddly relevant series, based on the terrifying 1985 dystopian novel, will linger with you long after you've watched it.

Dark horse: The Crown

Because you can never count out a prestige series about Brits, especially one on Netflix.

Outstanding lead actor in a drama series

Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us (NBC)
Matthew Rhys, The Americans (FX)
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards (Netflix)
Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan (Showtime)
Anthony Hopkins, Westworld (HBO)
Milo Ventimiglia, This Is Us (NBC)
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul (AMC)

Will probably win: Sterling K. Brown

In a show filled with devastating moments, Brown steals nearly every episode with the portrayal of a man reconnecting with his biological father.

Deserves to win: Sterling K. Brown

See above.

Dark horse: Bob Odenkirk

He might turn out to be the guy who's always nominated and never wins - yet you can't count him out, especially with his excellent portrayal of a shady lawyer.

Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Shailene Woodley star in Big Little Lies

Outstanding lead actress in a drama series

Claire Foy, The Crown (Netflix)
Keri Russell, The Americans (FX)
Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu)
Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder (ABC)
Robin Wright, House of Cards (Netflix)
Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld (HBO)

Will probably win: Elisabeth Moss

Even post-Mad Men, Moss is still an Emmy favourite, and she made the most headlines for her performance.

Deserves to win: Keri Russell

The fact that she's finally nominated for The Americans (two years in a row now) doesn't excuse the academy for overlooking her during the show's peak.

Dark horse: Claire Foy

Again, it's Netflix - and Foy has earned raves for her work as Queen Elizabeth.

Outstanding supporting actor in a drama series

Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul (AMC)
John Lithgow, The Crown (Netflix)
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland (Showtime)
Michael Kelly, House Of Cards (Netflix)
David Harbour, Stranger Things (Netflix)
Ron Cephas Jones, This Is Us (NBC)
Jeffrey Wright, Westworld (HBO)

Will probably win: John Lithgow

His Winston Churchill performance already netted him a Golden Globe nomination and SAG Award prize.

Deserves to win: Jeffrey Wright

Critics love him on Westworld - he has a magnetic screen presence and the ability to deliver a big twist.

Dark horse: Ron Cephas Jones

He's the other half of the devastating father-son This Is Us story, so if voters really liked to cry this year, they could give him the win.

Outstanding supporting actress in a drama series

Ann Dowd, The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu)
Samira Wiley, The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu)
Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black (Netflix)
Millie Bobby Brown, Stranger Things (Netflix)
Thandie Newton, Westworld (HBO)
Chrissy Metz, This Is Us (NBC)

Will probably win: Thandie Newton

Her character went through a lot (that's an understatement), and Newton expertly tackled every emotion.

Deserves to win: Chrissy Metz

Metz deserves all the praise she's received as she nails a role that TV doesn't usually do very well - the story of a woman struggling with her weight.

Dark horse: Millie Bobby Brown

While it would be unusual for the 13-year-old to take the prize from the vets, Brown was riveting as the young girl with a scary secret on Stranger Things.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus in Veep.

Outstanding comedy series

Black-ish (ABC)
Atlanta (FX)
Veep (HBO)
Master of None (Netflix)
Silicon Valley (HBO)
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)
Modern Family (ABC)

Will probably win: Veep

It's Veep's world and we're just living it - expect the political satire to take home the trophy for the third year in a row.

Deserves to win: Atlanta

Donald Glover's inventive take on the rap scene in Atlanta was a delight in its freshman season.

Dark horse: Black-ish

Could broadcast TV win best drama and best comedy? If any show could pull it off, Black-ish can.

Outstanding lead actor in a comedy series

Donald Glover, Atlanta (FX)
Anthony Anderson, Black-ish (ABC)
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent (Amazon)
Aziz Ansari, Master of None (Netflix)
William H. Macy, Shameless (Showtime)
Zach Galifianakis, Baskets (FX)

Will probably win: Donald Glover

If Atlanta doesn't take the main prize, like it did at the Golden Globes, Glover will certainly win - just like he did at the Golden Globes.

Deserves to win: Donald Glover

He's great in this show, but let's also think of it as revenge for the Emmys snubbing Community.

Dark horse: Jeffrey Tambor

He's won for his groundbreaking role in Transparent for two years running, and could easily conquer a third time.

Outstanding lead actress in a comedy series

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep (HBO)
Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish (ABC)
Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie (Netflix)
Jane Fonda, Grace and Frankie (Netflix)
Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)
Allison Janney, Mom (CBS)
Pamela Adlon, Better Things (FX)

Will probably win: Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Selina Meyer will likely land her sixth (!) Emmy in a row on Sunday.

Deserves to win: Ellie Kemper

Seriously, has a part ever fitted an actress better than Kemper with Kimmy Schmidt?

Dark horse: Pamela Adlon

She was the surprise nominee here, so she just might eke out a surprise victory, too.

Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys in The Americans.

Outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series

Louie Anderson, Baskets (FX)
Ty Burrell, Modern Family (ABC)
Alec Baldwin, Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)
Tony Hale, Veep (HBO)
Matt Walsh, Veep (HBO)

Will probably win: Alec Baldwin

Well, clearly. Don't you want to see his speech?

Deserves to win: Alec Baldwin

He dominated the zeitgeist last fall with his Trump impression.

Dark horse: Louie Anderson

Because he won last year, and the Emmys always throw a few surprises in there.

Outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series

Vanessa Bayer, Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Leslie Jones, Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Kathryn Hahn, Transparent (Amazon)
Judith Light, Transparent (Amazon)
Anna Chlumsky, Veep (HBO)

Will probably win: Kate McKinnon

She earned the trophy last year, and her Hillary Clinton impersonation only catapulted her to further fame this year.

Deserves to win: Kate McKinnon

McKinnon was all over the place as Clinton, from the debate skits to that Hallelujah performance.

Dark horse: Anna Chlumsky

You can't overlook Veep.

Outstanding limited series

The Night Of (HBO)
Big Little Lies (HBO)
Fargo (FX)
Feud: Bette and Joan (FX)
Genius (National Geographic)

Will probably win: Big Little Lies

Something tells us Emmy voters can't resist the Witherspoon-Kidman star power of Big Little Lies.

Deserves to win: Big Little Lies

The Night Of and Feud were also irresistible, yet all of the elements of BLL came together unusually flawlessly.

Dark horse: The Night Of

The HBO series had tons of critical acclaim - it just aired so long ago.

Sterling K. Brown in This Is Us.

Outstanding TV movie

Black Mirror (Netflix)
Dolly Parton's Christmas Of Many Colors: Circle Of Love (NBC)
Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (HBO)
Sherlock: The Lying Detective (PBS)
The Wizard of Lies (HBO)

Will probably win: The Wizard of Lies

Robert de Niro as Bernie Madoff has the right elements for an Emmy victory: recognisable name, famous story and on HBO.

Deserves to win: Black Mirror

Yes, it's technically an episode of a TV show - just trust us, San Junipero is that good.

Dark horse: Sherlock: The Lying Detective

Never bet against a solid PBS drama.

Outstanding variety sketch series

Billy on the Street (truTV)
Documentary Now! (IFC)
Drunk History (Comedy Central)
Portlandia (IFC)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Tracey Ullman's Show (HBO)

Will probably win: Saturday Night Live

With the political news cycle, there's no way it can be anything else.

Deserves to win: Saturday Night Live

They deserve it for the sheer volume of events to parody this year.

Dark horse: Billy on the Street

Finally, Billy Eichner is getting his due for more than viral videos that result from his show.

Outstanding variety talk series

Late Show With Stephen Colbert (CBS)
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO)
Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC)
Full Frontal With Samantha Bee (TBS)
Late Late Show With James Corden (CBS)
Real Time With Bill Maher (HBO)

Will probably win: Late Show With Stephen Colbert

This is an unusually tough category (don't disregard John Oliver). But no one had a better second year - after a solidly mediocre first year - than Colbert.

Deserves to win: Jimmy Kimmel Live

Kimmel has proved himself as a host who can interview political figures with toughness and pull off an emotional monologue, which is no easy task - and he doesn't always get the credit he deserves.

Dark horse: Full Frontal With Samantha Bee

Though she's a newer host, Bee has lots of fans in the industry.

Outstanding reality-competition programme

The Voice (NBC)
The Amazing Race (CBS)
Top Chef (Bravo)
Project Runway (Lifetime)
RuPaul's Drag Race (Logo)
American Ninja Warrior (NBC)

Will probably win: The Voice

Once Emmy voters get hooked on something, it's hard to stop the cycle. (See: all of the Amazing Race victories.)

Deserves to win: RuPaul's Drag Race

There's a reason RuPaul has won the reality competition host award two years in a row.

Dark horse: American Ninja Warrior

If you don't watch it, you wouldn't understand.