Emmy Breakdown: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, or Why Glenn Close Strikes Fear in the Hearts of Actresses Everywhere

The big show is just two short days away. And with that, I'm going to address the last of the major acting categories, Lead Actress in a Drama. I think it's very hard for a category to have the same set of nominees (plus one new one) and get even more competitive in a year's time, but that's exactly what happened here. The nominees are:

• Glenn Close as Patty Hewes, Damages
  
• Sally Field as Nora Walker, Brothers & Sisters
  
• Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson, Law & Order: SVU
  
• Holly Hunter as Grace Hanadarko, Saving Grace
  
• Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson, Mad Men
  
• Kyra Sedgwick as Brenda Johnson, The Closer
  

This is the sixth nomination for Hargitay (one win), fourth for Sedgwick, third nomination for Field (one win), second for Hunter and Close (Close won last year and was previously nominated for her work on The Shield), and the first nomination for Moss. I think it's fair to say that this category is stacked with talent. I mean, The Closer, Damages, and Saving Grace wouldn't really exist without their lead actresses, and while I love the rest of the Walkers, Sally Field brings a special brand of old-lady crazy to her role without making the character completely unlikable, and I couldn't imagine that show without her. I'm not the biggest procedural fan, but I think Hargitay does good work on SVU. She's didn't get 6 consecutive nominations for nothing. Moss is a very welcome addition to this category, because her performance as Peggy is completely captivating and one of the two main reasons I watch the show (the other being the inscrutable Don Draper).

So, given the immense wealth of talent here, who's going to win? Hargitay went through some tense contract negotiations, and while I'm not sure how that will affect her chances, she's not on my short list to win either. I don't watch Saving Grace or The Closer, so I can't comment on their performances, although after four nominations, Sedgwick should get something. Field is Field, but I didn't care for the goings on over on B&S this season, so I'm not liking her chances. That leaves us with Close and Moss, the great dame and the ingenue, the lion and the lamb. The contrast between these two is stark. Glenn Close is a powerful actress. Every look, every grimace, every slight move is always loaded with meaning. I've said this before and I'll say it again, Glenn Close giving her death stare directly to the camera for an hour so without moving or speaking would make one of the greatest horror movies of all time. Let's contrast that with Moss's sweet, naive Peggy, who's just trying to make her way in the world with a few ideas and a lot of gumption. Moss' performance is much more subdued, but no less wonderful. That being said, I think the real difference here is that Close elevates the material given to her versus Moss being elevated by the material given to her. Plus, really who's not going to give Glenn Close an award? Lady is scary. So......

Who Should Win: Glenn Close
Who Will Win: Glenn Close (Unless Moss or Sedgwick manage to steal it away)

Check back tomorrow for a look at the Best Drama race.