With only six nominations per acting category and scores of names being submitted for consideration -- a whopping 1,249 this year, to be exact -- the harsh mathematics of Emmy season will ensure that at least a few worthy performers will be disappointed when the nominations are revealed on July 14.
But until Melissa McCarthy and Joshua Jackson read off the final slate of Emmy candidates, there's always hope, even for actors flying under the radar. With ballots due in to Ernst & Young on Friday at 5 p.m. PT, we're making our final-hour plea for eight TV dark horses -- one per major acting category -- who we'd love to see get some Emmy action.
NATHAN FILLION
Category: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Series (Character): "Castle" (Richard Castle)
Lead actors in series best described as dramedies have always been at a distinct disadvantage in Emmy's drama category. But Fillion's nuanced yet often hilarious turn as mystery novelist Richard Castle is reminiscent of the "Moonlighting"-era Bruce Willis -- who, incidentally, was the most recent dramedy lead actor to win an Emmy in the category.
KATE DEL CASTILLO
Category: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Series (Character): "La Reina del Sur" (Teresa Mendoza)
Telemundo launched its first-ever Emmy campaign after the finale of the telenovela "La Reina Del Sur" became the most-watched program in the network's 19-year history. In 63 audacious hour-long episodes spanning roughly 13 years of plot action, Del Castillo mesmerized viewers as her defiant character, Teresa Mendoza, navigated the tricky path up the drug-trafficking career ladder.
DAVID CROSS
Category: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Series (Character): "The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret" (Todd Margaret)
Yes, this is the category of shoo-ins Alec Baldwin, Jim Parsons and Steve Carell. But the absence of frequently nominated leads Tony Shalhoub and Larry David opens the door for a few upstarts. Joel McHale (NBC's "Community") and Louis C.K. (FX's "Louie") should fill two spots. But if you want to think waaaay outside the box, try the solid effort put in by Cross on his cultish IFC series as an American chump sent to England to market a questionable energy drink named Thunder Muscle.
MELISSA MCCARTHY
Category: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Series (Character): "Mike & Molly" (Molly Flynn)
The best thing about "Bridesmaids"? Any scene in which McCarthy appears as Megan, the weird, blunt sister of the groom. Her gonzo performance in the hit Kristen Wiig hit comedy should lead to increased interest in her CBS sitcom -- which, despite a cloying premise about two goofballs who meet in an Overeaters Anonymous group, showcases McCarthy's surprising physical comedy on a weekly basis.
