Eric's Emmy Picks: Dreaming Up a Better Emmycast

As promised, I'm ready to ante up with my own picks for Sunday's Emmy contest.

It's a given that Sunday's results won't be nearly as hip, comprehensive or far-reaching as us small screen fans might want. Still, there's hope: I've seen more new faces and standout efforts nominated this year than in the last two or three combined.

So let's look over the biggest categories and dream a little. Who knows? The Emmy academy might surprise us this year and play along.

Outstanding Drama Series -- Nominees: Boston Legal (ABC), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), Heroes (NBC), House (Fox), The Sopranos (HBO).
My fantasy: Either The Wire’s ambitious take on inner city kids losing hope or Rescue Me’s acerbic look at a disintegrating NYC firefighter should be winning this award. But since they didn't even get nominated, it’s tough to imagine The Sopranos getting snubbed in its final season.

Outstanding Comedy Series -- Nominees: Entourage (HBO), The Office (NBC), 30 Rock (NBC), Two and a Half Men (CBS) Ugly Betty (ABC).
My fantasy: For half its run last season, 30 Rock was among the best comedies on TV. Unfortunately, the other half of the time it was impenetrably quirky. I’m expecting Betty to take this one again, and deservedly so.

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy -- Nominees: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock; Steve Carell, The Office; Ricky Gervais, Extras (HBO); Tony Shaloub, Monk (USA); Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men.
My fantasy: If Shaloub wins a fourth Emmy, Baldwin should just storm onstage and take it from him. In my dreams, Shaloub gives it up on his own.

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy -- Nominees: Felicity Huffman, Desperate Housewives (ABC); Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS); America Ferrera, Ugly Betty; Tina Fey, 30 Rock; Mary Louise-Parker, Weeds (Showtime).
My fantasy: I'm with Tom O'Neil on this one -- Ferrera is the shoo-in, with Fey as the dark horse on the hipster vote. Best of all, this is the strongest collection of female comedy nominees from different shows in a while.

Outstanding Actor in a Drama -- Nominees: James Spader, Boston Legal; Keifer Sutherland, 24 (Fox); James Gandolfini, The Sopranos; Hugh Laurie, House; Denis Leary, Rescue Me (FX).My fantasy: First, that Spader get a sudden pang of good sense and refuse to accept any more nominations for that twisted, tired mess he stars in. Second, that Gandolfini show gratitude for his inevitable, career-capping win by explaining what the hell that ending was really all about. No explainee, no trophy.

Outstanding Actress in a Drama -- Nominees: Patricia Arquette, Medium (NBC); Minnie Driver, The Riches, (FX); Edie Falco, The Sopranos; Sally Field, Brothers and Sisters, (ABC); Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC); Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer (TNT).
My fantasy: Much as I love me some Edie Falco, Driver and Sedgwick should share this award in 2007. It’s a tough call: Driver was a Brit playing a Southern, lifelong con artist recovering from a heroin addiction. Sedgwick was a driven, menopausal commitment-phobe squiggling to keep her work and home families together. Sometimes, you can’t help wishing they could give two of these things.