2015 Golden Globes Predictions (Television)

Written by Luke Kalamar and Bill Bodkin

2015 Golden Globes Predictions for Television

The Nominees for Best Television Series – Drama: The Affair (Showtime), Downton Abbey (PBS), Game of Thrones (HBO), The Good Wife (CBS), House of Cards (Netflix).

Prediction: Game of Thrones

Reasoning: If True Detective was nominated in this category, it would have been a shoe-in. It was one of the biggest shows of the year featuring some of the best acting ever seen on television. I can’t even comprehend why the Hollywood Foreign Press Association felt it shouldn’t be here, but that honestly opens the door for Game of Thrones. This past season was simply incredible. The only two shows I can see besting it are The Good Wife, for an even longer history of praise, and The Affair, for being a massively popular new program.  — LK

Prediction: House of Cards

Reasoning: While Game of Thrones deserves the win for an amazing season — the smart money goes to this flagship Netflix series. Online shows are the new hotness, Kevin Spacey is a pop culture darling right now, and the HFPA loves him. –BB

The Nominees for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama: Claire Danes, Homeland (Showtime), Viola Davis, How To Get Away With Murder (ABC), Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife (CBS), Ruth Wilson, The Affair (Showtime), Robin Wright, House of Cards (Netflix).

Prediction: Viola Davis, How To Get Away With Murder

Reasoning: When I first wrote up my Globes reaction piece, I pegged Robin Wright as the winner of this category. Time has changed my mind. I didn’t watch How To Get Away With Murder as religiously as my fiancé, but one thing that has stuck with me is Viola Davis’s immense talent. She absolutely owns this role. HTGAWM was easily one of the Fall’s biggest premieres too and some type of award recognition is warranted. Then again, this is one top quality bunch of actresses. Any one of them can take the award for entirely justifiable reasons. Davis though seems like a reliable pick. –LK

Prediction: Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder

Reasoning: While House of Cards will be a big winner tonight, no one can deny that Davis, an Oscar and Globe nominee, killed it in 2014. She was bathed in critical acclaim and is a fabulous actress to boot. The only people who could challenge her could upset her are Robin Wright or Claire Danes (who would be a long shot). –BB

The Nominees for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama: Clive Owen, The Knick (Cinemax), Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan (Showtime), Kevin Spacey, House of Cards (Netflix), James Spader, The Blacklist (NBC), Dominic West, The Affair (Showtime).

Prediction: Kevin Spacey, House of Cards

Reasoning: This is the year Kevin Spacey finally wins an acting award for House of Cards. He’s been nominated for both Emmys and Globes since the show began, and he deserves it because this guy is easily one of the better actors in the business. But what makes this a lock, especially for a Netflix program, is his competition. I can’t imagine anyone else winning this, except maybe for Clive Owen or Dominic West simply because they’re from new shows. The HFPA loves new programs. If they really want to make a splash though, the HFPA should award Spacey for his work. –LK

Prediction: Kevin Spacey, House of Cards

Reasoning: I want Spacey to win because his speech is probably going to be amazing. However, this is Spacey’s role of a lifetime – forget American Beauty, forget Seven or The Usual Suspects. This is his role and it’s the role that’s propelled him back into the cultural zeitgeist and he’s really embraced it with a wink and nod. Clive Owen has the best shot to win because hot damn was he good in The Knick. –BB

The Nominees for Best Television Series – Comedy or Musical: Girls (HBO), Jane the Virgin (The CW), Orange is the New Black (Netflix), Silicon Valley (HBO), Transparent (Amazon).

Prediction: Orange is the New Black

Reasoning: The HFPA has a great chance to make history here, and the absence of Modern Family makes that so much easier. Two of the most lauded shows on here are from internet streaming services and one of them is about a transgendered female. There is a really good chance that Transparent can take this home, but something tells me Orange is the New Black will get the due it definitely deserves. Is this more of a drama than a comedy? Absolutely. Yet that’s irrelevant at this point. It has to take this home. Truthfully though, I wouldn’t be surprised if Jane the Virgin comes out of nowhere and steals it from everyone. –LK

Prediction: Orange is the New Black

Reasoning: See my reasons for House of Cards. Welcome to the age of Netflix. –BB

The Nominees for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical: Lena Dunham, Girls (HBO), Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie (Showtime), Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep (HBO), Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin (The CW), Taylor Schilling, Orange is the New Black (Netflix).

Prediction: Taylor Schilling, Orange is the New Black

Reasoning: While the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences still has an obsession with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the HFPA has never given her this award. Obviously this can change any given year, but I don’t believe 2015 is that time. This is Taylor Schilling’s award to win for obvious reasons. As with every other category though, you can’t ignore the new presence: Gina Rodriguez. Last year Andy Samberg won the Actor Globe for Brooklyn Nine-Nine and I can totally see Rodriguez doing that this year for the women. –LK

Prediction: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep

Reasoning: She has not won a Globe since 1994. So 20 years later the HFPA will reward her properly for her most lauded role ever (I think she gets more praise for her role on Veep than on Seinfeld). Schilling has the next best shot while Falco and Dunham have become filler at this point. Rodriguez has an outside shot but Jane the Virgin doesn’t have the juice that Samberg and B99 had last year. –BB

The Nominees for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical: Louis C.K., Louie (FX), Don Cheadle, House of Lies (Showtime), Ricky Gervais, Derek (Netflix), William H. Macy, Shameless (Showtime), Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent (Amazon).

Prediction: Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

Reasoning: This category is almost all ballot filler. Ricky Gervais? William H. Macy? Don Cheadle? None of these men will win, simply because no one really watches their shows. You hearing nothing about them until awards season, and then they vanish for months after winning nothing. So who will get this? Jeffrey Tambor by a mile. His performance is notable for being both incredible and focused on transgender issues which are reaching a fever pitch. Sure, there’s a chance Louie C.K. can get this because people love him, but if there is one category Transparent is sure to win in, it’s this one. –LK

Prediction: Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

Reasoning: As much as I’d love to give this to Louis C.K. there are two things going for Tambor – Transparent is an online show and it’s Jeffrey Tambor in the role of a lifetime. –BB

The Nominees for Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: Fargo (FX), The Missing (Starz), The Normal Heart (HBO), True Detective (HBO), Olive Kitteridge (HBO).

Prediction: True Detective

Reasoning: I want Fargo to win this, I really do, but this will go to True Detective. It honestly would have won the Emmy’s last year if Breaking Bad wasn’t there. Can The Normal Heart come out of nowhere and beat both these front runners? Absolutely. Yet considering how much momentum True Detective has, that seems unlikely. –LK

Prediction: True Detective

Reasoning: This will probably come back to haunt me, but True Detective wins this by a mile. –BB

The Nominees for Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Honourable Woman (SundanceTV), Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Freak Show, Frances McDormand, Olive Kitteridge (HBO), Frances O’Connor, The Missing (Starz), Allison Tolman, Fargo (FX).

Prediction: Allison Tolman, Fargo

Reasoning: This is Allison Tolman’s award to win. She was the lead of a highly successful freshman show, was a total unknown going into it, and successfully outshone major actors like Billy Bob Thornton and Martin Freeman. These are all qualities that the HFPA loves. If she doesn’t take this home, I will be legitimately surprised. –LK

Prediction: Frances McDormand, Olive Kitteridge

Reasoning: Highly decorated actress. Critically-acclaimed HBO mini-series. This will spell victory for McDormand who will edge out her Fargo successor (of sorts) Tolman. –BB

The Nominees for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: Martin Freeman, Fargo (FX), Mark Ruffalo, The Normal Heart (HBO), Billy Bob Thornton, Fargo (FX), Matthew McConaughey, True Detective (HBO), Woody Harrelson, True Detective (HBO).

Prediction: Matthew McConaughy, True Detective

Reasoning: Seriously, is this even a contest? Matthew McConaughey is the obvious winner. No one else has a chance. –LK

Prediction: Matthew McConaughy, True Detective

Reasoning: Seriously, the world is a flat surface if he loses. –BB

The Nominees for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television: Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black (Netflix), Kathy Bates, American Horror Story: Freak Show (FX), Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey (PBS), Allison Janney, Mom (CBS), Michelle Monaghan, True Detective (HBO).

Prediction: Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black

Reasoning: This category is pretty obvious for me too. How can this not go to Uzo Aduba? She is by far the most praised actress on a show filled to the brim with unbelievable talent. Her ability to bring the role Crazy Eyes to life is simply magical. She makes you laugh, cry, scared, angry, and best of all, uncomfortable. Just give this to her now. –LK

Prediction: Kathy Bates, American Horror Story

Reasoning: So, I haven’t seen enough OITNB to comment on “Crazy Eyes” so I’ll go with who I have seen. Kathy Bates was the emotional core of a rather jumbled AHS season. She deserves it. –BB

The Nominees for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television: Matt Bomer, The Normal Heart (HBO), Alan Cumming, The Good Wife (CBS), Colin Hanks, Fargo (FX), Bill Murray, Olive Kitteridge (HBO), Jon Voight, Ray Donovan (Showtime).

Prediction: Bill Murray, Olive Kitteridge

Reasoning: I have never seen Olive Kitteridge. I only know what the show is about after researching it for my past Globes reaction piece. But screw it, give this to Bill Murray. It’s Bill freaking Murray! Not only does he have the old nominee edge, he’s one of the greatest comedians ever to walk the Earth. I mean, c’mon. BILL. MURRAY. Enough said.

Prediction: Matt Bomer, The Normal Heart

Reasoning: There’s no way The Normal Heart walks out of the Globes without a statue. –BB

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