ABC
Tim Allen
“Last Man Standing”
Could be: Allen was nominated five straight years during his heady “Home Improvement” days, so he’s certainly a known quantity here.
Ginnifer Goodwin & Lana Parrilla
“Once Upon a Time”
Could be: Fall’s top new drama has audiences engaged with Goodwin and Parrilla in the center of the fantasy tale.
Emily VanCamp & Madeleine Stowe
“Revenge”
Could be: There may be no more buzzworthy new broadcast show than “Revenge” right now, and HFPA members may clearly want to take advantage of that enthusiasm with a nom.
Jane Levy, Jeremy Sisto & Cheryl Hines
“Suburgatory”
Could be: Delightful new laffer has a breakout star in Levy, while Hines clearly proves she has talent that goes far beyond “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
AMC
Mereille Enos, Joel Kinnaman & Michelle Forbes
“The Killing”
Could be: Will the season ending on who killed Rosie Larsen leave a bad taste in voters’ mouths? Regardless, that shouldn’t take away from a strong cast, which shouldn’t be punished with audience and critical anger.
Anson Mount & Common
“Hell on Wheels”
Could be: Whether the HFPA will embrace a Western is uncertain, but if they feel “Wheels” is worthy, this pair might be the most logical choices.
CBS
Patrick Wilson
“A Gifted Man”
Could be: Wilson has long been a film star and his TV turn here might pique the interest in voters who appreciate his well-rounded work.
Jim Caviezel & Michael Emerson
“Person of Interest”
Could be: Emerson will always be best known for his wily Ben on “Lost,” but he and Caviezel make a nice pair here in trying to prevent crime before it occurs.
Poppy Montgomery
“Unforgettable”
Could be: She’s a strong lead but similar to “A Gifted Man” and “Person of Interest,” procedurals have a difficult time receiving kudos traction.
Kat Dennings & Beth Behrs
“Two Broke Girls”
Could be: It’s fall’s highest-rated new comedy yet since they share co-billing and airtime, it might be difficult to separate the two femmes.
NBC
Maria Bello
“Prime Suspect”
Could be: Despite the show’s dismal ratings, both Bello and her signature hat always gave their best.
Whitney Cummings
“Whitney”
Could be: Cummings has been a consistent comedic force on the standup circuit and having a self-titled laffer on a Big Four network should stand for something, no?
Christina Applegate, Will Arnett & Maya Rudolph
“Up All Night”
Could be: One of NBC’s few hits, the three have long been laffer vets be it in previous sitcoms or, in Rudolph’s case, “Saturday Night Live.”
CW
Sarah Michelle Gellar
“Ringer”
Could be: The CW has never exactly been a TV awards magnet, but Gellar’s longtime popularity might help turn the tide.
Fox
Jason O’Mara
“Terra Nova”
Could be: Prehistoric-themed family drama is playing very well with international auds, which is the global HFPA’s sweet spot.
Zooey Deschanel
“New Girl”
Could be: If being adorkable were an awards virtue, Deschannel could write her acceptance speech now. She might get to anyway.
FX
Jason Gann & Elijah Wood
“Wilfred”
Could be: Straight from Oz with its comedy chops intact, Wood deserves credit for being Gann’s dogged straight man.
Holt McCallany
“Lights Out”
Could be: Featuring a heavyweight boxer with more problems outside the ring than in, the one-season series may be long forgotten but it was a noble effort.
Dylan McDermott, Jessica Lange & Connie Britton
“American Horror Story”
Could be: With Ryan Murphy back in the FX fold, “Horror Story” has been a ratings powerhouse. Both McDermott and Britton are making strong career statements, post-“The Practice” and “Friday Night Lights,” respectively.
HBO
Laura Dern
“Enlightened”
Could be: Though the series has been ratings challenged in its Monday timeslot, Dern’s brave performance as a woman on the edge definitely has its share of supporters.
Peter Dinklage, Sean Bean & Lena Headey
“Game of Thrones”
Could be: HBO’s wildly popular fantasy skein built momentum as the season went along, and its actors — whether they were beheaded or not — all went along for the ride.
MTV
Ashley Rickards
“Awkward”
Could be: MTV is still best known for hanging with Snooki and Co., but “Awkward” was a perfect vehicle for Rickards, who played a high school teen with just the right necessary angst.
Showtime
Emmy Rossum & William H. Macy
“Shameless”
Could be: British import has its share of supporters and having John Wells as exec producer gives the entire production plenty of panache.
Jeremy Irons
“The Borgias”
Could be: Jonathan Rhys Meyers was twice nominated for “The Tudors,” so Irons may benefit from some continued Renaissance momentum.
Matt Le Blanc
“Episodes”
Could be: The former “Friends” star received a somewhat surprising Emmy nom, meaning a Globes nod might be in the cards as well.
Mandy Patinkin, Claire Danes & Damian Lewis
“Homeland”
Could be: Thrilling new terrorist series combines a riveting storyline with superior acting. That’s a combination that could be hard to ignore.
TNT
Noah Wyle
“Falling Skies”
Could be: From treating patients with appendicitis in the ER to battling outer space aliens in a post-apocalyptic Massachusetts, Wyle is a longtime TV star who knows how to turn on the charm.
USA Network
Sarah Shahi
“Fairly Legal”
Could be: “Legal” might not be much out of the ordinary, but whatever she’s in, the effervescent Shahi always gives folks reason to watch.
Callie Thorne
“Necessary Roughness”
Could be: Was a good year for Thorne, who finished up her “Rescue Me” run and then nicely segued into this well-produced sports-themed drama.
Gabriel Macht
“Suits”
Could be: Who would’ve thunk it? A good-looking lead in a USA Network drama. Net’s top-rated new series was a perfect vehicle for Macht’s combined wit and sarcasm.
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