With the Emmy Awards kicking off very shortly, I thought I’d throw out into the great vastness of the Internet a few of my own predictions, along with assumptions on who will likely walk away with the award.

It’s worth considering with TV award shows that many of the people voting don’t actually watch the TV series. TV shows and the talent usually select one episode of theirs that they feel typifies the excellence of their program and so most of the votes are based off these submissions. It is not the work over an entire series that matters, but just these one-off performances.

I’ve also refrained from making a prediction in categories where I haven’t seen enough of the content to really make an informed guess. Thus, I haven’t attempted to give the TV movie/miniseries categories a look in. I’m guessing Too Big To Fail will win big, but I really haven’t a clue.

It’s also a shame that Louie wasn’t nominated as Best Comedy, while The Big C got a look in. That show is not only amazing TV viewing, but will have a long-term impact upon the way that cable comedies are produced in the years to come. While Louis CK did get an acting nomination, even the most ardent of fans would agree that its not his performance that makes the show as great as it is.

NOMINEES:
Outstanding Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire • HBO
Dexter • Showtime
Friday Night Lights • DirecTV
Game Of Thrones • HBO
The Good Wife • CBS
Mad Men • AMC

Should Win: Mad Men
Likely Winner: Mad Men

Outstanding Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory • CBS
Glee • FOX
Modern Family • ABC
The Office • NBC
Parks And Recreation • NBC
30 Rock • NBC

Should Win: Parks & Recreation
Likely Winner: Modern Family

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory • CBS
Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper
The Big Bang Theory • CBS
Johnny Galecki as Leonard Hofstadter
Episodes • Showtime
Matt LeBlanc as Matt LeBlanc
Louie • FX Networks
Louis C.K. as Louie
The Office • NBC
Steve Carell as Michael Scott
30 Rock • NBC
Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy

Should Win: Steve Carell
Likely Winner: Steve Carrell

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire • HBO
Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thompson
Dexter • Showtime
Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan
Friday Night Lights • DirecTV
Kyle Chandler as Coach Eric Taylor
House • FOX
Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House
Justified • FX Networks
Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens
Mad Men • AMC
Jon Hamm as Don Draper

Should Win: Steve Buscemi
Likely Winner: Steve Buscemi

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Carlos • Sundance Channel
Edgar Ramirez as Carlos
The Kennedys • ReelzChannel
Greg Kinnear as John F. Kennedy
The Kennedys • ReelzChannel
Barry Pepper as Bobby Kennedy
Luther • BBC America
Idris Elba as John Luther
Thurgood • HBO
Laurence Fishburne as Thurgood Marshall
Too Big To Fail • HBO
William Hurt as Henry ‘Hank’ Paulson

Should Win: Edgar Ramirez
Likely Winner: Laurence Fishburne

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
The Big C • Showtime
Laura Linney as Cathy Jamison
Mike & Molly • CBS
Melissa McCarthy as Molly Flynn
Nurse Jackie • Showtime
Edie Falco as Jackie Peyton
Parks And Recreation • NBC
Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope
Raising Hope • FOX
Martha Plimpton as Virginia Chance
30 Rock • NBC
Tina Fey as Liz Lemon

Should Win: Amy Poehler
Likely Winner: Laura Linney

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Friday Night Lights • DirecTV
Connie Britton as Tami Taylor
The Good Wife • CBS
Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick
Harry’s Law • NBC
Kathy Bates as Harriet “Harry” Korn
The Killing • AMC
Mireille Enos as Sarah Linden
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit • NBC
Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson
Mad Men • AMC
Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson

Should Win: Mireille Enos
Likely Winner: Julianna Margulies

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Glee • FOX
Chris Colfer as Kurt Hummel
Modern Family • ABC
Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell Pritchett
Modern Family • ABC
Ed O’Neill as Jay Pritchett
Modern Family • ABC
Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker
Modern Family • ABC
Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy
Two And A Half Men • CBS
Jon Cryer as Alan Harper

Should Win: Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Likely Winner: Chris Colfer

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Game Of Thrones • HBO
Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister
The Good Wife • CBS
Josh Charles as Will Gardner
The Good Wife • CBS
Alan Cumming as Eli Gold
Justified • FX Networks
Walton Goggins as Boyd Crowder
Mad Men • AMC
John Slattery as Roger Sterling
Men Of A Certain Age • TNT
Andre Braugher as Owen

Should Win: Andre Braugher
Likely Winner: Peter Dinklage

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Glee • FOX
Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester
Hot In Cleveland
Betty White as Elka Ostrosky
Modern Family • ABC
Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy
Modern Family • ABC
Sofia Vergara as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett
Saturday Night Live • NBC
Kristen Wiig as Various characters
30 Rock • NBC
Jane Krakowski as Jenna Maroney

Should Win: Jane Lynch
Likely Winner: Jane Lynch

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire • HBO
Kelly Macdonald as Margaret Schroeder
The Good Wife • CBS
Archie Panjabi as Kalinda Sharma
The Good Wife • CBS
Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart
Justified • FX Networks
Margo Martindale as Mags Bennett
The Killing • AMC
Michelle Forbes as Mitch Larsen
Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Christina Hendricks as Joan Harris

Should Win: Michelle Forbes
Likely Winner: Michelle Forbes

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series
The Big C • Showtime
Idris Elba as Lenny
Modern Family • ABC
Nathan Lane as Pepper Saltzman
Saturday Night Live • NBC
Zach Galifianakis, Host
Saturday Night Live • NBC
Justin Timberlake, Host
30 Rock • NBC
Matt Damon as Carol
30 Rock • NBC
Will Arnett as Devin Banks

Should Win: Will Arnett
Likely Winner: Will Arnett

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series
Big Love • HBO
Bruce Dern as Frank Harlow
Brothers & Sisters • ABC
Beau Bridges as Nick Brody
The Good Wife • CBS
Michael J. Fox as Louis Canning
Harry’s Law • NBC
Paul McCrane as Josh Peyton
Justified • FX Networks
Jeremy Davies as Dickie Bennett
Mad Men • AMC
Robert Morse as Bertram Cooper

Should Win: Jeremy Davies
Likely Winner: Michael J Fox

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series
Glee • FOX
Kristin Chenoweth as April Rhodes
Glee • FOX
Dot-Marie Jones as Coach Beiste
Glee • FOX
Gwyneth Paltrow as Holly Holliday
Raising Hope • FOX
Cloris Leachman as Maw Maw
Saturday Night Live • NBC
Tina Fey, Host
30 Rock • NBC
Elizabeth Banks as Avery

Should Win: Kristen Chenowith
Likely Winner: Kristen Chenowith

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series
The Closer • TNT
Mary McDonnell as Capt. Sharon Raydor
Dexter • Showtime
Julia Stiles as Lumen Pierce
Grey’s Anatomy • ABC
Loretta Devine as Adele Webber
Mad Men • AMC
Randee Heller as Miss Blankenship
Mad Men • AMC
Cara Buono as Faye Miller
Shameless • Showtime
Joan Cusack as Sheila Jackson
True Blood • HBO
Alfre Woodard as Ruby Jean Reynolds

Should Win: Mary McDonnell
Likely Winner: Alfre Woodard

Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition Program
The Amazing Race • CBS
Phil Keoghan, Host
American Idol • FOX
Ryan Seacrest, Host
Dancing With The Stars • ABC
Tom Bergeron, Host
So You Think You Can Dance • FOX
Cat Deeley, Host
Survivor • CBS
Jeff Probst, Host

Should Win: Phil Keoghan
Likely Winner: Phil Keoghan

Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series
The Colbert Report • Comedy Central
Conan • TBS
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart • Comedy Central
Late Night With Jimmy Fallon • NBC
Real Time With Bill Maher • HBO
Saturday Night Live • NBC

Should Win: Colbert Report
Likely Winner: The Daily Show

The 2011 Emmy Awards can be seen live on Fox 8 from 9am today and repeated at 9:35pm tonight. Alternatively, they can be seen in four days time on Thursday night on Eleven.