Emmy Awards 2015
Whether you're an avid TV watcher or a full-time Netflix binger, we all have one thing in common: We like great content. (See: Best shows on Netflix.)
We want comedies that make us laugh until we cry and dramas that keep us on the edge of our seats until they resolve in a way that makes us feel somewhat closer to the millionaire actors and actresses on the screen.
We want these things and in return we give these shows our adoration in the form of the Emmy Awards, the pinnacle of any primetime television actor, actress, director or editor's career.
This year, the 67th Emmy Awards are slated for September 12 and will recognize shows from both traditional cable companies and streaming services like Netflix and Amazon for their contribution to the culture of television.
Instead of rounding up every single show on the red carpet like some other sites, we've gone ahead and isolated the Emmy-nominated shows that are available to watch right this second on the biggest streaming services around, plus added our own predictions as to who we think will take home a trophy.
House of Cards
What's it nominated for? Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama - Kevin Spacey, Outstanding Actress in a Drama - Robin Wright, Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series - Reg E. Cathey, Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series - Kate Mara
Does it stand a shot of winning? House of Cards suffered a huge disappointment at last year's event, losing the award for Outstanding Drama Series to the last season of AMC's Breaking Bad. While the competition isn't nearly as tight this year, the Number 1 contender for the top trophy is HBO's Mad Men, which has been nominated for the award every year and has yet to take home the coveted statue.
If House of Cards can't take home the award for Outstanding Drama, chances are good its two lead players, Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright, will win consolation prizes in their respective categories.
Where you can watch it: Netflix
Orange is the New Black
What's it nominated for? Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama - Uzo Aduba, Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama - Pablo Schreiber
Does it stand a shot of winning? I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Orange is the New Black doesn't stand a chance in the Outstanding Drama category. With juggernauts like Game of Thrones, Homeland and Mad Men vying for the one statue, there's just no room for an underdog like OITNB.
Where I could see it pulling off a victory is in the Supporting Actress category thanks to Uzo Aduba's laugh-out-loud character Suzanne "Crazy-Eyes" Warren.
Where you can watch it: Netflix
Transparent
What's it nominated for? Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series, Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series - Jeffrey Tambor, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Gaby Hoffmann, Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series - Bradley Whitford
Does it stand a shot of winning? It's tough to imagine an Emmy Award Show where Transparent goes home without a statue in hand. It's a shoe-in for Outstanding Writing in its genre as well as Casting for putting together such a heart-felt and natural-feeling crew.
Winning the two major categories, Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actor, will be a bit of an uphill battle with popular favorites like Silicon Valley and Netflix's Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt in close contention. That said, if Jeffrey Tambor doesn't bring home a trophy for his work playing Maura Pfefferman, the Television Academy should be downright ashamed of itself.
Where you can watch it: Amazon Prime Instant Video
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
What's it nominated for? Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series - Tituss Burgess, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Jane Krakowski, Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series - Jon Hamm, Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series - Tina Fey, Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Comedy Series
Does it stand a shot of winning? While I'd like to hope Tituss Burgess will scoop the win for his hilarious, flamboyant and all-around awesome performance as Ellie Kemper's roommate, he could be ousted by the heavily favored Keegan-Michael Key or Adam Driver.
Should Burgess not snag a trophy of his own, there's a distinct possibility of the show getting a nod for its casting or any number of supporting or guest actors, which includes Mad Men's Jon Hamm for his appearance in four episodes.
Where you can watch it: Netflix
Grace and Frankie
What's it nominated for? Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series - Lily Tomlin
Does it stand a shot of winning? Tomlin has had a storied career winning both a handful of Emmys for her work in the 1970s and more recently was nominated for four Grammys for her stand-up comedy albums This Is a Recording, Modern Scream, And That's the Truth and On Stage.
Despite her years of success and ultimately charming portrayal of an aging woman dealing with her husband's recent announcement that he's in love with his law partner, this year's award is anything but a gimme. Facing down leading ladies like Lisa Kudrow, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Amy Poehler and Amy Schumer, it's a tough call who in this category will come out on top.
Where you can watch it: Netflix
Daredevil
What's it nominated for? Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series, Outstanding Visual Effects in a Supporting Role
Does it stand a shot of winning? If Daredevil wins a pair of awards it won't be because it's as flashy or overblown as its competition *cough* Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead. No, in both its special effects and its sound design, Daredevil, like its protagonist Matt Murdock, is above all else subtle and effective.
But subtlety might not be enough when you're going up against the behemoth that is Game of Thrones, a show that practically steamrolled its way to five awards at last year's show. Let's say this: It has a fighting chance.
Where you can watch it: Netflix
Virunga
What's it nominated for? Outstanding Documentary, Outstanding Cinematography for Non-Fiction Programming
Does it stand a shot of winning? OK, let's be honest: you probably don't care which film wins the award for Outstanding Cinematography for Non-Fiction Programming, or find yourself rooting for Virunga to win the genre against documentaries like The Case Against 8 or HBO's Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck. And that's OK. I didn't either.
But watch the film and you'll understand how crucial it is for experimental projects like Leonardo DiCaprio's Virunga to win an Emmy, if only so companies like Netflix will take more risks when deciding where to invest money. If the 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes or 95% on Metacritic aren't enough to persuade you that this film about a team of park rangers fighting against the big oil corporations' private military troops should take home a trophy, give it a watch this weekend and have a box of tissues handy.
Where you can watch it: Netflix
Hot Girls Wanted
What's it nominated for? Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking
Does it stand a shot of winning? With only three nominees, one would think it wouldn't be too hard to walk away with something to show for it in this category. Unfortunately, when you're going up against an Edward Snowden biopic, CitizenFour, and The Great Invisible, a documentary on the oil explosion in the Gulf of Mexico, it's not exactly "easy" to get by on shock value alone.
Thankfully Hot Girls Wanted brings more to the table than its name suggests, showing viewers the tragedies and exploitation in the amateur porn industry. If it doesn't win, well, CitizenFour wouldn't be a bad choice, either.
Where you can watch it: Netflix
