'Westworld' leads drama series with 22 Emmy nominations, followed by 'Stranger Things' with 19 and 'The Handmaid's Tale' with 13

I know I planned "on being back for the first round of TV nominees and the second round of movie and TV nominees later this week" for the Teen Choice Awards, but a much bigger and shinier object has been dangled in front of me.*  Newsy reports 2017 Emmy nominations announced.

The 2017 Emmy nominations were announced Thursday.

CNet has more details about the three big speculative fiction nominees.

Don't feel sad for the folks at HBO. "Westworld," their sci-fi drama set in a technologically advanced Wild West theme park full of eerily realistic host characters, earned 22 nominations, tying it with "Saturday Night Live" for the most of any show this year.

Nominations for "Westworld" included Evan Rachel Wood as lead actress in a drama for her role as Dolores, the rancher's daughter host who discovers her whole life is a lie, and Anthony Hopkins as lead actor in a drama for his role as the park's founder. Jeffrey Wright and Thandie Newton also received supporting-role nominations.

"Stranger Things," the Netflix '80s-set drama about Indiana kids confronting the unknown, landed 18 nominations, including outstanding drama. David Harbour, who plays the town's police chief, was nominated for best supporting actor, and 13-year-old Millie Bobby Brown, who plays test subject Eleven, for best supporting actress.

And in a "Stranger" surprise, actress Shannon Purser, whose put-upon Barb character became a fan favorite, earned a nomination for outstanding guest actress. Purser appeared in four of the show's eight episodes.

"Stranger Things" actually has 19 nominations in 18 categories.  That puts it in an undisputed second place among all drama series.

Hulu, while not yet in Netflix's class, had a good morning thanks to "The Handmaid's Tale." The story about a dystopian future where some women are kept only to serve as breeders for wealthy infertile couples was nominated for outstanding drama and 12 other awards. Elisabeth Moss was nominated for outstanding lead actress and her co-stars Ann Dowd and Samira Wiley received supporting nominations.

This total is correct; "The Handmaid's Tale" has 13 nominations.  I also double-checked "Westworld."  Its total of 22 is correct as well.

I have had high hopes for "Westworld" and "Stranger Things" since the People's Choice Awards, when I wrote "I think both 'Westworld' and 'Stranger Things' are better shows with 'Stranger Things' being the more popular of the two.  While I'd vote for 'Westworld' as the higher quality show, I think it's the year of 'Stranger Things.'"  I began to realize how strong "The Handmaid's Tale" was when it led speculative fiction nominees at the Television Critics Association Awards last month, so I had hopes for it, too.  The nominations for all three exceeded my most optimistic expectations.   Follow over the jump for the categories in which at least one (and sometimes all three) are nominated along with my observations and predictions.

Here are the nominees in the relevant categories from Daily Variety.

Drama Series
“Better Call Saul” (AMC)
“The Crown” (Netflix)
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu)
“House of Cards” (Netflix)
“Stranger Things” (Netflix)
“This Is Us” (NBC)
“Westworld” (HBO)

All three leading speculative fiction series are nominated in this category, the first of six in which they are competing with each other.  Out of all of them, I'm rooting for "Westworld," but I'd be just as happy if "Stranger Things" won and pleasantly surprised if "The Handmaid's Tale" pulled an upset.  As for which series the more conventional voters might pick, I'd say "The Crown."

Drama Actress
Viola Davis (“How to Get Away with Murder”)
Claire Foy (“The Crown”)
Elisabeth Moss (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Keri Russell (“The Americans”)
Evan Rachel Wood (“Westworld”)
Robin Wright (“House of Cards”)

In 'The Walking Dead' vs. 'Westworld' at the 2017 Saturn Awards, I griped about the treatment of the acting nominees from "Westworld," beginning with the category in which Evan Rachel Wood was nominated.

[N]one of these are my choices for Best Actress in the television programs eligible.  Instead, I think Evan Rachel Wood should be here along with Eva Green of "Penny Dreadful" and I've be much happier trying to choose between them with the slight edge to Woods, who won the Critics' Choice Award competing against all television actresses, not just the ones in speculative fiction.
...
As I wrote above, I think Evan Rachel Wood should have been nominated for Best Actress instead of Best Supporting Actress.

I was hoping she and the rest of the actors from "Westworld" would be nominated in the correct categories at the Emmy Awards.  I got my wish.  As a result, Wood is competing against Elisabeth Moss from "The Handmaid's Tale" as the only two nominees from speculative fiction series in this field.  I'm rooting for Wood.  As for who else might win, I'd put my money on Viola Davis, the only former winner in the field.  Just the same, I wouldn't be surprised if any of the nominees won.  As I have been saying since last year, the actresses this year are very strong.

Drama Actor
Sterling K. Brown (“This Is Us”)
Anthony Hopkins (“Westworld”)
Bob Odenkirk (“Better Call Saul”)
Matthew Rhys (“The Americans”)
Liev Schreiber (“Ray Donovan”)
Kevin Spacey (“House of Cards”)
Milo Ventimiglia (“This Is Us”)

I also complained about the miscategorization of Anthony Hopkins, writing "I think Anthony Hopkins, like Evan Rachel Wood, is misplaced.  He's present in every episode and he's actually the only candidate for male lead I'd accept."  Again, I got my wish, as he's nominated in the proper category at the Emmys.  While he's certainly the most distinguished actor nominated and my favorite, he's not a lock.  Bob Odenkirk, Liev Schreiber, and Kevin Spacey have all been nominated at least three years in a row.  Of that group, I'd say Spacey is Hopkins' stiffest competition.

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
John Lithgow (“The Crown”)
Jonathan Banks (“Better Call Saul”)
Mandy Patinkin (“Homeland”)
Michael Kelly (“House of Cards”)
David Harbour (“Stranger Things”)
Ron Cephas Jones (“This Is Us”)
Jeffrey Wright (“Westworld”)

While I thought the nominees from "Westworld" for Best Supporting Actor were appropriate, I was a bit disappointed by the winner.

I voted for Jeffrey Wright because "his performance was more nuanced than Ed Harris, who is the more established actor."  That should have been a giveaway.  Nuanced and subtle are synonyms and as I wrote yesterday, "the Saturn voters are not about subtle."

The Emmy voters, on the other hand, are, so Wright was nominated while Harris was not.  Good -- the better performance is being rewarded.  Maybe two years from now, Harris will be nominated for supporting actor and Wright for lead.  As for David Harbour, I'm happy he's here, but I think he should just be happy to be nominated.  While I'm rooting for Wright, I think either John Lithgow or Mandy Patinkin are better bets.

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Ann Dowd (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Samira Wiley (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Uzo Aduba (“Orange Is the New Black”)
Millie Bobby Brown (“Stranger Things”)
Chrissy Metz (“This Is Us”)
Thandie Newton (“Westworld”)

In this, the second of six categories in which the top three speculative fiction dramas contend with each other, I'm rooting for Thandie Newton, as I think she gave the best performance in a supporting role among the Saturn nominees (she lost to Candice Patton).  However, I also voted for Millie Bobby Brown, so I would be pleasantly surprised by her winning.  Finally, Samira Wiley and Ann Dowd, who I know from "Orange is the New Black" and "The Leftovers," would also be good choices.  Speaking of "Orange is the New Black," Uzo Aduba is one of only two nominations the prison drama earned this year.  Oh, my, I have lots of actresses I like.  Well, it is that strong a field, particularly with four nominees from speculative fiction series.

Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Alison Wright ("The Americans" - "The Soviet Division")
Alexis Bledel ("The Handmaid's Tale" - "Late")
Cicely Tyson ("How to Get Away with Murder" - "Go Cry Somewhere Else")
Ann Dowd ("The Leftovers" - "The Most Powerful Man In The World (And His Identical Twin Brother)")
Laverne Cox ("Orange is the New Black" - "Doctor Psycho")
Shannon Purser ("Stranger Things" - "Chapter Three: Jolly, Holly")

In the final acting category, "Stranger Things" and "The Handmaid's Tale" duke it out with the sole nomination for "The Leftovers" taking the place of "Westworld."  Out of all of them, I'm rooting for Ann Dowd, who has always been gripping as Patti Levin.  Besides, it's the only nomination for "The Leftovers" -- ever.  The show deserves some love.

Directing for a Drama Series
Vince Gilligan (“Better Call Saul”)
Stephen Daldry (“The Crown”)
Reed Morano (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Kate Dennis (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Lesli Linka Glatter (“Homeland”)
The Duffer Brothers (“Stranger Things”)
Jonathan Nolan (“Westworld”)

Moving from in front of the camera to behind the camera, all three shows have been nominated for Direction of a Drama Series, the third category in which they are all competing.  "The Handmaid's Tale" was nominated twice for two of its directors, so speculative fiction series have four out of seven nominations, just as they do in Supporting Actress in a Drama.  I'm rooting for Jonathon Nolan, but I'd be happy with the Duffer Brothers as well.  Just the same, any of the nominees could win.

Writing for a Drama Series
Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields (“The Americans”)
Gordon Smith (“Better Call Saul”)
Peter Morgan (“The Crown”)
Bruce Miller (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
The Duffer Brothers (“Stranger Things”)
Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan (“Westworld”)

Again, all three leading speculative fiction drama series compete against each other, this time for writing, the fourth category out of six in which they do.  I'm rooting for "Westworld."  As I told Infidel 753 in the comments to Thanks to Infidel 753, I describe how 'Westworld' is like 'Jurassic Park'.

My wife and I are quite impressed at the depth of the ideas explored in the show. The creators have also done their research. Every time they mention something about evolution in Ford's dialog, they're right. This is especially true about the more disturbing concepts mentioned, like sexual selection contributing to the development of the human mind and what humans did to our nearest relatives. As someone who knows the field, that's both gratifying and unsettling.

Just the same, the writing is as strong as the direction and acting, particularly by the actresses, so I wouldn't be surprised if any of the shows win.

Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary or Fantasy Program (One Hour or More)
Julie Berghoff, Evan Webber & Sophie Neudorfer (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Jonathan McKinstry, Jo Riddell & Philip Murphy (“Penny Dreadful”)
Zack Grobler, Steve Christensen & Julie Ochipinti (“Westworld”)
Nathan Crowley, Naaman Marshall & Julie Ochipinti (“Westworld”)
Ludovica Ferrario, Alexandro Maria Santucci & Laura Casalini (“The Young Pope”)

Hey, look, a "Penny Dreadful" nomination!  I'm tempted to root for its four nominations just because the show needs more love for its final season, but I suspect one of the "Westworld" bids will beat it.  Still, it's a good bet speculative fiction will win simply because the genre has four out of five nominations.

Production Design for a Narrative Period Program (One Hour or More)
Martin Childs, Mark Raggett & Celia Bobak (“The Crown”)
Judy Becker, Jamie McCall & Florencia Martin (“Feud: Bette and Joan”)
Drew Boughton, Dawn Swiderski & Jon Lancaster (“The Man in the High Castle”)
Elizabeth H. Gray, Samantha Englender, Halina Siwolop (“Masters of Sex”)
Chris Trujillo, William Davis & Jess Royal (“Stranger Things”)

Here, it's "The Man in the High Castle" that stands out.  Like "Penny Dreadful," it also earned four nominations, all in the technical categories.  While I would root for it and "Stranger Things," I suspect "The Crown" will win.

Casting for a Drama Series
Nina Gold & Robert Sterne (“The Crown”)
Russell Scott, Sharon Bialy & Sherry Thomas (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Carmen Cuba, Tara Feldstein Bennett & Chase Paris (“Stranger Things”)
Bernard Telsey & Tiffany Little Canfield (“This Is Us”)
John Papsidera (“Westworld”)

The fifth category with all three big spectulative fiction series highlights how well the actors matched their parts.  If the SAG Awards are any indication, I'd give the advantage to "Stranger Things," as it won Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Drama Series.  Still, both "Westworld" and "The Handmaid's Tale" earned four acting nominations.  By that criterion, "This is Us" earned seven, so it's the mainstream series that I think has the best shot.

Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour)
Adriano Goldman (“The Crown”)
Colin Watkinson (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
James Hawkinson (“The Man in the High Castle”)
Tod Campbell (“Mr. Robot”)
John Toll (“Sense8”)
Tim Ives (“Stranger Things”)
Paul Cameron (“Westworld”)

In the final category that has all three featured shows nominated, speculative fiction domiminates.  The only show not in or adjacent to the genre is "The Crown."  This says that speculative fiction shows are, if nothing else, beautifully photographed.  By that standard, I hope the broad Western vistas of "Westworld" give it an advantage.

Period/ Fantasy Costumes for a Series, Limited Series, or Movie
Michele Clapton, Alex Fordham, Emma O’Loughlin & Kate O’Farrell (“The Crown”)
Lou Eyrich, Hannah Jacobs & Katie Saunders (“Feud: Bette and Joan”)
Sonu Mishra, Martina Hejlová & Petia Krckova (“Genius”)
Ane Crabtree & Sheena Wichary (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Trish Summerville, Lynda Foote & Jo Kissack Folsom (“Westworld”)

As much as I hope "The Handmaid's Tale" and "Westworld" win, I think this will likely go to "The Crown."

Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series
Skip Macdonald (“Better Call Saul”)
Kelley Dixon & Skip Macdonald (“Better Call Saul”)
Dean Zimmerman (“Stranger Things”)
Kevin D. Ross (“Stranger Things”)
Andrew Seklir (“Westworld”)

Five nominations for three shows?  I've seen weirder.  I hope that "Better Call Saul" and "Stranger Things" split their votes and "Westworld" wins.

Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series
Ivana Primorac & Amy Riley (“The Crown”)
Luca Vanella, Alexis Continente, Sevlene Roddy, Joseph Whelan & Orla Carrol (“Penny Dreadful”)
Sarah Hindsgaul & Evelyn Roach (“Stranger Things”)
Dee Corcoran, Catherine Argue, Jenny Readman, Ida Erickson & Zuelika Delaney (“Vikings”)
Joey Zapata, Pavy Olivarez, Bruce Samia & Donna Anderson (“Westworld”)

Again, I want to root for "Penny Dreadful," but I think I should support "Westworld" instead.  "Vikings" might be a dark horse, while "The Crown" would be the mainstream favorite.

Creative Achievement in Interactive Media Within a Scripted Program
Mike Benson, Bob Bowen, Brianna Lopez, Brian Burton & Campfire (“The Man in the High Castle: Resistance Radio”)
USA Network, Universal Cable Productions, Here Be Dragons, Esmail Corp. & Anonymous Content (“The Mr. Robot Virtual Reality Experience”)
James L. Brooks, Al Jean, Matt Groening, David Silverman & Google Spotlight Stories (“The Simpsons – Planet of the Couches”)
Netflix & CBS Digital (“Stranger Things VR Experience”)
HBO, Kilter Films & Bad Robot (“Westworld”)

All of the nominees are or adjacent to speculative fiction.  By the way, this is where the discrepancy between the 18 nominations for "Stranger Things" in the video and news accounts and the 19 nominations I count.  "Stranger Things VR Experience" is counted as a different show than "Stranger Things."  Meanwhile, the nomination for "Westworld" is counted as one for the show itself.  That doesn't seem fair, does it?  On a personal note, I should root for "The Simpsons" because I marched in the UCLA Band with David Silverman (we're both tuba players).  I think that's a good enough reason.

Main Title Design
Patrick Clair, Raoul Marks, Devin Maurer, Jeff Han (“American Gods”)
Patrick Clair, Raoul Marks, Javier Leon Carrillo, Jeff Han (“The Crown”)
Ryan Murphy, Alexis Martin Woodall, Kyle Cooper, Nadia Tzuo, Margherita Premuroso (“FEUD: Bette and Joan”)
Michelle Dougherty, Peter Frankfurt, Arisu Kashiwagi, Eric Demeusy (“Stranger Things”)
Patrick Clair, Raoul Marks, Yongsub Song, Felix Soletic, Jessica Hurst, Jose Limon (“Westworld”)

I expressed my surprise that neither "Stranger Things" nor "Westworld" were even nominated for Best Opening Title Sequence or Closing Credit Sequence for a TV/Streaming Series at the Golden Trailer Awards, a category "Big Little Lies" won instead.  I thought both were excellent and expected to see them nominated at the Emmys, as I wrote in 'Suicide Squad' leads Grammy nominations in music for visual media followed by 'Stranger Things'.

I fully expect both the theme song and the opening title sequence to be nominated for an Emmy.  I also expect it to be competing in both categories against "Westworld."  Be patient about those predictions coming true, as the nominations won't come out until June.

Both predictions came true.  Joining "Stranger Things" and "Westworld" is "American Gods" to make three speculative fiction nominees.  As for "Big Little Lies," it was not even nominated here, although it got the recognition I expected in other categories.

Original Main Title Theme Music
Mac Quayle (“FEUD: Bette and Joan”)
Hans Zimmer, Lorne Balfe (“Genius”)
John David Buckley (“The Good Fight”)
Michael Stein, Kyle Dixon (“Stranger Things”)
Martin Phipps (“Victoria (Masterpiece)”)
Ramin Djawadi (“Westworld”)

My other prediction that both "Stranger Things" and "Westworld" would have their outstanding theme songs nominated also came true.  Joining them is the theme to "The Good Fight," the streaming series' only nomination.

Music Supervision
Thomas Golubic (“Better Call Saul” — “Sunk Costs”)
Susan Jacobs (“Big Little Lies” — “You Get What You Need”)
Manish Raval, Jonathan Leahy, Tom Wolfe (“Girls” — “Goodbye Tour”)
Zach Cowie, Kerri Drootin (“Master of None” — “Amarsi Un Po”)
Nora Felder (“Stranger Things” — “Chapter Two: The Weirdo on Maple Street”)

Continuing with music, "Stranger Things" gets the only nomination of a speculative fiction series.  Of course I'm rooting for it.

Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic)
Enzo Mastrantonio, Clare Lambe, Caterina Sisto, Lorraine McCrann, Morna Ferguson (“Penny Dreadful” — “Perpetual Night”)
Myke Michaels, Teresa Vest (“Stranger Things” — “Chapter Six: The Monster”)
Zoe Hay, Heather Plott, Elizabeth Hoel-Chang, Judith Lynn Staats, John Damiani (“This Is Us” — “I Call Marriage”)
Tom McInerney, Katie Derwin, Ciara Scanell, Lizzanne Procter (“Vikings” — “All His Angels”)
Christien Tinsley, Myriam Arougheti, Gerald Quist, Lydia Milars, Ed French (“Westworld” — “The Original”)

Once again, "Penny Dreadful" joins "Stranger Things" and "Westworld" for its third nomination of four and once again, I have to suppress the urge to root for it.  "Vikings" is speculative fiction adjacent, so "This is Us" is outnumbered.

Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Limited Series, Movie, or Special
Eryn Krueger Mekash, Michael Mekash, David Leroy Anderson, James Mackinnon, Jason Hamer, Melanie Eichner, Cristina Himiob,  Maiko Chiba (“American Horror Story: Roanoke”)
Nick Dudman, Sarita Allison, Barney Nikolic, Dennis Penkov (“Penny Dreadful” — “No Beast So Fierce”)
Louie Zakarian, Jason Milani, Tom Denier Jr., Amy Tagliamonti, Craig Lindberg, Steve Kelly (“Saturday Night Live” — “Host: Alec Baldwin”)
Greg Nicotero, Jake Garber, Garrett Immel, Kevin Wasner, Gino Crognale, Kerrin Jackson (“The Walking Dead” — “The Day Will Come When You Won’t Be”)
Christien Tinsley, Hiroshi Yada, Georgia Allen, Gerald Quist, Myriam Arougheti (“Westworld” — “The Original”)

Once again, the field is nearly full of speculative fiction, including the fourth and final nomination for "Penny Dreadful" and the only nomination for "The Walking Dead."  I'm rooting for them along with "Westworld" and "Stranger Things," but it would not be surprising if "Saturday Night Live" wins for turning Alec Baldwin, Melissa McCarthy and Kate McKinnon into members of the Trump White House.

Sound Editing for a Series
Benjamin Cook, Stefan Henrix, Mike Szakmeister, Shaugnessy Hare, Tim Tuchrello, Brett Voss, Michael Baber, Jeffrey Wilhoit & Dylan Tuomy-Wilhoit (“Black Sails”)
George Haddad, Chad J. Hughes, Dale Chaloukian, David Barbee, Julie Altus, Ashley Revell, Joey Sabella & Joanie Rowe (“Gotham”)
Craig A. Dellinger, Ryne Gierke, Eric Raber, Shawn Kennelly, Jeff Charbonneau, Melissa Kennelly & Vince Nicastro (“Homeland”)
Bradley North, Craig Henighan, Jordan Wilby, Jonathan Golodner, Tiffany S. Griffth, Sam Munoz, Sam Munoz, David Klotz, Noel Vought & Ginger Geary (“Stranger Things”)
Thomas E. deGorter, Matthew Sawelson, Brian Armstrong, Fred Paragano, Mark Allen, Marc Glassman, Sebastian Visconti, Geordy Sincavage, Michael Head, Christopher Kaller, Rick Owens & Tara Blume Norton (“Westworld”)

Look, one of three nominations for "Gotham!"  Cool, but I expect either "Westworld" or "Stranger Things" will win.

Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour)
Larry Benjamin, Kevin Valentine, Philip W. Palmer (“Better Call Saul” — “Witness”)
Nathan Nance, Scott R. Lewis, Lorenzo Milan (“House of Cards” — “Chapter 53”)
John W. Cook II, Bill Freesh, William Sarokin, Paul Drenning (“Mr. Robot” — “eps2.8_h1dden-pr0cess.axx”)
Joe Barnett, Adam Jenkins, Chris Durfy, Bill Higley (“Stranger Things” — “Chapter Eight: The Upside Down”)
Keith Rogers, Scott Weber, Roger Stevenson, Kyle O’Neal (“Westworld” — “The Bicameral Mind”)

Again, I expect "Stranger Things" to win this.

Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role
Ben Turner, Tom Debenham, Standish Millennas, Kim Phelan, Oliver Cubbage, Lionel Heath, Charlie Bennet, Stephen Smith, Carmine Agnone (“The Crown” — “Windsor”)
Eric Durst, Lenka Líkarová, Viktor Muller, Marek Ruth, Tomáš Kalhous, Lukáš Herrmann, Pavel Kolár, Petr Hastík, Vit Komrzý (“Genius” — “Einstein: Chapter One”)
Thomas Mahoney, Matthew Wheelon Hunt, Alex Gitler, Sina San, Michael Capton, Jon Anastasiades, Ryan Bauer, Mark Anthony Nazal, Randy Little (“Gotham” — “Heavydirtysoul”)
Brendan Taylor, Stephen Lebed, Leo Bovell, Martin O’Brien, Winston Lee, Kelly Knauff, Zach Dembinski, Mike Suta, Cameron Kerr (“The Handmaid’s Tale” — “Birth Day”)
Henry Badgett, Tracy McCreary, Angela Barson, Lucy Ainsworth-Taylor, Nic Birmingham, Simon Rowe, Alexander Kirichenko, Finlay Duncan, Colin Gorry (“Taboo” — “Episode 1”)

I'm rooting for "Gotham," but wouldn't be surprised if "The Handmaid's Tale" pulled this off.

Special Visual Effects
Kevin Tod Haug, David Stump, Jeremy Ball, Bernice Charlotte Howes, Jessica Smith, Josh Carlton, Pierre Buffin, James Cooper, Aymeric Perceval (“American Gods” — “The Bone Orchard”)
Erik Henry, Terron Pratt, Ashley J. Ward, Kevin Rafferty, Paul Dimmer, Yafei Wu, Martin Lipmann, Nicklas Andersson, David Wahlberg (“Black Sails” — “XXIX”)
Lawson Deming, Cory Jamieson, Casi Blume, Nick Chamberlain, David Andrade, Bill Parker, Justin Fox, Danielle Malambri (“The Man in the High Castle” — “Fallout”)
Dominic Remane, Michael Borrett, Bill Halliday, Paul Wishart, Ovidiu Cinazan, Jim Maxwell, Kiernan McKay, Isabelle Alles, Tom Morrison (“Vikings” — “On the Eve”)
Jay Worth, Elizabeth Castro, Joe Wehmeyer, Eric Levin-Hatz, Bobo Skipper, Gustav Ahren, Paul Ghezzo, Mitchell S. Drain, Michael Lantieri (“Westworld” — “The Bicameral Mind”)

All of the nominees are or adjacent to speculative fiction, which is to be expected.  Out of all of them, I'm rooting for "Westworld."  The Best Science Fiction TV Series should have the best special effects.

To finish this post, I'm going to revisit the predictions that the title sequences of "Stranger Things" and "Westworld" would be nominated at the Emmys, a forecast I made in December.  First, Vox explains How Stranger Things got its retro title sequence.

The Netflix hit went old-school for its opening credits.

Correction: The final iteration of the logo, in ITC Benguiat, was designed by the content agency Contend, not Imaginary Forces. Imaginary Forces then designed the title sequence based off of that logo.

I've been waiting to post that for 11 months.

Now, Official Opening Credits: Westworld (HBO).


Wow.  If either of those two win, I'll be thrilled.

*I'll get around to the TV nominations for the Teen Choice Awards next week.  Be patient.