Politics, government, and diversity in television nominees at the 2022 Golden Globes

I closed Colbert, Kimmel, and 'The Daily Show' remember January 6th with an entertainment programming note.

Stay tuned for a two-part post about the Golden Globes, despite the scandal that forced it off television this year.

Without any further ado, here are the television nominees at tomorrow night's Golden Globes with handicaps of their chances to win along with analyses of their politics and government content served with side helpings of how well they present diversity.

Best Television Series: Drama

Lupin (Netflix)
The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
Pose (FX)
Squid Game (Netflix)
Succession (HBO)

In addition to "Succession" being the nominee most about American politics, it is both a former winner and the most nominated television series at these awards with five, so I consider it the favorite. While "The Morning Show" has four nominations as the second most nominated drama series and has some political content as a portrayal of a fiction morning news show, it's not my pick to upset. Instead, I think "Squid Game," IGN's Best TV Show of 2021, has that distinction. It's also the nominee with the strongest speculative fiction theme. This is despite "Pose" being the only drama nominee at the Emmy Awards in this field. "Pose," "Squid Game," and "Lupin" also have the most diverse casts.

Best Television Series: Comedy

The Great (Hulu)
Hacks (HBO Max)
Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Reservation Dogs (FX on Hulu)
Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

Just like the Emmy Awards, this category is a contest between "Ted Lasso" and "Hacks" that "Ted Lasso" should win as it is the most nominated comedy series with four. Of the two, "Ted Lasso" has the more diverse cast as well, but not the most diverse among the nominees. That distinction belongs to "Reservation Dogs," which also has the strongest speculative fiction themes in the form of magical realism. While police play recurring roles in both "Reservation Dogs" and "Only Murders in the Building," "The Great" has the most government and politics content, as it's a comedic look at a young Catherine the Great of Russia.

Best Miniseries or Television Film

Dopesick (Hulu)
Impeachment: American Crime Story (FX)
Maid (Netflix)
Mare of Easttown (HBO)
The Underground Railroad (Prime Video)

"Mare of Easttown" and "The Underground Railroad" are the Emmy nominees in this field, a contest in which I'm sure "Mare of Easttown" would have the advantage if it came down between them. However, I think the contest is really between "Mare of Easttown" and "Maid" with "Dopesick" being the spoiler. Both of the latter have more nominations, three each to two for "Mare of Easttown," but those aren't enough for me to think either is the favorite. While I consider "The Underground Railroad" to have the strongest diversity and speculative fiction content, it doesn't have the greatest political content. I think that goes to "Impeachment: American Crime Story."

Follow over the jump for the acting categories.

Best Performance in a Television Series – Drama: Actor

Brian Cox – Succession (HBO) as Logan Roy
Lee Jung-jae – Squid Game (Netflix) as Seong Gi-hun
Billy Porter – Pose (FX) as Prayerful "Pray" Tell
Jeremy Strong – Succession (HBO) as Kendall Roy
Omar Sy – Lupin (Netflix) as Assane Diop

I see this as a three-way contest among Brian Cox, his co-star Jeremy Strong, and Billy Porter in the most diverse field of nominees at these awards. I think Cox is the favorite because he's a former winner and I think he gave a more powerful performance than Strong this season. I won't count out Porter because he's the only 2021 Emmy nominee in the field and a former Emmy winner who might benefit from Cox and Strong splitting the vote. If so, it would be another reminder that electorates matter.

Best Performance in a Television Series – Drama: Actress

Uzo Aduba – In Treatment (HBO) as Dr. Brooke Taylor
Jennifer Aniston – The Morning Show (Apple TV+) as Alex Levy
Christine Baranski – The Good Fight (Paramount+) as Diane Lockhart
Elisabeth Moss – The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu) as June Osborne / Offred
Mj Rodriguez – Pose (FX) as Blanca Rodriguez-Evangelista

Uzo Aduba, Elisabeth Moss, and Mj Rodriguez are the three Emmy nominees in this field. Moss is also a former nominee along with Jennifer Aniston. Because of this nomination history and her strong performance in the latest season of "The Handmaid's Tale," I think Moss is the favorite, although I'm torn. I would be even more thrilled to see Christine Baranski win for "The Good Fight," but I also think I should just be happy that she's nominated.

Best Performance in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy: Actor

Anthony Anderson – Black-ish (ABC) as Andre "Dre" Johnson
Nicholas Hoult – The Great (Hulu) as Peter III of Russia
Steve Martin – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu) as Charles-Haden Savage
Martin Short – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu) as Oliver Putnam
Jason Sudeikis – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+) as Ted Lass

Sudeikis is the returning winner and I think he's the favorite, although I should never count out either Steve Martin or Martin Short.

Best Performance in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy: Actress

Hannah Einbinder – Hacks (HBO Max) as Ava Daniels
Elle Fanning – The Great (Hulu) as Catherine the Great
Issa Rae – Insecure (HBO) as Issa Dee
Tracee Ellis Ross – Black-ish (ABC) as Dr. Rainbow "Bow" Johnson
Jean Smart – The Great (HBO Max) as Deborah Vance

I expect Jean Smart will win, just like she did at the Emmy Awards, and I don't even think it will be close.

Best Performance in a Miniseries or Television Film: Actor

Paul Bettany – WandaVision (Disney+) as Vision
Oscar Isaac – Scenes from a Marriage (HBO) as Jonathan Levy
Michael Keaton – Dopesick (Hulu) as Dr. Samuel Finnix
Ewan McGregor – Halston (Netflix) as Halston
Tahar Rahim – The Serpent (Netflix) as Charles Sobhraj

Ewan McGregor won the Emmy for "Halston," so I think he's the favorite. Too bad, as I'd rather see Paul Bettany take home the trophy.

Best Performance in a Miniseries or Television Film: Actress

Jessica Chastain – Scenes from a Marriage (HBO) as Mira Phillips
Cynthia Erivo – Genius: Aretha (National Geographic) as Aretha Franklin
Elizabeth Olsen – WandaVision (Disney+) as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch
Margaret Qualley – Maid (Netflix) as Alex
Kate Winslet – Mare of Easttown (HBO) as Marianne "Mare" Sheehan

Kate Winslet is the favorite with Margaret Qualley as her main competition. Jessica Chastain is a better known actress, but I think she has a better chance with her movie nomination, which I'll write about tomorrow.

Best Supporting Performance in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film: Supporting Actor

Billy Crudup – The Morning Show (Apple TV+) as Cory Ellison
Kieran Culkin – Succession (HBO) as Roman Roy
Mark Duplass – The Morning Show (Apple TV+) as Charlie "Chip" Black
Brett Goldstein – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+) as Roy Kent
O Yeong-su – Squid Game (Netflix) as Oh Il-nam

While Billy Crudup and Brett Goldstein are both Emmy winners, they are in a tight race with Kieran Culkin, who has been nominated for three Golden Globes and an Emmy Award for this role. He might just win.

Best Supporting Performance in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film: Supporting Actress

Jennifer Coolidge – The White Lotus (HBO) as Tanya McQuoid
Kaitlyn Dever – Dopesick (Hulu) as Betsy Mallum
Andie MacDowell – Maid (Netflix) as Paula
Sarah Snook – Succession (HBO) as Siobhan "Shiv" Roy
Hannah Waddingham – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+) as Rebecca Welton

If I had to pick any of the nominees to win, it would be Hannah Waddingham, but any of them could take home the award. It's that close.

That's a wrap for part one. Stay tuned for part two featuring the movie nominees, which will be the Sunday entertainment feature.