Emmy Review: Lead Actor in a Comedy
Wednesday, August 26, 2020 at 9:00AM 
Of the major categories, this one is the most unchanged from last year. Two-time winner Bill Hader is out because season three of Barry has yet to premiere, and Golden Globe winner Ramy Youssef is in his place. Larry David didn’t make the cut. Both Ted Danson and Eugene Levy have won Emmys in the past, but this is their last shot to win a trophy for their current shows.
I’ll try to avoid major plot details in my analysis – but if you’d like more spoiler-filled descriptions, click on the episode titles. Let’s consider each nominee…
Anthony Anderson as Dre Johnson in Black-ish (ABC)
Episode: “Love, Boat”
This is Anderson’s sixth consecutive bid, meaning that he’s been nominated every year since his show started. That’s an impressive feat especially considering the show was dropped from the Best Comedy Series lineup last year. I thought Anderson had a great shot to win in 2017 when he submitted “Lemons,” which gave him a dramatic monologue that he knocked out of the park. This year, in the season finale, he freaks out when he finds out his long-divorced parents are sleeping together. It’s funny and he’s great, but this isn’t the showcase that’s going to win him his first Emmy.
Don Cheadle as Mo Monroe in Black Monday (Showtime)
Episode: “Who Are You Supposed to Be?”
This is the tenth career nomination for Cheadle, who has managed to get nominated six times in this category, for this show and House of Lies, with virtually no other love for either series. Though Black Monday had to initially cut its second season short because of the coronavirus pandemic, Cheadle was still able to submit the seventh episode, which was the first installment to air when the show returned for its back half at the end of June. Cheadle is on fire as usual trying to manipulate events around him and claw his way back to the top, making the most of whatever material he’s given, but his episode is inaccessible for anyone who hasn’t seen the show before. There’s also no word on whether season three will happen, and zero buzz isn’t a great impetus for a win.
Ted Danson as Michael in The Good Place (NBC)
Episode: “Whenever You’re Ready”
This marks a whopping eighteen career nominations for Danson, who won twice for his leading role on Cheers, in 1990 and 1993. This is his third consecutive nomination for playing the architect of an afterlife that’s decidedly imperfect on NBC’s now-ended comedy. Submitting the series finale guarantees that fans of the show will find him particularly endearing, and though some context is helpful, the joy and pride with which he embraces a chance at life should impress anyone who watches it. He’s a likeable figure who captures his show’s essence, and he could easily win.
Michael Douglas as Sandy Kominsky in The Kominsky Method (Netflix)
Episode: “Chapter 12: A Libido Sits in the Fridge”
Douglas has six previous nominations and one win, for the TV movie Behind the Candelabra in 2013. This is his second consecutive bid for playing an acting teacher combating aging and increased feelings of irrelevance. Some aren’t impressed with the show or his performance, but I think he’s a perfect fit and does a superb job with the material. His submitted episode involves humorous events related to medication, and while it’s a great showcase, there’s no reason to expect that he would win this year if he didn’t for the show’s freshman season.
Eugene Levy as Johnny Rose in Schitt’s Creek (Pop)
Episode: “The Pitch”
Levy collected two variety writing trophies along with the rest of the staff for SCTV Network 90 nearly forty years ago, and this is his second acting bid for this role. Now, his show is over, and though the series finale might have been a sentimental choice for fans, he smartly chose an installment in which he’s given an opportunity to step back into his old life of business success far from the small town that serves as the show’s namesake. Levy, who co-created the show with his real life and onscreen son, is beloved, and he’s the firm frontrunner. As with Henry Winkler's Barry win two years back, it’s hard to argue that this veteran performer isn’t deserving of a win, especially this late in his career.
Ramy Youssef as Ramy Hassan in Ramy (Hulu)
Episode: “You Are Naked in Front of Your Sheikh”
Youssef, the only newcomer to this category, won a Golden Globe for the first season of this show back in January and joked in his acceptance speech that most in attendance hadn’t seen his show and probably thought he was an editor. I assume readers of this site are more familiar with Youssef’s terrific work as creator and star of the series about a young Muslim man navigating relationships and religion in New Jersey. In season two, Youssef barely appears in nearly half the episodes, but he picked the season finale, in which he faces complicated choices after struggling to turn his life around. He’s excellent, and if voters are feeling a unique choice whose deadpan style is most similar to past winner Donald Glover, he’s it.
Personal Ranking:
- Ramy Youssef, Ramy
- Ted Danson, The Good Place
- Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method
- Don Cheadle, Black Monday
- Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
- Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Predicted Winner: Eugene Levy – Schitt’s Creek
Potential Spoiler: Ramy Youssef – Ramy
Don’t let my last-place personal ranking for Levy allow you to doubt his chances – he’ll win this unless Youssef stages an upset or Danson unexpectedly benefits from The Good Place fans wanting to see a win. Who are you rooting for?
Previous Category Reviews:
Drama Lead Actress | Drama Lead Actor | Drama Guest Actor | Comedy Guest Actress | Comedy Guest Actor | TV Movie
Reader Comments (11)
There will be pockets of goodwill for all the nominees. A Youssef win would not surprise at all - in fact I think he's as likely as Levy right now.
I actually think William Jackson Harper has a better chance in his category than Danson.
Is Black Monday worth watching? I like the cast so much, but I don't hear much about it.
Danson is a national treasure, but I feel that Levy is rather underrated on Schitt's Creek as a straight man opposite O'Hara, so I would be very happy to see him take this.
I basically agree with all of this - would vote for Levy and suspect he'll win but Youssef is a plenty plausible spoiler and I wouldn't completely count out Danson and even Douglas.
Eugene Levy would be an extremely worthy winner, but I'm pulling for Ted Danson! He should already have an Emmy for THE GOOD PLACE for the second season episode, "Janet and Michael," where he absolutely tugged at my heartstrings.
I enjoyed the first season of Black Monday. It's a show that feels like it was made in the early 2010s, but has a few surprises and really fun performances. However, I'm surprised that Cheadle keeps getting nominated. He's good (as always), but this all seems easy for him. Maybe it's the showtime effect of famous actors getting in for shows that don't make a big cultural impact (e.g., Macy in Shameless, Liev Schrieber, Cheadle).
Other than him, this category feels like a toss-up. I think it's between Douglas and Ramy.
jules -- No.
All the "experts" are predicting a Schitt's Creek sweep. Do they even follow the Emmys? I would be delighted with Eugeny Levy winning with a great episode, but I predict Youssef even if I couldn't finish Ramy.
Youssef had an amazing season, but his character is just the worst, and I think Mahershala Ali is actually the standout in his submitted episode. As much as I love Black Monday and as good as Cheadle is, he's probably the weak link of that ensemble, and if anyone should be representing that show it's Regina Hall. Anthony Anderson seems to have settled into the Steve Carell role of perpetual nominee (maybe he'll get some "last season" love once it arrives). I would say Ted Danson and The Good Place would've had great chances in all of their nominated categories, but they lost the battle of the last season buzz to Schitt's Creek. I think Levy takes this one pretty easily, as will the show triumph on most of its other nominations.
There's a whole episode about washing your feet before praying. Don't wash that much and treat better your women and your gays.
the balls to place Levy last. Nathaniel, can we get a different TV critic?
As a Canadian,I'm hoping for Eugene Levy, but have no real idea if my love for SC is blinding me to reality. I would love to see Levy win, because he anchors that series, and it would be lovely for both he and O'Hara to win an Emmy.
(I'm sure Moira Rose would insist on calling them by their full name, an "Emmaline")
Down with the muslim. He can even speak proper English!