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It’s Their Last Shot at an Emmy

The 70th Primetime Emmy Awards are coming right for us on Monday night, September 17th. Television is an ever-changing landscape, and trying to figure out the exact right time to honor a TV show at its best is one of the unenviable tasks of Emmy voters. Sometimes, the timing is just never right, and performers go through the entire run of their show with a bunch of nominations but never a win. From Angela Lansbury for Murder She Wrote to Steve Carell for The Office to anyone on Mad Men not named Jon Hamm, it’s a distinguished (though likely frustrated list).

So whose Emmy clock is due to expire this year? There are a few performers who are on their last year of eligibility for their given shows. These include some of the best and most celebrated actors and shows on TV. Emmy voters have one last shot to shower them in glory (and, you know, a trophy). Keep an eye on these categories as Emmy night approaches.

Matthew Rhys - 'The Americans'

Matthew Rhys - The Americans
Last Chance Emmy FX

Category: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama

Who’d have thought when Matthew Rhys was squabbling with his economically-comfortable Ojai siblings on ABC’s Brothers & Sisters that one day we’d be wondering if this is the last chance to reward him with the Emmy he so richly deserves. But that’s the case, as The Americans ended on yet another peerless acting showcase from Rhys, who was devastating til the last. That parking garage scene should by all rights be his victory lap. So who’s standing in the way? Last year’s winner, Sterling K. Brown, is recently a huge awards magnet and turned in another great season on This Is Us. (Also, not for nothing, but Jeffrey Wright was incredible this season on Westworld too.)

Where to stream The Americans

Keri Russell - 'The Americans'

Keri Russell - The Americans
Last Chance Emmy FX

Category: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama

On the other side of the aisle (the men and women sit on opposite sides of the aisle at the Emmys, right?) sits Keri Russell, arguably even more worthy of an Emmy win for her work throughout the entire run of The Americans, but she finds herself in a real traffic jam of a category. Last year’s winner, Elisabeth Moss, didn’t exactly skimp on the awards-bait material this time around. Last year’s (assumed) runner-up, Claire Foy, has a case of her own to make (read on). And, oh yeah, Sandra Oh is nominated for Killing Eve (and had better win!).

'The Americans'

The Americans
Last Chance Emmy FX

Category: Outstanding Drama Series

For its first few seasons, The Americans couldn’t get arrested by the Emmys, much to the frustration of TV critics and fans (which, for this show, were the same group, seemingly). And then for its 4th season, the Emmys showed some unexpected love. It would be rare for a show that Emmy voters took so long to recognize would win the night’s top prize, but stranger things have happened.

Claire Foy - 'The Crown'

Claire Foy - The Crown
Last Chance Emmy NETFLIX

Category: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama

The Crown isn’t ending, but Claire Foy’s time playing Queen Elizabeth II has. With the show’s plan to track the royal family’s history to present day, a time jump will see Olivia Colman (Broadchurch) take over the role of the queen. For Foy, that means more time to tend to her blossoming film career (she’ll be Lisbeth Salander in the upcoming The Girl in the Spider’s Web and plays wife to Ryan Gosling’s Neil Armstrong in the upcoming Oscar hopeful First Man). But it also means one last chance to win the Emmy that many thought she would last year, before Moss and The Handmaid’s Tale became way too of-the-moment to ignore.

Where to stream The Crown

Matt Smith - 'The Crown'

Matt Smith - The Crown
Last Chance Emmy NETFLIX

Category: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama

Smith was expected to be nominated last year in his role as the divisive Prince Phillip, but was denied in favor of co-star (and winner) John Lithgow. This year, he made the cut, but will have to battle past the likes of Peter Dinklage and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones) and David Harbour (Stranger Things) for the win.

Vanessa Kirby - 'The Crown'

Vanessa Kirby - The Crown
Last Chance Emmy NETFLIX

Category: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama

Kirby has been stealing scenes for two full seasons on The Crown, and before she hands the mantle over to Helena Bonham-Carter, she probably deserves an Emmy for her trouble. Her biggest competition likely comes from a pair of Handmaid’s Tale foes, both of whom won last year: Ann Dowd (who won Outstanding Supporting Actress) and Alexis Bledel (who won the Guest Actress category).

Tatiana Maslany - 'Orphan Black'

Tatiana Maslany - Orphan Black
Last Chance Emmy BBC

Category: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama

Two years ago, Maslany scored a massive upset, snagging the Best Actress trophy from a category that included such formidable woman as Viola Davis, Claire Danes, and Robin Wright. With Orphan Black having ended, Maslany has one more chance to shock the field.

Where to stream Orphan Black

Alec Baldwin (?) - 'Saturday Night Live'

Alec Baldwin - SNL
Last Chance Emmy Photo: NBC

Category: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy

Here’s some speculation: what ever happened to Alec Baldwin saying he was going to start putting the brakes on doing his Donald Trump impersonation on Saturday Night Live? Yes, it’s been well over a year since he said (promised?) that, but maybe this is the year we all realize it’s a terrible impersonation and not fun and he goes back to being a guest star and not a shadow cast member? Wishful thinking?

Where to stream Saturday Night Live

'Portlandia'

Portlandia (as a show)
Last Chance Emmy IFC

Category: Outstanding Variety Sketch Series

Portlandia has been nominated in the Variety Sketch category every year since its inception in 2015. No show has won that category more than once (so far), which would make it the perfect time to give Saturday Night Live a break and honor the great Fred Armisen/Carrie Brownstein series that ended its eight-season run back in the spring.

Where to stream Portlandia