Emmys 2020: Supporting Actor, Comedy — Our Dream Nominees

The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards will be airing (in some form!) on Sept. 20. Before the real nominees are unveiled on July 28, we at TVLine have come up with our own dream nominations in 15 major categories. Scroll down to see our ideal contenders for Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, then give us your thoughts!

ANDREW RANNELLS, BLACK MONDAY

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: We sincerely hope Emmy voters don't need a fancy algorithm to deduce Rannells' many talents on the Showtime satire. As Blair Pfaff's financial career flourishes in Season 2, Rannells has given his character a newfound swagger, delivering a more daring (and even more entertaining) version of Blair than the naive business school grad we met in Season 1. The actor has been particularly sublime as Blair embraces his sexuality, and his terrifically tipsy performance in Episode 4 is reason enough to recognize him with a nod.

JAMES MARSDEN, DEAD TO ME

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: Steve and Ben Wood might be semi-identical twins, but the brothers couldn't be more different — and it's a testament to Marsden's range that he convincingly portrayed both siblings in Season 2 of Netflix's dark comedy. Though he had the unenviable task of playing Steve's antithesis, Marsden's delightfully dorky take on Ben never felt inauthentic or forced. Rather, Ben's concern for his missing brother, and his delicate pursuit of Christina Applegate's Jen, were delivered with exquisite sensitivity (and many a well-timed dad joke).

MARC MARON, GLOW

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: Maron warrants all the love for his portrayal of Sam, whose heart — both metaphorical and anatomical — took a beating in Season 3. As the curmudgeonly wrestling-show producer got closer to Ruth, Maron played his character with a rarely seen softness that only endeared us to Sam even more. But it was the producer's cardiac troubles that gave Maron his best stuff to date, allowing him the space to replace some of Sam's cynicism with a tentative hope. Consider us KO'd.

MARK PROKSCH, WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: No TV character delivers a higher rate of laughs per minute of screen time than the lethally boring "energy vampire" Colin Robinson, and Proksch has deftly turned what could've been a one-note character into a masterpiece of deadpan humor. (Or should that be "undeadpan"?) Proksch's willfully dull demeanor sells every last punchline, and when Colin gets a showcase episode — as he did this season, when a promotion at work turned him into an arrogant, power-hungry jerk — Proksch, well, sinks his teeth into it.    

NCUTI GATWA, SEX EDUCATION

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: From his colorful fashion to his bright smile, Eric Effiong is irresistible. In Season 2, Gatwa infused his character with an increased confidence and razor-sharp wit as he explored new romance with a studly foreign student, and became trapped in a love triangle with bad boy Adam. Thanks to Gatwa's spirited performance, Eric's presence popped on screen, never feeling like a "gay best friend" trope; instead, he's a three-dimensional character with his own burgeoning conflicts and dramas... and a highly competent actor in the driver's seat.

STERLING K. BROWN, THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: As Shy Baldwin's no-nonsense manager, Reggie, the This Is Us vet injected the Amazon comedy's third season with a thrilling shot of adrenaline (not to mention diversity). As he's known to do, the two-time Emmy winner elevated every scene he was in; his interplay with onscreen foil Alex Borstein proved especially electrifying. Here's hoping Brown finds his way back into Mrs. Maisel's orbit in Season 4.

WILLIAM JACKSON HARPER, THE GOOD PLACE

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: To get into the Good Place, the humans needed a steady guide, and Harper rose to the challenge as comically anxious ethics professor Chidi tapped into a newfound confidence. Sure, Harper was good for a few dorky laughs along the way — see: Chidi geeking out over meeting ancient Greek philosopher Hypatia — but he also served as the show's rock-solid moral center, with Chidi gently prodding his pals to become their better selves and, through his romance with Eleanor, showing us that in the end, love is all you need.