Emmys 2023: Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series — Our Dream Nominees!

By Team TVLine June 16, 2023 9:00 am EST

Graphic by Nina Boesch for TVLine

The men of Ted Lasso have for the past two years dominated the Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series race and, despite Season 3's mixed reception, conventional wisdom says Emmy voters will once again stack at least half the deck with AFC Richmond vets.

From our kudos vantage point, one of the series' few MVPs never to be nominated — Phil Dunster, who played recovering egomaniac Jamie Tartt on the Apple TV+ comedy — is among 2023's most deserving contenders.

Scroll through the list below to review all of our Dream Nominees (remember, these aren't predictions; they're wish lists) and then tell us if our picks warrant a "Hell, yes!," "Um, no" or "How could you leave off so-and-so?!"

For the record, 2023 Emmy nominations will be voted on from June 15-26, and unveiled on July 12. The 75th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony is scheduled to air on Monday, Sept. 18 on Fox.

Scroll down for links to our previous Dream Emmy categories:

Anthony Carrigan, Barry

Courtesy of HBO

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: Carrigan's Chechen gangster Noho Hank has always been the merry jester of HBO's hitman comedy, providing reliable laughs with his cheerfully goofy outlook on life. In the final season, he still made us laugh — that Santa Fe outfit alone! — but he also made us tear up as Hank was forced to choose between his criminal career and his beloved Cristobal... and faced the grim consequences for that choice. We'll miss everybody on Barry, but to paraphrase Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, we'll miss Carrigan most of all.

Phil Dunster, Ted Lasso

Courtesy of Apple TV+

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: "Do you believe in miracles?" Ted Lasso once asked the men of AFC Richmond, late in the show's first season — and after witnessing the way Dunster thoughtfully, believably transformed Jamie Tartt from cocky star player to grounded teammate and friend, we can confidently say we do. Dunster's best Season 3 showcase was certainly "Mom City," a Jamie-centric episode that required both goofy physical comedy and palpable emotion from the actor. (He delivered both.) But Dunster has been one of Ted Lasso's secret weapons all along, pacing out his character's growth with a humor and softness that made Jamie's arc immensely satisfying to watch.

Harrison Ford, Shrinking

Courtesy of Apple TV+

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: No one plays a curmudgeon quite like Ford, who steeped his natural charm and charisma into his role of Dr. Paul Rhoades. The actor's quiet quips and various irritations served as a perfect comedic counterpart to the characters (and costars) around him. But as funny as he was, Ford also flexed dramatic muscle when Paul's disease raised concerns with his daughter that spiraled into a tornado of familial issues and lingering resentment. In just 10 short episodes, the acting legend dispatched a kaleidoscope of emotions that truly elevated the entire series.

Ken Marino, Party Down

Courtesy of Starz

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: Ron Donald's tiresome optimism and social missteps gave Marino everything he needed to deliver yet another comedic tour-de-force in Party Down's third season. As his character continued fighting for his Little Catering Company That Could, the actor fused physical pratfalls with impeccable line deliveries and bemused facial expressions, all of which helped make the entire revival a can't-miss event. Watching Marino pull out all the stops whenever Ron hit the panic button was so deeply enjoyable, it had us immediately craving another helping.

James Marsden, Jury Duty

Courtesy of Amazon Freevee

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: Alright, this one is admittedly a little outside the (jury) box, since Marsden played a heightened version of himself in an improvised prank comedy about a fake court case where everyone was in on the joke except for one unsuspecting juror. Still, we have to say this might be the best performance of Marsden's career, gleefully lampooning his Hollywood actor persona by laying it on thick with shameless name-dropping, insufferable demands and a general obliviousness to the plights of non-celebrities. If it's not his career best, it's certainly right up there with Sex Drive.

Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear

Courtesy of FX

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: Hulu's The Bear, with its high-intensity kitchen scenes (so much squabbling! so much shouting!), might not be TV's most funny-ha-ha comedy, but Moss-Bachrach definitely brought the laughs in Season 1 as chef Carmy's sleazy coworker Richie. Yes, Richie is a hardheaded relic from a bygone era, and no, you should not let him near the punch at a kid's birthday party, but he's so fiercely loyal, you're glad to have him in your corner.

Reid Scott, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Courtesy of Prime Video

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: The research that the Veep actor clearly did to prepare for his role as talk show host Gordon Ford paid huge dividends, as Scott nailed the rhythms, cadence and mannerisms of late-night emcees of yore, namely Johnny Carson. And when the cameras weren't rolling on Ford, Scott offered revealing glimpses of the deeply insecure — and occasionally charming — man beneath the infuriatingly sexist TV persona.

Tyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary

Courtesy of ABC

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: After mastering Gregory Eddie's deadpan look-to-camera in Season 1 of the ABC comedy, Williams shone in new ways in the sophomore run as his character started to come into his own in his personal relationships, while growing more confident as a teacher. Gregory may have been uncomfortable accepting the Educator of the Year award, but Williams' dryly hilarious portrayal is definitely worthy of recognition. The actor was one part neurotic nerd, one part caring teacher and one part quietly sexy love interest for Quinta Brunson's Janine. And the sum was a performance that had us both laughing and swooning.