ICYMI: SSN’s Top Stories From 7/28 – 8/1/14

The Emmy Handicap: Can Big Bang Theory & True Detective Change the Tide & Win?

Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Drama Series are more about the season as a whole: producers of each nominated show choose six episodes that get randomly distributed to three different groups of Academy voters, which view two episodes each. With that in mind, what follows is SSN’s quick and dirty handicap of the two biggest series races, here (SSN)

The Emmy Handicap: Bryan Cranston & Claire Danes Look to Keep on Winning

The truth is that acting category nominees are permitted to submit just a single episode for consideration, to be evaluated by juries of somewhere between 25 and 75 fellow actors. SSN reports that the one-episode gambit may this year only strengthen the cases of Claire Danes for her Homeland turn and Bryan Cranston for his iconic performance as Walter White in AMC’s Breaking Bad. (SSN)

The Emmy Handicap: All Hail King Jim (Parsons) & Queen Julia (Louis-Dreyfus) in Comedy Face-offs

For nominees, it ultimately comes down to how each nominee’s single episode submission is received by voters. The right choice can help nail down a win; the wrong choice can derail a sure thing. What follows is SSN’s handicap of the lead comedy acting races at this year’s Emmys, along with some discussion of how each submitted episode may impact the outcome. (SSN)

The Emmy Handicap: In Sup. Breaking Bad Looks to Go Out with a Bang While in Comedy, Flip a Coin

Here’s SSN’s Emmy analysis, with an eye on the single episode chosen by each performer to send to the voting committee in the supporting actor and actress categories for drama and comedy series. (SSN)

The Emmy Handicap: Could this be the Year Bill Maher Breaks his Epic Losing Streak?

Remember when Susan Lucci was 0-for-19 before finally winning a Daytime Emmy, or Angela Lansbury 0-for-18 without a win? Well, Maher is on page to have more winless noms than both those ladies combined. His nominations this year are for HBO late-night talker Real Time with Bill Maher, and for the news series Vice, on which he is a producer. SSN’s analysis of the race is here (SSN)