Dream Emmy Ballot 2011: Lead Actress in a Comedy

Toni Collette - "Tara Gregson", United States of Tara

Courteney Cox - "Jules Cobb", Cougar Town

Tina Fey - "Liz Lemon", 30 Rock

Laura Linney - "Cathy Jamison", The Big C

Martha Plimpton - "Virginia Chance", Raising Hope

Amy Poehler - "Leslie Knope", Parks and Recreation

As always, Collette demonstrated fantastic range in portraying Tara and all her alters - this season in particular, she made Bryce feel like an honestly scary, tangible threat every time he surfaced. Cox rode out the refining of her show's premise last season, and this year she took advantage of the second season in showing Jules in all her loving and crazy shades. 30 Rock as a whole feels less novel as time goes on, but Fey continues to do great work, especially in episodes like "Double-Edged Sword" and "TGS Hates Women." (Since it'll probably be a factor for at least some voters, sure: I'm totally giving her bonus cred for Bossypants.) Linney infused The Big C with energy even when the material didn't feel quite up to the standard she set. Plimpton was ideally suited to Raising Hope's combination of sweetness and weirdness. Poehler would get on this list for "Flu Season" alone, but the whole season really served as a showcase for Leslie Knope and her bottomless drive.

Honorable Mention: Lea Michele, Glee

I wouldn't be surprised to see: Kaley Cuoco, The Big Bang Theory; Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie; Patricia Heaton, The Middle; Melissa McCarthy, Mike and Molly; Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds

Who knows about Desperate Housewives? My gut tells me that even though it's still kicking, that its buzz, at least in the awards-relevant sense, is mostly gone.

Dream Emmy Ballot 2011: Lead Actor in a Comedy

Alec Baldwin - "Jack Donaghy", 30 Rock

Steve Carell - "Michael Scott", The Office

Zachary Levi - "Chuck Bartowski", Chuck

Joel McHale - "Jeff Winger", Community

Lucas Neff - "Jimmy Chance", Raising Hope

True Life: This is always the most difficult category for me. It seems that there are a lot of male-led comedies that I simply have no interest in watching. Or they're like buzzy arthouse movies - I feel more like I should watch them than I want to watch them. There were certainly performances I enjoyed, though. Baldwin did a great job with the art-imitating-life storylines with Kabletown and Jack becoming a father. Carell executed his final episodes as Michael Scott with both grace and humor. Levi did a lot of heavy lifting that carried some of Chuck's storylines (especially the one focused on Vivian Volkoff) through their weaknesses. McHale anchored Community with magnetic personality. Neff proved to be a great straight man among Greg Garcia's cast of wacky personalities.

Honorable Mention: Rob Lowe, Parks and Recreation

Not that I don't think Lowe wasn't delightful as Chris Traeger, or that I don't get why he or his agent or whoever decided on this strategy, but he doesn't belong in this category.

I wouldn't be surprised to see: Louis C.K., Louie; David Duchovny, Californication; Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory; Thomas Jane, Hung; Matt LeBlanc, Episodes; Danny McBride, Eastbound and Down; Matthew Morrison, Glee; Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory; Matthew Perry, Mr. Sunshine; Jason Schwartzman, Bored to Death; William Shatner, $#*! My Dad Says