Emmy Picks 2011: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy

It's time now to turn our attention to another Emmy category - Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy. The official nominations will be announced soon (July 14) but in the interim, take a look at our picks for who should scoop the prize, and let us know if you agree with our choices below!

Edie Falco ('Nurse Jackie')
Last year's winner is pretty much guaranteed to be nominated again in 2011, and it's more than deserved. Falco's performance in the third season of Nurse Jackie was simply terrific, veering between high drama and deadpan humour. It's also credit to Falco that she somehow manages to make Jackie likeable, despite her many and various crimes! It's a truly three-dimensional performance and is worthy of every single plaudit it gets.

Laura Linney ('The Big C')

There's such a strong dramatic element to Edie Falco's Nurse Jackie performance that it almost seems odd to see the actress nominated for a comedy award, and so is the case with Laura Linney. The star's performance in Showtime's The Big C is undoubtedly funny, but it's also sensitive and heart-breaking. Making a comedy out of cancer was always going to be a tough job to pull off, but Linney and co. have triumphed with this balanced and involving series. An Emmy would be a terrific way to round off the show's successful first year.

Tina Fey ('30 Rock')
Everyone loves Tina Fey. Go on, admit it, you do. Whether it's her Sarah Palin impressions on SNL or her role in Mean Girls, we've all got a little soft spot in our hearts for this talented lady. But it's as the quirky Liz Lemon that Fey really won over TV viewers across the globe. It's possible that Fey could take home her third Emmy for the role, but with some arguing that the show is past its best, coupled with the recent controversy surrounding her co-star Tracy Morgan, there's a strong chance that the Academy will look elsewhere for this year's winner.

Toni Collette ('United States of Tara')

We bid farewell to Tara Gregson this year, so would it be too much to ask to see the wonderful Toni Collette recognised one last time? The actress scooped this very award back in 2009, but lost out to Edie Falco the following year. With Falco a cert to be nominated again in 2011, will history repeat itself, or will Collette stage a comeback? All we know is, one strong comedy performance should be applauded, but seven? That's a real achievement.

Amy Poehler ('Parks and Recreation')
We've loved Poehler ever since her turn as Gob's oddball wife on Arrested Development and we'd be thrilled to see this talented comic actress scoop an Emmy this year. Her past involvement with Saturday Night Live saw Poehler nominated by the Academy in both 2008 and 2009, while she first received an Emmy nod for her Parks and Rec role last year. Could Pawnee's cheeriest resident triumph against the odds fourth time round?

Honourable Mentions

We couldn't help but feel sorry for Courteney Cox when she recalled being snubbed by the Emmys during her Friends years, so maybe the actress will kiss and make up with the Academy this year? We also think that Tamsin Greig did well with a difficult role in Showtime's Episodes, but her low profile in the US is likely to count against her when it comes to winning an Emmy.