Emmys 2016: Idris Elba, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hiddleston top Limited Series / TV Movie actor picks

We’re now getting into the thick of the Limited Series / TV Movie categories in our Emmy series, and today, we’re focusing on what may be one of our favorite fields in the entire awards this year! You’ve got six fantastic actors, and there are some series marquee names in here that the Television Academy would probably love to have at the show. More importantly, these are names that deserve to be there, so there is not any obvious pandering or snubbing others more deserving.

Take a look at our picks below, and of course, we want to hear your take in the poll below! We’re going to keep that poll open until July 13 (the day before nominations are announced); you can vote as often as you like, but without further ado, let’s talk about why some of these leading men deserve a nomination next month.

Actor in a Limited Series / TV Movie – CarterMatt Picks

Bryan Cranston, “All the Way” (HBO) – If you watched this TV movie and did not come away from it blown away by Cranston’s performance, we really don’t know what to tell him. The man is on a massive roll right now. First, “Breaking Bad.” Then, “Trumbo.” Then, that “Super Sweet 60” party he had with Jimmy Kimmel. Now? This. The guy is batting a thousand, and nothing is slowing him down.

Benedict Cumberbatch, “Sherlock: The Abominable Bride” (PBS) – Sherlock Holmes has always been a tormented soul, but never has he been so tortured by the spirit of Moriarty and his own memory palace (hooray, “Hannibal” reference!) than in this particular iteration of the franchise. While Benedict may have had flashier and at times funnier performances as Holmes, we do think that this is his finest overall performance in the role to date.

Idris Elba, “Luther” (BBC America) – While the most-recent season of “Luther” may have been short, Elba made the most of it through every second making John a powerful-yet-haunted man trying to understand the meaning in his life. Idris understands not only how to command a show and control his emotions, but also to use his physicality to bring things to yet another level. He remains consistently extraordinary.

Tom Hiddleston, “The Night Manager” (AMC) – As Jonathan Pine, Hiddleston effectively had a James Bond audition in that he got to play a master of espionage, a manipulator, and someone who knows how to look great in a suit. We don’t want to trivialize this role, though, since there was such tremendous depth in here underneath the surface that showed you what drove Pine, and how his past may continue to haunt him long after his mission with Richard Roper comes to a close.

Oscar Isaac, “Show Me a Hero” (HBO) – We do think to a certain extent Isaac’s chances of winning are hampered by this coming out last summer amidst so much more recent competition, but you really cannot dispute how magnificent he was in it. This was a different side of him than we’ve seen elsewhere, and our only hope is that despite some burgeoning fame, he continues to seek out roles like this one.

Courtney B. Vance, “The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story” (FX) – We knew that Johnnie Cochran would be a meaty role for Vance to play. What we did not quite realize was just how much bravado and range he would bring to it. This is an actor with a tremendous career to date, and this may be his defining performance out of everything we’ve seen. He made Cochran a complicated man, a hero to some, a villain to others, and someone who stood for his convictions regardless.