2013 Critics’ Choice TV Awards: Can Andrew Lincoln, Bryan Cranston top Damian Lewis?

It is interesting to see yet another Best Actor in a Drama Series race that does does include Jon Hamm, but it has happened for the Critics’ Choice TV Awards. Time have changed rather quickly in the world of television, and the people who were once considered to be favorites are no longer the TV darlings they once were.

With that in mind, you have to consider that this category may actually be a little bit more competitive than you might think. Remember while you’re reading this that we want to hear your take. Do you think the right people were nominated, and who do you want to see win? Be sure to vote in the poll below! Also, you can check out our analysis of all the other categories here. The Critics’ Choice TV Awards will take place on June 1.

The nominees – Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad” (AMC), Damian Lewis, “Homeland” (AMC), Andrew Lincoln, “The Walking Dead” (AMC), Timothy Olyphant, “Justified” (FX), Matthew Rhys, “The Americans” (FX), Kevin Spacey, “House of Cards” (Netflix)

The surprises – Is it a surprise to see Olyphant as a nominee? Maybe slightly. Seeing Rhys get the nod here, though, is the big stunner (a welcome one though), especially when you consider all of the capable leading men this past year who were left off this list.

The snubs – Hamm is clearly going to be the one that stands out, mostly because “Mad Men” is still on the air right now. But how about Jeff Daniels for “The Newsroom,” Michael C. Hall for “Dexter,” Steve Buscemi for “Boardwalk Empire,” or Charlie Hunnam for “Sons of Anarchy”? All had great performances in the last year, but just could not make the cut in a pretty competitive category.

Who should win – With so much talent mixed in here, it’s really hard to say, but we’re going to go out on a limb here and say Andrew Lincoln. “The Walking Dead” was better than ever this season, and he was a reason why. We know it’s a zombie show and that is not typically what awards shows go for, but if you are looking at someone who really upped their game, he did so more than anyone on this list. Cranston and Lewis, at least for us, are second and third on the list.

Who will win – We’re going to go with Damian, mostly because Hollywood loves “Homeland” right now. It’s an extremely popular show with a solid cast, and while we’ve personally always said that Mandy Patankin is really the heart and soul of the show, it is hard to be bitter or upset over seeing Lewis win. Sadly, we don’t think that Rhys, Olyphant, or Spacey have much of a shot.

Photo: Critics’ Choice TV Awards