"ER" (3-1)

Always a contender, the hospital drama was dramatic in almost every sense of the word. There are many episodes that the producers could've chosen to send for consideration, all of which were pretty much equally worthy. There was "Exodus," the personal favorite of a friend of mine, about the evacuation of the ER due to exposure from a toxic substance. There was Dr. Ross' loss of his father, and Dr. Greene's battles with his dad. There was also the ongoing sexual tension between Dr. Benton and Dr. Corday, with the jealous Dr. Romano looking to come between them. However, this is an awfully competitive category this year, and the shift away from the hospital and into the personal lives of the doctors may not appeal to some voters. "ER" would certainly be a worthy winner, but I have a feeling voters could look elsewhere.

"Law & Order" (4-1)

Finally! Last year, in a stunner, "Law & Order" won the Best Drama Emmy after years of going home empty handed. This year, the absence of Sam Waterston in the Lead Actor category may not bode well for "Law"s chances, but I'm still hoping for a repeat victory. There were countless episodes of excellence this season: the teens who killed for the thrill of it; the uncovering of a militia in New York; the issue of female circumcision as a religious custom; McCoy's somewhat personal courtroom battle with a drunk driving murder suspect (should've gotten Waterston a nom); and, best of all, the riveting season finale. They don't make cliffhangers like they used to, but this one was a superb exception. The fate of virtually every character is, at this moment, cleverly hanging in the balance, leaving me breathless for the premiere this fall. I can't wait to see what the writers think up next, and I can only hope that a repeat Emmy will be earned to help encourage them.

"NYPD Blue" (4-1)

The way you'll be able to tell if "Blue" has a chance in this catgory on Emmy night is if Dennis Franz wins the Best Actor Emmy. His comeback from cancer was surely the most riveting plot point of the season, but Det. Medavoy's entanglement with the lesbian couple whose child he fathered (one of them killed the other) was quite good too. I'm telling you, as I go over each of these shows, I realize just how tough this race is! It could go to anybody! It's good to know that drama is alive and well. As for "Blue"s chances, I'd say that drama is so alive and well that they're a longshot here. But you never know which way the cookie will crumble.

"The Practice" (6-1)

"Chicago Hope," a David Kelley creation, which he abandoned, has finally been pushed out of the way in this category to make room for..... another David Kelley creation! This show has not gotten an incredible amount of audience support, but neither did "Picket Fences" (another David Kelley creation), and that show won this category multiple times. "The Practice" has been rejuvenated with the arrival of Lara Flynn Boyle, who plays a lawyer with whom attorney Bobby Donnell (Dylan McDermott) can square off with in court, and pair off with in his free time. The supporting cast, including the nominated Camryn Manheim, make this law firm a more uptempo place to be than, say, the D.A.'s office on "Law & Order." But for sheer courtroom drama, however, I still think "The Practice" needs a little time to catch up with the caliber of "Law."

"The X-Files" (5-1)

Should I even bother to comment on this? I know absolutely nothing about the goings on this season on "Files." All I can say is that I've heard some comments from fans, both on the Internet and in the papers, etc., that the show was a tad off its game this year. Considering how highly touted it was last year, only to lose to "Law & Order," I really don't know how Chris Carter's creation can pull of the win this year. But let me say yet again that Emmy is, perhaps, the most unpredictable woman in showbiz. Except for Farrah Fawcett.

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