Pushing the envelopes

Best actress, drama

Last year's nominees: Gillian Anderson ("The X-Files"); Roma Downey ("Touched by an Angel"); Christine Lahti ("Chicago Hope," winner); Julianna Margulies ("ER"); Jane Seymour ("Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman")

My nominees: Anderson; Kim Delaney ("NYPD Blue"); Edie Falco ("The Sopranos"); Sarah Michelle Gellar ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer"); Margulies

The looseness of this season of "The X-Files" worked well for Anderson, too, who got to show off Scully's charming playful side. Delaney has already won a best supporting actress Emmy for her role as Diane Russell on "NYPD Blue," but I'm bumping her up for her lovely work in the Smits deathwatch episodes. Margulies continued her fine performance as the poker-faced, dry-witted and intensely complicated Carol Hathaway on "ER." The show's male actors may get all the attention, but Margulies is the heart and soul of the show. When she leaves after next season, "ER" may as well close up shop.

Edie Falco deeply deserves a nomination as the no-bullshit Mafia wife Carmela Soprano, especially for the episode where she finally tells off Father Phil, the teasing priest who led her to believe that she was his special favorite. Man, the look on her face when she dumped the rigatoni she prepared for him into the garbage ...

My vote for best actress, however, goes to Sarah Michelle Gellar for her big, big star turn on "Buffy." The girl can do it all: tender love scenes, smart-mouth sarcasm, body slammin' action, teenage flakiness. Gellar has created a character who is the very essence of verge-of-adulthood emotional chaos. There isn't a better young actress working on TV today. Gellar rocks. Do you hear that, academy members? She rocks.

Best supporting actress, drama

Last year's nominees: Kim Delaney ("NYPD Blue"); Laura Innes ("ER"); Camryn Manheim ("The Practice," winner); Della Reese ("Touched by an Angel"); Gloria Reuben ("ER")

My nominees: Lara Flynn Boyle ("The Practice"); Alyson Hannigan ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer"); Innes ("ER"); Manheim; Nancy Marchand ("The Sopranos")

These are all exceptional performances. Boyle's prosecutor Helen Gamble is a fierce portrayal of blind ambition. Hannigan has always been a delight as Willow, the sweet class smarty-pants who is tougher than she appears. Innes' busybody Kerry Weaver remains a marvel of characterization; she's like the taskmaster professor who you can't stand when you're in her class but, years later, you realize you admire. And Manheim, who won one for all the fat girls last year, had another terrific season as Ellenor Frutt, the attorney who says exactly what's on her mind.

But these women are going to have to defer to Nancy Marchand's Livia Soprano. Marchand, who won four Emmys for her role as Mrs. Pynchon on "Lou Grant," is an academy favorite; she's the only cast member of "The Sopranos" who is virtually assured of a nomination. And she deserves to win; Livia is a towering character, the antithesis of the sweet little old granny. Marchand is best known for playing elegant ladies with strong backbones. Livia ain't elegant, but when it comes to backbone, she's all steel.

Best supporting actor, drama

Last year's nominees: Gordon Clapp ("NYPD Blue," winner); Hector Elizondo ("Chicago Hope"); Steven Hill ("Law & Order"); Eriq LaSalle ("ER"); Noah Wyle ("ER")

My nominees: Dominic Chianese ("The Sopranos"); Anthony Stewart Head ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer"); Michael Imperioli ("The Sopranos"); Clark Johnson ("Homicide"); Rick Schroder ("NYPD Blue")

I have no idea what the academy saw in Clapp's performance last year. The guy is OK, but he's strictly background noise. As for Elizondo (and the other "Chicago Hope" nominees), does anybody watch this show? Hill is a fine, sage presence; I'd nominate him again if I had room. And I suggest that whoever submits the nominees for "ER" end their little charade. Wyle and LaSalle are both lead actors, and it's insulting to cheat them into the nominations this way.

So I'm proposing a clean slate in this category. Chianese is a joy as Uncle Junior Soprano, the proud, old-style mob boss who's a few cards shy of a deck (but, oh, he's got a bedroom trick that drives the ladies wild). The dark-browed Imperioli provides both heat and comic relief as Christopher, the Soprano crew's young gun and loose cannon. Clark Johnson has served viewers well as Meldrick Lewis, one of the original characters on "Homicide"; his cool, assured work deserves some recognition. Rick Schroder came into as tough a situation as you'll find on TV -- former kiddie star replaces popular lead of thinking-person's cop show. But Schroder made an immediate impact as tightly wound young Detective Danny Sorenson. He was soon made to walk in Franz's shadow, though, which is why I'm nominating him for a supporting Emmy. But next year, when we find out what makes Danny so antsy around sexual predators (was he abused as a kid?), Schroder will be moving up to the bigs.

Buffy's tweedy British watcher (protector), Giles, played by Anthony Stewart Head, is one of the most intriguing characters on any series. He's a bookworm who's proficient with a vampire-killing crossbow; he's a tongue-tied romantic who was once in a devil-worshiping punk band; he's all business, but sometimes he looks at Buffy with something approaching -- I don't dare say. Giles is not your typical voice of adult reason, and Head makes you appreciate the complexities of this repressed middle-aged man who hangs around with teenagers because he's mourning his lost youth. An Emmy for the Taster's Choice guy!

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