Golden Globes 2014 predictions: TV

Those who will bestow the 71st annual Golden Globes have some hard choices to make Sunday night: Will the Hollywood Foreign Press Association finally give co-host Amy Poehler one of those nice little statues, for crying out loud? Seriously, the handoff is overdue. But Sunday should largely belong to "Breaking Bad," at least in the drama category. One of the best dramas in the long history of television can't disappear into that history without one last hurrah.

Best TV series, comedy or musical

"The Big Bang Theory"

"Brooklyn Nine-Nine"

"Girls"

"Modern Family"

"Parks and Recreation"

SHOULD WIN "Parks and Recreation." The better the seasons get, the fewer the viewers. Nice if the Globes would take a contrarian -- and perfectly valid -- stance by giving "P&R" its just deserts. Poehler will already be onstage anyway.

WILL WIN "Girls." Yes, the Globes sometimes repeats itself, like that repeat offender, the Emmys, and will be hard-pressed to change the vote from this choice in favor of one for, say, "The Big Bang Theory."

Best TV series, drama

"Breaking Bad"

"Downton Abbey"

"The Good Wife"

"House of Cards"

"Masters of Sex"

SHOULD WIN "Breaking Bad." Also, this was the best show of this group and one of the best ever.

WILL WIN "Breaking Bad." Would you believe it's been nominated only once for best drama? It's true and a reflection that this voting body doesn't either a.) Know all that much about TV or b.) Care all that much about TV. A win Sunday will correct the collective embarrassment of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

Best actress in a TV drama

Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"

Tatiana Maslany, "Orphan Black"

Taylor Schilling, "Orange Is the New Black"

Kerry Washington, "Scandal"

Robin Wright, "House of Cards"

SHOULD WIN Maslany for a remarkable first season performance. If the HFPA was savvy, it'd give her the statue to give the Emmys its comeuppance.

WILL WIN Schilling. I suspect the HFPA will try to make amends here for overlooking "Orange Is the New Black" in either the best drama or comedy category.

Best actress in a TV comedy

Zooey Deschanel, "New Girl"

Lena Dunham, "Girls"

Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep"

Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation"

SHOULD WIN Falco. Yes, to an extent I'm throwing a dart at a board, too, but Falco is due. Like Poehler, she also has had a few nominations, never won (for "Jackie"), and some voters may prefer the bitter edge to this performance to the sunnier one of Poehler's.

WILL WIN Falco. The voters may choose the winner in this category just by throwing a dart at a board; after all, each of the nominees is worthy.

Best actor in a TV drama

Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"

Liev Schreiber, "Ray Donovan"

Michael Sheen, "Masters of Sex"

Kevin Spacey, "House of Cards"

James Spader, "The Blacklist"

SHOULD WIN Cranston. Hey, I want go for the full coronation!

WILL WIN Sheen. Despite multiple nods, the HFPA probably wants to stop short of a "Breaking Bad" coronation. Cranston has never quite been their cup of tea, but Sheen most certainly is. There's no shame in this victory -- he was terrific in "Masters."

Best actor in a TV comedy

Jason Bateman, "Arrested Development"

Don Cheadle, "House of Lies"

Michael J. Fox, "The Michael J. Fox Show"

Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"

Andy Samberg, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine"

SHOULD WIN Bateman, who returned to a much-loved-by-a-very-few series and gave none of them a compelling reason to convert the love to bile. The fourth season on Netflix may not have been perfect, but Bateman kept it grounded -- or as grounded as "Arrested Development" can be.

WILL WIN Fox. The HFPA will not be able to resist the sheer emotional pull of this choice. The show may be lacking, but that name in the title remains too powerful to ignore.