Emmys 2020: Best Comedy Series — Our Dream Nominees

The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards will be airing (in some form!) on Sept. 20. Before the real nominees are unveiled on July 28, we at TVLine have come up with our own dream nominations in 15 major categories. Scroll down to see our ideal contenders for Outstanding Comedy Series, then give us your thoughts!

BETTER THINGS

WHY IT DESERVES A NOD: Pamela Adlon's series beautifully portrays life's many highs and lows, favoring unpredictability and mystery over neatly packaged answers. Its dissection of family is complicated and raw, as Sam navigates the murky waters of single motherhood, while facing down women's issues, her personal drama with her girls' bum dad and her deteriorating, yet whip-smart mom. Thanks to Adlon's carefully crafted attention to detail, the show is far more than the stories it presents; it's also the feelings and introspection you experience as a result.

DAVE

WHY IT DESERVES A NOD: Yes, Dave tells the story of an aspiring rapper who is deeply self-conscious about his penis. But even amid its raunchy jokes, the FXX series — inspired by the life of star Dave Burd, aka real-life rapper Lil Dicky — delivered some of TV's most thoughtful and earnest comedy in its first season. For every awkward, Larry David-esque dilemma in which Dave found himself (like how to tactfully rap at a child's funeral), there were shrewd, hearfelt observations about anxiety, bipolar disorder and intimacy, to name a few — all anchored by a delightfully neurotic performance from Burd, who has proven he's got the acting chops to match his musical talent.

DICKINSON

WHY IT DESERVES A NOD: The life of famed poet Emily Dickinson might not seem like natural comedy fodder, but Apple TV+'s devilishly clever reworking packed in plenty of laughs by imagining Dickinson (played by a terrific Hailee Steinfeld) as a moody, cynical young woman with a love for all things macabre. It turned out to be one of the past year's most pleasant surprises: a sharp parody of stuffy period dramas with an anachronistically modern sensibility — and genuine emotion pulsing underneath, as well.

HIGH FIDELITY

WHY IT DESERVES A NOD: Like a really great cover of a favorite old song, Hulu's reboot breathed new life into the Nick Hornby novel and John Cusack film, with Zoe Kravitz delivering a sparkling lead performance as record store owner Rob. Her quest to figure out what went wrong with her failed relationships managed to be both hilarious and acutely emotional, her tight friendship with pals Simon and Cherise was instantly charming... and man, the music! This one belongs on our Top 5 list of the past year's best TV comedies, for sure.

INSECURE

WHY IT DESERVES A NOD: Season 4 of the HBO dramedy hasn't just let besties Issa and Molly grow, it's dared to let them grow apart, a painful development that's forced them to lean on other supports and question who they are without one another. (Turns out, they're lowkey good... maybe even better off.) Natasha Rothwell, aka scene-stealing Kelli, also wrote a reunion between exes Issa and Lawrence that rang so true, it was worth the years-long wait — and more than merits giving the show its first nomination in this category.

SEX EDUCATION

WHY IT DESERVES A NOD: Sex-positive messages are exactly what's needed in a modern-day coming-of-age tale, and Sex Ed's got plenty of 'em. The problems Otis and Maeve faced in their underground clinic ranged from hilarious sexual mishaps to more serious identity crises, giving us characters who were not only real and relatable, but incredibly diverse. Its stories are charming, rounding out its romps and raunch with some well-balanced heart. Watching these characters fumble their way through young adulthood is pure joy, especially in the hands of such a capable cast of up-and-comers.

THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL

WHY IT DESERVES A NOD: Midge hit the road in Season 3, expanding the Amazon comedy's relaively insular universe and giving it a welcome shot in the arm in the process. It also gave the show the opportunity to introduce some new blood, most notably via This Is Us' Sterling K. Brown as Shy Baldwin's no-nonsense tour manager and Gilmore Girls/How to Get Away With Murder vet Liza Weil as Midge's road mentor. But Season 3's crowning achievement was the addition of Stephanie Hsu as plucky Mei Lin, a character who did the unthinkable: She made Joel (gulp) kinda-sorta interesting.

WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS

WHY IT DESERVES A NOD: Whereas many acclaimed comedies often are seriocomic, FX's mockumentary about a tiny enclave of vampires in Staten Island is, simply but so smartly, laugh-out-loud funny. Season 2 has plumbed the past and present lives of Nandor, Laszlo, Nadja and Colin Robinson for ridiculous beefs, hilarious nemeses and the darkly comedic need to feed (Twitter trolls, yum!), while "familiar" Guillermo can't help but be reminded of his slayer skills. Sprinkle in A-plus guest casting (including Mark Hamill as a vampire duped by a toothpick "disguise"), and you have a comedy for which we are forever fang-ful.