Emmys 2022: Lead Actress In A Comedy Series — Our Dream Nominees!

In 2021, Emmy's Lead Actress in a Comedy Series contest was largely seen as a two-woman race: Hacks' Jean Smart vs. The Flight Attendant's Kaley Cuoco (with the former ultimately prevailing).

This year, Smart and Cuoco will be in the hunt again, but the duo faces a much more competitive landscape — and our Dream Emmy short list is proof of that.

Scroll through the list below to review all of our Dream Nominees (remember, these aren't predictions; they're wish lists) and then tell us if our picks warrant a "Hell, yes!," "Um, no" or "How could you leave off so-and-so?!"For the record, 2022 Emmy nominations will be voted on from June 16-27, and unveiled on July 12. The 74th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony is scheduled to air on Monday, Sept. 12 on NBC.

Scroll down for links to our previous Dream Emmy categories:

Outstanding Drama Series — Our Dream NomineesOutstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series — Our Dream NomineesOutstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series — Our Dream NomineesOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series — Our Dream NomineesOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series — Our Dream NomineesOutstanding Comedy Series — Our Dream Nominees

WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: Much of the credit for Abbott Elementary's incredibly strong freshman season has to go to Brunson, who is not only the ABC comedy's creator, but also anchors the show as second grade teacher Janine Teagues. The actress perfectly captures her character's positivity and determination to do right by her students in the face of a broken public school system. In the wrong hands, Janine could have easily been too naïve, but Brunson brings such quiet strength and warmth to the role, punctuating it with moments of humor, that we can't help but root for Janine.

WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: The "inner voice" device used in Apple TV+'s 1980s-set dark comedy reminds us constantly that Sheila Rubin is a bitter, judgmental and all-around miserable human being. So, the fact that Byrne in Season 1 was able to make her aspiring Jane Fonda not only sympathetic but someone we rooted for speaks volumes of the Damages vet's supreme acting prowess. Physical also confirms what Byrne's successful movie career already told us: She possesses Olympian-level comic timing.

WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: The showrunners said that a goal for Season 2 was to deliver even more of a good thing — meaning, their star. Cuoco, Emmy-nominated for Season 1, has risen to that challenge and then some, not just by playing multiple Cassies in a new "mind palace," but by continuing to go all out as the reckless alcoholic. Vodka-fueled or not, Cassie lives life hard, and Cuoco captures every impulsive inclination, every fit of panic, and the occasional need for a reluctant hug from Annie. New for Season 2: Cuoco's scenes with Sharon Stone, which give us a Cassie wounded like never before. Once again, Cuoco's performance is a trip we're delighted to take.

WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: The Great got even better in Season 2, and that's largely due to Fanning's continually entertaining performance as Catherine. The new season pulled the would-be Empress of All Russia in different directions as conqueror, soon-to-be mother, and the wife of a foolish and sadistic ruler, and Fanning handled them all seamlessly. But the series' greatest strength is Catherine's twisted but compelling relationship with Peter, and Fanning masterfully balanced co-star Nicholas Hoult's outrageous one-liners with charm, sharp comedic timing and commendable versatility.

WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: If this award goes to the actress who made us laugh the most this year, it's easily Lyonne, who cracked us up with just about every line of dialogue as sassy time traveler Nadia in Season 2 of Netflix's sci-fi comedy. But if it goes to the actress who made us feel the most... well, that's Lyonne, too, as she dug deep into Nadia's family history and attempted to heal decades-old emotional wounds. We're just happy we live in a decade where Lyonne is on our TVs.

WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: Rae has an every-woman quality and a megawatt Hollywood smile that commands attention and adulation. Even when her Insecure alter ego did things fans didn't like or understand in the rom-com's fifth and final season, there was a willingness to wait because Issa – the real woman and her eponymous character – always finds a way. As the fictional Issa carved out a career, brought shine to South Los Angeles and settled down with the love of her life, her portrayer grounded the winsome performance in depth, humor and emotional relatability.

WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: While we won't reveal any of the wild antics up ahead in Season 2 (premiering May 12 on HBO Max), we can confirm that Smart once again delivers the goods. From Deborah's brutal verbal lashings to her softer core buried behind an impenetrable wall, the actress expertly seesaws from the HBIC you don't want to cross, to a woman who cares for her inner circle, yet rarely admits it. Smart navigates every one of Deborah's dimensions like a pro, not just relying on the rapid-fire zingers (though they do elicit plenty of laughs), but wading through the depths of her character's hidden heart, as well.

WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: Brooke may have gotten a taste of success in Season 2 of HBO Max's showbiz satire, but luckily for us, Yorke didn't soften her caustically funny edges at all. If anything, Brooke's upward mobility made her even more impatient to climb the Hollywood ladder, with Yorke bringing a hilarious desperation to Brooke's first-world problems — for example, getting invited to a swanky party, only to spend it outside on an endless conference call. An exquisitely painful evening to behold, thanks to Yorke's performance.