Golden Globes 2017: Predicting the Winners

— -- There aren't too many sure bets at tonight's Golden Globe Awards.

"La La Land" and "The People vs. O.J. Simpson" aside, the favorites are still being sorted out on the film side and, with so many new shows on the TV side, there is plenty of room for surprises.

"It seems to me to be a season of new blood," Yahoo! TV Critic-at-Large Ken Tucker told ABC News. "There are a lot of opportunities for new shows, whether a comedy like 'Atlanta,' or Netflix's 'Stranger Things,' which is coming back for another season."

Similarly, the year in film has left opportunities for more than one front-runner, according to Yahoo! Movies Senior Editor Kevin Polowy.

"I don't think there is one or two clear-cut favorites. I think there are three: 'La La Land,' 'Manchester by the Sea' and 'Moonlight,'" he told ABC News. "I think it will get clearer starting tonight with the Globes."

The show airs live tonight at 8 p.m. EST on NBC with host Jimmy Fallon.

Here are Tucker and Polowy's predictions for the winners:

Television

Best TV series, comedy

1. Atlanta
2. Black-ish
3. Mozart in the Jungle
4. Transparent
5. Veep

"Atlanta," Donald Glover's new series on FX, may be the new kid on the block, but Tucker thinks a veteran show will win this category again. "As much as I love 'Atlanta,' I think 'Veep' is going to win it yet again," he said. "I'm always saying 'Veep,' but of course it keeps winning. This season is probably its best in terms of the writing and performances." If there's an upset, expect "Atlanta," which has "got a lot of momentum," Tucker added.

Best actress in a TV series, comedy

1. Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
2. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
3. Sarah Jessica Parker, Divorce
4. Issa Rae, Insecure
5. Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin
6. Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish

Similarly, Tucker predicts the veteran star of "Veep" will win again. "I hate to be a broken record," he said, "but I think Julia Louis-Dreyfus is going to win for 'Veep.'" He added that Rachel Bloom and Gina Rodriguez have a strong chance and there could be some affection for Sarah Jessica Parker.

Best actor in a TV series, comedy

1. Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
2. Gael Garcia Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle
3. Donald Glover, Atlanta
4. Nick Nolte, Graves
5. Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

"I really hope that Anthony Anderson wins for 'Black-ish,'" Tucker said. "He and the show in general have been underrated." But Tucker wouldn't be surprised to see another win for "Transparent" star Jeffrey Tambor or Gael Garcia Bernal, whose show "Mozart in the Jungle" has been a favorite of the Hollywood Foreign Press. Then again, the HFP might give newcomer Glover a close look.

Best TV series, drama

1. The Crown
2. Game of Thrones
3. Stranger Things
4. This Is Us
5. Westworld

Tucker is rooting for the lone network show, "This Is Us." "This is one of the few chances that a network show is going to win an award," he predicted. "It's a huge hit and a critical hit." He's also not counting out "Stranger Things" or "Westworld." Even though "The Crown" looks like the kind of show the HFP would typically go for, Tucker said it doesn't have the buzz of previous favorite "Downton Abbey."

Best actor in a TV series, drama

1. Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
2. Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
3. Matthew Rhys, The Americans
4. Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan
5. Billy Bob Thornton, Goliath

"My pick is Billy Bob Thornton," Tucker said. "My reasoning is the Globes love when film actors do TV shows. Even though it didn't make a huge impact here in the states, it's on Amazon Prime and 'Mozart in the Jungle' has done very well on Amazon Prime." Tucker also said Rami Malek has a good chance of winning again and Matthew Rhys and Liev Schreiber also stand a chance.

Best actress in a TV series, drama

1. Caitriona Balfe, Outlander
2. Claire Foy, The Crown
3. Keri Russell, The Americans
4. Winona Ryder, Stranger Things
5. Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld

Tucker believes "Westworld" could pick up an award in this category. "Evan Rachel Wood gave a terrific performance," he said. "It grew in size and substance as the season went on." Winona Ryder also has a chance, he said.

Best TV movie or limited series

1. American Crime
2. The Dresser
3. The Night Manager
4. The Night Of
5. The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story

Tucker calls this category a "lock" for "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story." "It just dominated the conversation," he said. "It's something that could have gone very wrong, instead everything went very right. It's a lock."

Best actor in a limited series or TV movie

1. Riz Ahmed, The Night Of
2. Bryan Cranston, All the Way
3. Tom Hiddleston, The Night Manager
4. John Turturro, The Night Of
5. Courtney B. Vance, The People v. O.J. Simpson

Similarly, Tucker believes star Courtney B. Vance, who has already won an Emmy, has this category sewn up. "He did a fantastic job as Johnnie Cochran," Tucker said. "He really pulled it off." Still, Tucker isn't counting out Bryan Cranston, who is beloved by the HFP and received rave reviews for his performance as President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Best actress in a limited series or TV movie

1. Felicity Huffman, American Crime
2. Riley Keough, The Girlfriend Experience
3. Sarah Paulson, The People v. O.J. Simpson
4. Charlotte Rampling, London Spy
5. Kerry Washington, Confirmation

Another sure bet is Sarah Paulson for her performance as Marcia Clark in "The People v. O.J. Simpson." "I think Sarah Paulson is practically a lock," Tucker said. "It was a really extraordinary performance, so striking and such a transformation." One possible upset, given the surprising way the HFP sometimes votes, is Riley Keough, who stars in the Steven Soderbergh series "The Girlfriend Experience."

Best supporting actor in a series, limited series or TV movie

1. Sterling K. Brown, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
2. Hugh Laurie, The Night Manager
3. John Lithgow, The Crown
4. Christian Slater, Mr. Robot
5. John Travolta, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story

"Sterling K. Brown is the guy to win it," Tucker said. "I think he'll win over John Travolta." Tucker isn't dismissing John Lithgow, though, who plays Winston Churchill on "The Crown."

Best supporting actress in a series, limited series or TV movie

1. Olivia Colman, The Night Manager
2. Lena Headey, Game of Thrones
3. Chrissy Metz, This Is Us
4. Mandy Moore, This Is Us
5. Thandie Newton, Westworld

Newcomer "Westworld" has another opportunity in this category. "Thandie Newton is my choice," Tucker said. "She had a very complex role that only got more rich as the season went on." Lena Headey and Chrissy Metz are other possibilities.

Film

Best motion picture, musical or comedy

1. 20th Century Women
2. Deadpool
3. Florence Foster Jenkins
4. La La Land
5. Sing Street

If there is one sure bet of the evening it's "La La Land," which Polowy calls an "open and shut done deal." "'La La Land' is exceptional," he said.

Best actress in a motion picture, musical or comedy

1. Annette Bening, 20th Century Women
2. Lily Collins, Rules Don't Apply
3. Hailee Steinfeld, The Edge of Seventeen
4. Emma Stone, La La Land
5. Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins

He believes Emma Stone will beat out Annette Bening and Meryl Streep for the Globe. "I'd like to see her win the Oscar for this as well, since we can't consider Viola Davis for lead actress," Polowy said. "She sings, she dances, she charms. And she's been turning out one incredible performance after another. I thought she should have won for 'Birdman.'" Polowy picks Bening for the upset but doesn't count out Streep. Fortunately, the Globes will get to hear Streep speak when the eight-time Golden Globe winner accepts her 2017 Cecil B. DeMille Award.

Best actor in a motion picture, musical or comedy

1. Colin Farrell, The Lobster
2. Ryan Gosling, La La Land
3. Hugh Grant, Florence Foster Jenkins
4. Jonah Hill, War Dogs
5. Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool

Polowy gives this one to Stone's "La La Land" co-star, Ryan Gosling. "'La La Land' is going to be the night's big winner," Polowy predicted. "And who doesn't love Ryan Gosling. He's already such the perfect man. Now, he goes and makes a song and dance musical."

Best motion picture, drama

1. Hacksaw Ridge
2. Hell or High Water
3. Lion
4. Manchester by the Sea
5. Moonlight

Indie favorite "Moonlight" has been coming on strong but Polowy gives the edge to "Manchester by the Sea." "It's one of those films that has the potential to deeply resonate with people for months," he said about the latter. "It's a gut punch, so devastating. It's going to be a movie that people can't shake from their consciences. 'Moonlight' also sticks with you, but it's a lot gentler and quieter."

Best actress in a motion picture, drama

1. Amy Adams, Arrival
2. Jessica Chastain, Miss Sloane
3. Isabelle Huppert, Elle
4. Ruth Negga, Loving
5. Natalie Portman, Jackie

Polowy predicts another Golden Globe for Natalie Portman for her portrayal of Jackie Kennedy Onassis. "Natalie Portman's stiffest competition is going to be Emma Stone, who is competing in the musical or comedy category," he said. "'Jackie' is a tough movie to watch, but it goes down easier because you have this captivating performance. She's the easy winner here." If there's an upset, he picks French actress Isabelle Huppert.

Best actor in a motion picture, drama

1. Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
2. Joel Edgerton, Loving
3. Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge
4. Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic
5. Denzel Washington, Fences

Polowy predicts Casey Affleck will win in what will be the tightest race this awards season. "He's been the early favorite," he said. "But I could easily see it going to Denzel Washington." Polowy believes Washington will win at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, because his film "Fences" is "such a showcase for actors." But he thinks the HFP will lean toward Affleck in "Manchester by the Sea." "He is front and center, in nearly every scene in a two-and-a-half-hour-long powerhouse performance," he said.

Best supporting actress in a motion picture

1. Viola Davis, Fences
2. Naomie Harris, Moonlight
3. Nicole Kidman, Lion
4. Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
5. Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea

Polowy thinks this is a close race between front-runners Viola Davis and Michelle Williams. "A lot of people will argue that Davis is not a supporting actress but that's the race they chose to campaign her in. It would be difficult to see Viola not winning. I was bowled over watching her performance. She owns the single best moment in the film." But Williams, who has less screen time in "Manchester by the Sea," gives a performance that you can't easily shake either and Polowy thinks she'll squeeze out a couple wins this award season, including perhaps at the Globes.

Best supporting actor in a motion picture

1. Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
2. Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
3. Simon Helberg, Florence Foster Jenkins
4. Dev Patel, Lion
5. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nocturnal Animals

Polowy called this the most wide open category after his pick, Michael Shannon, failed to even make the list. "I can't point to the one obvious candidate," he said. "I believe Mahershala Ali makes the most out of limited screen time and he has so much momentum right now." If there's an upset, Polowy picks Jeff Bridges, who's benefiting from the slow and steady buildup of "Hell or High Water" since its late summer release.