Mt. Emmy: ‘Survivor,’ Walton Goggins, Bret Michaels, Andre Braugher and more.

MT. EMMY: To scale the heights of the Emmys, wrap yourself in raves and pack lots of buzz. This week’s altitude readings are by Greg Braxton, Maria Elena Fernandez, Martin Miller, Michael Ordoña and Yvonne Villarreal.

PEAKING

AGING GRACEFULLY: By grouping “Survivor” into heroes and villains, the show proved in its 20th season that aging is not a bad thing. Only its first season topped it in surprises and memorable moments. Could this be the year “The Amazing Race” gets beat?

CLIMBING

SHOWDOWN: Is Showtime poised to take the award mantle from king of the jungle HBO? The champ still has an unassailable edge in movies and miniseries, but the contender’s loaded series lineup makes it look ready for a move up.

CAREFUL, NOW: Has there been a better portrayal of a backwoods white supremacist who undergoes a religious conversion after being shot than Walton Goggins’ Boyd Crowder on “Justified”? Not a chance. And remember before you vote: He’s very handy with rocket-propelled grenades.

AT BASE CAMP

THE REAL SURVIVOR: After a series of serious medical problems, Bret Michaels came back to “Celebrity Apprentice”— and won. We are, at this very minute, molding an Emmy statuette adorned with long hair and a bandanna.

WHO KNEW? Andre Braugher has long been admired for his dramatic turns in heavy-duty roles on “Homicide: Life on the Street” and “Thief.” But showing off his lighter side in “Men of a Certain Age,” playing a harassed overweight car salesman, earned him some of his best notices ever.

LOOKING FOR A SHERPA

ALL-AROUND FAVE: One show fit all categories this season: “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Can we get an amen for Pandora Boxx’s Carol Channing imitation (comedy!), Raven and Tatianna’s bickering (drama!) and that crazy senior citizen’s drag challenge (reality!).

WARRIOR PRINCESS RETURNS: Lucy Lawless, who gained fame as “Xena: Warrior Princess” could now be in Emmy territory for her fiery role in “Spartacus: Blood and Sand.”

CONCRETE JUNGLE: It’s no “America: The Story of Us,” but “The Real Housewives of New York City” and its cast deserve a shout-out for a season of jelly beans, lollipops and cougar fights. Come on, “America” never produced an Auto-Tuned track like “Money Can’t Buy You Class.”