The 2016 Emmy Awards, which will celebrate the best in TV from this year, will air on September 18 of this year. The official nominations will be announced very shortly. The 2016 Emmy Awards Nominating Ballots are out now, and while not everything will end up on the final ballot, it’s interesting to see what shows put forward, as it indicates what they think is their best work.
Last year, Game of Thrones broke the record for most Emmys won in a single year. Will it top itself this year? Time will tell. It nominated plenty of Season 6 episodes and actors for consideration. Here’s what Game of Thrones put forward:
Outstanding Production Design For A Narrative Contemporary Or Fantasy Program (One Hour Or More)
- “Blood of My Blood”
- “The Broken Man”
- “No One”
Apparently, Game of Thrones thinks the previous three episodes were the most artistically accomplished of the season.
Outstanding Cinematography For A Single-Camera Series
- “Home”
- “Oathbreaker”
- “The Door”
- “The Broken Man”
- “The Winds of Winter”
The cinematography on the show has been gob-smackingly gorgeous this year—the shots of Riverrun and the valley where Septon Ray was building his sept were particularly beautiful, so I wouldn’t be surprised if “The Broken Man” ended up on the final ballot.
Outstanding Costumes For A Period/Fantasy Series, Limited Series Or Movie
- “The Winds of Winter”
Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series
- “Home”
- “Book of the Stranger”
- “The Door”
- “No One”
- “Battle of the Bastards”
Aw, Game of Thrones nominated one episode from each of the five directors who worked on the show this year. Last year, Season 5’s “Mother’s Mercy” won this category.
Outstanding Hairstyling For A Single-Camera Series
- “The Door”
Outstanding Makeup For A Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic)
- “Battle of the Bastards”
Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup For A Series, Limited Series, Movie Or Special
- “The Door”
Surely the Children of the Forest are worth a makeup award, no?
Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing For A Drama Series
- “Home”
- “Oathbreaker”
- “Battle of the Bastards”
Outstanding Sound Editing For A Series
- “The Door”
Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour)
- “Battle of the Bastards”
Outstanding Special Visual Effects
- “Battle of the Bastards”
Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series
- “Battle of the Bastards”
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
- Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister)
- Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister)
- Kit Harington (Jon Snow)
Dinklage was the only actor from Thrones to make it onto the final ballot in this category last year, and he won.
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
- Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen)
- Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister)
- Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark)
- Carice van Houten (Melisandre)
- Maisie Williams (Arya Stark)
Headey and Clarke were nominated in this category last year, but neither won.
Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series
- Max Von Sydow (the Three-Eyed Raven)
Game of Thrones also nominated itself in the following categories:
- Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series
- Outstanding Stunt Coordination For A Drama Series, Limited Series Or Movie
- Outstanding Drama Series
If it helps, here’s a little list cataloging how many times HBO put forward each episode of Season 6 for award considering:
- “The Red Woman:” zero
- “Home”: three
- “Oathbreaker”: two
- “Book of the Stranger”: one
- “The Door”: five
- “Blood of My Blood”: one
- “The Broken Man”: two
- “No One”: two
- “Battle of the Bastards”: six
- “The Winds of Winter”: two
This is incredibly unscientific, but it seems that the producers have the most confidence in “The Door” and “Battle of the Bastards.” Note that the latter is the only episode they nominated in the Outstanding Writing category. And they hate “The Red Woman.”
We’ll bring you news about the final nominations soon.