Emmy Preview: Will Game of Thrones win big this Sunday?

Actor Peter Dinklage, winner of the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for ‘Game of Thrones’, poses in the press room at the 67th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept 20, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images/AFP)

The 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards happy this Sunday the 18th of September at the Microsoft Theater in LA. The ceremony, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, will air on ABC at 7:00 CST.

It promises to be a big night for Game of Thrones. The show received a whopping 23 Emmy nominations this year, several of which it already picked up at the Creative Arts Emmys this past weekend. (The Creative Arts Emmys is a separate ceremony where the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences hands out awards for things like costumes, makeup, and editing—basically, super-important stuff that’s not flashy enough to make the main broadcast.) Here’s what it’s already won:

• Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series
• Outstanding Makeup (Non-Prosthetic) for a Single Camera Series: “Battle of the Bastards”
• Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Limited Series, Movie or Special: “The Door”
• Outstanding Costumes for a Period/Fantasy Series, Limited Series or Movie: “The Winds of Winter.” Michele Clapton, costume designer.
• Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Fantasy Program: “Blood of My Blood”, “The Broken Man,” “No One”
• Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Drama Series, Limited Series or Movie: Game of Thrones. Rowley Irlam, Stunt coordinator
• Outstanding Special Visual Effects: “Battle of the Bastards”
• Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series: “Battle of the Bastards,” Tim Porter, ACE, Editor (“Oathbreaker” was also nominated in this category)
• Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour): “Battle of the Bastards”

It lost a few awards at the Creative Arts Emmys, too. Game of Thrones didn’t pick up statues for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (Max von Sydow as the Three-Eyed Raven), Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (“Home”), Outstanding Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series (“The Door”) and Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series (also for “The Door”). Still, with nine wins, the show is off to a running start. It’s already blown right past Hill Street Blues and The West Wing to become the most decorated drama in Emmy history.

So what worlds are left to conquer? Well, the show is up for another nine awards on Sunday, including a bunch of biggees. Here they are:

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES – 2016

• Downton Abbey—”Episode 9″
• Game of Thrones—”The Door”
• Game of Thrones—”Battle of the Bastards”
• Homeland—“The Tradition Of Hospitality”
• Ray Donovan—“Exsuscito”
• The Knick—“This Is All We Are”

Although the show is up for nine awards, it only stands to win five, since it’s doubling or even tripling up in a few of the categories. In the Outstanding Directing category, Jack Bender is nominated for his work on “The Door,” while Miguel Sapochnik stands to win for his work on “Battle of the Bastards.” Considering what a thrill the latter was to watch, we see Sapochnik taking home the gold.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES – 2016

Jonathan Banks as Mike Ehrmantraut on Better Call Saul

Ben Mendelsohn as Danny Rayburn on Bloodline

Plenty of Game of Thrones cast members got nods. Unfortunately, because the show doesn’t really have a main character, no one is nominated in the Outstanding Actor or Outstanding Actress category. Still, they stand a good chance of winning awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor and Outstanding Supporting Actress. An Emmy is an Emmy.

For the actors, we see Kit Harington taking it. Dinklage has already won in this category, but his work in Season 6 was comparatively muted. (Also, he’s being judged on the basis of his work in “No One,” an odd choice.) Harington, on the other hand, really stepped up his game. This is his first Emmy nomination, and we think it’ll be his first win.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES – 2016

• Dame Maggie Smith as Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham on Downton Abbey
• Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister on Game of Thrones
• Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen on Game of Thrones
• Maisie Williams as Arya Stark on Game of Thrones
• Maura Tierney as Helen Solloway on The Affair
• Constance Zimmer as Quinn King on UnREAL

The ladies of Game of Thrones dominate the Outstanding Supporting Actress category. Of the three women nominated, Lena Headey stands the best chance of winning. However, Maggie Smith may take home the gold for her final year on Downton Abbey.

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES – 2016

• Downton Abbey—”Episode 8″
• Game of Thrones—“Battle of the Bastards”
• Mr. Robot—”eps1.0_hellofriend.mov (Pilot)”
• The Americans—”Persona Non Grata”
• The Good Wife—”End”
• UnREAL—”Return”

David Benioff and Dan Weiss stand a good chance of winning an Emmy for writing “Battle of the Bastards.” However, they face stiff competition, particularly from Mr. Robot. That show made waves when it debuted last summer, and voters may reward its puzzle-box pilot with a win for writing.

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES – 2016

• Game of Thrones
• Homeland
• House of Cards
• Mr. Robot
• The Americans
• Better Call Saul
• Downton Abbey

Again, Game of Thrones’ main competition is Mr. Robot. Voters love a splashy, new show. Still, Thrones won in this category for Season 5, and many fans think that Season 6 was an improvement. Will there be a repeat performance? Stay tuned…

But whatever happens, Game of Thrones has already made Emmy history. Best of luck to all the nominees. We’ll be watching.