The final season of Game of Thrones picked up 10 awards at this past weekend’s Creative Arts Emmys, bringing it’s grand Emmy total to 57. That is an insane amount of Emmys. Game of Thrones already became the most decorated drama in the history of the award show a few years back. Now it’s threatening to become the most awarded show ever, a title currently held by Saturday Night Live, which has amassed 65 Emmys during its 44 years on the air.
Unfortunately, that can’t not come to pass. This Sunday, Hollywood’s best and brightest will show up for the Primetime Emmys, where the final season of Game of Thrones is up for seven awards. But even if it wins all of them, it would still only have 64 Emmys, one shy of SNL, and of course, SNL could win something new and pull further ahead.
So Game of Thrones won’t become the most Emmy-tastic show in history this Sunday, but it’s still put on one hell of a show during its eight seasons. I’m looking forward to watching the victory lap. Here’s what the show is nominated for:
Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series
- Game Of Thrones — “The Iron Throne”
- Game Of Thrones — “The Last Of The Starks”
- Game Of Thrones — “The Long Night”
- The Handmaid’s Tale — “Holly”
- Killing Eve — “Desperate Times”
- Ozark — “Reparations”
This is the first of several categories where Game of Thrones has multiple nominations. The question is whether that will work in its favor or split the vote.
Also, I can’t help but wonder if they’re nominated the wrong episodes. There’s one for each of the three directors who worked on season 8: David Nutter for “The Last of the Starks,” Miguel Sapochnik for “The Long Night” and showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss for “The Iron Throne.” Personally, I thought Nutter did a better job on “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” and that Sapochnik shone brightest on “The Bells,” but that’s just me.
In the end, the quality of the episodes — which is subjective, anyway — may matter less than what the nominations represent. Whether you loved the final season or not, Game of Thrones has done a ton for the industry, and this is a great chance to honor it. If I had to make a prediction, I’d say Miguel Sapochnik will win for his work on “The Long Night.” I’m excited to see what he does next.
Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series
- Better Call Saul — “Winner”
- Bodyguard — “Episode 1”
- Game Of Thrones — “The Iron Throne”
- The Handmaid’s Tale — “Holly”
- Killing Eve — “Nice And Neat”
- Succession — “Nobody Is Ever Missing”
This time, Game of Thrones stands alone. Once again, representation matters a lot here. No episode divided fans more than the controversial series finale, written by Benioff and Weiss. If the Emmys were decided via public opinion poll, I don’t think it would win. But the Emmys are voted on by a jury of Benioff and Weiss’ peers, people who want to give them their due for creating the most popular and influential show of our age.
Under those circumstances, “The Iron Throne” has a much better chance to take this award, but I still think this is one award Game of Thrones won’t win. Instead, I’ll predict a win for dark horse series Bodyguard, which won an accolade for screenwriting at the Seoul International Drama Awards. If that doesn’t predict the Primetime Emmys, I don’t know what will.
HBO
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
- Better Call Saul — Bob Odenkirk as Jimmy McGill
- Game of Thrones — Kit Harington as Jon Snow
- Ozark — Jason Bateman as Martin ‘Marty’ Byrde
- Pose — Billy Porter as Pray Tell
- This Is Us — Sterling K. Brown as Randall Pearson
- This Is Us — Milo Ventimiglia as Jack Pearson
This is Kit Harington’s first Emmy nomination as a leading man, and as much as I respect his work as Jon Snow, I don’t think he had a strong enough final season to clinch this. I’ll predict a win for Sterling K. Brown on This Is Us, because he won in 2017 and the Emmys like familiarity.
Dany makes a decision
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
- Game of Thrones — Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen
- House of Cards — Robin Wright as Claire Underwood
- How To Get Away With Murder — Viola Davis as Annalise Keating
- Killing Eve — Jodie Comer as Villanelle
- Killing Eve — Sandra Oh as Eve Polastri
- Ozark — Laura Linney as Wendy Byrde
- This Is Us — Mandy Moore as Rebecca Pearson
This is also Emilia Clarke’s first Emmy nomination in a leading category, and considering the incredibly heavy lifting she did in Game of Thrones season 8, I think she’ll take it. I’m already looking forward to her acceptance speech.
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
- Better Call Saul — Jonathan Banks as Mike Ehrmantraut
- Better Call Saul — Giancarlo Esposito as Gus Fring
- Game of Thrones — Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy
- Game of Thrones — Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jamie Lannister
- Game of Thrones — Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister
- House of Cards — Michael Kelly as Doug Stamper
- This Is Us — Chris Sullivan as Toby Damon
Once again, we get multiple Game of Thrones nominations in one category, a sign that the show is riding a wave of support from voters. In my heart, I want Nikolaj Coster-Waldau to win in honor of eight seasons of excellent work as Jaime Lannister, but I think Peter Dinklage will probably win it for a fourth time. Once the Emmy voters get into a groove, it can be hard to get them out.
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
- Game of Thrones — Gwendoline Christie as Brienne of Tarth
- Game of Thrones — Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister
- Game of Thrones — Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark
- Game of Thrones — Maisie Williams as Arya Stark
- Killing Eve — Fiona Shaw as Carolyn Martens
- Ozark — Julia Garner as Ruth Langmore
This category is giving me anxiety. My heart wants Lena Headey to win, not so much because she had a barn-burning season 8 — personally, I don’t think Cersei was given enough to do — but because she’s been a powerhouse since the beginning of the show who deserves recognition.
If we’re just talking season 8 performances, Christie and Williams both have better claims to this award. Christie completely sold Brienne’s gratitude and jubilation when Jaime knighted her in the best moment of the season, and Williams gave a strong, physical performance throughout, whether she was killing the Night King or scrambling through the streets of King’s Landing during Daenerys’ attack.
I predict Headey will take it. I think it’s time.
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Outstanding Drama Series
- Better Call Saul
- Bodyguard
- Game Of Thrones
- Killing Eve
- Ozark
- Pose
- Succession
- This Is Us
I know the final season of Game of Thrones was controversial, but the show has won the top award of the night the last three times it’s been nominated and I don’t expect it to stop now, not here at the end of the road.
The 71st Annual Emmy Awards air this Sunday at 7:00 p.m. CST on Fox. Good luck to all the nominees!
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