The Emmy nods have hit the Internet, and there are a few surprises among these stellar examples of Primetime TV. Game of Thrones leads the pack with a whopping 23 nominations, which probably will not surprise anyone who has tuned in to the show this season. It’s certainly one of the better programs on TV right now, and this season has been particularly stellar.
More surprising – and, in some ways, more deserved – are several nods to Mr. Robot, including an Outstanding Drama and Lead Actor In A Drama for Rami Malek. Christian Slater gets nothing, despite his Golden Globe win, but I guess we can’t have everything. While Malek has some serious competition in his category, including Hollywood heavyweights Liev Schrieber and Kevin Spacey, here’s hoping that he takes home the prize. He certainly deserves it.
While Game of Thrones dominates in many categories, there’s quite a spread of talent on show here, with nominations for Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba, Bryan Cranston, Lily Tomlin, and Kathy Bates, among many more. And Thrones has its competition in the Outstanding Drama section too, with Downton Abbey and House of Cards joining Mr. Robot for the top award. Significant snubs go to The Walking Dead, which got nothing to show for what was really an unremarkable (even maddening) season.
All in all, the Primetime Emmy nods this year prove that we are actually living in a new Golden Age of Television. We’re also living in a very dark Golden Age of Television – the dramas are heavy on the violence and gritty subject matter, while the comedies remain somewhat unimpressive, if entertaining.
The 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will air on September 18, 2016, so tune in to see if Game of Thrones walks away with all the prizes, or Westeros falls again.
Check out the full list of nominations below:
OUTSTANDING DRAMA
The Americans
Better Call Saul
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
Homeland
House of Cards
Mr Robot
LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Kyle Chandler, Bloodline
Rami Malek, Mr Robot
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Matthew Rhys, The Americans
Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Claire Danes, Homeland
Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder
Taraji P Henson, Empire
Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
Keri Russell, The Americans
Robin Wright, House of Cards
SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Lena Headey, Game of Thrones
Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones
Maisie Williams, Game of Thrones
Maura Tierney, The Affair
Constance Zimmer, UnREAL
SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul
Ben Mendelsohn, Bloodline
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Kit Harington, Game of Thrones
Michael Kelly, House of Cards
Jon Voight, Ray Donovan
GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Laurie Metcalf, Horace and Pete
Molly Parker, House of Cards
Ellen Burstyn, House of Cards
Allison Janney, Masters of Sex
Margo Martindale, The Americans
Carrie Preston, The Good Wife
GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Max von Sydow, Game of Thrones
Reg E. Cathey, House of Cards
Mahershala Ali, House of Cards
Paul Sparks, House of Cards
Hank Azaria, Ray Donovan
Michael J. Fox, The Good Wife
OUTSTANDING COMEDY
black-ish
Master of None
Modern Family
Silicon Valley
Transparent
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Veep
LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Laurie Metcalfe, Getting On
Tracee Ellis Ross, black-ish
Amy Schumer, Inside Amy Schumer
Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie
LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Anthony Anderson, black-ish
Aziz Ansari, Masters of None
Will Forte, The Last Man on Earth
William H Macy, Shameless
Thomas Middleditch, Silicon Valley
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent
SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Niecy Nash, Getting On
Kate McKinnon, SNL
Gaby Hoffmann, Transparent
Allison Janney, Mom
Judith Light, Transparent
Anna Chlumsky, Veep
SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Louie Anderson, Baskets
Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Keegan-Michael Key, Key & Peele
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Tony Hale, Veep
Matt Walsh, Veep
GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Tina Fey & Amy Poehler, Saturday Night Live
Melissa McCarthy, Saturday Night Live
Amy Schumer, Saturday Night Live
Christine Baranski, The Big Bang Theory
Laurie Metcalf, The Big Bang Theory
Melora Hardin, Transparent
GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Bob Newhart, The Big Bang Theory
Tracy Morgan, Saturday Night Live
Larry David, Saturday Night Live
Bradley Whitford, Transparent
Martin Mull, Veep
Peter MacNicol, Veep
TV MOVIE
A Very Murray Christmas
All the Way
Confirmation
Luther
Sherlock: The Abominable Bride
LIMITED SERIES
American Crime
Fargo
The Night Manager
The People v. OJ Simpson
Roots
LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Kirsten Dunst, Fargo
Felicity Huffman, American Crime
Audra McDonald, Billie Holiday: Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill
Sarah Paulson, The People v. O.J. Simpson
Lili Taylor, American Crime
Kerry Washington, Confirmation
LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Bryan Cranston, All The Way
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock: The Abominable Bride
Idris Elba, Luther
Cuba Gooding Jr, The People v. O.J. Simpson
Tom Hiddleston, The Night Manager
Courtney B. Vance, The People v. O.J. Simpson
SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Melissa Leo, All The Way
Regina King, American Crime
Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Hotel
Kathy Bates, American Horror Story: Hotel
Jean Smart, Fargo
Olivia Colman, The Night Manager
SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Jesse Plemons, Fargo
Bokeem Woodbine, Fargo
Hugh Laurie, The Night Manager
Sterling K. Brown, The People v. O.J. Simpson
David Schwimmer, The People v. O.J. Simpson
John Travolta, The People v. O.J. Simpson