Game of Thrones tops Emmy Nominations with a record 32 nominations, despite arguably the worst season in the series’ history

After movies had their celebration party earlier this year, its now time for the TV world to do the same with the prestigious Emmy awards. It might be an awards show that we care a little less about, but considering we spend a lot more of our time watching TV shows than movies, it should perhaps be a more accurate reflection of where our real entertainment lies.

And when it comes to entertainment, perhaps nothing was bigger this year than the final season of Game of Thrones which not only saw it break viewership records everywhere and fuel office discussions several days following, but is now also going out with a massive awards bang with its final season scoring an epic 32 nominations. The most for any program in a single season and breaking the record set by NYPD Blue which scored 26 nominations back in 1994. Considering this season was one of its most controversial in terms of quality, these nominations no doubt reflect the impact the show has had as a whole rather than just the quality of this final season.  

How exactly did it get to such a big number? Well apart from Best Drama and multiple cast members each getting nominated in the various acting categories, the show is also up for awards related to its direction, writing and technical categories – which is where a lot of its magic does lie and it will no doubt walk away with many of these awards when the statuettes get handed out in September 22nd. This also takes the final awards nominations tally for the show up to 161 overall across its 8 seasons and brings HBO’s nominations count this year to an incredible 137 nominations, well ahead of Netflix in second place on 117.

It’s not just about Game of Thrones though (or maybe it is) but many other popular shows and limited series like True Detective, Chernobyl, Sharp Objects, Fosse Verdon, Veep, Schitt’s Creek, The Marvellous Mrs Maisel, Dead to Me, This is Us, Killing Eve, Ozak, Saturday Night Live, Better Call Saul and Adam Sandler (oh dear) all got multiple nominations along the way. With TV series only escalating in quality though, it’s inevitable that many other shows didn’t make it – with the likes of Westworld, The Bodyguard, and The Handmaid’s Tale all not getting much attention (Stranger Things season 3 and Gentleman Jack were too late for eligibility this year).  Another popular show whose run also finally came to an end, The Big Bang Theory also didn’t get much attention, though for many that might just be true justice for a show that was often more popular than it deserved to be.

Anyway, that’s enough from me. Below is a list of all the nominations in the major categories. Good luck reading through them all though because ain’t nobody got time for that.

Outstanding Drama Series

• Better Call Saul
• Bodyguard
• Game of Thrones
• Killing Eve
• Ozark
• Pose
• Succession
• This Is Us

Outstanding Comedy Series

• Barry
• Fleabag
• Russian Doll
• Schitt’s Creek
• The Good Place
• The Marvelous Mrs Maisel
• Veep

Outstanding Limited Series

• Chernobyl
• Escape at Dannemora
• Fosse/Verdon
• Sharp Objects
• When They See Us

Outstanding Drama Actor

• Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul)
• Kit Harington (Game of Thrones)
• Jason Bateman (Ozark)
• Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us)
• Milo Ventimiglia (This Is Us)
• Billy Porter (Pose)

Outstanding Drama Actress

• Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones)
• Robin Wright (House of Cards)
• Viola Davis (How To Get Away With Murder)
• Sandra Oh (Killing Eve)
• Jodie Comer (Killing Eve)
• Mandy Moore (This Is Us)
• Laura Linney (Ozark)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

• Jonathan Banks (Better Call Saul)
• Giancarlo Esposito (Better Call Saul)
• Alfie Allen (Game of Thrones)
• Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones)
• Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones)
• Michael Kelly (House of Cards)
• Chris Sullivan (This Is Us)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

• Lena Headey (Game of Thrones)
• Gwendoline Christine (Game of Thrones)
• Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones)
• Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones)
• Fiona Shaw (Killing Eve)
• Julia Garner (Ozark)

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series

• Michael McKean (Better Call Saul)
• Glynn Turman (How To Get Away With Murder)
• Kumail Nanjiani (The Twilight Zone)
• Bradley Whitford (The Handmaid’s Tale)
• Michael Angarano (This Is Us)
• Ron Cephas Jones (This Is Us)

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series

• Jessica Lange (American Horror Story: Apocalypse)
• Carice van Houten (Game of Thrones)
• Laverne Cox (Orange Is The New Black)
• Cicely Tyson (How To Get Away With Murder)
• Cherry Jones (The Handmaid’s Tale)
• Phylicia Rashad (This Is Us)

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series

• Game of Thrones “The Last Of The Starks”
• Game of Thrones “The Long Night”
• Game of Thrones “The Iron Throne”
• Killing Eve “Desperate Times”
• Ozark “Reparations”
• Succession “Celebration”
• The Handmaid’s Tale “Holly”

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series

• Better Call Saul “Winner”
• Bodyguard “Episode 1”
• Game of Thrones “The Iron Throne”
• Killing Eve “Nice And Neat”
• Succession “Nobody Is Ever Missing”
• The Handmaid’s Tale “Holly”

Outstanding Comedy Actor

• Bill Hader (Barry)
• Don Cheadle (Black Monday)
• Anthony Anderson (Black-ish)
• Eugene Levy (Schitt’s Creek)
• Ted Danson (The Good Place)
• Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method)

Outstanding Comedy Actress

• Christina Applegate (Dead to Me)
• Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag)
• Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek)
• Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll)
• Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

• Henry Winkler (Barry)
• Anthony Carrigan (Barry)
• Stephen Root (Barry)
• Tony Hale (Veep)
• Tony Shalhoub (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
• Alan Arkin (The Kominsky Method)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

• Sarah Goldberg (Barry)
• Sian Clifford (Fleabag)
• Olivia Colman (Fleabag)
• Betty Gilpin (GLOW)
• Marin Hinkle (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
• Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live)
• Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
• Anna Chlumsky (Veep)

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series 

• Robert De Niro (Saturday Night Live)
• John Mulaney (Saturday Night Live)
• Adam Sandler (Saturday Night Live)
• Matt Damon (Saturday Night Live)
• Luke Kirby (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
• Rufus Sewell (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
• Peter MacNicol (Veep)

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series

• Fiona Shaw (Fleabag)
• Kristin Scott Thomas (Fleabag)
• Emma Thompson (Saturday Night Live)
• Sandra Oh (Saturday Night Live)
• Maya Rudolph (The Good Place)
• Jane Lynch (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series

• Barry “The Audition”
• Barry “ronny/lily”
• Fleabag “Episode 1”
• The Big Bang Theory “Stockholm Syndrome”
• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel “All Alone”
• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel “We’re Going To The Catskills!”

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

• Barry “ronny/lily”
• Fleabag “Episode 1”
• PEN15 “Anna Ishii-Peters”
• Russian Doll “Nothing In This World Is Easy”
• Russian Doll “A Warm Body”
• The Good Place “Janet(s)”
• Veep “Veep”

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series

• Mahershala Ali (True Detective)
• Hugh Grant (A Very English Scandal)
• Benicio del Toro (Escape At Dannemora)
• Sam Rockwell (Fosse/Verdon)
• Jared Harris (Chernobyl)
• Jharrel Jerome (When They See Us)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series

• Amy Adams (Sharp Objects)
• Patricia Arquette (Escape At Dannemora)
• Michelle Williams (Fosse/Verdon)
• Joey King (The Act)
• Aunjanue Ellis (When They See Us)
• Niecy Nash (When They See Us)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series

• Ben Whishaw (A Very English Scandal)
• Stellan Skarsgard (Chernobyl)
• Paul Dano (Escape at Dannemora)
• John Leguizamo (When They See Us)
• Michael K. Williams (When They See Us)
• Asante Blackk (When They See Us)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series

• Emily Watson (Chernobyl)
• Patricia Clarkson (Sharp Objects)
• Marsha Stephanie Blake (When They See Us)
• Vera Farmiga (When They See Us)
• Patricia Arquette (The Act)
• Margaret Qualley (Fosse/Verdon)

Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special

• A Very English Scandal
• Chernobyl
• Escape At Dannemora
• Fosse/Verdon “Glory”
• Fosse/Verdon “Who’s Got The Pain”
• When They See Us

Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special

• A Very English Scandal 
• Chernobyl
• Escape At Dannemora “Episode 6”
• Escape At Dannemora “Episode 7”
• Fosse/Verdon “Providence”
• When They See Us “Part Four”

Outstanding Television Movie

• Bandersnatch (Black Mirror)
• Brexit
• King Lear
• My Dinner with Hervé

Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series

• An Emmy For Megan
• Better Call Saul Employee Training: Madrigal Electromotive Security
• Hack Into Broad City
• It’s Bruno!
• Special

Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series

• Patton Oswalt (An Emmy For Megan)
• Jimmy Fallon (Beto Breaks The Internet)
• Ed Begley Jr. (Ctrl Alt Delete)
• Jonthan Banks (Better Call Saul Employee Training: Madrigal Electromotive Security)
• Chris O’Dowd (State of the Union)

Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series

• Ilana Glazer (Hack Into Broad City)
• Abbi Jacobson (Hack Into Broad City)
• Jessica Hecht (Special)
• Punam Patel (Special)
• Rosamund Pike (State of the Union)

Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series

• Creating Saturday Night Live
• Pose: Identity, Family, Community (Inside Look)
• Fosse/Verdon (Inside Look)
• RuPaul’s Drag Race’s: Out Of The Closet
• RuPaul’s Drag Race’s: Portrait Of A Queen

Outstanding Short Form Variety Series

• Billy On The Street
• Carpool Karaoke: The Series
• Gay Of Thrones
• Honest Trailers
• The Randy Rainbow Show

Outstanding Animated Program

• Big Mouth “The Planned Parenthood Show”
• Bob’s Burgers “Just One Of The Boyz 4 Now For Now”
• BoJack Horseman “Free Churro”
• Come Along With Me (Adventure Time)
• The Simpsons “Mad About The Toy”

Outstanding Competition Program

• American Ninja Warrior
• RuPaul’s Drag Race
• Nailed It!
• The Amazing Race
• The Voice
• Top Chef

Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program

• Ellen DeGeneres (Ellen’s Game of Games)
• RuPaul (RuPaul’s Drag Race)
• Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman (Making It)
• James Corden (The World’s Best)
• Marie Kondo (Tidying Up With Marie Kondo)

Outstanding Structured Reality Program

• Antiques Roadshow
• Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives
• Queer Eye
• Shark Tank
• Tidying Up With Marie Kondo
• Who Do You Think You Are?

Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program

• Born This Way
• Deadliest Catch
• Life Below Zero
• RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked
• Somebody Feed Phil
• United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell

Outstanding Directing for a Reality Program

• American Ninja Warrior “Minneapolis City Qualifiers”
• Queer Eye “Black Girl Magic”
• RuPaul’s Drag Race “Whatcha Unpackin?”
• Shark Tank “Episode 1002”
• The Amazing Race “Who Wants A Rolex?”

Outstanding Variety Talk Series

• Full Frontal With Samantha Bee
• Jimmy Kimmel Live!
• Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
• The Daily Show With Trevor Noah
• The Late Late Show With James Corden
• The Late Show With Stephen Colbert

Outstanding Variety Sketch Series

• Documentary Now!
• Drunk History
• I Love You, America With Sarah Silverman
• Saturday Night Live
• Who Is America?
• At Home With Amy Sedaris

Outstanding Variety Special (Live)

• The 72nd Annual Tony Awards
• Live In Front Of A Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s All In The Family and The Jeffersons
• RENT
• The 61st Grammy Awards
• The 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards
• The Oscars

Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-recorded)

• Carpool Karaoke: When Corden Met McCartney Live From Liverpool
• Hannah Gadsby: Nanette
• Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé
• Springsteen on Broadway
• Wanda Sykes: Not Normal

Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series

• Documentary Now! “Waiting For The Artist”
• Drunk History “Are You Afraid Of The Drunk?”
• Last Week Tonight With John Oliver “Psychics”
• Saturday Night Live “Host: Adam Sandler”
• The Late Show With Stephen Colbert “Live Midterm Election Show”
• Who Is America? “Episode 102”

Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series

• Documentary Now!
• Full Frontal With Samantha Bee
• Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
• Late Night With Seth Meyers
• Saturday Night Live
• The Late Show With Stephen Colbert

Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special

• Carpool Karaoke: When Corden Met McCartney Live From Liverpool
• Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé
• Live In Front Of A Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s All In The Family and The Jeffersons
• Springsteen on Broadway
• The Oscars

Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special 

• Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh
• Amy Schumer Growing
• Carpool Karaoke: When Corden Met McCartney Live From Liverpool
• Hannah Gadsby: Nanette
• Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé
• Wanda Sykes: Not Normal

Last Updated: July 17, 2019