‘Game of Thrones’ reigns with 32 Emmy nominations

LOS ANGELES — HBO’s “Game of Thrones” slashed its way to a recordsetting 32 Emmy nominations Tuesday for its eighth and final season, leading HBO back to dominance over Netflix, the streaming service that bumped it last year from atop the increasingly crowded television heap.

The bloodthirsty saga’s total eclipsed the alltime series record of 27 nods earned by “NYPD Blue” in 1994.

If “Game of Thrones” successfully defends it best drama series title and claims a fourth trophy, it will join the quartet of mosthonored dramas that includes “Hill Street Blues,” “L.A. Law,” “The West Wing” and “Mad Men.”

The Emmy voters’ acclaim stands in sharp contrast to fan reaction to the show’s last hurrah, which included howls of laughter for a togo coffee cup inadvertently included in one scene and a finale that detractors called unsatisfying. But the show’s ratings never faltered for the series based on George R.R. Martin’s novels, setting new highs for HBO.

A wealth of recognition for the cast and guest stars , including the show’s only previous winner, Peter Dinklage with three awards, helped “Game of Thrones” add to its already record haul of nominations, now at 161 total.

Series star Emilia Clarke’s decision to seek a best actress nomination after a series of supporting actress bids paid off. She’s competing in a category that’s notable for its diversity, including past winner Viola Davis for “How to Get Away with Murder” and repeat nominee Sandra Oh for “Killing Eve,” who has another chance to become the first actress of Asian descent to win the trophy. She lost last year to Claire Foy for Netflix’s “The Crown.”

Two actors of color, Billy Porter for “Pose” and previous winner Sterling K. Brown for “This Is Us,” earned drama series nods.

Last year’s best comedy series, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” led the comedy pack with 20 bids, including for its star and defending champion Rachel Brosnahan.

The 71st Emmy Awards will air Sept. 22 on Fox, with the host yet to be announced.