‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘Veep’ make last Emmy Awards stand
LOS ANGELES >> “Game of Thrones” has dominated the Emmy Awards with the formidable power of, say, your average fearsome, flame-belching dragon. Same goes for “Veep,” but picture a cutthroat politician instead.
The drama and comedy series are among the frontrunners for Sunday’s ceremony (8 p.m. EDT, Fox) for their concluding seasons, a last chance to rule. But will they? There’s suspense as well over the never-crowned women of “Game of Thrones,” whether Sandra Oh and Billy Porter will make Emmy history, and how much streaming services such as Netflix can chip away at old-guard cable and older-guard broadcasting.
Cue HBO’s blockbuster drama and critically adored political satire.
“It’s the big farewell to the Emmy giants ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Veep,’” said Tom O’Neil, author of “The Emmys” and editor of the Gold Derby awards website. “The question is, how big will their sweeps be?”
“Game of Thrones” has the most Emmys of any drama or comedy series in history, 57, and it’s been undefeated each time it was nominated in recent years. It holds the record for most Emmys won by a series in a single season, 12, set in 2015 and matched the following year.
If the fantasy saga that brought cinematic sweep to TV successfully defends its best drama series title to net a fourth trophy, it will join a select club that can boast the same: “Hill Street Blues,” “L.A. Law,” “The West Wing” and “Mad Men.”
TV academy members brushed aside the anti-finale fan chorus in bestowing a single-year record 32 nominations on “Game of Thrones,” but it remains to be seen if they’re as generous Sunday. There’s worthy competition, including BBC America’s “Killing Eve”; AMC’s “Better Call Saul”; FX’s “Pose,” Netflix’s “Bodyguard” and “Ozark”; HBO’s “Succession,” and NBC’s “This Is Us.”
The actresses of “Game of Thrones” have a last shot at recognition for the series. They’ve failed to earn a single award despite receiving a combined 18 nominations over the drama’s eight-season run that, starting in 2011, brought George R.R. Martin’s novels alive with ample gore as well as strong female characters.
Emilia Clarke is aiming for a best actress win after previously vying for supporting actress honors. She’s facing Oh, the former “Grey’s Anatomy” star who would be the first actress of Asian descent to claim the top acting award, and Viola Davis of ABC’s “How to Get Away With Murder,” who in 2015 became the first African American winner in the category.
The men of “Game of Thrones” also have something to prove, with the exception of three-time winner Peter Dinklage, up for this fourth. Alfie Allen and Nikolaj CosterWaldau, his castmates, also are in the running.