Last year, Netflix tied HBO in Emmy Award wins and actually passed the Warner Media-owned network in overall nominations.
However, HBO has managed to top the streaming giant this year thanks to the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones. While polarizing among fans, the fantasy drama’s swan song hit all-time high viewership on U.S. networks and in Canada, where the series is available through subscriptions to either HBO Canada or Bell’s Crave streaming service.
In any case, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences didn’t seem to mind Game of Thrones Season 8, as it has given the series 32 nominations — the most any program has ever received in a single season.
The series scooped up top nominations for Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Actress (Emilia Clarke) and Outstanding Actor (Kit Harington), with Alfie Allen, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Peter Dinklage being recognized in the Outstanding Supporting Actor category and Gwendoline Christie, Lena Headey, Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams all receiving nods for Outstanding Supporting Actress.
Altogether, HBO received 137 nominations.
Coming in second place was Netflix with 118 nominations.
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Some of the streaming giant’s most-nominated shows include:
- When They See Us (16 nominations, including Outstanding Limited Series and writing and directing nods for co-creator Ava DuVernay)
- Russian Doll (13 nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Leading Actress in a Comedy Series — Natasha Lyonne)
- Our Planet (10 nominations, including Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Series and Outstanding Narrator nomination for David Attenborough)
- Ozark (nine nominations, including Outstanding Drama and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series — Jason Bateman)
- Queer Eye (six nominations, including Outstanding Structured Reality Program and Outstanding Directing for a Reality Program — “Black Girl Magic”)
It’s worth noting that CBC’s southern Ontario-shot Schitt’s Creek comedy, which also streams on Netflix in Canada and around the world, racked up three nominations — Outstanding Comedy, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy (Hamilton, Ontario-born Eugene Levy) and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy (Toronto’s Catherine O’Hara).
NBC came third overall with 58 nominations for series such as Saturday Night Live (18 nominations, including Outstanding Guest Actress for Ottawa native Sandra Oh), This is Us (nine nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series) and The Good Place (five nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series). It’s worth noting that Oh is also nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama in Killing Eve, both seasons of which are now streaming on Crave.
Amazon placed fourth overall with 47 nominations from its Prime Video streaming service. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel was the overall second-most recognized show after Game of Thrones with 20 nominations, including those for Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy for Rachel Brosnahan. Hamilton native Luke Kirby was also nominated for Outstanding Guest in a Comedy for Mrs. Maisel.
Meanwhile, Fleabag garnered 11 nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy for Phoebe Waller-Bridge (who also created and wrote the series).
It’s worth noting that the shot-in-Toronto Handmaid’s Tale (based on Canadian author Margaret Atwood’s famous novel of the same name) was largely ineligible for Emmys because it aired in June, shortly after the May 31st cut-off date.
However, U.S.-exclusive streaming service Hulu was able to submit some later episodes from its previous season in categories like directing, writing, guest acting and technical areas, in which it ultimately won 11. In Canada, The Handmaid’s Tale streams on Crave, with new episodes of the ongoing third season debuting every Sunday.
Finally, while not on a streaming service, TBS’ Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, hosted by the titular Toronto-born comedian, earned nominations for Outstanding Variety Talk Series and Outstanding Writing for a Variety Talk Series.
The full list of Emmy nominations can be found here.
Image credit: HBO
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