16 July, 2019
The hit television series Game of Thrones has broken a 25-year record for Emmy nominations. The Television Academy on Tuesday honored the show's eighth and final season with 32 Emmy nominations.
A police show, NYPD Blue, had held the record since 1994, the year it received 27 Emmy nominations.
Game of Thrones is set in a fantasy world of dragons, magic, warring rulers and unusual love relationships.
If Game of Thrones successfully defends the best drama series prize and wins a fourth Emmy in the category this year, it will join four of the most-honored dramas. They are Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, The West Wing and Mad Men.
The latest praise from the Television Academy sharply differs from reactions from fans to Game of Thrones' last season. There was much internet humor and criticism, for example, over a major mistake in one episode. A modern-day paper coffee cup was left on set during shooting and appeared in the broadcast.
But ratings never weakened for the series, which is based on George R.R. Martin's novels. Game of Thrones set new highs for HBO.
The show received many acting nominations for cast members and guest stars, including the show's only past winner, Peter Dinklage.
Series star Emilia Clarke's decision to seek a best actress nomination -- after a series of supporting actress nominations -- succeeded.
The best actress category is notable for its diversity, including past winner Viola Davis for How to Get Away with Murder and repeat nominee Sandra Oh for Killing Eve. Oh seeks to become the first actress of Asian descent to win an Emmy.
Last year's best comedy series, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, leads the Emmy comedy group with 20 nominations. Star Rachel Brosnahan may have a difficult fight for a best actress award against Emmy record-holder Julia Louis-Dreyfus of Veep. That show received a total of nine nominations for its final season.
Other top nominees for Emmys include the nuclear disaster HBO miniseries Chernobyl, which earned 19 nominations, and the comedy skit show Saturday Night Live with 18. When They See Us, a Netflix miniseries that dramatized the Central Park Five case, received 16 nominations.
The 71st Emmy Awards ceremony will be held September 22 in Los Angeles, California, and broadcast live on the Fox network.
I'm Caty Weaver.
The Associated Press reported this story. Caty Weaver adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.
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Words in This Story
fantasy - n. a book, movie, etc., that tells a story about things that happen in an imaginary world
drama - n. a play, movie, television show, or radio show that is about a serious subject and is not meant to make the audience laugh
comedy - n. a play, movie, television program, novel, etc., that is meant to make people laugh
novel - n. a long written story usually about imaginary characters and events
skit - n. a short, funny story or performance
category - n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way
diversity - n. the state of having people who are different races or who have different cultures in a group or organization
network - n. a group of radio or television stations that usually broadcast the same programs