Even GAME OF THRONES Author Doesn’t Understand Emmy Snubs
Despite being grateful and happy for HBO’s Game of Thrones getting 24 Emmy nominations, author George R.R. Martin totally understands that all those nominations doesn’t guarantee winning an actual Emmy. And much like us, he is really confounded when it comes to shows and actors and actresses getting the Emmy snubs.
In a recent blog update, he mentioned his praise for Game of Thrones and, might I add, its very deserving nominations. But he also wanted to remind us, and maybe himself, that the show has gone through this before, topping any other show in nominations:
The 24 nominations garnered by GAME OF THRONES is not only the highest number of any show this year, but among the highest ever received by a single series for a single season in the entire history of television. (For numbers geeks, the record remains 27, garnered by NYPD BLUE in 1994).
Today is a day for celebrations and congratulations, for popping champagne corks and raising toasts and exchanging thanks… but before we do too many cartwheels, it would be wise to remember that GAME OF THRONES also led the Emmy nominations last year, with 19 nods, only to get skunked on the night of the televised awards. The same as the year before, and the year before that. Like many fantasy shows before us, GOT is often honored for our special effects, costumes, makeup, stuntwork, set design, and cinematography (this year, please note, we have four of five finalists for cinematography), but seldom for writing, directing, or acting. Peter Dinklage’s Emmy as Best Supporting Actor for season one remains the ONLY award the show has ever won in those categories, in fact.
Will that change this year? One can hope, I suppose.
Being biased on his own show, he had hoped for even more nominations for the other females, including ones for Maisie Williams, Sophie Turner, and Natalie Dormer. And, we could probably agree to this, he was dumbstruck when it was noted that “Hardhome” was not recognized.
However, he did note other shows and other performances that he felt needed recognition in the form of a nomination, one of them being Starz’ Outlander series. Not one of those actors were nominated and it seemed the Emmy’s needed to be shame, shame, shamed for that.
“This truly is The Golden Age of Television, especially for drama. Game of Thrones faces the usual formidable competition for the ‘Big One,’ the award for Best Dramatic Series… but as distinguished a list as that is, there are so many incredible shows that did NOT make the cut that it boggles the mind,” he said.
“It’s great to see Better Call Saul and Orange Is the New Black on this list, but where is Masters of Sex? The Knick? Halt and Catch Fire? How about Vikings? I really thought Justified might make it, for its final season. And Outlander, how in the world did they overlook Outlander, with its music and its costumes and its cinematography and the incredible performances of its three leads (especially Tobias Menzies in his double role)? Why is Nick Offerman not on the ballot for Parks and Recreation? How could Big Bang Theory possibly fall off? Truly, the Academy (of which I am a member) moves in mysterious ways.”
Mysterious ways it does. We can’t agree more. And we’d like to add Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe to that Emmy snub list. Regardless of what the Emmys recognize and don’t, the fandom remains loyal and strong to the Scots, and our voice will be heard! Just not with an Emmy. Shame!
Source: E! Online
