GOT Sets Record With 32 Emmy Noms But "Better Call Saul"'s Rhea Seehorn Gets Screwed Yet Again
Game of Thrones got a slew of ‘thank you for the series’ acknowledgments as the powerhouse HBO fantasy series garnered a record-setting 32 Emmy nominations after, ironically, what was considered a subpar final season by most. Nine actors were nominated and Kit Harington and Emilia Clarke are the only two who aren’t going head-to-head with other cast members. The voters gave GOT quite the send-off for a show that wasn’t the best ever but certainly the biggest ever.
However, the gesture of acknowledging a series’ worth of work after its final bow cost the phenomenal Rhea Seehorn once again. Seehorn has been turning in outstanding work as “Better Call Saul”‘s Kim Wexler for four seasons now yet she has somehow failed to nab at least one nom. After her dynamite work in Season 4, a nomination felt obligatory and the only question would be ‘who is her competition?’. Alas, voters went with Brienne, Arya, Sansa, Cersei, the little hick from Ozark, and one of the Killing Eve ladies. All due respect to those fine actresses but they were not all better than Seehorn.
Adding insult to injury, pretty much all of Seehorn’s castmates were nominated. Michael McKean, Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, and Giancarlo Esposito are all up for acting awards on “Better Call Saul” but the person who did arguably the best work isn’t. Timing really is everything in life. If GOT’s final season comes out earlier or it gets a major re-write and comes out later, then Seehorn is celebrating a nomination today. But at least she seems to be taking it better than I am…
Despite the diss to Kim Wexler, the excellent “Breaking Bad” spin-off prequel still grabbed 11 nominations.
A few more buds for your Emmy bowl…
*Some of these categories are gonna be slobberknockers. Are you shitting me with Comedy Series?
“Barry” (HBO)
“Fleabag” (Amazon Prime)
“The Good Place” (NBC)
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Amazon Prime)
“Russian Doll” (Netflix)
“Schitt’s Creek” (Pop)
“Veep” (HBO)
*That’s an obscene embarrassment of riches. “Veep” isn’t just a sentimental favorite to win after its last season, it’s also worthy. The riotous satire somehow went out on the same high it arrived on, which is a TV miracle to pull off after seven seasons. However, if “Barry” or “Fleabag” were to steal this, I wouldn’t be disappointed. But I’ll be shocked if Julia Louis-Dreyfus doesn’t wrap up Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
*”Barry” had 17 nominations after an excellent second season. It had three of the six Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series nominations (Anthony Carrigan, Stephen Root, and Henry Winkler). Really glad to see Sarah Goldberg recognized for her stellar work last season.
*If you’re not familiar with “Fleabag”, you ought to give it a whirl. Phoebe Waller-Bridge created and stars in this unconventional Amazon Original about a single Londoner navigating life and love while dealing with some heavy shit. Lots of awkward comedy and fourth wall-breaking occurs. Alternately hilarious and dark, it’s a quick binge and well worth it. It received 11 total nominations.
*And Limited Series is overflowing with quality as well.
“Chernobyl” (HBO)
“Escape at Dannemora” (Showtime)
“Fosse/Verdon” (FX)
“Sharp Objects” (HBO)
“When They See Us” (Netflix)
*I was glad to see the outstanding “Chernobyl” get some much-deserved love. In addition to best Limited Series and Writing for a Limited Series (Craig Mazin) noms, Jared Harris, Emily Watson, and Stellan Skarsgård each got nods for their terrific acting work on the white-knuckle series run. If I was an oddsmaker, I’d install “Chernobyl” as the favorite. But if it loses to “Escape at Dannemora” or “When They See Us”, it wouldn’t shock me in the least.
*Ava DuVernay’s limited series “When They See Us” received 16 nominations. The very good Netlfix series tells the true story about the so-called Central Park Five, a group of five black/Hispanic kids who were wrongfully convicted in the attack and rape of a Central Park jogger but later exonerated via DNA. Six actors/actresses received noms for their performances.
*How about the unreal year for Patty Arquette? She absolutely crushed it in both “The Act” and “Escape At Dannemora” and was nominated for her work in each. It’s possible she could win for Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie AND Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie. She actually goes head to head with her “The Act” co-star Joey King in the Lead category. “Dannemora” had 12 total nominations.
*SNL somehow got 18 nominations.
*Other nominated names I was glad to see: Betty Gilpin (“GLOW”), Peter Gould and Thomas Schnauz (“Better Call Saul”), “Documentary Now”, “Succession” (nominated for Drama Series but no nods for acting), “Deadwood: The Movie”, and the bawdy and hilarious Alex Borstein (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”).
Here is the full list of nominations. The Emmys air on September 22 on Fox.