Science fiction and related SF genre programming has made quite a dent in this year’s Primetime Emmy Nominations garnering a total of fourteen nominations in the twenty-two major categories.
Of those fourteen HBO’s Game of Thrones tops the list with four including Dianna Rigg for Guest Actress, Drama Series — Lena Headey for Supporting Actress, Drama Series – Peter Dinklage for Supporting Actor, Drama Series; Peter already has an Emmy on his mantel in the same category for GOT. The show is also nominated for Best Drama Series.
Others in the running for statues are The Big Bang Theory, Best Comedy Series, including Jim Parsons up for Actor, Comedy Series and Mayim Bialik for Supporting Actress, Comedy Series. Benedict Cumberbatch made the list for Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in BBC’s Sherlock series.
Jessica Lange and Sarah Paulson have both been nominated for Actress, Miniseries or Movie in American Horror Story: Coven and the show has also been nominated for Best Miniseries.
Two animated projects got the nod. Futurama and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Manhattan Project go head to head in the Animated Program category.
Finally, veteran actor Bob Newhart is nominated for Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his stellar work on The Big Bang Theory.
Each year the presence of traditional network entries gets overshadowed and this year the online markets such as Netflix, the cable (AMC, BBC, FX, IFC, Lifetime, Comedy Central, Nick, A&E and Bravo) and premium pay channel (HBO, Showtime, Starz) shows far exceed the number of programming from fading stalwarts like ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, PBS and even The CW (which received no major nominations).
In the non sci-fi or related genre field of shows the Netflix sensation Orange Is the New Black is the big nominations winner this year with five Emmys up for grabs including Taylor Schilling for Best Actress, Comedy Series and Kate Mulgrew as Best Supporting Actress, Comedy Series. In Kate’s long and active career on TV, stage and screen, which has spanned nearly four decades; this is her first Emmy nomination.
The Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony will be telecast by NBC on August 25, 2014 LIVE from the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. Former Emmy winner Seth Meyers (SNL, Late Night) will host.
As much as I enjoy Game of Thrones I though its genre was Fantasty not SciFi or is Hollywood as confused about the difference as local bookstores are. And how does Big Bang Theory fit into “Science fiction and related SF genre programming”