Blood and guts fantasy epic “Game of Thrones” is tipped to triumph on Sunday as the most successful show ever at the coveted Emmy Awards, television´s equivalent of the Oscars.
The HBO series already has nine statuettes from last weekend´s Creative Arts Emmys, which mainly reward behind-the-scenes personnel, giving it a total haul over the years of 35 — more than any other drama series.
When Emmys in top categories are handed out at a glitzy evening ceremony in downtown Los Angeles, experts predict the show will pass the 37 won by long-running sitcom “Frasier.”
HBO´s saga about noble families vying for control of the Iron Throne is the odds-on favorite in the coveted best drama category according to Gold Derby, a website pooling experts´ awards predictions.
It is also ahead in the supporting actor, supporting actress and directing categories, and is running a close second in drama writing behind cyber-security thriller “Mr Robot.”
If the prize-giving goes as expected, “Game of Thrones” would be the most-awarded narrative series since the first Television Academy prize-giving in 1949.
“I think ´Game of Thrones´ will be a big winner on Emmy night,” Debra Birnbaum, executive editor for TV at entertainment industry magazine Variety, told AFP.
“With all the nominations it has in those five categories, it´s going to take home at least three trophies, and break the record.”
The all-time Emmy list of winners — which includes non-fiction — is topped by NBC comedy sketch show “Saturday Night Live,” with 44 awards.
FX´s hotly-tipped “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” has 13 nominations — more than any other show — in multiple categories on Sunday, having already won four technical Emmys.
FX´s acclaimed spy drama “The Americans” could pull some surprises at Sunday´s ceremony, hosted by funnyman Jimmy Kimmel, with Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell seen as popular outside bets for best actor and actress in a drama.
Russell is running third in the betting for tightest race of the night, with Robin Wright (“House of Cards”) expected to just about pip last year´s victor Viola Davis (“How to Get Away with Murder”). (AFP)
