TV Talk Podcast: Is ‘Game Of Thrones’ Inevitable In Drama Series Emmy Race – Or Is A Major Upset In The Cards?

In today’s edition of our weekly TV Talk podcast Deadline TV Critic Dominic Patten  and Awards Columnist Pete Hammond take on the top race for the Emmys , the marquee Best Drama Series  which last year saw Game Of Thrones in its penultimate season (after taking the previous year off the competition) returning in triumph  to reclaim the Golden Throne it had previously won twice before. Is it inevitable that the HBO juggernaut will win again for its final season, even though it was one that was clouded with controversy and questions from fans over its conclusion? Or is it ‘Game’ on for other contenders in a wide open field of possibilities since a whopping five of 2018’s nominees here (Westworld, The Americans, Stranger Things, The Crown, The Handmaid’s Tale) are all ineligible since they did not present new seasons in time for this year’s race, or in the case of The Americans had concluded their run.  Only NBC’s This Is Us could join Thrones in repeating from 2018 here.

That leaves a lot of fresh blood to consider for the category including Netflix’s surging Ozark along with their newbie Bodyguard and final season of House Of Cards, Amazon’s Homecoming, and FX’s Pose  as well as the cabler’s veteran American Horror Story moving here because of a season in which some characters returned thus making it ineligible for Limited Series, it’s usual perch. There’s also the returning AMC series Better Call Saul which took last year off, as well as the second season of  Killing Eve. Could CBS All Access crack the code here with The Good Fight?  Could HBO provide competition for their own Thrones with The Deuce or Succession?  And how about Showtime’s Billions for a change?  In addition to this hot speculation Dominic talks to Karin Gist of the upcoming Mixed-ish , and Pete talks to the highly rated Hot Zone cast and creatives from our annual Emmy Contenders event.  To listen just click the link below.