'Game of Thrones' leads in Emmy nominations

Megahit TV fantasy series "Game of Thrones" topped nominations announced Thursday for the Primetime Emmy awards, television's version of the Oscars. PHOTO/FILE

What you need to know:

  • For best drama series, "Game of Thrones" is up against "Breaking Bad," "Mad Men," "House of Cards," "True Detective" and "Downton Abbey."
  • Lead drama actress nods went to Lizzy Caplan, for "Masters of Sex," Claire Danes for "Homeland," Michelle Dockery for British period drama "Downton Abbey, Julianna Margulies for "The Good Wife," Kerry Washington for "Scandal" and Robin Wright for "House of Cards."
  • Premium cable channel HBO won the most overall nominations with 99, while online streaming giant Netflix doubled its number of nods from last year with 31, according to industry journal Variety.

LOS ANGELES,

Megahit TV fantasy series "Game of Thrones" topped nominations announced Thursday for the Primetime Emmy awards, television's version of the Oscars.

The grisly royal families feud saga scored 19 nods including for best drama series, followed by "Fargo" with nominations in 18 categories including two for lead actor in a miniseries.

Other notable nominees included breakthrough women's prison show "Orange is the New Black," in its first year of Emmys eligibility, while a slew of British acting talent was shortlisted.

For best drama series, "Game of Thrones" is up against "Breaking Bad," "Mad Men," "House of Cards," "True Detective" and "Downton Abbey."

In the best comedy race, newcomer "Orange is the New Black" was nominated alongside long-running series "The Big Bang Theory," "Louie," "Modern Family" and "Veep," as well as "Silicon Valley."

Powerful police drama "True Detective" scored lead actor nominations for its co-stars Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey, up against Kevin Spacey, ("House of Cards"), Bryan Cranston, ("Breaking Bad"), Jeff Daniels ("The Newsroom") and Jon Hamm ("Mad Men").

Lead drama actress nods went to Lizzy Caplan, for "Masters of Sex," Claire Danes for "Homeland," Michelle Dockery for British period drama "Downton Abbey, Julianna Margulies for "The Good Wife," Kerry Washington for "Scandal" and Robin Wright for "House of Cards."

Premium cable channel HBO won the most overall nominations with 99, while online streaming giant Netflix doubled its number of nods from last year with 31, according to industry journal Variety.

The nominations were announced in a pre-dawn presentation by TV stars Mindy Kaling and Carson Daly, at the headquarters of the Television Academy in Los Angeles.

The 66th Primetime Emmys show will be held in Los Angeles on Monday, August 25.

Primetime Emmy Awards list of selected nominations:

Drama series:
'Breaking Bad'
'Downton Abbey'
'Game of Thrones'
'House of Cards'
'Mad Men'
'True Detective'

Comedy series:
'The Big Bang Theory'
'Louie'
'Modern Family'
'Orange Is the New Black'
'Silicon Valley'
'Veep'

Actor, drama series:
Bryan Cranston, 'Breaking Bad'
Jeff Daniels, 'The Newsroom'
Jon Hamm, 'Mad Men'
Woody Harrelson, 'True Detective'
Matthew McConaughey, 'True Detective'
Kevin Spacey, 'House of Cards'

Actress, drama series
Lizzy Caplan, 'Masters of Sex'
Claire Danes, 'Homeland'
Michelle Dockery, 'Downton Abbey'
Julianna Margulies, 'The Good Wife'
Kerry Washington, 'Scandal'
Robin Wright, 'House of Cards'

Actor, comedy series:
Louis C.K., 'Louie'
Don Cheadle, 'House of Lies'
Ricky Gervais, 'Derek'
Matt LeBlanc, 'Episodes'
William H. Macy, 'Shameless'
Jim Parsons, 'The Big Bang Theory'

Actress, comedy series:
Lena Dunham, 'Girls'
Edie Falco, Nurse 'Jackie'
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, 'Veep'
Melissa McCarthy, 'Mike & Molly'
Amy Poehler, 'Parks and Recreation'
Taylor Schilling, 'Orange Is the New Black'

Supporting actor, drama series:
Aaron Paul, 'Breaking Bad'
Jim Carter, 'Downton Abbey'
Peter Dinklage, 'Game of Thrones'
Mandy Patinkin, 'Homeland'
Jon Voight, 'Ray Donovan'
Josh Charles, 'The Good Wife'

Supporting actress, drama series:
Anna Gunn, 'Breaking Bad (AMC)
Dame Maggie Smith, 'Downton Abbey'
Joanna Froggatt, 'Downton Abbey'
Lena Headey, 'Game of Thrones'
Christina Hendricks, 'Mad Men'
Christine Baranski, 'The Good Wife'

Supporting actor, comedy series:
Andre Braugher, 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine'
Adam Driver, 'Girls'
Ty Burrell, 'Modern Family'
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, 'Modern Family'
Fred Armisen, 'Portlandia'
Tony Hale, 'Veep'

Supporting actress, comedy:
Julie Bowen, 'Modern Family'
Allison Janney, 'Mom'
Kate Mulgrew, 'Orange Is the New Black'
Kate McKinnon, 'Saturday Night Live'
Mayim Bialik, 'The Big Bang Theory'
Anna Chlumsky, 'Veep'

Actor, miniseries or movie:
Benedict Cumberbatch, 'Sherlock: His Last Vow'
Chiwetel Ejiofor, 'Dancing on the Edge'
Idris Elba, 'Luther'
Martin Freeman, 'Fargo'
Mark Ruffalo, 'The Normal Heart'
Billy Bob Thornton, 'Fargo'

Actress, miniseries or movie:
Helena Bonham Carter, 'Burton and Taylor'
Minnie Driver, 'Return to Zero'
Jessica Lange, 'American Horror Story: Coven'
Sarah Paulson, 'American Horror Story: Coven'
Cicely Tyson, 'The Trip to Bountiful'
Kristen Wiig, 'Spoils of Babylon'

Variety
'The Colbert Report'
'The Daily Show'
'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'
'Saturday Night Live'
'Real Time With Bill Maher'
'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'

Reality competition:
'The Amazing Race'
'Dancing With the Stars'
'Project Runway'
'So You Think You Can Dance'
'Top Chef'
'The Voice'

Miniseries:
'American Horror Story: Coven'
'Fargo'
'Luther'
'Bonnie & Clyde'
'Treme'
'The White Queen'

Movie:
'Killing Kennedy'
'Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight'
'The Normal Heart'
'Sherlock: His Last Vow'
'Trip to Bountiful'

Guest actor, drama series:
Paul Giamatti, 'Downton Abbey'
Reg E. Cathey, 'House of Cards'
Robert Morse, 'Mad Men'
Beau Bridges, 'Masters of Sex'
Joe Morton, 'Scandal'
Dylan Baker, 'The Good Wife'

Guest actress, drama series:
Dianna Rigg, 'Game of Thrones'
Kate Mara, 'House of Cards'
Allison Janney, 'Masters of Sex'
Kate Burton, 'Scandal'
Margo Martindale, 'The Americans'
Jane Fonda, 'The Newsroom'

Guest actor, comedy series
Nathan Lane, 'Modern Family'
Steve Buscemi, 'Portlandia'
Jimmy Fallon, 'Saturday Night Live'
Louis C.K., 'Saturday Night Live'
Bob Newhart, 'The Big Bang Theory'
Gary Cole, 'Veep'

Guest actress, comedy series
Uzo Aduba, 'Orange Is the New Black'
Laverne Cox, 'Orange Is the New Black'
Natasha Lyonne, 'Orange Is the New Black'
Tina Fey, 'Saturday Night Live'
Melissa McCarthy, 'Saturday Night Live'
Joan Cusack, 'Shameless'