‘Games Of Thrones’ Author George R.R. Martin Thinks 2015 Emmy Nominations Snubbed One Outstanding Show This Year
Game of Thrones has managed to pull out ahead of a thick herd of great shows to become one of the most watched, most discussed series on television. George R.R. Martin revealed in a new interview that he is painfully aware of how lucky he has been to receive such an honor, but he also noted that at least a few quality programs were missing from the 2015 Emmy nominations released last month.
Speaking with the Observer, George R.R. agreed with today’s critical consensus that viewers are now experiencing a “Golden Age of Television.” That’s a trend Martin thinks has not only shaped modern TV, but also the way that people process shows like Games of Thrones as art.
“It’s great! And I’m very glad that we’re such a prominent part of it. It’s strange because I’m old enough to remember other days. There were only three networks, and you’d get a review for an entire series in TV Guide. They’d run a review: ‘Here’s our review of Car 54, Where Are You?’ Then nobody would ever mention it again. You’d watch it, or you wouldn’t watch it. Or it’d be [listed] in the ratings or something like that.”
Warning: The following video contains some strong language.
Still, George R.R. also talked about one way this influx of outstanding work has managed to make things more difficult for shows to capture a following. With so many options, it can be difficult for something without the cult-like success of Game of Thrones or Mad Men to gain footing. In particular, Martin mentioned how the Emmys missed out on one of his favorites, Cinemax’s turn-of-the-century medical drama The Knick.
“I mean, I look at something like the Emmy nominations. I’m very glad we’re on the list, but I look at all the other fine shows that aren’t on the list, things like The Knick. I think that’s an amazing show. How did that not make it? I know a lot of people like The Americans, I’ve been watching that one. The Wire never made it all the years that they were on, and many people now say that was one of the best shows in the entire history of television, so it’s strange. But it is a Golden Age. It’s great to have this wealth of choices. There’s more good television than one can keep up with.”
George R. R. Martin still probably doesn’t have too much to complain about when it comes to Emmy nominations. Game of Thrones racked up 24 nominations in total, more than any other show this year, according to the New York Times.
[Image via Cinemax]
