GAME OF THRONES Emmy victories

The HBO series was up for 24 awards and came away with 12 on Emmy night’ this year, breaking a record set by the sitcom Frasier with a total haul of 38 Emmys.

The Battle of the Bastards episode was singled out for praise and won awards for best drama writing (David Benihoff and DB Weiss) and directing (Miguel Sapotchnik).

“We have the best cast that I think ever has been assembled,” executive producer David Benioff said as Game Of Thrones after taking the Outstanding Drama Series for the second year in a row. The HBO blockbuster now is the most awarded scripted series in Emmy history with 38 wins.

Earlier Sunday, after snagging Writing and Directing Emmys, the multi-nominated show based on George R.R. Martin’s books matched the previous record hold of Frasier with 37 overall wins. This Best Drama win also now ties GoT with it’s own Emmy haul of 2015, which saw trophies for Peter Dinklage in the Best Supporting category and more.

“We love Frasier,” said exec producer D.B Weiss backstage. “They had a long run. We’re sure that somebody will come and take this from us. We just hope that it doesn’t happen until we’re all dead.”

The big benchmark for the HBO blockbuster at the 68th Primetime Emmy capped an increasingly historic night that saw the David Benioff and D.B. Weiss-executive produced show also score an Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series for the EPs and and Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series for Miguel Sapochnik.

In the latter category, GoT was nominated in two of the six slots.

Already the top winning drama in Emmy history, This years victories makes GoT now the top winning scripted show ever from the TV Academy shindig.

After nine Creative Arts Emmy wins this year as well and a total of 24 nominations for 2016, GoT was one nom down from 2015 but actually up in major categories from last year.  Over its six season run so far, GoT has amassed an Emmy Iron Throne of its own with 106 nominations – including last year’s genre shattering Drama Series win.

This year’s 12 wins tie the series record that GoT got its hands on in 2015. It however did not top the all time single year Emmy record of 13 victories that the 2008 John Adams miniseries reeled in.

However, math doesn’t always work in the Peabody winning Game Of Thrones’ Emmy favor.

Pushed back to a summer 2017 debut by HBO this July, Season 7 of the series based on George R.R. Martin’s novel will not be eligible for the Emmys next year. While that shortened 7-episode run will skip an Emmy ballot, no word yet if the eighth and final season will be out of immediate contention too – which may give some drama competitors an extra breathe of relief.

This year the ensemble fantasy drama was up against USA Network’s Mr. Robot, AMC’s Better Call Saul, FX’s long overlooked The Americans, past winner Showtime’s Homeland, the final season of Downton Abbey and multi-nominee House of Cards from Netflix for Outstanding Drama Series this year.

With 45 Emmys total over its 41 seasons, Saturday Night Live has won the most any single show over the decades – but its not on primetime and is a sketch show, so the King of the scripted hill is now clearly GoT.