NORTH HOLLYWOOD (CNS) - Nominations for the 70th annual Primetime Emmy Awards will be announced today, with ``Game of Thrones” returning to contention after a year's absence.
The HBO fantasy drama won for outstanding drama series in 2015 and 2016 but wasn't eligible for the 2017 award because its only new episodes airing during the eligibility period were part of the body of work considered for its 2016 victory.
Hulu's ``The Handmaid's Tale,” the 2017 outstanding drama series Emmy winner, is seeking its second nomination in its two seasons, as are Netflix's ``The Crown” and ``Stranger Things”; NBC's ``This Is Us” and HBO's ``Westworld.”
``This Is Us” last year became the first nominee in the category from the four major broadcast networks since CBS' ``The Good Wife” in 2011. ``The Good Wife” is the most recent series from a major broadcast network to receive back-to-back nominations in the category.
A series from the major broadcast networks has not won for outstanding drama series since Fox's ``24” in 2006.
Another contender for a nomination is the FX period spy drama ``The Americans,” which was nominated in the category in 2016.
HBO's ``Veep,” the winner for outstanding comedy series the past three seasons, won't be among this year's nominees after the 2017 announcement that it would delay its final season until 2019 to allow star Julia Louis- Dreyfus enough time to recuperate after undergoing chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer.
Last year's nominees who are contenders for nominations this year include FX's ``Atlanta,” ABC's ``black-ish”; HBO's ``Silicon Valley”; and Netflix's ``Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.”
ABC's ``Modern Family” is seeking its ninth nomination in its nine seasons. It was the winner in the category for five consecutive seasons, tying the record set by NBC's ``Frasier” from 1994-98.
First-season series that are contenders for nominations include Netflix's ``The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” the Golden Globe winner for television's best comedy or musical series, and ``GLOW” and HBO's ``Barry.”
CBS' ``The Amazing Race” is expected to again be among the nominees for outstanding reality-competition program. It has been nominated each of the preceding 16 years the category has been in existence. It won each of the first seven years, and again in 2011, 2012 and 2014.
Last year's other nominees were NBC's ``The Voice” and Bravo's ``Top Chef,” the only other winners; NBC's ``American Ninja Warrior”; Lifetime's ``Project Runway”; and VH1's ``RuPaul's Drag Race.”
The biggest rule changes this year are the restructuring of the outstanding variety special and special class categories and the expansion of several existing Emmy categories into two new and distinct categories, including those involving costuming, nonfiction programming and sound editing.
The confusion of defining special class prompted the Television Academy to have separate categories for outstanding live variety special and outstanding pre-recorded variety special.
Samira Wiley from ``The Handmaid's Tale” and Ryan Eggold, who stars in the new NBC medical drama ``New Amsterdam,” will join Television Academy Chairman and CEO Hayma Washington and President and COO Maury McIntyre in announcing the nominees in the top categories at the Television Academy's North Hollywood headquarters.
The 70th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, which honor programming initially airing between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. from June 1, 2017, to May 31, 2018, will be presented Sept. 17 at the Microsoft Theater.
Colin Jost and Michael Che, anchors of the ``Weekend Update” segment on ``Saturday Night Live” and co-head writers of NBC's late-night sketch comedy series, will be the hosts.
The NBC Emmys telecast will be executive produced by ``Saturday Night Live” creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels and include what the network is describing as ``special appearances from additional `Saturday Night Live' cast members.”
The bulk of the awards from the Primetime Emmys' 122 categories will be presented at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards Sept. 8-9, also at the Microsoft Theater.