The sprawling and bloodthirsty saga “Game of Thrones,” defying the Emmy Awards’ grudging respect for such fantasy fare, emerged as the leader in the nominations announced Thursday with 19 bids, including best drama series. According to Tom O’Neil, author of “The Emmys” and organizer of the Gold Derby awards site, whether HBO’s “Game of Thrones” can take home the top trophy is another question: Only one fantasy or sci-fi series, “Lost,” has ever captured it. The 66th Primetime Emmy Awards will air Monday, Aug. 25, on NBC, with emcee Seth Meyers.
