LOS ANGELES: The final season of "Game of Thrones" smashed the record for most Primetime Emmy nominations by a drama series in a single year, earning a whopping 32 nods Tuesday.

The conclusion to HBO's fantasy epic enraged fans but still trounced the competition, with "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" -- Amazon's story of a 1950s housewife-turned-stand up comic -- a distant second on 20 nominations for the small-screen equivalent of the Oscars.

"Thrones" was already the most decorated fictional show in the awards' seven-decade history, and now has 161 nominations, according to the Television Academy website.

HBO's acclaimed drama "Chernobyl" placed third with 19, ahead of perennial Emmys powerhouse "Saturday Night Live" on 18.

The Television Academy's 24,000 members sifted through a record number of entries for this year's Emmys.

Final-round voting will now begin to pick winners who will be revealed at a glitzy Los Angeles show on September 22.—AFP