Awards

Game of Thrones wins the PGA Award!

Posted on by Petra
pgawards
Source: @producersguild

The Game of Thrones team felt the love last night at the Producers Guild of America (PGA) Awards where they won the Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama.

The producers of season 5 – David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Bernadette Caulfield, Frank Doelger, Carolyn Strauss, Bryan Cogman, Lisa McAtackney, Chris Newman and Greg Spence – won against the teams for Better Call Saul, Homeland, House of Cards and Mad Men.

Cogman tweeted his jubilation and gratitude after the win.

In his acceptance speech, Weiss dryly recalled that, “HBO told us up front knights and dragons were ‘not the business they were in.'”

To be fair, hindsight’s 20/20, isn’t it?

Congratulations to the producers of Game of Thrones!

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Petra

119 Comments

  9. What time does Game of Thrones air in the US? Am I right in thinking it is 9pm EST?

    I only ask because if it’s 9pm, then the countdown clock is 1 hour too much as it doesn’t seem to take into account the clocks going forward in March.

    (Then again I may have got my calculation wrong!)

  10. RosanaZugey,

    GRRM remains an executive producer for the show, which is why he received an Emmy along with the rest of the producers when Game of Thrones won the Outstanding Drama Series Emmy last fall. However, he was not involved in the day-to-day production of Season 5, which may explain why he was not on the list of winning producers for the PGA awards.

    Furthermore, I believe that the various Hollywood guilds tend to have very strict rules about membership and who is eligible to be nominated for their awards (ex. Every year, the Writers Guild of America declares certain screenplays to be ineligible for the WGA Awards because the screenwriters aren’t members and/or don’t meet their eligibility requirements. Sometimes, those disqualified screenwriters go on to win the Oscar, because the Academy doesn’t have the same restrictions). If GRRM isn’t an active member of the Producers Guild, he may not have been eligible to be nominated with the rest of GOT’s producing team.

    If someone is more familiar with the precise nature of guild regulations than I am, please chime in. I follow these kind of awards for fun, but my interest is strictly an amateur one.

  16. Never cared about the crying nerd people. In D&D i trust. They did a fantastic job in season 5 of an almost 2000 pages book. Because FfC and DwD is a one big book. And the Greyjoy storyline is still coming.

    Ps. : It could be a really hard project for Martin to bring everyone’s storyline together again in TWoW. I think that’s why he’s still delayed it.

  17. Just seeing

    EDIT: Ok, well, now that I know it will post (kept getting a “post has not been saved” comment)…thank you Jared for the information. Appreciate it.

  19. Amazing job winning D&D, I have a lot of love for the Show, and respect for adapting the books, so grateful. Funny, I kind of feel like I won something lol XD

  20. Haha, awesome Job D&D!

    And that is so funny.

    HBO preGoT “Knights and dragons are not the business we are in.”

    HBO postGoT “Can you please stay and give us more knights and Dragons?”

    To be fair, who would have known there was such a huge interest and market for adult fantasy like this? I am just so happy there is!

  21. Congrats to all producers of the show well deserved indeed.

    … And for the love of god give us that trailer goddammit.

    Ps: finally done with my exams, such a relief.

  23. Yay for D&D…and C!

    Also, a big “yay” to Daughter of Winter!
    I bet it’s a relief. I hope you did, or are planning to do, something nice for yourself. 🙂

  25. Congrats to D&D for taking those awards. Well-deserved, especially when one realizes how hard it must have been to have the wisdom and courage to take those massive tomes and form them into something well worth watching. Hadn’t heard the “knights and dragons” comment from HBO before. Now, everybody is doing some form of that genre, but GOT does it best.

  28. Congrats to all the team,good win.Can’t wait for the trailer,hope they don’t put Euron in it.And who knows,maybe there is still time for a Darkstar cameo,even 10 seconds would make me happy at this point.

  29. BCog, if you’re lurking, congratulations on an overdue and well-deserved accolade!

    In D&D,
    in BCog,
    in Nina Gold I trust!

    Getting so excited to see some footage of the upcoming season, and fervently hoping for an IMAX experience of S5!

  30. Damon Snow:
    What time does Game of Thrones air in the US? Am I right in thinking it is 9pm EST?

    I only ask because if it’s 9pm, then the countdown clock is 1 hour too much as it doesn’t seem to take into account the clocks going forward in March.

    (Then again I may have got my calculation wrong!)

    You are right I believe. Seems like it is not accounting for DST.

  31. Arthur,

    I started watching GOT after season 2 aired, just before season 3

    Was there a concern by the book readers prior to season1 coming out that the show would no do well on tv???

  32. Great news and congratulations to Benioff and Weiss. But I’m sure show haters won’t be happy…

  33. Yay, sounds like a successful week/month all around. Congrats to Dan and Dave and the rest of the producers as well as to Nina Gold for her Casting Society award. Well deserved, all of them.

    And, of course congrats to you, Daughter of Winter. I feel ya. I passed a big huge f**** exam last year that got me the new job that I wanted, and I was on cloud 9 for at least a week after all the stress fell off me like a heavy coat after a long winter. Feels good, doesn’t it? 🙂

  34. Deesensfan,

    There are always sceptics. Especially when the writer himself said he quit writing for television because production limitations like budgets and episode lengths forced him to cut characters and trim battle scenes.

    Daughter of Winter,
    Exams ruined my Christmas.

  35. Tywin of the Hill,

    I guess so.
    I haven’t read the books but heard there is way too many characters for tv

    But I meant before the show first went on tv, were the book readers worried it would not succeed.

  38. Deesensfan,

    I was just so happy that the story got picked up by HBO that I never concerned myself about the success of the show. Guess I was glad to get one season if that was what happened back in the day. Fortunately, never really had to worry about it.

  39. Lord Parramandas,

    The only thing that will make the show haters happy is if the show gets cancelled, and that isn’t going to happen, so they’ll just have to continue being all upsetz. Awwww.

  40. Nymeria Warrior Queen,

    Thank you sooooo much Nymeria, despite being only 3 weeks but i missed here and all of you so much. Tomorrow i’ll start rewatching the show which is the only thing that makes the next 3 month bearable.

  41. dee,

    Oh thank you very much dee for your kindness, i’m so glad of your mentioned success from last year and yeah it feels nice being able to deal with such hard times properly.

  42. Daughter of Winter,

    You’re welcome, and I hope you feel good about how they went. 🙂

    Different people enjoy different things, obviously, but the new episodes of the X-Files (which start airing tonight…OMG…OMG…OMG!!!) will definitely help get me through the next month, or so, then March Madness will start, and that will get me through until just a few weeks before Season 6 begins.

  45. Nymeria Warrior Queen,

    Thanks again and yeah they went successfully, some of them actually were really hard so indeed such a relief.

    I hope X-files keeps you satisfied. well I’ve got lots of things to do, catching up with movies and some of the other shows among them but rewatching the show is so important for me because you know it keeps my mind prepared and in game.

  49. I can identify with HBO; many years ago(probably after the publication of ASOS), a friend of mine recommended ASOIAF to me. And I passed because I don’t care for most fantasy literature. When I saw the books were being adapted, I reluctantly gave the show a try(figuring at least it’s less of a commitment than reading those big-ass books!), fell in love, and now I treasure show and books alike.

  50. Deesensfan,

    Vikings will be cool, yes, but X-Files was the last show I would literally try and schedule things around to ensure I would not miss an episode around(much like I do with GoT, these days), so I am about as over-the-moon as I can be over these few episodes we’ll be getting. I’ve even been wearing my old “The Truth is Out There” bracelet.

  51. Daughter of Winter,

    I do love it. Looking forward to season 4 on February 18

    Arkash,

    Whattt? Never heard of that one. I heard of the last kingdom and started that. It is good so far
    Where can I watch black sails? Netflix?

  52. Nymeria Warrior Queen,

    I never watched X files religiously. I watched it here and there.
    Well I’m happy you are getting some new epis:) hope you enjoy them

    I just mentioned Vikings to add to your list till April 24:)

  58. Deesensfan: I just mentioned Vikings to add to your list till April 24:)

    Reminders are always good.
    I went to watch season 3, but it seems like I’ve seen some of it, so now I have to figure out where I left off…hahaha.

  59. Deesensfan,

    Black Sails is on STARZ. Not sure where you can see it other than by STARZ cable subscription. It’s gritty pirate English colonial goodness!

    If you find a place to get STARZ programs, definitely check out Outlander. It is a time travel fantasy based on an 8+ book series by Diana Gabaldon who is involved in the production. Great cast, beautiful production values, and steamy romance. Beware the final episode of season 1. Very difficult to watch, but, IMO, well done and faithful to the horror I felt reading the book the first time. Enjoy!

  64. Deesensfan,

    Of course. Martin wrote the books thinking it would be impossible to put on screen. So a lot of loyal fans were worried HBO wouldn’t/couldn’t do the them justice.

  70. RosanaZugey,

    Contractually, he’s always listed as executive producer, but i don’t know how that works in terms of awards. He got an Emmy, so that’s the big one.

    Any sighting of Emilia there? She’s in Los Angeles right now.

  71. Deesensfan,

    I was; I couldn’t imagine how they could possibly adapt this world (and well remember what happened to Dune when they tried and miserably failed in the movie adaptation). So I was very very pleasantly surprised from the first episode.

  74. Big up to Nina, Cogs, D&D, and the rest of the crew! Looking forward to seeing what April Ferry does this year.

  75. Daughter of Winter,

    Maybe a little late, but from the depth of my heart I congratulate you! Now have a well-deserved rest, enjoying what you like! And we all know what’s one of these things 😉

  77. Daughter of Winter:
    Congrats to all producers of the show well deserved indeed.

    … And for the love of god give us that trailer goddammit.

    Ps: finally done with my exams, such a relief.

    Thought you’d gone a bit quiet, how did they go? Good I hope, had my fingers, legs, eyes etc crossed for you! 😀

  79. Lulus Mum:
    Nymeria Warrior Queen,

    I was wondering your opinion, too. I never saw this show when it aired, and I only recently watched a handful of episodes from the first season. But I really enjoyed the episode, and I thought the twists and conspiracy theories were awesome.

  80. Matthew The Dragon knight,
    They look like they’re on the way to see the Sisters of Mercy or whichever bands goths go to nowadays (showing my age here).

    I usually read the Guardian but they had run out on saturday so ended up with the Times instead, which had no fewer than four GoT current and future cast members mentioned. Pilou Asbæk (let’s just say watch this space for those avoiding spoilers) and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime) in an article on actors from other European countries to letch at…er…admire their acting ability, plus a quick Q&A interview with Mackenzie Crook (Orell) and a full length one with Diana Rigg (Olenna). Unfortunately their website is behind a paywall so I’ll get them scanned in and post. GoT is only very briefly mentioned in either interview but when asked if she watched it, DR said something along the lines of definitely not 🙂

  81. Long long ago David Benioff when making the pitch to HBO said something like “this show will never win an Emmy” … even if it succeeds.

  82. Ginevra,
    Hey lady welcome back! 😀 (I know you’ve been around for a few weeks but I haven’t had a chance to ‘talk’ to you directly yet.)

    I really liked the X-Files. I’m not a fantasy fan at all tbh, but the idea of the programme was apparently that everything in it was at the fringes of what might be possible, rather than flat out nah-that’s-not-even-remotely-plausible. If you liked the first few episodes definitely give the rest a try as it’s along similar lines, although not as alien-heavy, we start to get creatures from urban and religious mythology, psychic powers etc. The last few series trailed off imo, but by that time the two main actors had been replaced and it just wasn’t the same 🙁 Plus there’s a few actors to spot in early (for them) roles like Ryan Reynolds, Jack Black and Luke Wilson off the top of my head. EDIT: Sorry just realised you were probably asking what Queenie (Millionth of her Name) thought of it. Oh well, you get my opinion for free too!

    Sorry everyone else I seem to have taken over this part of the thread. As you were….

  83. Seeing Bryan Cogman there makes me wonder if anyone will ever catch him for a comment or interview again? He is very articulate.

  88. Mihnea,

    I thought that also.

    I mean, okay fine, everyone is entitled to their opinions blablabla.

    but this one is overboard.
    The only thing I can agree on is that we do need some HAPPY moments for the good guys – even just a tad. lol

    But all their other criticism have no ground

  89. Deesensfan,

    I agree on the need of ”happy” monents or some satisfaction at least, like Bolton/Frey’s getting what they deserve.

    But I also think it was an intentional decision to make this season so…bleak, so sad…
    A ”darkest before the light” thing.

  94. Deesensfan,

    Yeah, well, GoT is a hot topic. If you write about it, you get clicks. If you trash it, maybe more so because people are confused and want to know what the f*** you’re talking about.

    I can’t even refute all of those claims, but certainly most. This person really hasn’t been paying attention.
    >> Too much death and bleakness? Yeah, that’s the story (books and show), so deal with it.
    >>Too much sex? Maybe. In a visual medium it might have been toned down for the sake of the plot, but that’s really not that much of a turn-off.
    >>Confusing plot? You might as well call it epic. I like that it’s not straight, dumbed-down run-of-the-mill fare.
    >>Lack of credibility? Seriously? It’s a fantasy show, magic is in the air. If Dany’s fear activated her bond with Drogon, that’s not lacking credibility. If Brienne looks away at the wrong time … well, shit happens.
    >>Bad acting? Well, rarely. Jon is a bit of a one-note character – he is supposed to be always brooding, so Kit’s range is not challenged by it. I find Varys and Sam subtle rather than one-note. The only criticism I sort of get is Emilia Clarke. She does seem a bit out of her depth at times, resulting in too much of either desparation or haughtiness or any other state of mind. She has a limited range, imo, but I don’t mind so much and it could be worse. (So don’t kill me, it’s my honest opinion.)
    What’s more important though is that the overwhelming majority of actors is simply excellent.
    >>Underwhelming Dorne? Maybe, but should we really abandon a series rich in plot and character developments, which regularly has us on the edge of our seats, just because one of about 10 plotlines is a bit less exciting than the others? Seriously? Like, if you don’t like one in 10 fruits, do you give up eating fruit altogether? That’s just stupid.

  96. I’ve been wanting to shoot you a wave, anyway, Lulus Mum! How you doin’? I’m thinking we should setup a thread in the forums when the season gets started to throw parties of a more off-topic and social nature, if that sort of thing is allowed. I thought you and many of the other girls (and guys – guys are welcome, too) might enjoy hanging out.

  99. Deesensfan: The only thing I can agree on is that we do need some HAPPY moments for the good guys – even just a tad. lol

    This is one of the two biggest reasons I know why people quit reading the series. Almost everyone I know read the first three books: but I know very few people who have read Dragons. A big chunk stopped after reading Swords: never mind the Red Wedding, even the “victory” for the “good guys” (Joffery’s death) was criticized because it should have been a Stark or Daenerys who did it.

    The thing is that almost all (if not all) of them knew that this is not a “Good vs. Evil” story: they are in it for the characters and the “mysteries.” However, when the characters they like never have anything good happen to them, and when the mysteries never seem to get any resolutions, well: interest gets lost.

    Lulus Mum: I really liked the X-Files. I’m not a fantasy fan at all tbh, but the idea of the programme was apparently that everything in it was at the fringes of what might be possible, rather than flat out nah-that’s-not-even-remotely-plausible.

    heh, yeah, it was supposed to be Science Fiction, rather than Fantasy. It really was in that zone that hardcore SciFi fans dismiss as “Science Fantasy.”

    The X-Files was fun, and it also was one of those “Arc” shows that wound up becoming so influential on general TV series-making. However, unlike B5 or BSG or Lost, the show-runners did not begin with an over-arching plot in mind. That kind of hurt them later, as they wound up having to shoe-horn in some stuff, and there wound up being a lot of both accidental misdirections and a lot of late firings of guns that were not hung until late.

    Still, it was fun! I think that I read that they were talking about rebooting it or something: I do not know if I will bother to watch after all of these years, and after so many shows have done the arc-thing so much better than X-Files did.

  100. By the way, this award is (as always) cool. And it’s nice to get a reminder that, despite the common wisdom, magic and monsters can be plot elements in real stories: it does not have to be escapist tripe!

  101. Wimsey,

    Yeah I can see why some would lose interest.
    For me, personally, I would love to see some good things happen to the characters I like, but if it doesn’t happen, I wont stop watching. I would be slightly annoyed.

    You are a writer, correct?
    Okay so although this is not your typical good vs evil story, where good will prevail… shouldn’t there be some light for the loved characters, for example, the Starks?

  102. Ginevra,
    Fine thanks honey, hope you are too! 😀 There’s a few of us get on well here and once things really start to pick up I think we’ll have to shift over for the non-show related stuff as you suggest. Do you know fleabottom.net? There’s a few Watchers hang out over there too and a chat facility so you can just send little messages without cluttering up the threads. I haven’t been able to play there much lately but I recommend giving it a try (you have to register in order to be able to see the chat bit). Most posters there are around after work, North America time, but I’m sadly usually already asleep by then 🙁

    Wimsey
    Mmm science fantasy, I like that phrase. I can suspend disbelief for some X-Files type stuff but *whispers* not at all for full on fantasy. Don’t tell anyone but I don’t believe for one millisecond that a beautiful princess can fly out of danger on her semi-tame dragon. Shhhhh, I could get banned from here. *Back to talking at normal volume* So yeah, Wimsey, they’ve done 6 new X-Files episodes and apparently the UK doesn’t get them until after they’ve finished in the States so I’m relying on my fellow Watchers to keep me posted.

  103. Lulus Mum,

    It’s unfortunate the UK doesn’t get them until they’ve finished airing in the US. I’d think it would be hard to avoid spoilers. All I’ll say about last night’s episode is I was grinning like a fool (and dancing around during the theme song like even more a fool. 🙂 )

  104. Nymeria Warrior Queen,
    Squeeeeees, is it the same theme tune? Do do do do do dooooooo *piano-y bit*. Not sure about spoilers, it’s not like a self-contained murder-mystery sort of thing where I’d really want to avoid them. As long as it’s not all the super soldiers, black oil, alien invasion stuff from the last couple of series I’ll be quite happy 🙂

  105. Lulus Mum,

    Yep, it’s the same tune!!!
    The way I understand it, what we’ll be getting is a combo. of the monster of the week-type episodes and the overarching alien/gov’t conspiracy-type episodes. I have to say, I’m one who preferred the super soldiers, black oil, alien invasion stuff over the monster of the week episodes, although I loved those, too.

    Oh, and not that anyone cares, but I said either here or on another article (too lazy to look) GoT is the first show since the X-Files I try to plan things around so I can see each episode when it airs. I’d forgotten about 24. I’d plan things around 24, too. Still, though, in all these years, only 3 shows have caused me to say, “oh, sorry, I’m not available on that day at that time, I have a show to watch, and if you try and call me, don’t expect me to answer the phone.” 🙂

  106. Nymeria Warrior Queen,
    Do dooooooooooooooo (still doing the theme tune). Cool, I really prefer monster of the week types, so maybe every other one will be good for me. Or a cross-over with GoT: the worst of the villains/baddies from each against each other. So, the Mountain, can you pour yourself through air conditioning ducts to murder people in locked rooms? I thought not! Ramsay, can you liquidate someone from the inside out? Amateur!

    Anyway, gotta sign off for the night now, I’ll leave you with that thought 😀 Do dooooooooooooo *thunking noise followed by “I made this” and a fanfare*

  107. Lulus Mum:
    Nymeria Warrior Queen,

    I was a big X-Files fan and I can hardly wait to see the new episodes. I have seen Gillian and David in many other things since then, but I think the fondness I feel for them both is because of X-Files. Wait a minute, I hope they are still the stars of the show, I can’t imagine other protagonists!

  108. Wimsey:

    The thing is that almost all (if not all) of them knew that this is not a “Good vs. Evil” story: they are in it for the characters and the “mysteries.” However, when the characters they like never have anything good happen to them, and when the mysteries never seem to get any resolutions, well: interest gets lost.

    Related to that, I’d say a huge part of the problem is that, on top of the bleakness of the story, he’s taking too damn long to write it. It would be one thing if someone was reading and you could tell them, “Hey, stick with it – the ending really wraps things up nicely!” as opposed to, “Yeah… hope you liked those terrible cliffhangers, because you’re going to be stuck with them for the next 5-10 years.”

    Again, the show is easier to stomach in this regard.

  109. Nymeria Warrior Queen:
    Lulus Mum,

    Yep, it’s the same tune!!!
    The way I understand it, what we’ll be getting is a combo. of the monster of the week-type episodes and the overarching alien/gov’t conspiracy-type episodes.I have to say, I’m one who preferred the super soldiers, black oil, alien invasion stuff over the monster of the week episodes, although I loved those, too.

    Oh, and not that anyone cares, but I said either here or on another article (too lazy to look) GoT is the first show since the X-Files I try to plan things around so I can see each episode when it airs.I’d forgotten about 24.I’d plan things around 24, too.Still, though, in all these years, only 3 shows have caused me to say, “oh, sorry, I’m not available on that day at that time, I have a show to watch, and if you try and call me, don’t expect me to answer the phone.”

    Did somebody say 24 🙂

  110. Jack Bauer 24: Damon Snow:
    What time does Game of Thrones air in the US? Am I right in thinking it is 9pm EST?

    I only ask because if it’s 9pm, then the countdown clock is 1 hour too much as it doesn’t seem to take into account the clocks going forward in March.

    (Then again I may have got my calculation wrong!)

    You are right I believe. Seems like it is not accounting for DST.

    And have they figured in the extra day on February 29, this being a Leap Year?

    I’ll let someone less numerophobic than myself do the arithmetic.

  111. Deesensfan: You are a writer, correct?

    I am a scientist, so I write a lot under the “publish or perish” dictum! It’s a little different for us. For me, the equivalent of a “story” is the thesis. The equivalent of the plot is the methods and data. (The equivalent of the narrative is the narrative.) Methods and data, like plot, should be transparent: nothing should be left to the reader’s imagination. The big difference is that whereas “story” usually should be tacit, the thesis has to be explicitly stated at some point. In that sense, it is more like writing a children’s story: it’s not uncommon there for stories to begin and end with a flatout statement of the story. (Having a 7 year old, I’ve become very well re-acquainted with this!)

    Most of what I know about literature I learned as a grad student, when I had friends (including a couple of ex-girlfriends) who were lit students. I confess, I once had the scientists snobbery towards humanities: but I did learn from them that you can do great scholarship with literature. It really tells us a lot about the “mood” of human evolution over the last many decades.

    Lulus Mum: Mmm science fantasy, I like that phrase. I can suspend disbelief for some X-Files type stuff but *whispers* not at all for full on fantasy.

    It usually gets used for things like Star Trek where the badly butcher science. I have much less problem with a woman flying off on her semi-tame dragon than I do with, say, human-alien “hybrids,” “humonoid DNA,” supra-lightspeed travel (but not warping space), or Heisenberg Compensators!

    Lulus Mum: So yeah, Wimsey, they’ve done 6 new X-Files episodes and apparently the UK doesn’t get them until after they’ve finished

    Wait, they’ve done them already? OK, see that loop over there? The one that I’m not in?

    Sheesh: how embarrassing……

  112. kit_hepburn,

    Yeah, one of the things that I did when I heard that the show was coming out was go on line to order the books that I figured must have come out since Crows. I was unimpressed to realize that this involved pre-ordering only…..

  113. Firannion: And have they figured in the extra day on February 29, this being a Leap Year?

    I’ll let someone less numerophobic than myself do the arithmetic.

    Yeah the extra day is accounted for.

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