Season 8 of Game of Thrones, eligible for the 2019 Primetime Emmys, should not be nominated for Outstanding Drama or Outstanding Writing. It does not deserve it.

It's not just the millions of fans left disappointed and disgusted by the final season. The professional critics happen to agree that the season's quality was lacking. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season as a whole has a rotten 55% rating from the critics, with a 34% audience approval. The critic Tomatometer ratings of the last three episodes of the season are 58%, 49% and 49%, respectively.

By any objective measure that exists, Season 8 of Game of Thrones is a failure in the eyes of the critics and the general viewership. And failure should not be rewarded. Game of Thrones is not entitled to Best Drama or Outstanding Writing Emmys just because of the show's previous successes in those categories.

To nominate Game of Thrones in either of those categories will rob a much more deserving nominee of a spot. Contrary to what some pundits want to say, there was plenty of quality television that is up for the running in this year's Emmys. Better Call Saul, Killing Eve, Succession, Pose, Homecoming, The Deuce, Narcos, Bodyguard, The Good Fight and many more all had excellent seasons, all of which are more worthy of your consideration than the worst season of a prestige drama in television history.

The Emmys are the gold standard in awards for television, for better or worse. You as voters have a responsibility to ensure your nominees and eventual winners properly reflect the best of what television had to offer that year. And by any objective measure, Season 8 of Game of Thrones should not and cannot be considered among that category.