Game of Thrones has come out in the lead in this year’s Emmys race with 22 nominations.

The seventh season of the fantasy drama was recognized in the category for best drama as well as acting nominations for Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Diana Rigg and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.

It was followed by HBO’s other major drama Westworld and long-running comedy show Saturday Night Live, which both scored 21 nominations each. Westworld joined Game of Thrones in the best drama category and also scored acting nods for Ed Harris, Evan Rachel Wood, Jeffrey Wright, Thandie Newton and Jimmi Simpson.

But the biggest winner was Netflix: the streaming platform snagging 112 nominations, compared to 108 for HBO. It’s the first time the cable network hasn’t led the nominees in 18 years. NBC was next in line with 78 nominations.

Netflix scored nominations for Jason Bateman’s acting and directing in Ozark as well as 12 nods for the second season of Stranger Things, including best drama and 10 for the first season of GLOW, including best comedy series.

Elisabeth Moss and Ann Dowd in The Handmaid’s Tale. Photograph: George Kraychyk/AP

Dystopian drama The Handmaid’s Tale scored 20 nominations for its second season, including acting nods for Elisabeth Moss and Samira Wiley. In the category for lead actress in a drama, Moss will compete against The Crown’s Claire Foy, Killing Eve’s Sandra Oh and The Americans’ Keri Russell.

Last year’s multiple winner Atlanta received 16 nominations, including best actor for Donald Glover. Amazon’s freshman series The Marvelous Mrs Maisel also had an impressive showing with 14 nominations, including for star Rachel Brosnahan and an inclusion in the best comedy category.

Insecure’s Issa Rae also scored her first nomination for her role in the HBO comedy after being snubbed last year. Her competitors include Blackish’s Tracee Ellis Ross, Mom’s Allison Janney and Grace and Frankie’s Lily Tomlin.

Laura Dern in The Tale. Photograph: Home Box Office/2018 Home Box Office

After receiving last year’s winner award for best supporting actress in a limited series for her role in Big Little Lies, Laura Dern received a nomination for her role in acclaimed abuse drama The Tale. In the category of lead actress in a limited series or movie, her competition includes Jessica Biel in The Sinner and Michelle Dockery in Godless.

In the category for best talk show, Stephen Colbert will take on John Oliver, Trevor Noah, Samantha Bee and James Corden. Jimmy Fallon failed to make the grade.

Other major successes included 18 nominations for The Assassination of Gianni Versace and eight for This is Us.

Surprising absences included a best drama nomination for critical darling Killing Eve, the darkly comic thriller from Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge as well as recognition for Mindhunter, Smilf and The Walking Dead.

The return of Curb Your Enthusiasm was warmly received, with four nominations, including the best comedy category, but there was only a best supporting actress nomination for the return of Will & Grace while Roseanne was gifted with a nomination for Laurie Metcalf.

The Handmaid’s Tale star Samira Wiley and The Blacklist’s Ryan Eggold read out the list of nominations from the Wolf theatre in Hollywood.

This year’s ceremony will take place on 17 September with first-time hosts Michael Che and Colin Jost, best known for anchoring Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live. Last year saw The Handmaid’s Tale and Big Little Lies take home major prizes.