Fleabag could be the 2019 Emmys' comedy dark horse

Is one of the top categories at the 2019 Emmys headed for an upset?

After the weekend's Creative Arts Emmy Awards, at which the first set of trophies are handed out prior to the main Primetime Emmy Awards, Game of Thrones' victory in the Outstanding Drama Series category is looking more and more like a guarantee; it lead with 10 wins. The winner of Outstanding Comedy Series, however, isn't quite so certain.

The show with the best shot certainly seems to be Veep, which has consistently won for the past three seasons that it's been eligible for. Like Game of Thrones, this was also Veep's final season, which should give it a boost. If Veep were to come up short, most pundits say the next most likely winners would be The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which won last year, or Barry.

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But the stage is set for Fleabag to come in with a surprise victory. At the Creative Arts Emmys, the award for Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series went to Fleabag over Veep, Mrs. Maisel, and Barry, and The New York Times points out the last four winners in that category have also won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series. Veep didn't win any awards at the Creative Arts Emmys.

Prior to the Creative Arts Emmys, Variety forecast this might be the case, writing that the comedy series award is likely still down to Veep and Mrs. Maisel but that Fleabag has serious spoiler potential.

Of course, this victory would make sense considering critics have lavished praised onto Fleabag, with many naming it the best show of 2019, but Emmys prediction lists have typically placed it into the "won't win, but should" category. It's still no guarantee, but like Phoebe Waller-Bridge glaring at the camera, the series' possible victory is certainly worth keeping an eye on.

The Primetime Emmy Awards will air Sept. 22.