The Best Emmy Awards Drinking Games 2013

The Primetime Emmy Awards presentation takes place on Sunday, and while the ceremony may not generate the same level of hype that the Oscars show does, you can bet there will be plenty of nail-biting tension on television’s biggest night. Will Elisabeth Moss beat out Connie Britton? Will Matt LeBlanc win for playing himself? Will Mandy Patinkin bother to shave? It’s almost too much to bear.

Fortunately, the Internet has just the thing to calm your nerves: drinking games. Television is always better with alcohol, of course, and with all Emmy-themed drinking games out there, there’s no reason why you can’t set off on the road to toasty before host Neil Patrick Harris breaks into song and dance for the opening number.

The International Business Times dutifully scoured the Internet for this year’s best Emmy Awards drinking games, so whether you’re looking to get just a little tipsy or you’re planning to get so drunk that you can’t remember Heisenberg’s name, you’ll find the perfect drinking game below. As always, please drink responsibly.

The Savory’s TV Awards Drinking Game

The folks at the foodie blog the Savory have done their homework. Their infographic-fortified Emmy drinking game comes with a full list of creative cocktails inspired by the nominated shows. (We’ve never had a 30 Rocktail before, but we’re willing to bet it’s made with lemon.) Rules of the game include drinking any time Peter Dinklage looks bored, any time someone makes a meth reference and any time you spot a cast member from “Saturday Night Live,” past or present. Hint: If it’s John Belushi, you’ve had too many. Full game.

Gotham/Ulysses Press

The New York entertainment site Gotham features an Emmy drinking game (backed up by a terrific illustration) created by authors of two new books being published by Ulysses Press. It’s sure to be a high-scorer. Rules include taking a drink every time “HBO wins a shiny,” every time a loser smiles or claps awkwardly into the camera and every time you hear a nominee’s name and think, “Who?” There’s also an accompanying cocktail, “Prime Thyme,” made with gin or vodka and, of course, fresh thyme. If thyme isn’t your thing, see No. 1. Full game.

The Huffington Post

The Huffington Post’s Debra Lipson posted a pretty creative drinking game, compete with hilarious visual accompaniments and even an embedded Lena Dunham tweet. (This being the Huffington Post, there’s also a slideshow.) The rules, and there are many, go beyond the standard “take a drink whenever this happens” fare. They include shotgunning a beer after any Red Wedding “Game of Thrones” reference and chugging for five seconds each time Harris breaks into a song or dance. Good luck with that. Full game.

Bro Jackson

Bro Jackson, self-described as a site of “sports, culture and high-calorie finger food,” would seem an unlikely candidate for an Emmys drinking game, but it’s proving naysayers wrong this year. Its Emmy-themed game comes complete with a substantial list of food and drink suggestions, all based on the nominees. The rules are fairly straightforward: They include taking a drink every time Claire Danes makes crazy eyes and every time Harris “sings, charms, jokes, bedazzles or dances.” There’s even a rapid-fire round requiring players to take a sip every time an actor thanks his agent. Not for the faint of heart. Full game.

The 65th Primetime Emmy Awards presentation will be shown on CBS Sunday at 8 p.m. EDT. Neil Patrick Harris will host. More information is here.