Dramatic drinks, comedic cocktails you need for the Emmys

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Ready to root for your favorite TV show during the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards? Whether you're a drama devotee or more of a comedy buff, these five TV-show-themed drinks will add some zing to the evening.

Mike Pritchard, who has led cocktail-making classes at CoWork 155, helped to devise these libations, which feature fresh twists on classic recipes from the Professional Bartender's Handbook. Warning: don't drink them all at once.    

Better Call Saul: "Cinnamon Rusty Nail"

The "Breaking Bad" spinoff earned seven Emmy nominations in 2015 but didn't get any wins. The AMC show is up for another seven awards this year, including outstanding drama series and outstanding actor in a drama series.  

The show's hero, Saul Goodman, played by Bob Odenkirk, likes to drink Rusty Nails, a mix of scotch and Drambuie on ice. Since Goodman winds up managing a Cinnabon in the show's post-script, it's only fitting that his drink gets a little spike of cinnamon.  

Cinnamon Rusty nail

• Scotch, 1.5 oz.
• Drambuie, 1/2 oz.
• Lemon twist
• Cinnamon bark syrup, 3/4 oz.
• Ice

To make cinnamon bark syrup, mix 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar and 3 cinnamon sticks in a small saucepan and heat on high until sugar dissolves, then simmer for 5 minutes. Discard cinnamon sticks, cool and bottle.

Pour the scotch and Drambuie into an old-fashioned glass almost filled with ice cubes. Stir well. Garnish with the lemon twist.

Game of Thrones: “The Red Wedding”  

In recent years "Game of Thrones" has decapitated the competition, with 83 Emmy nominations and 26 wins. This year the fantasy drama has been nominated 23 times. 

Even if you've never seen the show, you're likely to have heard about the Red Wedding, a particularly bloody episode during season three. In honor of that moment, Pritchard suggested mulled wine, a warmed, spiced drink which was sometimes featured in the show. Here's a mulled wine recipe with some help from allrecipes.com.

The Red Wedding 

• Boiling water, 1 1/2 cups 
• White sugar, 1/2 cup
• Lemon, 1/4
• Whole cloves, 8
• Cinnamon stick, 1
• Claret (red wine), 1 750 ml bottle
• Ground nutmeg, 1 pinch

In a saucepan, stir water and sugar until sugar dissolves. Add lemon, cloves and the cinnamon stick. Bring it to a boil and cook about 10 minutes. Strain and return water mixture to the saucepan. Discard lemon, cloves and cinnamon stick. Stir claret wine into water mixture. Heat until hot but not boiling, about 10 minutes. Serve with nutmeg.

Veep: "Air Force One"

In "Veep," U.S. Vice President turned-President Selina Meyer, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, presents a comedic, sometimes poignant look at the inner workings of the Oval Office. It's won nine Emmy awards and is a critics' favorite for best comedy this year. 

As a nod to top-level sophistication with a salty edge, Pritchard suggested the classic dirty martini. It's a gin drink, but Bond fans and those who don't have gin in their bars can also sub out vodka. 

Air Force One

• Gin, 3 1/2 oz.
• Olive juice, 1/2 oz.
• Dry vermouth, 1/2 oz.
• Olive

Directions: Fill mixing glass with ice and add ingredients. Stir. Strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with an olive, and mix in the olive rind.

The Americans: "The Double Agent"

The FX drama about two Russian spies posing as a married couple in the U.S. during the 80s has been gaining critics' respect since it premiered in 2013. With one win for outstanding guest actress last year, and five nominations this year, critics are buzzing that this year could be the show's breakthrough. 

In an effort to blend Soviet and American elements, Pritchard chose with the Moscow Mule. Like most cocktails, the drink was actually born in the United States. However the simple vodka-and-ginger beer cocktail was heavily marketed by then-Russian vodka company Smirnoff. By replacing vodka with bourbon, arguably the most "American" liquor, the drink is an inversion of the show—an American posing as a Russian.

The Double Agent

• Bourbon, 2 oz.
• Lime juice, 2 oz. or fresh lime, 1/4
• Ginger beer, 8 oz.
• Ice

Directions: mix all ingredients in a copper glass with ice. 

Archer: “The Danger Zone”

Okay, so this is just a Long Island Iced Tea. But anyone who has drank one knows that the vodka, gin, rum and tequila blend is likely to put a person in "The Danger Zone," an oft-used phrase in the animated spy show "Archer." The comedy has been nominated for outstanding animated program the past two years, and is up again this year. Lightweights might want to share with a date. 

The Danger Zone

• Vodka, 1/2 oz.
• Light rum, 1/2 oz.
• Gin, 1/2 oz.
• Tequila, 1/2 oz.
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Splash of cola
• Lemon slice
• Ice

Mix all ingredients in a tall glass full of ice. 

Watch the Emmy Awards

When: 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016

Where: ABC Network