It took a couple seasons of "Battlestar Galactica" and a dozen more of "South Park" for Peabody to notice those shows. But for HBO's "Game of Thrones," all the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications needed were 10 episodes.

"Game of Thrones" was named among 38 recipients of the Peabody this year. The Peabody, first awarded in 1940, recognizes "excellence on its own terms," allowing each entry to be evaluated within its own quality context.

The actual awards will be handed out May 21 in New York City with two-time Peabody winner Patrick Stewart (for "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and "Macbeth") presenting the winners.

"Adapted from dark-age fantasy books by George R.R. Martin, the series immerses viewers in a multilayers, distinctly imagined world of mysticism and earthiness, fidelity and deceit, wonder and mayhem," Grady College officials said in a release of winners.

"Game of Thrones" started its second season last Sunday to record viewers, topping other high-profile cable programs of the night like AMC programs "The Killing" and "Mad Men."

Also recognized, although not a genre program, was IFC's "Portlandia." That comedy sketch series starring Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein, grabbed a lot of genre attention this past winter with its highly popular "One More Episode" treatment of the fanaticism behind another past Peabody winner, "Battlestar Galactica." In that episode, characters play by Armisen and Brownstein discover the Syfy series on DVD, and can't stop watching it. Once they get to the end of the series, they seek out a "Ronald D. Moore" in the Portland phone book, and go to him, hoping the man they believe to be the BSG showrunner will write more episodes.

The Peabody selection committee consists of 16 television critics, industry practitioners, and experts in culture and the arts. Special screenings are set up for University of Georgia faculty, students and staff to help determine winners.

All entries become a permanent part of the Peabody Archive at the University of Georgia Libraries. It's one of the nation's oldest, largest and most-respected moving-image archives, according to the committee.

Some of the past genre winners include ABC's "Lost" in 2008, Showtime's "Dexter" in 2007, "Battlestar Galactica" in 2005, "The X-Files" in 1996, "Mystery Science Theater 3000" in 1993, "Twin Peaks" in 1990 and "Star Trek: The Next Generation" in 1987.

For a complete list of winners, click here.