TCA obsesses over "Watchmen" and "Mrs America"
Friday, July 10, 2020 at 8:03PM by Nathaniel R
We have mixed, even contradictory, feelings about the Television Critics Association. On the one hand they've exhibited good taste over the years. Their limited categories mean that their awards are focused and precise and uniquely theirs (always a good thing to have your own voice). As a bonus history shows that they value female actors more than male actors. Same, TCA, same.
On the other their narrow focus can also feel like a curse, or even sometimes read as misanthropic stinginess. Consider that not only do they only have two acting categories but they don't divvy up between female and male actors. This means that even in the Golden Age of Television (are we still calling it that?) only 13 actors get name-checked. 13 from hundreds and hundreds of shows (and dozens of them reportedly great)...
Their miniscule honors for actors also naturally shuts out supporting players since leading roles are higher profile. We haven't fact checked this but we've heard that Rhea Seehorn from Better Call Saul, nominated this year, is the first supporting performer they've nominated in several years. So none of the brilliant ladies from Mrs America are nominated except Blanchett since she's the lead. One of the joys of Mrs America is that everyone seems to have a different MVP so we call foul on only honoring Blanchett (I'm not done with every episode -- been too busy -- but halfway through at least I'd rank Uzo Aduba as the MVP) .
At any rate. The nominees they did honor are strong so their good taste continues.
Individual Achievement in Drama
Cate Blanchett, “Mrs. America” – FX on Hulu
Kaitlyn Dever, “Unbelievable” – Netflix
Regina King, “Watchmen” – HBO
Mark Ruffalo, “I Know This Much Is True” – HBO
Rhea Seehorn, “Better Call Saul” – AMC
Jeremy Strong, “Succession” – HBO
Merritt Wever, “Unbelievable” – Netflix
We call foul like gross yucky we can't believe it foul on passing over BOTH Paul Mescal (Normal People) and Shira Haas (Unorthodox), who we legit think gave the two best performances of the year (thus far). They're the kind of rich transcendent performances that we'd hand gold medals to in our film awards had these been movies rather than miniseries. They're THAT perfect.
Individual Achievement in Comedy
Pamela Adlon, “Better Things” – FX
Christina Applegate, “Dead to Me” – Netflix
Elle Fanning, “The Great” – Hulu
Catherine O’Hara, “Schitt’s Creek” – Pop TV
Issa Rae, “Insecure” – HBO
Ramy Youssef, “Ramy” – Hulu
None of them have ever won though Adlon, Rae, and O'Hara have been nominated previously.
Outstanding Achievement in News and Information
“60 Minutes” – CBS
“Frontline” – PBS
“Hillary” – Hulu
“The Last Dance” – ESPN
“McMillions” – HBO
“The Rachel Maddow Show” – MSNBC
60 Minutes and Frontline are previous winners
Outstanding Achievement in Reality
“Cheer” – Netflix
“Encore!” – Disney Plus
“Holey Moley” – ABC
“Making It” – NBC
“Top Chef All-Stars L.A.” – Bravo
“We’re Here!” – HBO
Making It is the only returning nominee.
Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming
“Carmen Sandiego” – Netflix
“Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” – PBS Kids
“Molly of Denali” – PBS Kids
“Odd Squad” – PBS Kids
“Wild Kratts” – PBS Kids
“Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum” – PBS Kids
Carmen Sandiego and Daniel Tiger are repeat consecutive nominees. Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood has won previously.
Outstanding Achievement in Sketch/Variety Shows
“A Black Lady Sketch Show” – HBO
“The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” – Comedy Central
“Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” –TBS
“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” – HBO
“Late Night with Seth Meyers” – NBC
“Saturday Night Live” – NBC
This category has existed for just three years (including this one). John Oliver is the only show that's ever won so far. And before that it won in the category of "News and Information" so they REALLY love John Oliver.
Outstanding Achievement in Movie or Miniseries
“Little Fires Everywhere” – Hulu
“Mrs. America” – FX on Hulu
“Normal People” – Hulu
“The Plot Against America” – HBO
“Unbelievable” – Netflix
“Watchmen” – HBO
That Unorthodox is missing is gross negligence. We're actually legit disgusted. Little Fires Everywhere was a problematic clumsy mess, especially by comparison.
Outstanding New Program
“The Great” – Hulu
“The Mandalorian” – Disney Plus
“The Morning Show” – Apple TV Plus
“Never Have I Ever” – Netflix
“Watchmen” – HBO
“Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” – NBC
Despite their small amount of categories they still have categorization problems (as all awards shows seem to). The weirdest detail is that they've nominated Watchmen for this category (an award intended for ongoing series) even though HBO announced quite a long time ago that there would not be a second season and this was a one-and-done miniseries. Shouldn't it have thus been disqualified from this particular category? Especially since it's nominated in both categories that it does belong in (Program of the Year and Miniseries)
Outstanding Achievement in Drama
“Better Call Saul” – AMC
“The Crown” – Netflix
“Euphoria” – HBO
“The Good Fight” – CBS All Access
“Pose” – FX
“Succession” – HBO
The Good Fight, Pose, Better Call Saul, and Succession were all nominated last year as well. Better Call Saul won.
Outstanding Achievement in Comedy
“Better Things” – FX
“Dead to Me” – Netflix
“The Good Place” – NBC
“Insecure” – HBO
“Schitt’s Creek” – Pop TV
“What We Do in the Shadows” – FX
The Good Place won two years ago and is on its fourth consecutive nomination.
Program of the Year
“Better Call Saul” – AMC
“Mrs. America” – FX on Hulu
“Schitt’s Creek” – Pop TV
“Succession” – HBO
“Unbelievable” – Netflix
“Watchmen” – HBO
They're all first time nominees in this, the top category.
WHICH CONTENDERS ARE YOU ROOTING FOR TO WIN?
Reader Comments (13)
The Little Fires Everywhere nomination is an insult.
I read that Ruffallo was very overacted in that HBO miniseries. Should I watch it?
I like that they do not distinguish between male and female actors. It'll happen elsewhere someday, just not soon.
The supporting acting thing is fascinating because there used to be at least one supporting player nominated per year around 10 years ago, for drama: Walton Googins (The Shield) in 2009, Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) in 2010, Peter Dinklage (Games of Thrones) in 2011 and 2012, Margo Martindale (Justified) in 2012 and Monica Potter (Parenthood) in 2013. Then Potter is the last one before this year.
I think this is especially rare now because most nominated performances are from miniseries or movies and not continuing series. Maybe because these miniseries allow for more complete character arcs?
Unorthodox (and Haas) was good but not THAT good. I do enjoy reading about your love for it though!
Delighted to see some of my favourites, (Catherine O'Hara, The Good Fight, Mrs.America, Succession) make this limited list. There are a few surprises, "I Know This Much is True"- I adore Mark Ruffalo, but I found this unwatchable.
HBO has had a strong year.
So glad Pose is on here and The Great too. But Nicholas Hoult really needs to get some accolades - he was terrific.
They could have filled the supporting actress list with any of the supporting ladies of Mrs America.
Lucky: No. Even IF acting categories at, say, the Oscars jump to...10 for both lead and supporting but drop the gendered divisions, I'd still be against unless they could also guarantee no more than a 6/4 split between genders and most years being 50-50. Spoilers: That's probably not going to be what would happen. Category fraud would definitely lessen, possibly disappearing entirely, but, even if nothing happened in terms of fraud (as unlikely as that is), I'd still say, you'd be looking at 7/3 or 8/2 splits, ALWAYS tilted toward men in both lead and supporting, and female winners happening maybe once every 10-15 years. Is that not...hideously disgusting?
All for the SCHITTS Creek program of the year nomination.
Volvagia: well that's not what happened with this particular organization and although I'm aware that disparity might be a risk, that's no reason not to attempt to overcome decisions such as the gender divide. It might be good to start questioning why we have them in the first place.
I'm sure female writers and directors wouldn't want a category for themselves, but to be included in the category that's designed to honor everyone. Now, we know that's not how it ends up working but that's an industry problem that we're actively fighting.
Still, from your resounding no to what I've read in other sites, I think this is a conversation we're not that ready to have, but I'm glad some groups are showing that other options of rewarding merit exist.
Don’t praise them for being an awards body with individual taste and then bitch, not criticise, about the omitted. “Gross, yucky” “gross negligence” “legit disgusted”. This bitter hyperbole is not it girl. The BFCA of it all. The Caucasity of it all. We know you’re missing you weekly broadway shows, and passing stars on the streets but don’t make us nickname you Oscar (for being such a grouch).
I haven't seen Watchmen or I Know This Much Is True, and the unnominated Sarah Paulson gave my favorite tv performance of the year (love Seehorn and Strong as well). That said, I think these nominations are great, as always. I have no doubt they'll make good choices when it comes to winners.
Nice to see Cheer, The Great, and The Good Fight recognized. All great tv that will be neglected by the Emmys for their perennial favorites.
Schitt's Creek BUT most importantly a win for the always brilliant Catherine O'Hara ... it's time for her to shine like the brightest star she always was and always will be!