by Nathaniel R
Quinta Brunson in "Abbott Elementary" © ABC
The Television Critics Association have announced their nominees for the past year of television, aiming straight towards being "influencers" since they announced the day Emmy voting began (yesterday). ABC's wonderful hit sitcom Abbott Elementary led the nominations with five while Better Call Saul, Yellowjackets and Severance were not far behind with 4 citations each. UPDATE 08/06: Winners have been announced.
Generally speaking this organization continues to have good taste though we have two gripes with them that we'll share after the jump. Here's what they loved this year in their 11 categories...
INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA
Melanie Lynskey in "Yellowjackets" © Showtime
- Lee Jung-jae, “Squid Game” – Netflix
- Michael Keaton, “Dopesick” – Hulu
- Melanie Lynskey, “Yellowjackets” – Showtime
- ★ Mandy Moore, “This Is Us” – NBC
- Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul” – AMC (previously nominated in 2015 and 2016)
- Margaret Qualley, “Maid” – Netflix
- Adam Scott, “Severance” – Apple TV+
- Rhea Seehorn, “Better Call Saul” – AMC (previously nominated in 2020)
- Amanda Seyfried, “The Dropout” – Hulu
- Jeremy Strong, “Succession” – HBO (previously nominated in 2020)
INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY
Bridget Everett in "Somebody Somewhere" © HBO
- Pamela Adlon, “Better Things” – FX (previously nominated in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020)
- ★ Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary” – ABC
- Bridget Everett, “Somebody Somewhere” – HBO
- Bill Hader, “Barry” – HBO (previously nominated in 2019)
- Janelle James, “Abbott Elementary” – ABC
- Steve Martin, “Only Murders in the Building” – Hulu
- Jean Smart, “Hacks” – HBO Max (2021 Winner in Category)
- Jason Sudeikis – “Ted Lasso” – Apple TV+ (previously nominated in 2021)
GRIPE #1 It's always been sad to us that they only award two actors a year. And, as with all awards institutions that do it this way, we consider it very disrespectful that they don't have supporting categories. What that inevitably means is that only in rare circumstances is a non-headliner honored. Rhea Seehorn and Janelle James are the only actors to manage it this year in Drama and Comedy, respectively.
In the 25 years in which the TCA has been giving out acting awards, only two (true) supporting players have ever won prizes (Jane Lynch for Glee in 2010 and Nick Offerman for Parks and Recreation in 201). You'd think a critics organization would want to honor supporting players that don't get the headliner salaries for their crucial contributions to the artform. It's just not a level playing field at all to force them to compete with leads.
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN NEWS AND INFORMATION
- ★ “The Beatles: Get Back” – Disney+
- “Benjamin Franklin” – PBS
- “Frontline” – PBS (Eight-time Winner in Category with numerous other nominations)
- “George Carlin's American Dream” – HBO
- “How To with John Wilson” – HBO
- “Prehistoric Planet” – Apple TV+
- “60 Minutes” – CBS (2012 Winner in Category with numerous other nominations)
- “The Tinder Swindler” – Netflix
- “We Need To Talk About Cosby” – Showtime
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN REALITY [TIE FOR THE WINNER]
"Finding Magic Mike" © HBO
- ★ “The Amazing Race” – CBS (2011 Winner in Category with a few additional nominations)
- “Cheer” – Netflix (2020 Winner in Category)
- “Finding Magic Mike” – HBO Max
- ★ “Legendary” – HBO Max (nominated last year as well)
- “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” – Bravo
- “Real World Homecoming: New Orleans” – Paramount+
- “Take Out with Lisa Ling” – HBO Max
- “Top Chef: Houston” – Bravo (two previous nominations)
They've never been huge fans of RuPaul's Drag Race. It's been nominated only thrice at the TCAs in its fourteen seasons: 2014 when it won which was the Bianca Del Rio/Adore Delano year, 2015 the Violet Chachki/Ginger Minj year, and 2018 the Aquaria/Eureka O'Hara year)
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN YOUTH PROGRAMMING
- “Ada Twist, Scientist” – Netflix
- ★ “The Baby-Sitters Club” – Netflix (2021 Winner in Category)
- “El Deafo” – Apple TV+
- “Mira, Royal Detective” – Disney Junior
- “Octonauts: Above & Beyond” – Netflix
- “Odd Squad” – PBS Kids
- “Ridley Jones” – Netflix
- “Sesame Street” – HBO Max
This is The Baby-Sitters Club second consecutive win.
Regarding the nominations, no Heartstopper here is disappointing. Perhaps members didn't know where to place it?
OUTSTANDING NEW PROGRAM
- ★ “Abbott Elementary” – ABC
- “Ghosts” – CBS
- “Only Murders in the Building” – Hulu
- “Pachinko” – Apple TV+
- “Reservation Dogs” – FX
- “Severance” – Apple TV+
- “The White Lotus” – HBO
- “Yellowjackets” – Showtime
The TCA leans into new shows in other categories too which makes sense. Critics are people too and they tire of seeing the same things over and over.
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MOVIES, MINISERIES OR SPECIALS
- ★ “Dopesick” – Hulu
- “The Dropout” – Hulu
- “The Girl From Plainville” – Hulu
- “Maid” – Netflix
- “Midnight Mass” – Netflix
- “The Staircase” – HBO Max
- “Station Eleven” – HBO Max
- “Under the Banner of Heaven” – FX
It'll be interesting to see which of these land Emmy nods since there will be only five nominees at the Emmys in this category so three of these gotta go -- four have to go actually since the Emmys will surely nominate The White Lotus.
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA
* if they're also nominated for "Program of the Year"
"Pachinko" © AppleTV+
- “Better Call Saul”* – AMC (2019 Winner in Category)
- “The Good Fight” – Paramount+
- “Pachinko” – Apple TV+
- “Severance”* – Apple TV+
- “Squid Game”* – Netflix
- ★ “Succession”* – HBO (2020 Winner in Category)
- “This Is Us” – NBC
- “Yellowjackets”* – Showtime
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY
* if they're also nominated for "Program of the Year"
- ★ “Abbott Elementary”* – ABC
- “Atlanta” – FX (2017 Winner in Category)
- “Barry” – HBO
- “Ghosts” – CBS
- “Hacks”* – HBO Max
- “Only Murders In The Building” – Hulu
- “Reservation Dogs” – FX
- “Ted Lasso” – Apple TV+ (2021 Winner in Category)
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN VARIETY, TALK OR SKETCH
- “The Amber Ruffin Show” – Peacock
- “A Black Lady Sketch Show” – HBO (2020 Winner in Category)
- “I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson” – Netflix
- “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” – HBO (2021, 2019 & 2018 Winner in Category)
- “Late Night with Seth Meyers” – NBC
- “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” – CBS
- “Saturday Night Live” – NBC
- “Ziwe” – Showtime
PROGRAM OF THE YEAR
"The White Lotus" © HBO
- ★ “Abbott Elementary” – ABC
- “Better Call Saul” – AMC
- “Hacks” – HBO Max
- “Severance” – Apple TV+
- “Squid Game” – Netflix
- “Succession” – HBO
- “The White Lotus” – HBO
- “Yellowjackets” – Showtime
The White Lotus is the only nominee that wasn't also nominated in its correlative category. It's not nominated for limited series (which it began as) or drama (which it turned into given that it is getting a second season). Curious.
GRIPE #2: Abbot Elementary wins again, which brings us to this as predicted. In theory "Program of the Year" is a great idea for a category but what ends up happening is that it often creates a double or triple dip as the show usually wins its own category plus sometimes the "New Program" category giving it essentially three "best tv on the air" wins. Given that this organization has so few awards the result is that it look like only one show was worthy of praise that year. It would be such a great prize if it was more like critics orgs that discuss and vote and if you win one thing you can't win another so "Program of the Year" is the top prize voted on first. If you win that something else can also be honored in the more specific category for a more well rounded picture of the best television programming that season.
Here are the past 25 years of the top award "Program of the Year".
If it didn't also win its own category that's in italics
red = anomaly
97 EZ Streets - lost drama to "Homicide: Life in the Street"
98 Earth to Moon -ALSO MINISERIES WINNER
99 Sopranos - ALSO DRAMA & NEW PROGRAM WINNER
00 West Wing - ALSO DRAMA & NEW PROGRAM WINNER
01 Sopranos - ALSO DRAMA WINNER
02 24 - lost drama to Six Feet Under / ALSO NEW PROGRAM WINNER
03 American Idol - there was not yet a "reality" category
04 Angels in America - ALSO MINISERIES WINNER
05 Desperate Housewives - lost comedy to "Arrested Development"
06 Grey's Anatomy - was not nominated for Drama
07 Heroes - lost drama to "Lost"
08 Mad Men - ALSO DRAMA & NEW PROGRAM WINNER
09 Battlestar Galactica - was not nominated for Drama
10 Glee - lost comedy to "Modern Family" / ALSO NEW PROGRAM WINNER
11 Friday Night Lights - lost drama to "Mad Men"
12 Game of Thrones - lost drama to "Breaking Bad"
13 Breaking Bad - lost drama to "Game of Thrones"
14 Breaking Bad - lost drama to "The Good Wife"
15 Empire - lost drama to "The Americans"
16 The People vs OJ - ALSO MINISERIES WINNER
17 The Handmaid's Tale - ALSO DRAMA WINNER
18 The Americans - ALSO DRAMA WINNER
19 Fleabag - ALSO COMEDY WINNER
20 Watchmen - ALSO MINISERIES & NEW PROGRAM WINNER
21 Ted Lasso - ALSO COMEDY & NEW PROGRAM WINNER
22 Abbot Elementary - ALSO COMEDY & NEW PROGRAM WINNER