Dorian TV Awards: "Interview with the Vampire" and "Hacks" win big!

by Cláudio Alves

AMC's beautiful bloodsuckers vamped their way to three Dorian Awards.

As a proud new member of GALECA, I was overjoyed to vote on the Dorian TV Awards for the first time ever. Of course, I can't say I agree with every choice, but this is the way of judging art and prizes. Indeed, disagreement is part of the fun. Not that I'd ever say a word against the two awards juggernauts that took the Dorians by storm this television season. Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire surprises by taking three major categories, including Best Drama, while Hacks is the overall leader with four individual wins. But then, half of the Max comedy's victories were for its acting, which, along with the drama duo, makes one question the current system and the ever-present curse of category fraud. 

The complete winners' list, plus some personal ruminations, after the jump…

Best TV Drama: ANNE RICE'S INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE
Best LGBTQ TV Show: ANNE RICE'S INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE
Best Genre TV Show: ANNE RICE'S INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE 

Rolin Jones' reimagining of The Vampire Chronicles was already successful in season one. However, nothing could compare to the heights achieved in the series' second chapter, when the vicissitudes of remembrance break a Gothic Romance into glittering shatters. Tales of betrayal and reconciliation, Parisian horror and sham trials, a slew of superb performances, as willing to indulge in theatrical excess as in the alienating possibilities of restraint. I couldn't love it more if I tried, so its success at the Dorians tastes like the sweetest justice.

Best TV Comedy: HACKS
Best Written TV Show: HACKS 

Similar to the AMC vampire show, while Hacks was already a triumph in its early seasons, its newest batch of episodes surpassed expectations. Structured as a dual-character study, the comedy leaned on the premise's dramatic potential to significant effect, culminating in a final hour where long-lived loyalties erode and love curdles. Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder are up to the challenge, delivering what may be the best work of their respective careers. And though that might not be that impressive for the up-and-comer Einbinder, Smart is a veteran of the screen whose credits should inspire awe.

Best TV Performance – Comedy: Jean Smart, HACKS
Best Supporting TV Performance – Comedy: Hannah Einbinder, HACKS

Speaking of the pair, each actress took one of the comedy acting awards. That's all fair and good until one stops to read the category names. There's no way to appreciate the genius of Hacks and still insist Einbinder is a supporting player. The show is as much her story as Smart's, and the third season only reinforces that notion. To deem her supporting is to rob true supporting actors of their chance to shine. Worse, this issue wasn't exclusive to the comedic side of things.

Best TV Performance – Drama: Matt Bomer, FELLOW TRAVELERS
Best Supporting TV Performance – Drama: Jonathan Bailey, FELLOW TRAVELERS

Once again, we're confronted with a two-lead queer narrative where one of the principals is categorized as supporting to allow the show to dominate the awards conversation across the board. I find this unjust to those actors who actually play on the sidelines of their productions, though one can understand why others don't agree. After all, if good performances get rewarded, what's the issue? Since I don't actually like Fellow Travelers and find its leads immensely overrated, there's not even that pleasure to soothe the irritation. 

But how do we solve such a mess? Fair categorization would be a way to go, perchance a committee to decide where each performer belongs. Or maybe some more acting awards. The BIFAs have implemented a prize for joint lead performances, allowing both parts of these symbiotic characterizations to be honored together and still leave space for other honorees.

Best TV Movie or Limited Series: BABY REINDEER
Best Non-English Language TV Show: SHOGUN
Best LGBTQ Non-English TV Show: YOUNG ROYALS
Best Unsung TV Show: RESERVATION DOGS 

With all the love for Fellow Travelers, it's surprising that the membership didn't crown it as the best miniseries of the season. Then again, Baby Reindeer is a phenomenon and might be on its way to a slew of Emmys next month. That's probably what's awaiting Shogun, too, while Reservation Dogs is just happy to be nominated. As for Young Royals, its Dorian Awards victory isn't correlated to other major award hopes, making it feel uniquely special.

Best TV Documentary or Documentary Series: QUIET ON SET: THE DARK SIDE OF KIDS TV
Best LGBTQ TV Documentary or Documentary Series: LAST CALL: WHEN A SERIAL KILLER STALKED QUEER NEW YORK
Best Current Affairs Show: LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER
Best Reality Show: THE TRAITORS 

True crime stays winning in the documentary categories, while John Oliver prevails in the Current Affairs race, just like he does at the Emmys. No surprises there. The Traitors triumphing over Drag Race and We're Here is a bit more shocking.

Best TV Musical Performance: Ryan Gosling, "I'm Just Ken," 96TH ACADEMY AWARDS
Best Animated Show: X-MEN '97 

Gosling's Oscars performance beat some stiff competition, though the number's delightful energy is hard to deny. In the animated front, X-Men '97 continues to ride a wave of popularity with the public and the critics. That only makes the firing of its showrunner, Beau DeMayo, more confusing. It's a head-scratcher, alright, having come before the show aired. Maybe the rumors are true, and Disney gave him the boot because of OnlyFans activity.

Campiest TV Show: CHUCKY
Most Visually Striking TV Show: RIPLEY 

Like Nathaniel, I'm confused about what the campiest TV show honor is supposed to mean. Is it an appreciation of camp or a roundabout way of lambasting a bad series? Personally, I wouldn't think of using the word as a pejorative, but many do. Whatever the case, Chucky won something and that's reason enough to be happy. Also, congratulations to Ripley, one of the best-shot shows of the year. Even without accounting for its chic midcentury designs, the Highsmith adaptation would have earned the honor for its gorgeous black-and-white cinematography. Robert Elswit is a master of his craft.

Wilde Wit Award: Julio Torres
GALECA TV Icon Award: Carol Burnett
GALECA LGBTQIA+ TV Trailblazer Award: Alan Cumming 

Finally, the career honors were all attributed to artists with work in contention this TV season. Beyond blessing the big screen with Problemista, Julio Torres has also gifted audiences with Fantasmas in 2024. Carol Burnett is vying for the Best Supporting Actress Emmy thanks to Palm Royale, and Alan Cumming is giving it his all as The Traitors' American host. It's impossible to argue against all of this amply-deserved recognition.

What do you make of the Dorian TV Awards? How would you have voted? Here's the full list of nominees. 

Comments

[Joe G.]

Interview is a great show. I thought it had an impressive first season, so I'm glad the second was a success and that they're on to a third. It's also a show that feels excitingly gay/queer and willing to feature in a way that a lot of recent queer shows haven't. I suppose only fellow travelers has really gone there (though not as successfully).

I wish that Bailey and Bomer had both gone lead all season. They clearly were, and I think it would have made room for Jelani Alladin to have been honored for his performance.

[par]

i know nothing about x-men '97 but now having googled beau demayo i certainly hope the onlyfans rumour is true

[Cláudio Alves]

par -- Completely understandable :D That's one handsome showrunner.

Joe G. -- I honestly liked Jelani Alladin more than Bomer and Bailey. Apologies if that's heresy to some of you.