The Television Critics Association wrapped up their long summer soiree of network and streaming provider presentations by holding their annual TCA Awards gala. Since 1984 the TCA has handed out honors for the best programs and performances of the year and have championed shows such as “The Americans,” “The Leftovers,” “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” “Battlestar Galactica,” “Friday Night Lights” and “My So Called Life” before Emmy voters ever considered them.
This year’s ceremony was hosted by Kristin Chenoweth and turned out to be a huge night for “The Handmaid’s Tale” and Carrie Coon, among others. Hulu’s most celebrated series yet took both Outstanding Achievement in Drama and the coveted Program of the Year honors. FX’s “Atlanta” won Outstanding Achievement in Comedy and creators and star Donald Glover took the Individual Achievement in Comedy award. NBC’s “This Is Us” won Outstanding New Program and A&E’s “Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath” surprised winning the Outstanding Achievement in Reality Programming over the more heralded Netflix series “The Keepers.” HBO’s “Big Little Lies” triumphed in the Movies, Mini-Series and Specials category.
Carrie Coon, long a critical darling for her work on “The Leftovers,” took the Individual Achievement in Drama award for both that HBO series and FX’s “Fargo.” She beat some stiff competition including Nicole Kidman (“Big Little Lies”), Elisabeth Moss (“The Handmaid’s Tale”) and Jessica Lange (“Feud: Bette and Joan”).
Disappointingly, the TCA members rewarded ESPN’s “O.J.: Made in America” which was nominated in the Outstanding Achievement in News and Information category despite the fact it was considered a film and won the Best Documentary Oscar this past February.
Ken Burns was honored with the Career Achievement Award and “Seinfeld” received the Heritage Award (it notably only won the TCA Comedy category twice and never won Program of the Year).
Whether any of these wins can help push many of these Emmy contenders over the top remains to be seen, but it’s certainly a PR boost for “Handmaid’s Tale” which is battling “Stranger Things,” “Westworld” and “The Crown” for Best Drama and “Atlanta” which hopes to knock off “Veep” in the Best Comedy race.
A complete list of all the nominees and winners are as follows:
INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA
Sterling K. Brown, “This Is Us,” NBC
Carrie Coon, “The Leftovers” & “Fargo,” HBO & FX – WINNER
Claire Foy, “The Crown,” Netflix
Nicole Kidman, “Big Little Lies,” HBO
Jessica Lange, “Feud: Bette And Joan,” FX
Elisabeth Moss, “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Hulu
Susan Sarandon, “Feud: Bette And Joan,” FX
INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY
Pamela Adlon, “Better Things,” FX
Aziz Ansari, “Master of None,” Netflix
Kristen Bell, “The Good Place,” NBC
Donald Glover, “Atlanta,” FX – WINNER
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep,” HBO
Issa Rae, “Insecure,” HBO
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, “Fleabag,” Amazon
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN NEWS AND INFORMATION
“Full Frontal With Samantha Bee,” TBS (2016 Winner in Category)
“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver,” HBO
“The Lead With Jake Tapper,” CNN
“O.J.: Made in America,” ESPN – WINNER
“Planet Earth II,” BBC America
“Weiner,” Showtime
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN REALITY PROGRAMMING
“The Circus,” Showtime
“The Great British Baking Show,” PBS
“The Keepers,” Netflix
“Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath,” A&E – WINNER
“Shark Tank,” ABC
“Survivor: Game Changers,” CBS
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN YOUTH PROGRAMMING
“Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” PBS (2016 Winner in Category)
“Doc McStuffins,” Disney Junior
“Elena of Avalor,” Disney Channel
“Odd Squad,” PBS
“Sesame Street,” HBO
“Speechless,” ABC – WINNER
OUTSTANDING NEW PROGRAM
“Atlanta,” FX
“The Crown,” Netflix
“The Good Place,” NBC
“The Handmaid’s Tale,” Hulu
“Stranger Things,” Netflix
“This Is Us,” NBC – WINNER
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MOVIES, MINISERIES AND SPECIALS
“Big Little Lies,” HBO – WINNER
“Fargo,” FX
“Feud: Bette and Joan,” FX
“Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life,” Netflix
“The Night Of,” HBO
“Wizard of Lies,” HBO
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA
“Better Call Saul,” AMC
“Stranger Things,” Netflix
“The Americans,” FX (2015 & 2016 Winner in Category)
“The Crown,” Netflix
“The Handmaid’s Tale,” Hulu – WINNER
“This Is Us,” NBC
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY
“Atlanta,” FX – WINNER
“black-ish,” ABC (2016 Winner in Category)
“Fleabag,” Amazon
“Master of None,” Netflix
“The Good Place,” NBC
“Veep,” HBO
PROGRAM OF THE YEAR
“Atlanta,” FX
“Big Little Lies,” HBO
“Stranger Things,” Netflix
“The Handmaid’s Tale,” Hulu – WINNER
“The Leftovers,” HBO
“This Is Us,” NBC