While Richmond can’t seem to do better than a tie, Apple TV Plus’ Ted Lasso scored major wins at this year’s Television Critics Association Awards. In what could be a preview of this weekend’s Primetime Emmy Awards, Jason Sudeikis’ Ted Lasso won outstanding new program, outstanding achievement in comedy and program of the Year, the association said Wednesday.

Ted Lasso, which is based on a branded content piece originally created for NBC Sports, stars Sudeikis as a hopelessly optimistic American football coach who has taken a job as a football coach in London, where football—with its ties, halves and relegation—is a very different sport that Ted still hasn’t fully figured out. Besides Sudeikis, the show also stars Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein, Nick Mohammad, Jeremy Swift and Brendan Hunt, who co-created and writes the show with Sudeikis. Bill Lawrence (Scrubs) executive produces under his Doozer Productions banner. Joe Kelly also co-created the show.

A combined HBO and HBO Max scored four wins this year: individual achievement in drama for I May Destroy You creator, writer, executive producer and star Michaela Coel; outstanding achievement in movies, miniseries or specials for Mare of Easttown, starring Kate Winslet; outstanding achievement in variety, talk or sketch for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, marking the third straight year the show has won this category; and individual achievement in comedy for Jean Smart in Hacks.

Smart, who also co-starred this year in Mare of Easttown and is nominated for Emmys for both roles, was also honored with TCA’s Career Achievement Award. Smart first came to fame playing Charlene Frazier of CBS’ Designing Women and has since starred in such series as Fox’s 24, NBC’s Frasier, HBO’s Watchmen and FX’s Fargo and Legion.

Other winners included FX and FX on Hulu’s Framing Britney Spears, which won outstanding achievement in news and information. Showtime’s Couples Therapy and Netflix docuseries Deaf U shared the prize for outstanding achievement in reality programming.

Netflix scored two more TCA Awards, winning outstanding achievement in drama for season four of The Crown, which began the story of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and outstanding achievement in youth programming for The Baby-Sitter.

The TCA also recognized NBC sitcom The Golden Girls, which ran on the network from 1985 to 1992, with the Heritage Award.

“Television came through in a big way this year, serving up some much-needed entertainment that was a welcome distraction from the real-life dramas of the real world,” said Melanie McFarland, TCA president and TV critic for Salon, in a statement. “The fact that comedic shows reigned supreme at the 2021 TCA Awards is a testament to this. From the folksy humor of Ted Lasso and the sharp takes of Hacks, to the timeless laughs of The Golden Girls, this season’s offerings gave us plenty of reasons to smile in uncertain times. We are excited to honor these outstanding programs as we celebrate 37 years of the TCA Awards, and we look forward to being together again in person in 2022.”

See acceptance speeches on the TCA’s Instagram.

Tags: apple tv plus fx fx on hulu hbo hbo max netflix showtime tca awards ted lasso


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