“Thanks so much for this award and, indeed, for holding this ceremony remotely,” said John Oliver, whose “Last Week Tonight” won its third consecutive outstanding talk show win. “It is preferable to you forcing everyone to attend some kind of Covid-compliant, in-person ceremony on the roof of the Scientology Center, or in the middle of a wind tunnel.” 

The TCA Awards often beats the Emmys when it comes to first awarding TV talent; such was the case Wednesday with star, producer, creator and co-director Michaela Coel winning for her searing “I May Destroy You” on HBO. 

“Wow, this is a very very huge award, particularly because it’s from TCA and critique is important to me,” Coel said. 

Other winners included the FX / New York Times collaboration documentary “Framing Britney Spears,” credited with helping nudge her conservatorship case.

A tie in reality programming went to two worthy entries, Showtime’s “Couples Therapy” and the documentary series “Deaf U” shot at Washington, D.C.’s Gallaudet University. 

The third season of “The Crown” won outstanding achievement in drams while “The Baby-Sitters Club” won outstanding youth program.

Continuing the TCA Awards as a press release announcement with taped thanks deprived rumpled critics from its annual non-televised dress-up party, a highlight of summer press tour, where many of the honorees are free to give sometimes candid thank you speeches. The awards also came a month later than usual for no specified reason.

The TCA Award winners are chosen by 200 professional journalists who cover TV (including this one). “We look forward to being together again in person in 2022,” says president Melanie McFarland, critic for Salon.