Alas, no dress-up this year for the TCA Awards, the annual event from the TV Critics Association, where winners (and strangely, no losers) show up in a California hotel ballroom to accept their plexiglass kudos safe in the knowledge that nothing they say will be either broadcast or otherwise held against them.
That has led to some fun, freewheeling nights, but also ones bereft of the widely televised attention bestowed by other more questionable aggregations (Critics Choice? The Hollywood Foreign Press Association?).
At the risk of holding off the lede any longer, I should tell you that HBO’s “Watchmen” won a slew of 2020 TCA Awards announced Monday, including both Program of the Year and Outstanding New Program, as well as Outstanding Miniseries and Individual Achievement in Drama for star Regina King. We are happy to pile on the awards before the Emmys get there.
“My heart is just jumping!” King said in a taped acceptance speech to critics (also not to be shared publicly!).
Creator Damon Lindelof, who gave the longest taped acceptance this year, said he was fond of the TCA traditions of not clapping when casts and creators come on stage for their panel press conferences.
“Your invalidation validates my belief that I am human garbage,” he said drolly, adding, “I suppose one of the only upsides of this global pandemic is that this format also deprives me of the applause I so unhealthily crave.” (That’s before turning serious and thanking critics for thoughtfully considering his shows).