At this point in my career I
believe the two best groups when it comes to recognizing TV are the Critics
Choice Awards and the Astra TV Awards, formerly known as the Hollywood Critics
Association. The latter still has a slight edge because while it continues to
evolve away from its pattern it still acknowledges fairly evenly network, cable
and streaming as equal forces when it comes to great TV. In the last couple of
years they have been moving away from recognizing them individually but that
doesn't make them any less superb when it comes to overall recognition.
Today they gave their annual set
of nominations and for the sixth consecutive year I continue to be in awe of
how well they recognize not just the best shows on TV but also quite a few that
might otherwise fall under the radar of the viewer or might not get recognized
by the Emmys. They have their quirks and foibles to be sure, but like the
Critics Choice Awards, they get far more right in the nominations and awards
then they do wrong and to this point they have as good a track record as both
the Critics Choice and the Golden Globes.
Because they nominate so many
shows, actors and unlike other award shows writing and directing I've always
given multiple articles to assess each group. Before I would break them down
between broadcast/cable and streaming, now its easier to do it the same way I
do every other awards show: comedy, drama and limited series. There are also
some other awards they give that have overlap as well as miscellaneous and I'll
deal with them in the final entry.
Since this is the first official
awards to deal with the 2025-2026, as opposed to almost every other awards show
which basically only deal with 2025, the Astras are the first awards show that
may give the first complete picture of what shows the Emmys might nominated in
just over a month's time. Some of them the Emmys will almost certainly ignore
because of their own prejudices; others they might very well be forced to take
a certain look at. So let's take a look at the nominations and see the shows
that are already favorites and the ones that, with these nominations, might be
enough to get them over the hump.
This time I'll start with comedy.
COMEDY SERIES
Bill Lawrence has a big presence
here with three nominations. I'm happiest by far for Scrubs being
nominated but I'm also overjoyed for Shrinking and Rooster, which
I might get too.
Abbott Elementary, Hacks and Margo's Got Money Troubles
will all be among the major contenders for nominations and awards. Elsbeth
is a dark horse, but as with the Critics Choice Awards its doing well with nominations.
I Love LA is a long shot and frankly I'm surprised it was nominated over
The Comeback. Ted has no realistic chance.
The Hunting Wives has been getting some buzz in the
last few weeks since Netflix decided to treat it as a comedy. However I'm
pretty sure some other shows will get in over it.
NETWORK COMEDY ENSEMBLE
No surprise seeing Abbott
Elementary and Ghosts here; they've been getting nominated in this
category since they debuted. Glad to see Scrubs and St. Denis Medical
here. Odd to see Best Medicine treated as a comedy and Shifting
Gears. Almost expected Reggie Dinkins to be here but a good group
CABLE COMEDY ENSEMBLE
Rooster, I Love LA and The Chair Company are
here. The Comeback isn't which is a big shock. I'd like to see if MGM+
superb American Classic could make it and The Lowdown deserves
discussion. Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia is always going to be the
bridesmaid.
STREAMING COMEDY ENSEMBLE
Here are Hacks, Margo's and
Shrinking. In case you were wondering where Nobody Wants This and
Only Murders in the Building were when it came to outstanding comedy,
here they are in streaming. You know what isn't here?
Season 4 of The Bear. The
fact that the Astras chose to nominate the just cancel Gen V over The
Bear is incredibly telling. As you'll see below The Bear was all but
ignored by the Astras in the nominations. This is the second major group to all
but ignore a show that just two years ago was the most nominated show at the
Emmys. We may debate whether The Bear is a comedy or a drama but my
fellow critics on one thing: it's not worth their nominating any more. I don't
know if the Emmys will do the same this year; but this is another red flag as
to just how much its fallen in less than two years.
ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Four of the most likely nominees
for Best Comic Actress are here, maybe even five. Jean Smart of course, Selena
Gomez, Quinta Brunson and Lisa Kudrow. Jenna Ortega, who was nominated for the
SAG Awards and the Golden Globes for Wednesday is here – but its notable
that show wasn't nominated for Best Comedy Series. Elle Fanning is here for
Best Actress for Margo.
Who isn't here? Ayo
Edebiri for The Bear or Kristen Bell for Nobody Wants This, both
of whom were nominated for Emmys last year. Who is here: Carrie Preston for Elsbeth,
who has already been nominated for a Critics Choice Awards. Malin Akerman
and Brittany Snow for The Hunting Wives. Akerman has received a
nomination from the Gotham TV Awards. Rachel Sennott for I Love LA and
Keke Palmer for The Burbs.
Overall I can't fault most of the
nominations. I might have wanted Bell in for Palmer or Sennott but this
basically covers most of my major contenders.
ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
THEY NOMINATED ZACH BRAFF FOR SCRUBS!
(Deep breath) I mean I know he doesn't have a huge chance but THEY
NOMINATED HIM OVER JEREMY ALLAN WHITE. I love the Astras and not just for this.
Steve Martin and Martin Short are
here, as they've always been. So's Adam Brody and Jason Segel. And I've
overjoyed that two of my other dark horses are nominated: David Alan Grier for St.
Denis Medical and Ethan Hawke for The Lowdown. Either of them
probably have a better chance getting nominated than Braff, if I'm being
honest: both have received nominations from other critics groups.
And there is superhero
recognition: Yahya Abdul-Matteen II is here for Wonder Man and John Cena
is back for Peacemaker.
No notes.
SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Harrison Ford the out and out
favorite this year is up for Shrinking as is Ted McGinley his co-star.
Paul W. Downs present for Hacks as is Tyler James Williams for Abbott
Elementary. Thrilled to see Nick Offerman here for Margo; overjoyed to
see John C. McGinley here for Rooster, along with Phil Dunster and
Donald Faison for Scrubs. Fine with Daniel Radcliffe here for Reggie
Dinkins.
My one note is that Josh
Hutcherson is here for I Love LA. I would have preferred Timothy Simons
for Nobody Wants This or Michael Urie for Shrinking or even
Andrew Scott for The Comeback. Still a good group and I suspect many of
the Emmy nominees will be here.
SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Much as I hate Hannah Einbinder
for her opinions I still love her work in Hacks and I'm glad she's her.
At least four of the nominees here are locks: Sheryl Lee Ralph and Janelle
James for Abbott Elementary; Michelle Pfeiffer for Margo's and
Jessica Williams for Shrinking. I'm
overjoyed that Sarah Chalke is here for Scrubs.
The other four nominees are an
interesting group. Charly Clive and Danielle Deadwyler for Rooster; Emma
Myers for Wednesday and Odessa A 'Zion for I Love La. Again no
one from The Bear is here as is no one from Nobody Wants This or Only
Murders. Some of the nominees in
this category may start to rise.
GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Jamie Lee Curtis is the only
nominee for The Bear. How the mighty have fallen. Kaitlin Olson and
Cherry Jones are on the rise for the final season of Hacks. Taraji P.
Henson has been here before for Abbott. I'd love to see Christina Ricci
nominated for anything. Amy Sedaris is a long shot for Elsbeth but you
never know.
GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY
John C. McGinley double dips and
in the best way for Scrubs. He will be competing against two greats for Shrinking:
Brett Goldstein and Michael J. Fox and Christopher McDonald, the perennial
bridesmaid for Hacks. Can Elijah Wood get nominated for playing himself?
Hey Ryan Gosling, is for hosting SNL
DIRECTING AND WRITING
First the overlaps: Abbott
Elementary, Hacks, Only Murders in the Building, Rooster, Shrinking, Ghosts,
Ted and Gen V. The first four are almost certainly going to dominate
both categories at the Emmys, the latter three no chance of nod either.
Elsbeth, Scrubs and The Comeback are all
nominated in the writing category. The latter two have a chance of getting
nominated as they in previous years even it was decades ago. Elsbeth's chances
are dim, but not impossible. As for directing Wednesday might get a
nomination but I'm less confidence about The Lowdown.
I should also mention two of
these series were nominated in other categories: Margo's Got Money Troubles was
nominated in the brand new Book to screen category and Seth McFarlane is
nominated for lead voice over performance for Ted.
OVERALL REACTION
Aside from how thoroughly skunked
The Bear was, the biggest omissions relatively are The Comeback and
Nobody Wants This. I honestly thought they'd do much better. I'm shocked
how well I Love LA and more positively how Scrubs did. But these
are the reasons I love the Astras.
Palm Royale, which was a major Emmy figure for
its first season was shutout for Season 2 (before it was cancelled). A
foreshadowing? We'll see it
Tomorrow I'll deal with Drama
which I'm mostly happy with even though…well, you'll see.
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