‘Watchmen,’ ‘Queen Sugar’ Win Television Academy Honors
The HBO miniseries “Watchmen,” Ava DuVernay’s drama series “Queen Sugar” and the Netflix comedy series “Patriot Act With Hasan Minhaj” are among the shows that have been chosen to receive the 13th annual Television Academy Honors, which were announced by the Academy on Thursday morning.
The other recipients of the award will be the Netflix miniseries “Unbelievable” and a pair of documentary specials, “16 Shots” and “At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal.”
The recipients were chosen for “impacting society through thoughtful, powerful and innovative storytelling,” according to a Television Academy release.
Also Read: Television Academy Delays Emmy Voting, Bans Campaign Events
The Television Academy Honors ceremony, which was to have taken place in April, has been postponed indefinitely because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week, it delayed nomination voting for the Primetime Emmy Awards for the same reason.
The winning programs were chosen by a jury chaired by Television Academy governor Howard Meltzer and co-chaired by governor Jill Sanford.
“The Academy Honors Committee is thrilled once again to recognize television that is not only excellent but strives to inform, move and impact its audience by highlighting important issues facing our society,” said Meltzer in the release. Sanford added, “Now more than ever, television remains one of the most powerful mediums to reach and touch people. We applaud those brave visionaries who choose to tell difficult and empowering stories.”
Also Read: Stars Who Have Tested Positive for Coronavirus (Photos)
Here is the description of the Television Academy Honors recipients from the release:
“16 Shots” (SHOWTIME Documentary Films Presents, in association with Topic, Impact Partners and Chicago Media Project)
“16 Shots” is the quixotic story of a small group of activists, journalists and attorneys who fought to reveal the truth behind the Chicago police killing of Laquan McDonald. The documentary features a forensic examination of a shooting, the anatomy of a coverup, and a portrait of the social/political machine that makes black lives disappear. Despite all odds, this group of activists fought to secure the release of the video of Laquan’s shooting, catalyzing a series of earth-shattering moments that culminated in the trial of the officer responsible for Laquan’s murder. (SHOWTIME)
“At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal” (Sidewinder Films II and HBO Documentary Films)
For more than two decades, Dr. Larry Nassar was the osteopathic physician for the U.S. women’s Olympic gymnastics team as well as a physician at Michigan State University. During that time, he sexually abused hundreds of female athletes. Offering insights that go beyond the sensational headlines, this documentary reveals a dangerous system that prioritized winning over everything else, including protecting young female athletes. Through interviews with dozens of survivors, as well as coaches, lawyers, journalists and Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, the film exposes an environment in which young women spent their youth competing for victory on a world stage, juxtaposed against a culture where abuse was hidden, and lives were forever damaged. (HBO)
“Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj” (Art & Industry for Netflix)
Each week comic Hasan Minhaj brings his unique comedic voice and storytelling skill to investigate larger social and political trends shaping our fragmented world. This comedy commentary series has explored obesity, retirement, immigration, global news, mental health and politics with depth and sincerity. Following a show on student loans, Minhaj was asked to testify before Congress on behalf of borrowers, proving that informed political satire can sometimes be the necessary catalyst for change. (Netflix)
“Queen Sugar” (Harpo Films and Array Filmworks in association with Warner Horizon Scripted Television)
This contemporary dramatic series from Ava DuVernay is more than entertainment. It addresses issues of race relations, mass incarceration, sexual assault and post-traumatic triggers. Through its fully realized, multi-dimensional depiction of an African American family, this racially progressive show tackles universal issues of culture, class and gender while highlighting specific concerns of the African American community. (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
“Unbelievable” (CBS Television Studios for Netflix)
Inspired by The Marshall Project and ProPublica Pulitzer Prize-winning article “An Unbelievable Story of Rape,” this limited series confronts sexual assault and the handling of victims of trauma, treating the difficult subject matter with respect and empathy toward the victims. The compelling drama, based on the true story of a woman accused of lying about being raped and the two female detectives–hundreds of miles away–who refused to give up their pursuit of a potential serial rapist, incites a bigger conversation about the too-frequent mishandling of rape cases and rape victims and how individual and collective prejudice can shape and sidetrack an investigation. (Netflix)
“Watchmen” (HBO in association with White Rabbit, Paramount, Warner Bros. Television and DC Entertainment)
Set in an alternate universe where masked vigilantes are treated as outlaws, “Watchmen” embraces the nostalgia of the original groundbreaking graphic novel of the same name while attempting to break new ground of its own. “Watchmen” goes beyond its basic plotline to highlight the most pervasive anxiety in America, the fear of imminent cultural destruction at the hands of each other, and the issue that most directly addresses an evil at the heart of our country’s history. That evil is racism. (HBO)
Read original story ‘Watchmen,’ ‘Queen Sugar’ Win Television Academy Honors At TheWrap
