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The Television Critics Association Announces 2022 TCA Award Winners

Freshman Comedy “Abbott Elementary” Schools the Competition with Four Wins, Including Individual Achievement In Comedy, Outstanding Achievement In Comedy, Outstanding New Program, and the Prestigious Program Of The Year Award

Other Winners Include “This Is Us” Star Mandy Moore, HBO’s “Succession,” Heritage Award Honoree “I Love Lucy,” and Career Achievement Recipients Ted Danson & Steve Martin

The Television Critics Association (TCA) announced today the winners of the organization’s 38TH Annual TCA Awards, recognizing the absolute best television offerings from the 2021-2022 season. The winners were selected by the TCA’s membership of more than 200 TV journalists from across the United States and Canada. The awards were announced virtually, due to concerns over the latest COVID strain.

ABC’s first-year public school sitcom “Abbott Elementary” made the grade as the night’s top winner with four victories. The series took home some of the TCA’s highest honors including Individual Achievement In Comedy for series creator, producer, writer, and star, Quinta Brunson; as well as Outstanding Achievement In Comedy, Outstanding New Program, and the prestigious Program Of The Year Award.

Other winners include “This Is Us” star Mandy Moore, who earned the award for Individual Achievement In Drama; acclaimed Disney+ rock doc “The Beatles: Get Back,” which won the Outstanding Achievement In News And Information Award; CBS’ globe-hopping smash “The Amazing Race,” which shared Outstanding Achievement In Reality Programming with HBO Max’s glam favorite “Legendary;” the surreal Netflix comedy “I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson,” which left with Outstanding Achievement In Variety, Talk, Or Sketch; Hulu’s gripping opioid epic “Dopesick,” which scored the award for Outstanding Movie, Miniseries Or Specials; HBO’s media dynasty hit “Succession,” which took home Outstanding Achievement In Drama; and the Netflix adaptation “The Baby-Sitter’s Club,” which pocketed Outstanding Achievement In Youth Programming for the second-consecutive year.

The TCA was proud to recognize the legendary CBS sitcom I Love Lucy with the Heritage Award. Airing from 1951 to 1957, the landmark series starred comedy powerhouse Lucille Ball alongside fellow legends Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and William Frawley. I Love Lucy is frequently heralded as one of the greatest television shows of all time, and its tremendous influence continues to impact generations of viewers, entertainers, and creators to this day. I Love Lucy boasted guest appearances from Hollywood icons such as Rock Hudson, John Wayne, Orson Welles, and Bob Hope, to name only a few. During its tenure, the series produced 180 episodes, several hour-long specials, and even a comic book—racking up five EMMY® wins in the process.

In the TCA’s first tie for Career Achievement Award, Steve Martin and Ted Danson were honored for their unparalleled respective compositions of lifelong work. The TCA is pleased to name both men as recipients of the 2022 Career Achievement Award for their significant accomplishments in television, and their groundbreaking contributions that have left an indelible mark on the industry throughout the decades.

Martin, who was nominated for Individual Achievement In Comedy for his role on Only Murders In The Building, which he co-created, has enjoyed a career as one of the industry’s most celebrated comedians, winning multiple GRAMMY® and EMMY® Awards. He has appeared on timeless series such as Saturday Night Live, The Simpsons, 30 Rock, and The Sonny And Cher Comedy Hour, and starred in classic films such as The Jerk, Planes, Trains, & Automobiles, Three Amigos!, and many more. 

With a career spanning nearly 50 years, multi-time EMMY®-winner Ted Danson has forever secured his place in entertainment history. After cutting his teeth on series such as Laverne & Shirley, Taxi, and Magnum, P.I., Danson took on the signature role of Sam Malone in the beloved barroom comedy Cheers. Since then, he has forged a lasting legacy that includes starring roles on hit series such as Becker, Damages, CSI, and The Good Place, and films such as Creepshow, Three Men And A Baby, and Saving Private Ryan, among others.

“Tonight was supposed to be our first time celebrating the TCA Awards in-person since 2019—unfortunately, it was not meant to be,” said Melanie McFarland, TCA President and TV Critic for Salon. “Despite this development, we are proud to announce this year’s roster of talented TCA Award winners. Each of them played a vital role in making the 2021-2022 television season one of the best in recent memory. We sincerely congratulate all of our honorees, and we look forward to gathering in person once again in 2023.”

2022 TCA Award recipients are as follows:

  • Individual Achievement In Drama: Mandy Moore (THIS IS US, NBC)
  • Individual Achievement In Comedy: Quinta Brunson (ABBOTT ELEMENTARY, ABC)
  • Outstanding Achievement In News and Information: THE BEATLES: GET BACK (Disney+)
  • Outstanding Achievement In Reality Programming: TIE: THE AMAZING RACE (CBS), LEGENDARY (HBO Max)
  • Outstanding Achievement In Youth Programming: THE BABY-SITTERS CLUB (Netflix)
  • Outstanding Achievement In Variety, Talk Or Sketch: I THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE WITH TIM ROBINSON (Netflix)
  • Outstanding New Program: ABBOTT ELEMENTARY (ABC)
  • Outstanding Achievement In Movies, Miniseries, Or Specials: DOPESICK (Hulu)
  • Outstanding Achievement In Drama: SUCCESSION (HBO)
  • Outstanding Achievement In Comedy: ABBOTT ELEMENTARY (ABC)
  • Program of the Year: ABBOTT ELEMENTARY (ABC)
  • Career Achievement Honoree: TIE: Ted Danson & Steve Martin
  • Heritage Award: I LOVE LUCY (CBS)