May 06, 2010

Transformative Television

Third annual event honors fare that’s socially aware.

By Libby Slate

Compelling programs on topics ranging from racial bias and substance abuse to autism and the tragedies of war were saluted May 5 at the third annual Television Academy Honors. The ceremony, held at the Beverly Hills Hotel, drew esteemed producers and executives as well as stars from one of the season’s hottest shows, Fox’s Glee, and even former Vice-President Al Gore.

Carol Mendelsohn, an executive producer of CBS’s CSI and one of the evening’s honored guests, set the tone for the ceremony when she quoted a former star of the series, William Petersen: “Do something significant. Write a story that will impact the world.”

CSI was cited for its “Coup de Grace” episode, written by David Rambo from a story by Rambo and Richard Catalani, in which the shooting of an off-duty police officer raises questions of racial bias. “The power of television is to make people think,” Mendelsohn told the gathering after accepting the award from CSI star George Eads. “It can be transformative.”

The evening’s other honored programs were:

• "The OxyContin Express," a special about the prescription drug trade in South Florida, which aired as part of the Vanguard series on Current TV. Journalist Mariana van Zeller accepted the award with Gore, a co-founder of Current TV. “I’m so proud of this event and of our team,” Gore said. “These four [van Zeller and her colleagues] have been so fantastic. Current TV is dedicated to the democratization of television — breaking down walls with viewer-provided content — and to investigative journalism. These stories need to be told in a compelling way.”

Unlocking Autism, a Discovery Health special that chronicles scientific efforts to solve the mysteries of the disorder and profiles some of those who live with it. Actress Holly Robinson Peete, herself an activist mother of an autistic son, presented the award to writer-director-producer Monica Lange. “One of the sad things about autism,” Lange said, “is that there are a lot of dangerous untruths. That is one of the challenges of the producer.” With her dedicated production team, she added, they nonetheless created “an hour that lets the truth shine through.”

• "Inside Death Row," an episode of National Geographic Explorer that profiles three men awaiting execution and explores the effects of the death penalty on their families and the prison town. The honor was presented by actor Mike Farrell, a longtime opponent of the death penalty, to Mark Mannucci, executive producer–writer-director of the program. “We wanted to make a film that would shake up your views about probably the most entrenched form of punishment in the United States,” Mannucci said. “I hope we have used television to do that, no matter where you stand.”

• “Nothing to Fear,” an episode of ABC’s Private Practice, which examines physician-assisted suicide of the terminally ill. Joel Grey, who portrays the cancer patient in the episode written by Jon Cowan and Robert L. Rovner, presented the honor to Shonda Rhimes, creator–executive producer of the series. Rhimes recalled that she had pitched the story at the first writers’ meeting, but waited for the show to find its audience. “We try to have fun on our show,” she said, “but as writers and producers, we feel it’s our responsibility to entertain and inform.”

Grandpa, Do You Know Who I Am? With Maria Shriver, a Primetime Emmy-winning documentary that aired as part of HBO’s Alzheimer’s Project and tells of five children coping with grandparents who have Alzheimer’s disease. Presenting the honor was actor Hector Elizondo, whose mother had the disease. Accepting was Shriver, California’s First Lady, former NBC journalist and an executive producer of the film. “I got into television right out of college because I thought it was the best medium to inspire and influence people,” she said. “It was a joy to work on this project. We brought this disease out of the shadows and made it okay to talk about.”

Taking Chance, an HBO telefilm that recounts the true story of U.S. Marine Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl (played by Kevin Bacon), who escorted the remains of a young Marine killed in Iraq from the military mortuary in Delaware to his family home in Wyoming. Strobl, a cowriter of the script with director Ross Katz, presented the honor to executive producers Brad Krevoy and Cathy Wischner-Sola. The film changed military policy: now families can be the first to greet their returning loved ones at Dover Air Force Base, Krevoy noted. And because of the film, “We can acknowledge to the families that we really care about them, and we’ll always remember their sacrifice.”

• “Wheels,” an episode of Glee in which the high school glee club members must spend time in — and perform in — wheelchairs, to see how life is for fellow chorister and wheelchair-user Artie. Presented by cast members Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, Cory Monteith and Mark Salling, the honor was accepted by producers Brad Falchuk, Ian Brennan and Dante Di Loreto; absent was producer–episode writer Ryan Murphy. “Our show is at its heart about underdogs and outcasts — what we all are,” Falchuk said. “It’s about finding the transcendence in the pain.” He dedicated the honor to McHale, “who plays Artie with such grace and humanity.”

The Television Academy Honors were conceived by Academy chairman John Shaffner, also cochair of the Television Cares social action committee; they were developed with cochair Lynn Roth. Honors recipients were selected by the committee. The event was hosted for the second consecutive year by Desperate Housewives’ Dana Delany. It was produced by the Gurin Company, headed by Phil Gurin.

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