TCA Wrap-Up: TV Critics Crown Game of Thrones

By Amy Amatangelo and Juliana Bolden



Beverly Hills, California - The Television Critics Association (TCA) dubbed Game of Thrones as Program of the Year this week in Beverly Hills at the 2012 TCA Awards, the organization’s annual celebration of its best-in-television picks and highlight of its summer press tour.



Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston, who plays the increasingly sinister “Walter White” on the critically-acclaimed AMC drama, hosted the awards ceremony, and joined his Breaking castmates on stage to accept the award for Outstanding Achievement in Drama.



Claire Danes of Showtime’s Homeland was on hand to take home the prize for Individual Achievement in Drama for her career-defining work as troubled CIA agent “Carrie Mathison” on the political thriller. Danes, who won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Series, Drama earlier this year, is among several TCA Award winners and nominees who are also nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards.



Homeland was also named Outstanding New Program. The freshman drama, which returns for its second season on September 30, is in contention for nine Emmy Awards.



Emmy nominee Louis C.K. was the winner of both Individual Achievement in Comedy and Outstanding Achievement in Comedy for his droll comedy Louie. The comedian — who writes, produces, edits and stars in the FX series — accepted his awards via a pre-taped video, in which he thanked critics and said he was in Albany, New York, to pick up his daughter from camp.



PBS’s Downton Abbey, which received 16 Emmy nominations last month, was named the winner in Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials.



In addition to honoring currently television offerings, critics also paid tribute to television’s vast legacy. The iconic comedy Cheers received the prestigious Heritage Award. Writer Ken Levine, and Jeff Greenberg, who cast the classic series, were on hand to accept the award. Veteran talk show host David Letterman, who has been a late night tradition for more than 30 years, won the Career Achievement award.



See the complete list of 2012 TCA Awards below.



The 2012 Television Critics Association Awards Nominees and Winners*

*Winners in bold and noted (– Winner).



Individual Achievement in Drama



Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad (AMC)

Claire Danes, Homeland (Showtime) – Winner

Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones (HBO)

Jon Hamm, Mad Men (AMC)

Jessica Lange, American Horror Story (FX)



Individual Achievement in Comedy



Louis C.K. , Louie (FX) – Winner

Lena Dunham, Girls (HBO)

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep (HBO)

Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory (CBS)

Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation (NBC)



Outstanding Achievement in News and Information



Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN)

The Daily Show (Comedy Central)

Frontline (PBS)

60 Minutes (CBS) - Winner

The Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC)




Outstanding Achievement in Reality Programming



The Amazing Race (CBS)

Dancing with the Stars (ABC)

The Glee Project (Oxygen)

So You Think You Can Dance (Fox) – Winner

The Voice (NBC)




Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming



iCarly (Nickelodeon)

Phineas and Ferb (Disney)

Sesame Street (PBS)

Switched at Birth (ABC Family) – Winner

Yo Gabba Gabba (Nick Jr.)




Outstanding New Program




Girls (HBO)

Homeland (Showtime) - Winner

New Girl (Fox)

Revenge (ABC)

Smash (NBC)



Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials



Game Change (HBO)

Hatfields & McCoys (History)

Hemingway & Gellhorn (HBO)

Masterpiece: Downton Abbey (PBS) – Winner

Sherlock: Masterpiece (PBS)



Outstanding Achievement in Drama



Breaking Bad (AMC) - Winner

Game of Thrones (HBO)

Homeland (Showtime)

Justified (FX)

Mad Men (AMC)



Outstanding Achievement in Comedy



The Big Bang Theory (CBS)

Community (NBC)

Louie (FX) – Winner

Modern Family (ABC)

Parks and Recreation (NBC)



Career Achievement Award



Dick Clark

Andy Griffith

David Letterman – Winner

Regis Philbin

William Shatner



Heritage Award



Cheers (NBC)– Winner

Lost (ABC)

Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Star Trek (NBC)

Twin Peaks (ABC)



Program of the Year



Breaking Bad (AMC)

Game of Thrones (HBO) – Winner

Homeland (Showtime)

Mad Men (AMC)

Downton Abbey: Masterpiece (PBS)