Cheer and Last Dance win 2020 TCA Awards

The Netflix reality show Cheer and the ESPN documentary series The Last Dance each won TCA Awards.

The TCA Awards are presented annually by the Television Critics Association, of which I’m a member, so I voted for both nominees and winners, in all categories. The reality TV category was particularly challenging for me to choose just winner, as six very different yet very strong reality shows were all nominated.

The awards were not presented in person this year, as this summer’s TCA press tour was cancelled. However, some winners did acceptance speeches to TCA members.

In his acceptance, Cheer executive producer and director Greg Whiteley said, “It takes a team of people to make a show like Cheer. No team was more important to the making of this show than that team in Corsicana, Texas, led by the queen, Monica Aldama. Monica then took over, saying, “Thank you, Television Critics Association for recognizing Cheer.”

In the non-unscripted categories, Watchmen was the big winner, as Regina King won for individual achievement in drama, and the show won in the new program, program of the year, and movie/miniseries categories.

A scripted show inspired by a reality show won two comedy awards, one for one of its stars and the other for the series itself.

The career achievement award was presented to Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, while the heritage award went to Star Trek.

All of the winners are below.

TCA Awards 2020 winners

Here are all the shows and people nominated for TCA Awards this year, with winners in bold. Winners were selected by majority vote of the Television Critics Association’s members, who come from the United States and Canada.

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA

• Cate Blanchett, Mrs. America, FX on Hulu 
• Kaitlyn Dever, Unbelievable, Netflix
• Winner: Regina King, Watchmen, HBO
• Mark Ruffalo, I Know This Much Is True, HBO
• Rhea Seehorn, Better Call Saul, AMC 
• Jeremy Strong, Succession, HBO 
• Merrit Wever, Unbelievable, Netflix

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY

• Pamela Adlon, Better Things, FX
• Christina Applegate, Dead to Me, Netflix
• Elle Fanning, The Great, Hulu
• Winner: Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek, Pop TV
• Issa Rae, Insecure, HBO
• Ramy Youssef, Ramy, Hulu

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN NEWS AND INFORMATION

• 60 Minutes, CBS (2012 Winner in Category)
• Frontline, PBS (Eight-time Winner in Category)
• Hillary, Hulu
• Winner: The Last Dance, ESPN
• McMillions, HBO
• The Rachel Maddow Show, MSNBC

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN REALITY

• Winner: Cheer, Netflix
• Encore!, Disney+
• Holey Moley, ABC
• Making It, NBC
• Top Chef All-Stars L.A., Bravo
• We’re Here!, HBO

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN YOUTH PROGRAMMING

• Carmen Sandiego, Netflix
• Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, PBS Kids (2016 Winner in Category)
• Winner: Molly of Denali, PBS Kids
• Odd Squad, PBS Kids
• Wild Kratts, PBS Kids
• Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, PBS Kids 

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN SKETCH/VARIETY SHOWS

• Winner: A Black Lady Sketch Show, HBO
• The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Comedy Central
• Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, TBS
• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, HBO (2019 and 2018 Winner in Category)
• Late Night with Seth Meyers, NBC
• Saturday Night Live, NBC

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MOVIE OR MINISERIES

• Little Fires Everywhere, Hulu
• Mrs. America, FX on Hulu
• Normal People, Hulu
• The Plot Against America, HBO
• Unbelievable, Netflix
• Winner: Watchmen, HBO

OUTSTANDING NEW PROGRAM

• The Great, Hulu
• The Mandalorian, Disney+
• The Morning Show, AppleTV+
• Never Have I Ever, Netflix
• Winner: Watchmen, HBO
• Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, NBC

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA

• Better Call Saul, AMC (2019 Winner in Category)
• The Crown, Netflix
• Euphoria, HBO
• The Good Fight” – CBS All Access
• Pose, FX
• Winner: Succession, HBO

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY

• Better Things, FX
• Dead to Me, Netflix
• The Good Place, NBC (2018 Winner in Category)
• Insecure, HBO
• Winner: Schitt’s Creek, Pop TV
• What We Do in the Shadows, FX 

PROGRAM OF THE YEAR

• Better Call Saul, AMC 
• Mrs. America, FX on Hulu
• Schitt’s Creek, Pop TV
• Succession, HBO
• Unbelievable, Netflix
• Winner: Watchmen, HBO