The TCA Award for Program of the Year is an award given by the Television Critics Association. It was first presented in 1985 with British television serial The Jewel in the Crown being the first recipient of the award. The category includes both drama and comedy television series as well as limited series.
Paul W. Downs is an American actor, writer, director, and producer. He is the co-creator, co-showrunner and one of the stars of the critically acclaimed HBO Max series Hacks, for which he has received a Golden Globe, Peabody Award, and three Primetime Emmy Awards, among others. Downs first gained attention for his role in the Comedy Central series Broad City, which ran for five seasons and for which he was also a writer, director and executive producer.
Jen Statsky is an American television writer and comedian known for her work on Hacks, The Good Place, Parks and Recreation, and Broad City. She is the co-creator and co-showrunner of the critically-acclaimed HBO Max series Hacks, for which she has received multiple awards including 3 Primetime Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, and 3 WGA Awards.
Lucia Aniello is an Italian-born American director, writer, and producer best known for her work on Hacks, for which she won multiple Emmy Awards, and Broad City. She has directed and written episodes of both shows, as well as the miniseries Time Traveling Bong and the 2017 film Rough Night.
The Flight Attendant is an American dark comedy drama mystery thriller television series developed by Steve Yockey based on the 2018 novel of the same name by Chris Bohjalian. It stars Kaley Cuoco in the title role and premiered on HBO Max on November 26, 2020. In December 2020, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on April 21, 2022. In January 2024, the series was canceled after two seasons.
The Other Two is an American sitcom created by Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider. The story follows two floundering millennial siblings who must grapple with their 13-year-old brother's overnight fame. The series premiered on Comedy Central on January 24, 2019, and was renewed for a second season shortly after, on February 11, 2019. The second season premiered on August 26, 2021, on HBO Max. In September 2021, the series was renewed for a third and final season, which premiered on May 4, 2023 and ended on June 29, 2023.
Mare of Easttown is an American crime drama television miniseries created and written by Brad Ingelsby for HBO. Directed by Craig Zobel, the series premiered on April 18, 2021, and concluded on May 30, 2021, consisting of seven episodes. It stars Kate Winslet in the title role, who investigates a murder in a small town outside Philadelphia. Julianne Nicholson, Jean Smart, Angourie Rice, Evan Peters, Sosie Bacon, David Denman, Neal Huff, James McArdle, Guy Pearce, Cailee Spaeny, John Douglas Thompson, and Joe Tippett appear in supporting roles.
A Black Lady Sketch Show is an American sketch comedy television series created by Robin Thede for HBO. The show consists of comedy sketches performed by a main cast of Black women, consisting of producer and creator Thede, Gabrielle Dennis, and Skye Townsend. Alumni cast members include Quinta Brunson, Laci Mosley, and Ashley Nicole Black. The show has featured guest stars such as Issa Rae, Vanessa Williams, Angela Bassett, Laverne Cox, Nicole Byer, Amber Riley, Miguel, Omarion, Raven-Symoné, Kelly Rowland, Tia Mowry, Tahj Mowry, Gabrielle Union, Kyla Pratt, Wanda Sykes, Yvette Nicole Brown and Patti LaBelle.
Station Eleven is an American post-apocalyptic dystopian fiction television miniseries created by Patrick Somerville based on the 2014 novel of the same name by Emily St. John Mandel. The miniseries premiered on HBO Max on December 16, 2021, and ran for ten episodes until January 13, 2022.
Selena + Chef is an American television cooking show hosted by Selena Gomez that premiered on HBO Max on August 13, 2020. The first season consists of 10 episodes. In August 2020, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on November 19, 2020, and continues into early 2021. In April 2021, the series was renewed for a third season which was released on October 28, 2021. In November 2021, the series was renewed for a fourth season which premiered on August 18, 2022. On October 2, 2023, it was announced that Gomez would return for a series of holiday specials entitled Selena + Chef: Home for the Holidays that premiered on November 30, 2023 on Food Network. A spin-off, entitled Selena + Restaurant, premiered on May 2, 2024 on Food Network and follows Gomez as she attempts to create an original dish worthy of being on the restaurant's menu.
The White Lotus is an American black comedy drama anthology television series created by Mike White for HBO. It follows the guests and employees of the fictional White Lotus resort chain, whose interactions are affected by their various psychosocial dysfunctions. The press release notes that "each passing day, a darker complexity emerges in these picture-perfect travelers, the hotel's cheerful employees, and the idyllic locale itself". The first and second season are set in Hawaii and Sicily, respectively. The third season is being filmed in Thailand.
Minx is an American comedy television series created and written by Ellen Rapoport and starring Ophelia Lovibond and Jake Johnson for HBO Max and later Starz. It aired from March 17, 2022 to September 8, 2023.
Hannah Einbinder is an American comedian, actress, and writer known for starring in the Max series Hacks, for which she received nominations for three Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards.
"There Is No Line" is the pilot episode of the American comedy-drama television series Hacks. It was directed by Lucia Aniello and co-written with Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky. The episode establishes the plot of the series, which centers on comediennes from different generations who are thrust into a working relationship after separate circumstances threaten their careers. The episode premiered on streaming network HBO Max on May 13, 2021 with an approximate running time of 29 minutes.
"New Eyes" is the sixth episode of the first season of HBO Max comedy-drama series Hacks. It was directed by Lucia Aniello and co-written with Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky. The story follows Ava and Deborah working on new stand-up material at the luxury spa where Deborah recuperates after an eye lift. The episode has an approximate running time of 32 minutes and was released on May 27, 2021.
"1.69 Million" is the eighth episode of the first season of HBO Max comedy-drama series Hacks. It was directed by Paul W. Downs and written by Pat Regan. The plot follows Deborah Vance's stand-up appearance at a legendary Sacramento nightclub where she cut her teeth in her early career and Ava's dismay at the casual sexism that Deborah experienced but never challenged. The episode guest stars Anna Maria Horsford as another veteran comedian. It was released on June 3, 2021, and has an approximate runtime of 31 minutes.
The first season of American comedy-drama streaming series Hacks debuted on May 13, 2021, on HBO Max. The series was co-created by Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky. Starring Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder, the season follows two comedians from different generations who forge a working relationship. Season one received critical acclaim and earned accolades including Primetime Emmy Awards for directing, writing, and acting.
The second season of the HBO Max streaming comedy-drama television series Hacks debuted on May 12, 2022, and concluded on June 2, 2022. It consists of eight episodes, each with approximate runtime of 30–35 minutes. The season centers Deborah Vance perfecting material for her new stand-up show, in which she shares previously unrevealed information about her personal life. In an effort to become a better person, Ava gets a "dumb phone" and swears off alcohol. The season received critical acclaim. Jean Smart won her second successive Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
"The Click" is the sixth episode of the second season of American comedy-drama television series Hacks and the sixteenth overall. It was co-written by Aisha Muharrar and Joe Mande and directed by series co-creator Paul W. Downs. In the episode, Deborah has a one night stand with a much younger man that helps her perfect her new stand-up show. "The Click" was released on May 26, 2022 on HBO Max and has an approximate running time of 34 minutes.
