(Note: As a member of The Television Critics Association it was an honor to vote for again for this year’s TCA Awards. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners! – Steven Prusakowski)

THE TELEVISION CRITICS ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES 2025 WINNERS FOR THE 41st ANNUAL TCA AWARDS

HBO Max’s “The Pitt” Took Home TCA’s Most Coveted Accolades Including Program of the Year, Outstanding Achievement in Drama, Outstanding New Program, and Individual Achievement in Drama for Series Star Noah Wyle

Other Winners Include Apple TV+’s Industry Send-Up “The Studio,” Buzzy Netflix Drama “Adolescence,” and Long-Running Family Favorite “Doctor Who,” as well as Heritage Award Honoree “Sesame Street” and Career Achievement Recipient Kathy Bates

LOS ANGELES – August 20, 2025 – The winners of the 41st Annual Television Critics Association (TCA) Awards were announced today across the organization’s social media platforms. Awards went to shows including “The Pitt,” “Adolescence,” “The Studio,” “Doctor Who,” “The Traitors,” and “Sesame Street.”

TCA bestowed its esteemed Career Achievement honor upon Kathy Bates, who said, “Your recognition means the world to me, and I’m grateful to all of the TCA members for this incredible honor. Your support and dedication to the television industry are invaluable, and I am truly humbled by your acknowledgment.”

“Somebody Somewhere” star Bridget Everett won the Individual Achievement in Comedy award for her role as Sam Miller, and said, “I am beyond grateful to be honored for this show, which has meant so much to me. And I’m especially grateful to have the opportunity to thank you, the critics, who saw what we were trying to do from the very beginning.”

Individual Achievement in Drama winner and “The Pitt” star Noah Wyle said in his acceptance, “It is an honor to be nominated, especially in that company, and it is incredibly gratifying to win. I’ve known a lot of you for a long time. You’ve written some lovely things about me through the years and about my shows, especially this one.”

Peacock’s “The Traitors” won its second consecutive Outstanding Achievement in Reality award. Host and executive producer Alan Cumming said it “really means a lot, especially coming from the critics, because when you start something new and different and you’re trying to change a genre, in a way, it’s really heartening that the critics get that and notice and receive it in the way that it was intended and support it.”

TCA’s 235 professional television journalists, critics, and editors throughout the United States and Canada cast their votes for exceptional programming offerings from the 2024-2025 television season in 14 distinct categories. Top picks for each category were revealed across TCA’s social media accounts, where TCA members commended the winners’ craft and work followed by an acceptance speech from winners.

“Each of these TCA Award winners not only entertained us, but also immersed us in the lives of characters, both fictional and real-life. We’re thrilled to honor them,” said TCA President Andy Dehnart, the founder and editor of reality blurred. “TCA exists to support our members’ work and celebrate TV’s role in our culture, and with these awards and accompanying videos, we’re doing both.”

At the forefront of the 2025 TCA Awards is HBO Max’s new medical procedural “The Pitt,” which accrued four wins in 2025, taking home the organization’s most coveted accolades including Program of the Year, Outstanding Achievement in Drama, Outstanding New Program, plus  Wyle’s Individual Achievement in Drama, his first TCA Award.

Other notable winners include Apple TV+’s star-studded industry satire “The Studio,” whose inaugural season produced a win for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy. Netflix’s headline-grabbing portrait of online extremism “Adolescence” nabbed Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries or Specials; HBO’s powerful two-part Paul Reuben profile “Pee-wee as Himself” pedaled off with Outstanding Achievement in News and Information; NBC’s landmark legacy celebration “SNL50: The Anniversary Special” proved ready for primetime, taking home Outstanding Achievement in Variety, Talk Or Sketch; while Disney+’s long-running sci-fi spectacular “Doctor Who” zoomed back to Gallifrey with its second-straight Outstanding Achievement in Family Programming honor; and the pioneering educational series “Sesame Street” added to its trophy case with its fourth Outstanding Achievement In Children’s Programming prize.

TCA is also proud to present “Sesame Street”—a beloved PBS mainstay for over 55 years—with one of its highest honors, the prestigious Heritage Award. The TCA Award recognizes the groundbreaking program’s enduring cultural impact and strong commitment to helping generations of children learn their ABCs, 123s, and so much more. “Sesame Street” made television history as the first kid-focused series to employ educational goals and develop its programming around an actual curriculum.

“Thank you, TCA,” Elmo said in his acceptance on behalf of the show. “You know, you’re some of our favorite letters on Sesame Street. We’re gonna put this award on a shelf in Hooper’s Store for everyone to see. Oh, Elmo hopes the Cookie Monster doesn’t try to eat it, though! Thank you, TCA. Elmo loves you.”

With nearly 60 years of sustained success to its credit, “Sesame Street” stands out as one of the longest-running shows on television and is largely considered to be among the greatest programs of all time—amassing more than 220 Emmy Awards and 11 Grammys in the process. Though the show, itself, continues to grow and change in a reflection of ever-evolving tastes, interests, and curriculum, it has never lost sight of its driving initiative to instill important values of critical thinking, friendship, and curiosity in children around the world.

Bates’ award is in recognition of five decades of excellence at the highest levels of both stage and screen. A respected Oscar and Golden Globe winner whose impressive resumé boasts touted turns in blockbuster films such as Misery, Titanic, Primary Colors, About Schmidt, Fried Green Tomatoes, and The Waterboy, Bates has seamlessly parlayed her big screen skills into TV immortality. She most notably showcased her wide-ranging repertoire with consecutive Emmy wins in 2012 and 2013, where she was awarded Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance as Charlie Harper’s Ghost on “Two and a Half Men,” followed by Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for her portrayal of the devious Delphine LaLaurie in “American Horror Story: Coven.” Her diverse television credits also include celebrated roles in a bevy of hit series and specials such as “The Office,” “Six Feet Under,” “King of the Hill,” “The Big Bang Theory,” “3rd Rock From the Sun,” “Harry’s Law,” “Feud: Bette and Joan,” and many more. Bates can currently be seen as the titular legal extraordinaire in the modern reimagining of “Matlock” on CBS, for which she recently received her landmark 15th Emmy nomination.

Below is the list of 2025 Television Critics Association winners. YouTube versions of presentation and acceptance videos are linked below; all videos can be found under the hashtag #TCAAwards on TCA’s social media channels:

• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tvcritics.org
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TelevisionCriticsAssociation
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/official_tca/
• TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@tvcritics
• Twitter/X: https://x.com/OfficialTCA/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tvcritics

2025 TCA Award winners

Program of the Year — “The Pitt” — HBO Max

Presented by TCA Secretary Danette Chavez, The A.V. Club editor-in-chief

Accepted by “The Pitt” cast and producers

Outstanding Achievement in Comedy  — “The Studio” — Apple TV+ 

Presented by TCA Board director Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence senior entertainment editor

Accepted by “The Studio” cast and producers

Outstanding Achievement in Drama — “The Pitt” — HBO Max

Presented by Tamara Fuentes, Cosmopolitan entertainment editor

Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries or Specials — “Adolescence” — Netflix

Presented by Lacy Baugher Milas, Paste Magazine TV editor

Accepted by “Adolescence” Co-Creator and Writer Jack Thorne

Outstanding New Program  — “The Pitt” — HBO Max

Presented by Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, Fangirlish

Individual Achievement in Drama — Noah Wyle, “The Pitt” — HBO Max

Presented by TCA Treasurer Megan Vick

Accepted by Noah Wyle

Individual Achievement in Comedy — Bridget Everett, “Somebody Somewhere” — HBO

Presented by TCA Board director Kevin Fallon, The Daily Beast’s Obsessed editor

Accepted by Bridget Everett

Outstanding Achievement in News and Information — “Pee-wee as Himself” — HBO
Presented by TCA President Andy Dehnart, reality blurred founder and editor

Accepted by “Pee-wee as Himself” Executive Producer and Director Matt Wolf

Outstanding Achievement in Variety, Talk or Sketch — “SNL50: The Anniversary Special” — NBC

Presented by freelance journalist Liam Mathews

Outstanding Achievement in Reality — “The Traitors” — Peacock (2024 Winner) Presented by Hanh Nguyen, Salon.com executive editor

Accepted by “The Traitors” Host and Executive Producer Alan Cumming

 Outstanding Achievement in Family Programming  — “Doctor Who” — Disney+ (2024 Winner)

Presented by TCA Board director Matt Mitovich, TVLine founding editor

Accepted by “Doctor Who” star Varada Sethu

Outstanding Achievement in Children’s Programming — “Sesame Street” — HBO (2001-PBS, 2011-PBS & 2018-HBO Winner in Youth Category)

Presented by TCA Board director Alex Reif, LaughingPlace.com senior writer

Accepted by Elmo

Career Achievement Award – Kathy Bates

Presented by past TCA President Jacqueline Cutler

Accepted by Kathy Bates

Heritage Award – “Sesame Street”

Presented by TCA Vice President Amy Amatangelo

Accepted by Elmo

NOTE: TCA has a new logo. The brand assets are available here. To download, right click on the image and then save as.

Past TCA Award winners are listed on the organization’s official website, tvcritics.org/tca-awards.

ABOUT THE TELEVISION CRITICS ASSOCIATION

The Television Critics Association (TCA) represents 235 professional journalists who cover television across the United States and Canada. The members reach tens of millions of consumers each week and are experts within the industry. The prestigious organization honors outstanding achievements in television and enduring contributions to the medium’s heritage through the TCA Awards each year. For additional information about TCA, visit www.tvcritics.org; Facebook; Instagram, X, YouTube, TikTok and  Bluesky.