BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2022: The Recap

I hope you enjoyed my month of awards! Check back September 6 for the return of regular blog posts, which I will be running Tuesdays through Fridays.

Here's a recap of all the awards, check below this post for each individual award post!

Outstanding Comedy Series: Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Outstanding Drama Series: This is Us (NBC)

Outstanding Limited/Anthology Series: The White Lotus (HBO)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Jean Smart, Hacks (HBO Max)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Mandy Moore, This is Us (NBC)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited/Anthology Series: Michelle Pfeiffer, The First Lady (Showtime)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Adam Scott, Severance (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited/Anthology Series: Michael Keaton, Dopesick (Hulu)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Janelle James, Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Susan Kelechi Watson, This is Us (NBC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited/Anthology Series: Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Brett Goldstein, Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Kieran Culkin, Succession (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited/Anthology Series: Murray Bartlett, The White Lotus (HBO)

Outstanding Directing of a Comedy Series: Bill Hader, Barry "Limonada" (HBO)

Outstanding Directing of a Drama Series: Ben Stiller, Severance "The We We Are" (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Directing of a Limited/Anthology Series: Mike White, The White Lotus (HBO)

Outstanding Writing of a Comedy Series: Chris Kelly & Sarah Schneider, The Other Two "Pat Connects With Her Fans" (HBO Max)

Outstanding Writing of a Drama Series: Jesse Armstrong, Succession "Chiantishire" (HBO)

Outstanding Writing of a Limited/Anthology Series: Rebecca Brunstetter, Maid "Cashmere" (Netflix)

Outstanding Guest Actor or Actress in a Comedy Series: Jane Lynch, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)

Outstanding Guest Actor or Actress in a Drama Series: Gerald McRaney, This is Us (NBC)

Outstanding Guest Actor or Actress in a Limited/Anthology Series: Molly Shannon, The White Lotus (HBO)

Outstanding Technical Design of a Comedy Series: Schmigadoon! (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Technical Design of a Drama Series: Pachinko (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Technical Design of a Limited/Anthology Series: The White Lotus (HBO)

Nominations by Show

15 nominations: This is Us

11 nominations: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The White Lotus

10 nominations: Maid, Succession

8 nominations: Barry, Ted Lasso

7 nominations: Abbott Elementary, Gaslit, Hacks, Severance

6 nominations: The Flight Attendant, Pam & Tommy, Yellowjackets

5 nominations: Euphoria, Impeachment: American Crime Story, The Other Two, Ozark, The Shrink Next Door, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Why Women Kill

4 nominations: Ghosts, The Great, Only Murders in the Building, The Righteous Gemstones, Schmigadoon!

3 nominations: As We See It, What We Do in the Shadows

2 nominations: Better Things, Dopesick, Julia, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, Miracle Workers: Oregon Trail, The Morning Show, Pachinko

1 nomination: Black-ish, The Dropout, The First Lady, The Gilded Age, The Good Fight, Loki, Love Life, Modern Love, The Premise, Scenes from a Marriage, Station Eleven, The Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window, Young Sheldon

0 nominations: 9-1-1, The Afterparty, American Auto, American Horror Stories, B Positive, The Big Leap, Blue Bloods, Bridgerton, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Call Me Kat, The Chair, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago PD, The Conners, Dickinson, Emily in Paris, Evil, The Girl From Plainville, Girls5Eva, The Goldbergs, Grand Crew, Grown-ish, Home Economics, How I Met Your Father, Inventing Anna, Kenan, Kevin Can F**k Himself, Law & Order: Organized Crime, Law & Order: SVU, Love Victor, Mr. Mayor, The Neighborhood, Never Have I Ever, Nine Perfect Strangers, Ordinary Joe, PEN15, Physical, Reservation Dogs, Russian Doll, Saturday Night Live, The Sex Lives of College Girls, Somebody Somewhere, Women of the Movement, The Wonder Years

Nominations by Network

45 nominations: HBO

30 nominations: Apple TV+

22 nominations: HBO Max

17 nominations: Hulu

16 nominations: Netflix

15 nominations: Amazon, NBC

10 nominations: FX

8 nominations: ABC

7 nominations: Showtime, Starz

6 nominations: Paramount+

5 nominations: CBS

2 nominations: TBS

1 nomination: Disney+, FX/Hulu

0 nominations: AMC, FOX, Freeform, Peacock

Wins by Show

6 wins: The White Lotus

4 wins: This is Us

2 wins: Abbott Elementary, Severance, Succession, Ted Lasso

1 win: Barry, Dopesick, The First Lady, Hacks, Maid, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Other Two, Pachinko, Schmigadoon!

0 wins (of shows with nominations): As We See It, Better Things, Black-ish, The Dropout, Euphoria, The Flight Attendant, Gaslit, Ghosts, The Gilded Age, The Good Fight, The Great, Impeachment: American Crime Story, Julia, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, Loki, Love Life, Miracle Workers: Oregon Trail, Modern Love, The Morning Show, Only Murders in the Building, Ozark, Pam & Tommy, The Premise, The Righteous Gemstones, Scenes from a Marriage, The Shrink Next Door, Station Eleven, What We Do in the Shadows, Why Women Kill, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, The Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window, Yellowjackets, Young Sheldon

Wins by Network

9 wins: HBO

6 wins: Apple TV+

4 wins: NBC

2 wins: ABC, HBO Max

1 win: Amazon, Hulu, Netflix, Showtime

0 wins (of networks with nominations): CBS, Disney+, FX, FX/Hulu, Paramount+, Showtime, Starz, TBS

See you on September 6!

BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2022: Outstanding Comedy Series

We've arrived at the final award - Outstanding Comedy Series. Check back tomorrow for a recap of all the awards!

Check out past results for this category from 2020 and 2021!

This year's nominees are...

ABBOTT ELEMENTARY (ABC)

BARRY (HBO)

GHOSTS (CBS)

HACKS (HBO Max)

THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL (Amazon)

ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING (Hulu)

THE OTHER TWO (HBO Max)

SCHMIGADOON! (Apple TV+)

TED LASSO (Apple TV+)

And the Winner Is...

ABBOTT ELEMENTARY

ABC

This was a really tough decision that I agonized over for quite awhile but I ultimately went with the freshest and funniest new sitcom to hit the broadcast network airwaves since the great early days of Modern Family (before it all went awry for that show). I was excited for Abbott Elementary back when I saw the trailer well before it became a sensation. I thought the pilot was a little underwhelming but then it just found its footing and got better and better each week with great episodes like "Desking" and the season finale coming near the end of its freshman year. The cast is spectacular, there is no bad or underdeveloped one in the bunch. And the show really wants to be inspirational and funny while also drawing some attention to the reality of inner city schools. It is never preachy, it is never trying too hard. It's just existing in its world and people are noticing and taking their own lessons from it. It's still early but I can see Abbott working its way into the all-time great conversation if it keeps this up.

Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:

This was a really tough decision with so many deserving nominees. Former winners The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Ted Lasso were perhaps victims of their own success in some ways as the seasons they were competing with this year were excellent but perhaps not quite as strong as their winning seasons. They are still top notch comedies though and should be treated as such. Hacks has been a close contender for two years in a row now with really smart writing and great performances. Barry is so dark and unlike anything else on TV. I appreciate the black comedy bits but it's hard to justify giving it an award for Outstanding Comedy Series when so much of it is a drama. Only Murders in the Building was a stylish and strong freshman comedy that made good use of its all-star leads. The Other Two got a little more visibility in its move to HBO Max and is perhaps the most purely funny show on this list. If it wasn't for Abbott Elementary, there might be more attention on Ghosts - another excellent new broadcast comedy that is very off-brand (in a good way) for CBS. Finally, Schmigadoon! was a delightful summer binge last summer that paid loving homage to classic musicals.

Tomorrow: A recap of all awards!

BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2022: Outstanding Drama Series

Today's award is Outstanding Drama Series!

Check out past results from 2020 and 2021!

This year's nominees are...

AS WE SEE IT (Amazon)

EUPHORIA (HBO)

SEVERANCE (Apple TV+)

SUCCESSION (HBO)

THIS IS US (NBC)

WINNING TIME: THE RISE OF THE LAKERS DYNASTY (HBO)

YELLOWJACKETS (Showtime)

And the Winner Is...

THIS IS US

NBC

As I mentioned in my Mandy Moore post, This is Us was not on a great trajectory after its very strong first couple seasons. The fifth season (the "COVID" season) in particular was a mess. It did get nominated last year by me because of a strong ending and lack of better competition. This year, it earned its nomination and win with a very compelling and focused final season. The show did great service to its many characters. Major arcs like the Kate/Toby divorce and Rebecca's death were handled beautifully and given the time to breathe (benefits of a network episode count!) while one-off episodes (such as the Nicky episode, the Beth episode & the Jack and his mother episode) were also very satisfying as closure for the characters we have grown to care about a lot since 2016. This is Us has been slammed for manipulating the audience to the point of tears and really being nothing more than a melodrama told in different timelines. But at its best (and its final season was often at its best), it was a very ambitious, very clever, very thoughtful drama. With it gone now, there's nothing left like it on Broadcast TV.

Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:

Despite dramas as a whole being a much weaker field than comedy, this was still a very strong Top 7. But let's get the ones out of the way that earned their nomination but didn't really have a chance to win. Euphoria is such a fascinating show. It's such a mess sometimes but it's a glorious, beautiful-looking mess that's hard to turn away from. Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty was a very entertaining ride told with a unique style even if it sometimes couldn't focus as much as I wanted it to. Yellowjackets is not the kind of show I like most of the time but it proved to be a very rich character drama in both its timelines. Among the serious competition, there was Severance, which had the most exhilarating season finale of the year. It was a slow build to get there but I even enjoyed the build and especially what it led to. Succession continues to chug along as a brilliantly written satire that is sometimes more of a comedy than some of the comedies in contention. Finally, As We See It was a pretty small show but I would stack it against any of these heavyweights because it was so true to the experience of people with autism and those around them and the many ups and downs that come with that.

Tomorrow: The final award - Outstanding Comedy Series!

BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2022: Outstanding Limited/Anthology Series

We're into the big awards. Today is Outstanding Limited/Anthology Series!

Check out past results from 2020 and 2021!

This year's nominees are...

DOPESICK (Hulu)

GASLIT (Starz)

IMPEACHMENT: AMERICAN CRIME STORY (FX)

MAID (Netflix)

THE SHRINK NEXT DOOR (Apple TV+)

THE WHITE LOTUS (HBO)

WHY WOMEN KILL (Paramount+)

And the Winner Is...

THE WHITE LOTUS

HBO

This award winner should come as no surprise if you've been reading my blog this month. The White Lotus was probably my favorite thing I watched on TV in the last year. It was such a breezy yet fascinating summer watch. I liked everything about it from the expert directing to the witty writing to the great use of music throughout the series. But the best part was the standout cast. There were very few redeeming characters on the show and I didn't want the story to end for any of them. The show explored very interesting dynamics between the haves and the have-nots and yet it was handled in a very satirical way. More than anything, I'll remember how I felt like I was on vacation at a hotel I could never afford as I watched The White Lotus yet it also made me think. I'm excited for a second season but it will be very hard for it to top the first for me. Airing in a summer still impacted by COVID, it was the perfect show at the perfect time.

Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:

This year's crop of limited and anthology series was not quite what it seemed like it was shaping up to be which led to a unique group of nominees. We got way oversaturated with the "tech people are frauds" genre and you'll notice only one of those show - Dopesick, which had a more important feel, got nominated. The rest was a pretty eclectic mix. Gaslit didn't make much noise but it was really well down and heart pounding. Another political show, Impeachment: American Crime Story, was piled on for a variety of reasons. It wasn't perfect but I found it pretty darn entertaining, much more entertaining than other shows I watched this season. The Shrink Next Door was a really great character drama that was well acted by Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell while the second season of Why Women Kill was another breezy and fun summer show that deserved to have more eyeballs. The White Lotus was very clearly winning this award but if it hadn't existed, this award would have gone to Maid, which was a tough watch at times but so well done.

Tomorrow: Outstanding Drama Series!

BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Today's award is Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series!

Check out past results from 2020 and 2021!

This year's nominees are...

PAMELA ADLON as Sam Fox in Better Things (FX)

RACHEL BROSNAHAN as Midge Maisel in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)

QUINTA BRUNSON as Jeanine Teagues in Abbott Elementary (ABC)

KALEY CUOCO as Cassie Bowden in The Flight Attendant (HBO Max)

HANNAH EINBINDER as Ava Daniels in Hacks (HBO Max)

ELLE FANNING as Catherine the Great in The Great (Hulu)

SARAH LANCASHIRE as Julia Child in Julia (HBO Max)

JEAN SMART as Deborah Vance in Hacks (HBO Max)

HELENE YORKE as Brooke Dubek in The Other Two (HBO Max)

And the Winner Is...

JEAN SMART

Hacks (HBO Max)

Last year, I narrowly chose Kaley Cuoco over Jean Smart for this award and my reasoning was I thought Cuoco was more integral to the success of The Flight Attendant whereas Hacks was a better show. This year, it tilted more considerably in Smart's favor after she turned in another pristine season on Hacks. It's true that she has good people around her (including fellow nominee Hannah Einbinder) but Smart is the heart and soul of the show. She can play funny, sarcastic, vulnerable, angry and all sorts of other emotions. Smart has been a strong actress for a very long time but this might be her best performance ever. I think there's a lot of Smart in the Deborah Vance character but she still makes Deborah a fully realized character who was even sharper and more biting and also more three dimensional in the second season. She'll be a deserving contender for as long as Hacks runs.

Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:

This is one of the strongest categories of all the awards. Two former winners, Kaley Cuoco and Rachel Brosnahan were in the mix. Cuoco continues to be far and away the strongest part of The Flight Attendant and that was even more apparent in a more uneven second season. Brosnahan didn't seem to have quite as much to do on the fourth season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel but I think many take her expert performance for granted at this point. Smart's co-star Hannah Einbiner is a huge reason why Hacks works as well as it does and she has a great dynamic with Smart. Pamela Adlon was the heart and soul of Better Things for five seasons and ended on a strong note. Newcomer Quinta Brunson is a delightful center to Abbott Elementary as the next generation Leslie Knope while another newcomer to the category, Sarah Lancashire, delivered a very memorable performance as an iconic real-life figure. Elle Fanning was very funny in the second season of The Great as so much of that show works because of her and co-star Nicholas Hoult. Finally, Helene Yorke has incredibly funny deliveries with blink and you'll miss it lines on The Other Two.

Tomorrow: Outstanding Limited/Anthology Series!

BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Today's award is Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series!

Check out past results from 2020 and 2021!

This year's nominees are...

JENNIFER ANISTON as Alex Levy in The Morning Show (Apple TV+)

LAURA LINNEY as Wendy Byrde in Ozark (Netflix)

BRITT LOWER as Helly Riggs in Severance (Apple TV+)

MELANIE LYNSKEY as Adult Shauna in Yellowjackets (Showtime)

CHRISSY METZ as Kate Pearson in This is Us (NBC)

MANDY MOORE as Rebecca Pearson in This is Us (NBC)

ZENDAYA as Rue Bennett in Euphoria (HBO)

And the Winner Is...

MANDY MOORE

This is Us (NBC)

I have maintained for years that Mandy Moore was underrated for her performance in This is Us and thrilled when she finally got an Emmy nomination in 2019. Then when I started doing my own awards, I nominated her in 2020 but not last year as she had very little to do (due in part to her real life pregnancy) and the show was sort of a mess, especially with her character. But Moore and This is Us rebounded in a big way for the show's final season as Moore pulled off the impressive feat of playing a character much older than her journeying through dementia and eventually death. Moore has always had the most to do of the This is Us cast as she was in all timelines of the show. And she delivered in a big way from her heartbreaking singing at the wedding to little nuanced choices she made with the character as her health got worse. It's a travesty that Moore was not nominated for an Emmy this year after just incredible work. Even if the show got shafted like it did, she deserved a nomination.

Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:

Mandy Moore was the clear winner for me but that didn't mean there weren't other strong performers in this category. Moore's This is Us co-star Chrissy Metz was a first time nominee for me. She has frustrated me at times but I thought she excelled in the divorce storyline that dominated the first half of the final season. My 2020 winner Jennifer Aniston was once again one of the best parts of The Morning Show but the difference this time was she was one of the only good parts after Season Two was a huge disappointment. Laura Linney has come close to taking this award twice with a consistently terrifying and strong portrayal in Ozark. She really should be considered the star of that show and not Jason Bateman. Zendaya turned in another great performance in Euphoria especially in the episode where her character really went off the rails. Finally, there were two actresses from new shows. Britt Lower became more and more interesting as the season of Severance went on, eventually becoming an equal to Adam Scott. Melanie Lynskey was fascinating in a dark turn in Yellowjackets and her performance really grounded the present day storyline of the show.

Tomorrow: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series!

BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited/Anthology Series

Today's award is Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited/Anthology Series!

Check out past results from 2020 and 2021!

This year's nominees are...

LILY JAMES as Pamela Anderson Lee in Pam & Tommy (Hulu)

SARAH PAULSON as Linda Tripp in Impeachment: American Crime Story (FX)

MICHELLE PFEIFFER as Betty Ford in The First Lady (Showtime)

MARGARET QUALLEY as Alex Russell in Maid (Netflix)

JULIA ROBERTS as Martha Mitchell in Gaslit (Starz)

AMANDA SEYFRIED as Elizabeth Holmes in The Dropout (Hulu)

ALLISON TOLMAN as Alma Fillcot in Why Women Kill (Paramount+)

And the Winner Is...

MICHELLE PFEIFFER

The First Lady (Showtime)

Michelle Pfeiffer's performance is worthy of a win in its own right but it's especially worthy of a win when considering what a mess the show is. The First Lady is one of my biggest disappointments of the year with bad writing and bad acting. But Pfeiffer is a glowing exception. I only kept watching the show because of her stirring depiction of Betty Ford. Even when she was given melodramatic material, she made every line work. She made me wish the entire show was just about Betty Ford because it was tough to only have a third of the show be devoted to her. The real Betty Ford was quite an interesting character and Pfeiffer captured all the ups and downs of a very public figure who went through some very public struggles. Pfeiffer doesn't do as many projects these days but she proved she's just as good as ever with this performance.

Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:

In addition to Pfeiffer, there's another major movie star playing a real life figure from the 70s. Julia Roberts returned to TV for the second time in recent years and was excellent as Martha Mitchell in Gaslit, showcasing a range of abilities from a larger than life to a very broken character. Sarah Paulson received some criticism for her fat suit in Impeachment: American Crime Story and that was too bad because her performance was really excellent. Lily James made Pamela Anderson a three dimensional person instead of the cartoon pin-up girl she's often been unfairly described as. Amanda Seyfried was the best part of the otherwise uneven The Dropout but it wasn't as much of a standout performance as Pfeiffer's. Allison Tolman is great in everything she does and she was a very strong character in the second season of Why Women Kill. The biggest threat to Pfeiffer however was Margaret Qualley, who gave a devastatingly real and powerful performance in Maid.

Tomorrow: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series!

BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Today's award is Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series!

Check out past results from 2020 and 2021!

This year's nominees are...

ANTHONY ANDERSON as Andre Johnson in Black-ish (ABC)

IAIN ARMITAGE as Sheldon Cooper in Young Sheldon (CBS)

BILL HADER as Barry Berkman in Barry (HBO)

NICHOLAS HOULT as Peter III of Russia in The Great (Hulu)

STEVE MARTIN as Charles-Haden Savage in Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

DANNY MCBRIDE as Jesse Gemstone in The Righteous Gemstones (HBO)

KAYVAN NOVAK as Nandor the Relentless in What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

JASON SUDEIKIS as Ted Lasso in Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

DREW TARVER as Cary Dubek in The Other Two (HBO)

And the Winner Is...

JASON SUDEIKIS

Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

We have our first repeat winner in the comedy category with one of the best new sitcom characters in recent years. I think the weird little backlash that Ted Lasso experienced during its second season was pretty ridiculous and unfounded. Ted Lasso the character, as played expertly by Jason Sudeikis, was even better in the second season. He still had his instantly quotable motivational thoughts and his corny dad jokes but the show also explored much more of a range of the character that was only hinted at in Season One. Sudeikis was up to the challenge as he resisted therapy from the team counselor before finally giving in once his anxiety and panic attacks got to the best of him. That sounds pretty heavy for a comedy series but it never felt too heavy because of Sudeikis' unflappable charm. He has found the role of a lifetime with this character.

Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:

The biggest threat to Sudeikis should be no surprise. It was his SNL friend Bill Hader as a character completely different from Ted Lasso. Hader has proven he's a lot more than a comedian with his performance over three seasons of Barry. A much older SNL actor was in the mix too as Steve Martin brought his usual goofiness and charm to Only Murders in the Building. Among non-SNL actors are returning nominees Anthony Anderson and Iain Armitage. Anderson continued to be the best part of Black-ish in its final season while Armitage is shouldering more and more of Young Sheldon and doing it well. Nicholas Hoult is a laugh riot on The Great with a perfect way of playing a perpetually childish monarch while Danny McBride became an even funnier character in Season Two of The Righteous Gemstones. Kayvan Novak has hilarious deliveries on What We Do in the Shadows and was part of many of the funniest moments of the season. Finally, Drew Tarver does great work as the often pathetic yet very funny Cary in The Other Two and he was part of one of the most cringy comedy moments of the season (when he tried to crash a friends' dinner as a "celebrity").

Tomorrow: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited/Anthology Series!