TV Talk at TCA: ‘Shōgun,’ ‘Hacks’ win big at TCA Awards; ‘PITT’ adds cast

PASADENA, Calif. — Friday night at the Langham Huntington Hotel the 40th annual Television Critics Association Awards offered the most recognition to FX’s “Shōgun” (best new program, program of the year, best drama and individual achievement in drama for star Anna Sawai) and Max’s “Hacks” (best comedy, individual achievement in comedy for star Jean Smart).

“I wasn’t supposed to cry, because I knew I was gonna get this,” Sawai said, wiping away tears (only winners attend the TCA Awards). “This is my first win of anything.”

“Shōgun” executive producer Justin Marks described the show as a leap of faith by FX given the cost, 1600s setting and abundant use of Japanese with English subtitles.

“Thank you for still believing that television is art,” he told TV critics. “It is not a diversion slipping quietly to the bottom of someone’s queue. It is not an asset on a balance sheet waiting to be knifed in the dark so someone can claim a write-off for it. Thank you, critics, for honoring the work of the human beings who go out in the rain and the snow and commit every fiber of their lives and talent toward the absurd and beautiful end of telling a good story.”

“Hacks” writer/executive producer Lucia Aniello joked, “They always say the harshest critic is yourself but you guys are critics: That’s insane, you must be so hard on yourselves! Be nice to yourselves, OK? Because you have great taste.”

Host Wendi McLendon-Covey (“The Goldbergs”), star of NBC’s fall comedy “St. Denis Medical,” kicked off the evening with an 11-minute introduction that she claimed was generated by Chat GPT.

“I hope everyone has a good time at the last human-led TCAs,” she joked, before commenting on FX’s “The Bear,” which gets nominated for awards in the comedy category despite a dearth of comedic content. “It is so not funny, I cannot even stand it. Anyone wanna take the mic and go on a rant about ‘The Bear’? They’re not here.”

Investigation Discovery’s “Quiet on the Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” won for news and information while Peacock’s “The Traitors” was named best reality show. Disney+’s “Doctor Who” took the award for family programming and Disney+’s “Bluey” won in the children’s programming category.

Best variety/talk/sketch show honors went to Netflix’s “John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s in LA.”

Best miniseries honors went to Netflix’s “Baby Reindeer.” The heritage award was given to “Twin Peaks” with co-creator Mark Frost accepting.

“Storytelling is as old as time. This is a classic, fundamental part of being human,” Frost said before offering advice to his fellow writers. “Don’t let anybody tell you that what you’re making is ‘content.’ You are carrying on a tradition that has been with us since the Greeks and it is a sacred responsibility to tell good stories if you are a member of this tribe. … Something I once thought of for the Lady with the Log [on ‘Twin Peaks’]: ‘Good storytellers do not run out of stories. We only run out of time.’ So it’s my wish for you: good luck, good fortune for all the stories you wish to tell. And may you make the most of the time you have to tell them.”

The late Andre Braugher, star of “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and “Homicide: Life on the Street,” received the career achievement award. His widow, actress Ami Brabson, who played the wife of Braugher’s “Homicide” character, sent a video response.

“Andre loved acting, creating characters, the process of figuring out what motivates them, what makes them tick,” she said. “That was exciting for him. … You have chosen to honor Andre for the stellar television work he has left behind. My family and I are grateful. On Andre’s behalf, thank you.”

‘The PITT’ sets cast

Pittsburgh-set Max medical drama “The PITT,” starring Noah Wyle (“ER”) begins filming its 15-episode first season this month on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank.

Additional cast members will include Shabana Azeez (“Metro Sexual”), Patrick Ball (“Law Order”), Isa Briones (“Star Trek: Picard”), Taylor Dearden (“American Vandal”), Fiona Dourif (“Chucky”), Supriya Ganesh (“Grown-ish”), Gerran Howell (“Emerald City”), Tracy Ifeachor (“Treadstone,” “Quantico”) and Katherine Lanasa (“Truth Be Told”).

The show will depict “a realistic examination of the challenges facing health care workers in today’s America as seen through the lens of the frontline heroes working in a modern-day hospital in Pittsburgh,” per Warner Bros.

1979 Carnegie Mellon University grad John Wells executive produces the series alongside 1988 CMU grad Michael Hissrich, among others including Wyle.

R. Scott Gemmill (“NCIS: Los Angeles,” “ER”), who was also an executive producer on the short-lived Wells-produced 2007 CBS pilot “Smith” (it filmed its first episode only in Pittsburgh), will be the showrunner/head writer.

Channel surfing

Apple TV+ renewed “Presumed Innocent” for a second season focusing on a new case; it’s unclear if star Jake Gyllenhaal will be back. … National Geographic Channel canceled “The Amazing Dr. Pol” after a 24-year run. … HBO’s “Euphoria” will begin filming its third season in January. … While IATSE struck a new deal in recent weeks with Hollywood studios, averting a strike, late Friday the Teamsters warned they remain “far apart” in talks with studios; their contract expires July 31st.