The 30th Annual TCA Awards Reveals Their 2014 Nominations

The Television Critics Association announced today the nominations for the 30th Annual TCA Awards. The 2014 TCA Awards recognize outstanding television programming in the 2013-2014 season, honoring actors, producers and programs in a variety of categories, including news and information, youth, reality, drama and comedy achievements.

The winners of the 30th Annual TCA Awards will be announced at the invitation-only presentation on Saturday, July 19, 2014, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, as part of the group’s bi-annual industry conference, the summer press tour. This year’s awards celebration pays tribute to the organization’s past presidents, former hosts and career achievement honorees.

The nominations for current programming are spread across four broadcast networks—ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX—as well as PBS, nine cable networks and the Internet streaming service Netflix. In 2014, CBS leads the way with nine nominations; HBO has eight; FX holds seven; and Fox finishes with six. This year’s crop of nominees includes a number of notable past winners, such as celebrated comic Louis C.K. and beloved actor Bryan Cranston, and shows ranging from the smash fantasy epic “Game of Thrones,” to childhood essential “Sesame Street,” newsroom satire “The Daily Show,” and reality TV titan “The Amazing Race.”

This year’s lineup also features a batch of newcomers, with first-time nominees including Logo’s hit “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” hosted by the goddess of glam herself; Netflix’s critically acclaimed women’s prison dramedy “Orange is the New Black”; FX’s “Fargo,” starring Billy Bob Thornton in the small-screen adaptation of the Coen Brothers’ masterpiece; Fox heavyweights “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and “Sleepy Hollow”; and ABC Family’s “The Fosters.”

Last year’s Program of the Year, AMC’s celebrated drama “Breaking Bad,” is once again up for the honor, alongside series star Bryan Cranston, whose turn as Walter White garnered a nomination for Individual Achievement in Drama. “Breaking Bad” will seek to defend its crown against a formidable quartet featuring Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black”; HBO’s “Game of Thrones”; CBS’ “The Good Wife”; and HBO’s gritty crime drama “True Detective,” starring recent Academy® Award Winner—and fellow Individual Achievement in Drama nominee—Matthew McConaughey as a homicide detective on the trail of a brutal serial killer.

“These nominations are generated by the TCA membership, and choosing the best in television is not an easy task,” said TCA President Scott D. Pierce. “Not because good television is hard to find, but because there are so many deserving shows from which to choose.

“Now TCA members face another difficult decision when they vote for the winners in each category,” Pierce continues. These awards are voted on by the critics who know what television has to offer, and we’ll learn what our membership has chosen as the best of the best when the winners are announced on July 19.”

“This is a monumental occasion for us, as we celebrate 30 years of the TCA Awards,” said Amber Dowling, TCA Vice President. “Starting with the unveiling of our new logo today, we have some special presentations in store to commemorate the event, as we welcome back past presidents and honorees, and announce our host next month. The evening is sure to be full of surprises, and I’m excited to share this incredible milestone with our members.”

In addition to honoring the absolute best that this year’s programming has to offer, the TCA Awards will also bestow a special Heritage Award trophy to one long-standing program that has had a major cultural or social impact. This year, the TCA members have nominated an impressive roster of some of TV’s most memorable and groundbreaking series, featuring the Comedy Central classic “South Park”; mind-bending ABC series “Lost,” the brainchild of J.J. Abrams; “Twin Peaks,” created by visionary auteur David Lynch; NBC’s comedy mainstay “Saturday Night Live”; and the sci-fi spectacular “Star Trek,” which has continued to inspire fans and filmmakers since its debut in 1966.

Additionally, the organization presents a Career Achievement Award to an individual who has influenced television through his or her work on the small screen. This year’s nominees include producer Mark Burnett, who put reality television on the map with hits such as “Survivor” and “The Apprentice”; director/producer/writer James Burrows, who helmed series such as “Taxi,” “Cheers,” “Will & Grace” and “Mike & Molly,” just to name a few; legendary late-night talk show host Jay Leno; fan-favorite renaissance man William Shatner; and the trailblazing actress Valerie Harper, best known as the star of “Rhoda” and “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”

The full list of 2014 Television Critics Association nominees reads as follows:

Individual Achievement in Comedy

Louis C.K., “Louie” (FX) [2013 winner in category]

Mindy Kaling, “The Mindy Project” (Fox)

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep” (HBO)

Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory” (CBS)

Amy Poehler, “Parks and Recreation” (NBC)

Individual Achievement in Drama

Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad” (AMC)

Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife” (CBS)

Tatiana Maslany, “Orphan Black” (BBC America) [2013 winner in category]

Matthew McConaughey, “True Detective” (HBO)

Matthew Rhys, “The Americans” (FX)

Outstanding Achievement in News and Information

“CBS Sunday Morning” (CBS)

“Cosmos” (Fox)

“The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” (Comedy Central)

“Frontline” (PBS)

“60 Minutes” (CBS)

Outstanding Achievement in Reality Programming

“The Amazing Race” (CBS)

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” (Logo)

“Shark Tank” (ABC) [2013 winner in category]

“Survivor” (CBS)

“The Voice” (NBC)

Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming

“Adventure Time” (Cartoon Network)

“Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” (PBS)

“The Fosters” (ABC Family)

“Sesame Street” (PBS)

“Switched at Birth” (ABC Family)

Outstanding New Program

“Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (Fox)

“Fargo” (FX)

“Orange Is the New Black” (Netflix)

“Sleepy Hollow” (Fox)

“True Detective” (HBO)

Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials

“American Horror Story: Coven” (FX)

“Broadchurch” (BBC America)

“Fargo” (FX)

“The Returned” (SundanceTV)

“True Detective” (HBO)

Outstanding Achievement in Drama

“The Americans” (FX)

“Breaking Bad” (AMC)

“Game of Thrones” (HBO) [2013 winner in category]

“House of Cards” (Netflix)

“The Good Wife” (CBS)

Outstanding Achievement in Comedy

“The Big Bang Theory” (CBS) [2013 winner in category – tied with “Parks and Recreation”]

“Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (Fox)

“Louie” (FX)

“The Mindy Project” (Fox)

“Veep” (HBO)

Career Achievement Award

Mark Burnett

James Burrows

Valerie Harper

Jay Leno

William Shatner

Heritage Award

“Lost” (ABC)

“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)

“South Park” (Comedy Central)

“Star Trek” (NBC)

“Twin Peaks” (ABC)

Program of the Year

“Breaking Bad” (AMC) [2013 winner in category]

“Game of Thrones” (HBO)

“The Good Wife” (CBS)

“Orange Is the New Black” (Netflix)

“True Detective” (HBO)