GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, comprised of over 300 entertainment journalists in the U.S. and abroad (including SFGN A&E editor J.W. Arnold), has announced its 2021 Dorian TV Award nominations.
In recent years, the Dorians have become an increasingly important milestone in the race to the Emmys and Oscars.
The final season of “Pose,” FX’s powerful found-family drama about New York’s ballroom scene, was the favorite with LGBTQ critics with six nods, starting with Best TV Drama. Disney+’s TV-spoofing Marvel fantasy “WandaVision” was close behind with five nominations.
Three HBO offerings snagged four nominations each: HBO's grim Kate Winslet-lead murder mystery “Mare of Easttown” and vividly frank trauma tale “I May Destroy You,” as well as the heartrending AIDS crisis drama “It’s a Sin” on spinoff network HBO Max.
Spurred by passionate pleas in trade publication editorials by non-binary activists, as well as non-binary journalists and others within GALECA’s own ranks, the association recently voted to make all Dorian performance categories gender-neutral.
Aiming to alleviate concerns that the elimination of gendered acting categories would cut the number of nomination-worthy roles by half — and leave out artists that might otherwise be recognized — critics moved to increase nominees from five to 10 for Best TV Performance and Best Supporting TV Performance.
In the primary performance category, venerable stars like Winslett (“Easttown”), Jean Smart (“Hacks”) and past Dorian Award winner Billy Porter (“Pose”) are up against rising talents like “I May Destroy You” creator Michaela Coel and Thuso Mbedu (“The Underground Railroad”).
In the supporting race, Dorian's final ballot voters will choose from the likes of Gillian Anderson (“The Crown”, John Boyega (“Small Axe”), Saturday Night Live’s latest breakout Bowen Yang and “Easttown” standout Julianne Nicholson.
Showing the medium is still thriving amid a pandemic, GALECA’s short-list picks include lots of first-season shows, including the dramas “Bridgerton,” “Lovecraft Country” and “P-Valley,” the over-the-top showbiz satires “Girls5eva” (produced by Tina Fey) and “Hacks,” and Best Current Affairs Show contenders “Ziwe” and “The Amber Ruffin Show.”
And holding court in the group’s trademark Campiest TV Show category: The annual flashy and drama-filled live music performance battle “Eurovision Song Contest,” the nasty nurse rehash “Ratched,” the ultra-irreverent “WandaVision,” and more.
“I’m so proud,” said GALECA’s newly elected president Monika Estrella Negra. “Our group’s nominations are diverse and fresh, signaling the overhaul of invisibility of marginalized communities and the heralding of a new generation of entertainment journalists.”
GALECA’s Dorian TV Award winners will be announced Sunday, August 29 in an on-demand streaming special. For more information and a complete list of nominees, go to GALECA.org.
2021 DORIAN TV AWARD NOMINEES
BEST TV DRAMA
“Bridgerton”
“The Crown”
“Lovecraft Country”
“P-Valley”
“Pose”
BEST TV COMEDY
“The Flight Attendant”
“Girls5eva”
“Hacks”
“PEN15”
“Ted Lasso”
BEST LGBTQ SHOW
“I May Destroy You”
“It's A Sin”
“Love, Victor”
“Pose”
“Veneno”
BEST TV MOVIE OR MINISERIES
“I May Destroy You”
“It’s a Sin”
“Mare of Easttown”
“Small Axe”
“The Queen’s Gambit”
BEST UNSUNG SHOW
“A Black Lady Sketch Show”
“Girls5eva”
“Love, Victor”
“Search Party”
“Veneno”
“We Are Who We Are”
BEST TV PERFORMANCE
Michaela Coel, “I May Destroy You”
Kaley Cuoco, “The Flight Attendant”
Thuso Mbedu, “The Underground Railroad”
Elizabeth Olsen, “WandaVision”
Billy Porter, “Pose”
MJ Rodriguez, “Pose”
Jean Smart, “Hacks”
Jason Sudeikis, “Ted Lasso”
Anya Taylor-Joy, “The Queen's Gambit”
Kate Winslet, “Mare of Easttown”
BEST SUPPORTING TV PERFORMANCE
Gillian Anderson, “The Crown”
John Boyega, “Small Axe”
Pappa Essiedu, “I May Destroy You”
Kathryn Hahn, “WandaVision”
Marielle Heller, “The Queen's Gambit”
Callum Scott Howells, “It’s a Sin”
Dominique Jackson, “Pose”
Julianne Nicholson, “Mare of Easttown”
Jean Smart, “Mare of Easttown”
Bowen Yang, “Saturday Night Live”
BEST TV MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
Lady Gaga, "The Star-Spangled Banner," Biden-Harris Inauguration
Jonathan Groff, "You’ll Be Back," “Hamilton”
Kathryn Hahn, "Agatha All Along,” “WandaVision”
Elton John and Years & Years, "It’s a Sin,” “BRIT Awards 2021”
Punkie Johnson, Anya-Taylor Joy, Lil Nas X, Kate McKinnon, Bowen Yang, "Pride Month Song," “Saturday Night Live”
Bowen Yang, “Loverboy,” “Saturday Night Live”
BEST TV DOCUMENTARY OR DOCUMENTARY SERIES
“Framing Britney Spears”
“I'll Be Gone in the Dark”
“Pretend It’s a City”
“Pride”
“Tina”
BEST CURRENT AFFAIRS SHOW
“Full Frontal with Samantha Bee”
“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver”
“The Amber Ruffin Show”
“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”
“Ziwe”
BEST ANIMATED SHOW
“Big Mouth”
“Bob’s Burgers”
“Harley Quinn”
“Invincible”
“South Park: The Pandemic Special”
BEST REALITY SHOW
“Legendary”
“Nailed It”
“Queer Eye”
“RuPaul’s Drag Race”
“The Great British Bake Off”
MOST VISUALLY STRIKING SHOW
“Bridgerton”
“The Crown”
“Lovecraft Country”
“Pose”
“Small Axe”
“The Mandalorian”
“WandaVision”
CAMPIEST TV SHOW
“At Home with Amy Sedaris”
“Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square”
“Eurovision Song Contest”
“Ratched”
“WandaVision”
WILDE WIT AWARD
Michaela Coel
Kathryn Hahn
Fran Lebowitz
Randy Rainbow
Bowen Yang
