“BERNIE MAC” AND “24” EACH TAKE HOME TWO; “THE SHIELD” AND “SIX FEET UNDER” ALSO RECEIVE NODS (2002)
JULY 20, 2002 — PASADENA, CA – Never mind a tough ratings year: Fox proved the darling of TV journalists at the 18th annual Television Critics Association Awards.
In a ceremony guest-hosted by comic legend Bob Newhart, Fox received 5 awards for its new shows.
“The Bernie Mac Show” won for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy and Individual Achievement in Comedy for Bernie Mac’s performance. Fox’s innovative drama “24” was honored for Outstanding New Program and Program of the Year.
And the newly-created Heritage Award, intended to recognize distinguished programming whose influence has had an impact on society and popular culture, went to “The Simpsons.”
In a trend matched by the just-announced Emmy Award nominations, cable continued to make inroads. HBO’s acclaimed mini-series “Band of Brothers” was honored, as was its new series “Six Feet Under” for drama.
Veteran actor Michael Chiklis received the drama performance nod for his riveting work in “The Shield,” the series that put cable channel FX on the critics’ map.
Elsewhere, “Frontline” secured its fifth TCA award for Outstanding Achievement in News & Information for its series of reports on Islamic fundamentalism. The acclaimed program received accolades from the TCA in 1992, 1993, 1995, and 1996.
Other nods went to the children’s program “Spongebob Squarepants” and to Bill Cosby, recipient of this year’s Career Achievement Award.
Among highlights of the evening were tributes to television’s coverage of 9/11 and to recently-deceased director John Frankenheimer, a lifelong pioneer in TV.
Among those accepting the awards were Kiefer Sutherland (“24”), Michael Chiklis (“The Shield”), James L. Brooks (“The Simpsons”), and Donnie Wahlberg (“Band of Brothers”).
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The 2002 TCA Award recipients are as follows:
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY
“The Bernie Mac Show” (Fox)
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA
“Six Feet Under” (HBO)
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT MOVIES, MINI-SERIES AND SPECIALS
“Band of Brothers” (HBO)
OUTSTANDING NEW PROGRAM OF THE YEAR
“24” (Fox)
INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY
Bernie Mac (“The Bernie Mac Show”)
INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA
Michael Chiklis (“The Shield”)
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMING
“Spongebob Squarepants” (Nickelodeon)
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN NEWS & INFORMATION
“Frontline” (PBS)
PROGRAM OF THE YEAR
“24” (Fox)
CAREER ACHIEVEMENT
Bill Cosby
HERITAGE AWARD (New award in 2002)
“The Simpsons” (Fox)
The TCA Awards were again held at the Ritz Carlton Huntington Hotel &Spa in
Pasadena.
Founded in 1978, the Television Critics Association is composed of more than
200 reporters and columnists in the print media from the USA and Canada.