Writers Guild Award: New Series Category Makes It Special

The final piece of this week’s TV awards that closed on Thursday morning are the Western Writers Guild of America (WGAW) and the Eastern Writers Guild of America (WGAE). Announcement of nominations for the year 2022 Writers Guild Award (WGA). And it’s a dynamic piece of the puzzle, with organizations bringing a lot of new life to the award conversation.

Head and shoulders above all other nominated series is Hulu’s fun freshman comedy”There are only murders in the building, “The only series with three mentions, for comedy series, new series, and comedy series (“Episode One: True Crime”, Steve Martin and John Hoffman).

While three nominations is the most any show has received this year, there are plenty of shows that have been honored twice, which is when things start to get really interesting. Among those dual nominations are “Heir. for Season 2. Another show with an established track record with the WGA is Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” which has now been nominated for a TV series for all of its seasons and this year added a TV series. episodes (“Testimony,” Kira Snyder).

Before discussing what other shows, other than “Just Killers,” are double-celebrated by writers’ associations, it would be remiss not to mention a second-year series that has been hugely successful in the past few years. this year. Apple TV+’s “The Morning Show” was also nominated twice for TV series and TV series (“La Amara Vita,” Kerri Ehrin and Scott Troy). This is important because in the first season, the series was not nominated for a single category, even new series, at the WGA. To be so well received for Season 2 shows that “The Morning Show” has really caught the eye of writers in the industry.

But let’s talk about new blood. Before we get started, let’s clarify that Netflix’s “Squid Game” hasn’t earned a single WGA nomination, which is not a statement about the quality of the show, but rather the result of inadequate eligibility. to sue. Moving on to the lighter side, HBO Max’s Emmy-winning series “Hacks” found love for both comedy series and new series, while FX’s “The Reservation Dogs” scored a spot. in a new series and episodic comedy, the latter devoted to its pilot, “F*ckin’ Rez Dogs, written by co-creators Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi.

The Writers Guild is also much more interested in exploring their more dramatic impulses. Disney+’s “Loki” gets two nods, one for a TV series and one for a new movie, as well as “Showtime’s.”Yellow jacket, “The best show about teenage girls with cannibalistic abilities is now on the air (and possibly never).

Part of the reason all this is so exciting is the fact that it introduces so many new facets and feels like it puts out a lot of shows that could otherwise be overlooked in the promotion. Commemorating the same things that have been praised by other award bodies. This isn’t to say those shows don’t deserve nominations, it’s just that in the age of Peak TV, voters watch what they watch and whatever they watch, regardless of what fraction of the votes they get. entertainment option out there, is what they vote for. Hopefully, by expanding the number and type of shows in the larger award conversation, the awards will ultimately represent a better, brighter series of films that serve as contenders. reality.

That’s why the WGA’s new series category is such a boon and should be considered by other awards organizations. There’s a new series catalog – not to be confused with only honor the new series, as is the case with Gotham TV Awards and Indie Spirit TV Awards – gives a breath of fresh blood to conversations that are sometimes very rote. The trick is finding a balance between embracing new stories and honoring veteran offers in a way that is broadly representative of the honorees, more reflective of the current television landscape. in.

The WGA understands that. Let’s hope other award bodies will eventually kick in.

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