Friday Night Lights wins Program of the Year award from Television Critics Association
Despite several nominations for every year it was on the air, Friday Night Lights hadn't won a Television Critics Association award since 2007, when it took home the prize for Outstanding New Program. But after leaving the airwaves after its fifth and final season earlier this year, the show made up for those winless seasons in style, taking home the group's top trophy, Program of the Year, Saturday night. In a moving acceptance speech, showrunner Jason Katims thanked critics for their support of the show over the years and talked about how it was just as hard for him to say goodbye to the show as it had been for the show's staunchest fans.
The TCA awards for Oustanding Achievement in Drama and Comedy went to repeat winners. After losing to Breaking Bad and Lost last year, Mad Men won the top award for a drama series again, having previously won in 2008 and 2009. Modern Family repeated last year's win in the comedy category. Actors from those shows also did well in the Individual Achievement in Drama and Comedy categories, with Jon Hamm winning the drama award for Mad Men, and Ty Burell from Modern Family tying for the comedy award with Nick Offerman of Parks & Recreation. (Offerman also hosted, and in a song parody of "I Walk The Line," he mentioned The A.V. Club, so if you're going to say anything about Offerman, know that he's probably reading the comments right now.) Game Of Thrones was named the Outstanding New Program.
Oprah Winfrey received the group's lifetime achievement award but was unable to accept it in person, instead offering a pre-taped acceptance speech. Carl Reiner, Rose Marie, and Larry Matthews turned up to accept the group's Heritage Award, for a show instrumental in the development of the medium of television, this year given to The Dick Van Dyke Show. Reiner's speech about the show's inception and casting was a highlight of the evening.
The group's other awards went to Sesame Street for Outstanding Youth Programming, documentary Restrepo for Outstanding News and Information, The Amazing Race for Outstanding Reality Show, and Masterpiece: Sherlock for Outstanding Movie, Miniseries, or Special.