The Pitt dominated the 2025 Television Critics Association Awards, earning four honors including Program of the Year. The HBO Max series also took home Outstanding Drama, Outstanding New Program, and the Individual Achievement in Drama for star and executive producer Noah Wyle. In total, The Pitt swept every category in which it was nominated.
Because the summer’s TCA press tour was canceled this year, there was no in-person awards ceremony. Instead, winners shared recorded acceptance speeches on the TCA’s YouTube page.
A first-year stand-out, Apple TV+’s The Studio, won Outstanding Comedy. Bridget Everett of Somebody Somewhere (HBO) claimed Individual Achievement in Comedy for the show’s final season. Adolescence earned Best Miniseries, Movies or Specials, and The Traitors repeated its 2024 triumph by taking Outstanding Reality Series.
Kathy Bates received the TCA Career Achievement Award, while Sesame Street—a perennial favorite in this awards cycle—won the Heritage Award for a program with a lasting impact on television.
“Each of these TCA Award winners not only entertained us, but also immersed us in the lives of characters, both fictional and real-life. We’re thrilled to honor them,” said TCA president Andy Dehnart, underscoring the organization’s dual mission to celebrate members’ work and TV’s cultural influence through these awards and accompanying videos.
The full list of 2025 TCA Award winners is as follows:
– Program of the Year: The Pitt (HBO Max)
– Outstanding Achievement in Comedy: The Studio (Apple TV+)
– Outstanding Achievement in Drama: The Pitt
– Outstanding Achievement in Miniseries, Movies or Specials: Adolescence (Netflix)
– Outstanding New Program: The Pitt
– Individual Achievement in Drama: Noah Wyle, The Pitt
– Individual Achievement in Comedy: Bridget Everett, Somebody Somewhere (HBO)
– Outstanding Achievement in News and Information: Pee-wee As Himself (HBO)
– Outstanding Achievement in Variety, Talk or Sketch: SNL50: The Anniversary Special (NBC)
– Outstanding Achievement in Reality: The Traitors (Peacock)
– Outstanding Achievement in Family Programming: Doctor Who (Disney+)
– Outstanding Achievement in Children’s Programming: Sesame Street (HBO)
– Career Achievement Award: Kathy Bates
– Heritage Award: Sesame Street
What this signals about the current TV landscape
– Streaming platforms continue to compete across drama, comedy, and reality, with both established franchises and first-year shows earning major recognition.
– The Pitt’s cross-category success highlights the increasingly fluid boundaries between traditional TV and streaming series, where a single program can dominate multiple genres.
– The shift to virtual or recorded presentations reflects adapting industry traditions to a changing event landscape, without sacrificing the celebration of standout work.
– Long-running children’s programming remains a touchstone, as Sesame Street earns ongoing recognition for its enduring cultural impact.
Additional notes or context
– The cancellation of the in-person press tour and the move to online acceptance speeches may influence how networks and creators engage with critics moving forward, potentially expanding accessibility and reach beyond typical ceremony attendance.
– The mixture of veteran honorees (Kathy Bates, Sesame Street) and newer hits (The Pitt, The Studio) suggests a balanced TV ecosystem that values both established excellence and fresh voices.
Overall, the 2025 TCA Awards highlighted a vibrant, streaming-forward TV environment with strong performances across genres and continued emphasis on programs that connect with audiences over time.