Elisabeth Moss (Photo: George Kraychyk), Donald Glover (Photo: Guy D'Alema/FX ) Reese Witherspoon (Photo: Hilary Bronwyn Gayle/HBO)

The Handmaid’s Tale took home the top prize at tonight’s Television Critics Association Awards, the professional organization’s annual celebration of TV excellence. In addition to winning the trophy for Outstanding Achievement in Drama, Hulu’s adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel was named Program of the Year, a reflection of both the quality of the series and the feeling of creeping unease that comes standard with each new day of 2017. This ushers The Handmaid’s Tale into the company of recent winners The People V. O.J. Simpson, Empire, Breaking Bad, and Game Of Thrones, each of which captured the zeitgeist and the TCA’s approval at a time when it didn’t feel like an authoritarian regime was breathing down their necks. Oh, to think of those carefree days when a relatively optimistic show like The West Wing, From Earth To The Moon, or Homicide: Life On The Street could be the Program of the Year.


It wasn’t all red robes and Dutch bonnets at the Beverly Hilton. Atlanta picked up Outstanding Achievement in Comedy; its star and creator, Donald Glover, won Individual Achievement in Comedy, an award accepted in absentia due to Glover’s current activities aboard the Millennium Falcon. Continuing this trend of doubling up, Individual Achievement in Drama honored Carrie Coon’s work in both Fargo and The Leftovers—so take that, Emmys. Residents of This Is Us’ past and present timelines were on hand to receive the Outstanding New Program award, while Reese Witherspoon represented the parents of Otter Bay Elementary School when Big Little Lies was recognized as the year’s Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries, and Specials.

The full list of recipients follows:

Individual Achievement in Drama

Carrie Coon (The Leftovers & Fargo, HBO & FX)



Individual Achievement in Comedy

Donald Glover (Atlanta, FX)



Outstanding Achievement in News and Information

O.J.: Made In America (ESPN)

Outstanding Achievement in Reality Programming

Leah Remini: Scientology And The Aftermath (A&E)

Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming

Speechless (ABC)

Outstanding New Program

This Is Us (NBC)

Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials

Big Little Lies (HBO)

Outstanding Achievement in Drama

The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)

Outstanding Achievement in Comedy

Atlanta (FX)



Program of the Year

The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)



Career Achievement Award

Ken Burns



Heritage Award

Seinfeld (NBC)