The Television Academy has revealed the recipients of its 17th Television Academy Honors, recognizing seven compelling television programs and their producers who have leveraged the extraordinary power of storytelling to propel social change.
The honorees include four non-scripted series and three scripted series, representing some of the most consequential and inspiring television of 2023. They are 1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed, The 1619 Project, A Small Light, BEEF, Deadlocked: How America Shaped the Supreme Court, Heartstopper and Lakota Nation vs. United States.
Each year, Television Academy Honors celebrates programs across numerous platforms and genres that raise awareness about complex issues facing society. This year’s honorees include remarkable programs–original dramas, documentaries and dramatized historical events–that address social injustice; civil rights; LGBTQIA+ rights and experiences; Indigenous history and reparations; the experience of mixed-race Americans; racism and racial justice; and mental health.
“This year’s honorees have leveraged the medium’s power to drive meaningful conversation and create social impact,” said Television Academy chair Cris Abrego. “We honor their commitment to authentic, evocative storytelling that tackles important social issues that affect the global audience.”
Scott Freeman, Governor of the Reality Programming Peer Group, chaired this year’s Television Academy Honors selection committee with Bobbi Banks, Governor of the Sound Editors Peer Group, serving as vice chair.
“The Academy Honors Selection Committee was pleased to receive many extraordinary submissions for this award. While all should be commended and it was a challenging responsibility to determine the final honorees, this year’s deserving recipients have delivered powerful and thought-provoking stories that resonate with viewers around the world,” said Freeman. “This honor recognizes the passion and commitment from all those in front of and behind the camera to power social and cultural transformation,” added Banks.
The Honors recipients will be celebrated during a recognition ceremony slated for Thursday, May 23 at Citizen News in Hollywood, CA.
Recipients of the 17th Television Academy Honors are:
1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed (Get Lifted Film Company; HBO Documentary Films)
From four-time Emmy-winner W. Kamau Bell, this documentary explores what it means to grow up mixed-race in America through conversations with multiracial children and their families in the San Francisco Bay Area, including his own. Bell tackles the joys and challenges of being multiracial in a country still deeply divided by race. (HBO|Max)
The 1619 Project (Harpo; Lionsgate Television; One Story Up Productions; The New York Times; Onyx Collective)
This Emmy-winning nonfiction series is a dramatic expansion of the “The 1619 Project” created by Pulitzer Prize-winner Nikole Hannah-Jones and the New York Times Magazine. The series seeks to reframe America’s history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of the national narrative, tackling issues surrounding racial justice, economic justice, reproductive justice, racism, democracy, criminal justice and reparations. (Hulu)
A Small Light (ABC Signature; Keshet Studios; National Geographic)
Starring Bel Powley and Liev Schreiber, this Emmy-nominated limited series follows the remarkable tale of Miep Gies, a Dutch woman who risked her life to shelter Anne Frank and her family from the Nazis for nearly two years during World War II. With Miep’s story more relevant than ever, this series presents a true account of an ordinary secretary who showed extraordinary courage during one of the darkest moments in history. (National Geographic)
BEEF (A24; Universal Remote; Netflix)
Created by Lee Sung Jin, this eight-time Emmy-winning series is an honest portrayal of loneliness and depression in the modern world. In BEEF, a road rage incident between two strangers – played by Emmy-winning actors Steven Yeun and Ali Wong – sparks a feud that brings out their darkest impulses. (Netflix)
Deadlocked: How America Shaped the Supreme Court (Showtime Documentary Films; Showtimes Networks; Trilogy Films)
This documentary series examines the vital role the Supreme Court plays in the ongoing fight for civil liberties in the context of America’s shifting political landscape. From Chief Justice Earl Warren in the mid-20th century through the latest sessions under Chief Justice John Roberts, each of the four episodes features an in-depth look at pivotal cases that altered the state of the union. The series explores issues within the justice system, civil rights, women’s rights, and LGBTQ+ rights. (Showtime)
Heartstopper (See-Saw Films; Netflix)
Based on the global best-selling graphic novels from author and creator Alice Oseman, Heartstopper stars Kit Connor and Joe Locke and explores the relationship between teens Charlie and Nick who discover their unlikely friendship might be something more as they navigate school and young love. The critically acclaimed, coming-of-age series celebrates the spectrum of LGBTQIA+ teen hood by centering its story and characters on queer love. (Netflix)
Lakota Nation vs. United States (Unceded Films, LLC; IFC Films)
This documentary chronicles the Lakota Indians’ fight to protect their sacred land. This visually stunning program about indigenous Americans is a provocative testament to a land and a people who have survived removal, exploitation and genocide – and whose best days are yet to come. (AMC+)
