As We See It, Mo, The U.S. and the Holocaust and We’re Here are among the recipients of the 2023 Television Academy Honors.
The Television Academy is also recognizing 37 Words and The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks with this year’s accolades, which recognize remarkable television programs and producers “who have harnessed the extraordinary power of storytelling to fuel social change.” The 2023 honorees consist of two documentary specials, one documentary/nonfiction series, two scripted series and one reality series that delve into neurodiversity, civil rights, LGBTQ+ rights, equal rights for women, the experience of immigrants and refugees, racism, xenophobia and antisemitism.
“These exceptional programs and producers have used television to adeptly address some of the most significant and challenging issues facing communities across the globe,” Television Academy chairman and CEO Frank Scherma says. “Our medium is incredibly powerful, and these six programs have leveraged it to inspire transformational change.”
Governor for the professional representatives peer group Bryan Leder chaired this year’s selection committee alongside Kim Taylor-Coleman, C.S.A., governor for the casting director peer group, who is serving as vice chair.
Leder adds, “It was a robust year of outstanding and thought-provoking submissions that represent the histories and voices of storytellers.This year’s honors recipients reflect an intersectionality of topics with unique perspectives that are accessible to all.”
The honorees will be celebrated at a ceremony on May 31. The documentary series Profiled: The Black Man (Discovery+) will also receive a special recognition at the ceremony.
See below for more information on this year’s recipients.
37 Words (ESPN Films, Industrial Media and Trilogy Films)
The full story of Title IX — the hard-fought battle to push for equal rights in education and athletics, the decades-spanning effort to nullify its impact, and the rippling impacts of the landmark civil rights law that continue to resonate today. This four-part documentary charts the spectacular transformation that 37 words have inspired in American culture and the lives of women as well as the many ways in which the spirit of this bold law has yet to be fully realized. (ESPN)
As We See It (True Jack Productions; Yes Studios; Universal Television; Amazon Studios)
This empathetic comedy series follows 20-something roommates with Autism as they strive to get a job, keep a job, make friends, fall in love and navigate a world that eludes them. With the help of their families, aides and sometimes each other, these roommates experience setbacks and celebrate triumphs on their own unique journeys toward independence and acceptance. (Prime Video)
Mo (A24)
The heartfelt comedy that follows Palestinian refugee Mo Najjar as he straddles the line between two cultures and three languages while constantly living one step away from asylum on the path to U.S. citizenship. Mo brilliantly captures the experience of immigrants and refugees navigating institutional systems. (Netflix)
The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks (A Peacock Original, SO’B Productions)
This comprehensive feature delves deep into the life of civil rights icon Rosa Parks, her historic work and her role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Through interviews with those who knew her, powerful archival footage and her own words, this documentary tells the story of Parks’ extensive organizing, radical politics and lifelong dedication to activism.(Peacock)
The U.S. and the Holocaust (Florentine Films and WETA, Washington, D.C.)
Inspired in part by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s “Americans and the Holocaust” exhibition and supported by its historical resources, this documentary examines the rise of Hitler and Nazism in Germany in the context of global antisemitism and racism, the eugenics movement in the United States and race laws in the American South. (PBS)
We’re Here (HBO Max)
This Emmy Award-winning series follows renowned drag queens Bob the Drag Queen, Eureka O’Hara and Shangela on a journey to find deeper truths in small-town America, spreading love and connection through the art of drag. The queens recruit a diverse group of local residents to share their stories, increase awareness and promote acceptance in their communities by participating in one-night-only drag shows, at times facing increased opposition and anti-LGBTQ+ legislation laws. (HBO Max)
