“Insecure,” “Black and Missing,” and more are being recognized for their use of “powerful and innovative storytelling to advance social change.” As Deadline reports, Issa Rae’s seminal comedy about Black female friendship and the docuseries investigating racism in missing persons cases have both made the 15th Television Academy Honors list, a collection of “some of the most significant and impactful television of 2021.”
“Insecure” aired its series finale in December. The Emmy- and Peabody-winning comedy’s finale saw best friends Issa and Molly (Yvonne Orji), making personal and professional strides and vowing that they would always be there for each other. From directors Geeta Gandbhir, Samantha Knowles, Nadia Hallgren, and Yoruba Richen, “Black and Missing” follows sisters-in-law Derrica and Natalie Wilson, activists working to draw attention to the racial disparity in the resources and press attention missing persons cases receive, and founders of the Black and Missing Foundation. The docuseries won an Independent Spirit Award as well as an Image Award.
Padma Lakshmi’s “Taste the Nation: Holiday Edition,” opioid crisis miniseries “Dopesick,” and Indigenous teen ensemble dramedy “Reservation Dogs” also made the Television Academy Honors list, as did “It’s a Sin,” a drama set in London during the early days of the AIDS pandemic, and nature doc “The Year Earth Changed.”
“Now more than ever, television informs and galvanizes audiences around the world,” Television Academy Chairman and CEO Frank Scherma said. “These seven remarkable programs have enlightened viewers and advocated for some of the most significant issues facing our global community. We are pleased to honor these extraordinary programs and producers who are committed to influencing social change.”
The Television Honors selection committee is also giving special recognition to “Maid,” Molly Smith Metzler’s Netflix limited series about a struggling single mother and abuse survivor; the Janet Tobias-co-directed National Geographic doc “Fauci”; and the History Channel doc “Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre.” “Each will each receive a certificate acknowledging their thoughtful, pro-social content,” Deadline notes.
Deadline has provided synopses below for seven Television Honors selections.
Black and Missing (HBO/HBO Max)
HBO Documentary Films presents in association with SO’B Productions
From multiple Emmy winner Geeta Gandbhir and award-winning documentarian, journalist, author and activist Soledad O’Brien, this compelling documentary follows sisters-in-law and Black and Missing Foundation founders Derrica and Natalie Wilson as they fight an uphill battle to bring awareness to the Black missing persons cases that are marginalized by law enforcement and national media.
Dopesick (Hulu)
This limited series, starring Michael Keaton stars, examines how one company created the worst drug epidemic in American History. The series takes viewers to the epicenter of America’s struggle with opioid addiction, from the boardrooms of Purdue Pharma to a distressed Virginia mining community to the hallways of the DEA. The series reveals the American tragedy through the honest, yet human portraits of the families affected by OxyContin addiction.
Insecure (HBO/HBO Max)
HBO in association avec Hoorae Productions and Penny for Your Thoughts Entertainment.
Starring Issa RAE, the fifth and final season is about characters who share the real, lived experiences of Black women. They are determined to create opportunities for the Black community and evaluate their relationships and decide who and what they will take with them into the next phase of their lives.
It’s a Sin (HBO/HBO Max)
HBO Max presents a Red Production Company Production in association with Channel 4 Television
This series spans a decade and follows five friends as they navigate the early days of the AIDS epidemic in 1980s London. Russell T Davies wanted to show more than the pain and loss that plagued a whole generation. He also wanted to show the lives of those who lived them. Where there’s long been much misplaced shame and stigma, there was much joy, strength and love.
Reservation Dogs (FX Networks)
FX Productions
This comedy features four Indigenous teens in rural Oklahoma, who steal, rob and then save their money to travel to California, an exotic, mysterious, and faraway place. It was created by Taika Waititi as well as co-creators. The series was filmed on location in Okmulgee (OK), and is a landmark in Indigenous representation on TV. Every writer, director, and series regular on the show are Indigenous. This creative team is the first-of its kind and tells a story that resonates with their lives and invites viewers into a surprising familiar and funny world.
Taste the Nation Holiday Edition (Hulu)
Hulu, Part 2 Pictures, Delicious Entertainment
Padma Lakshmi, a bestselling host, executive producer, and cookbook author, takes audiences on a journey through America, exploring the rich and varied food culture of different immigrant groups. She also seeks out the people who have shaped American food today. The program looks at how immigrant traditions have stood the test of time despite ongoing threats, challenging political climates, and cultural misappropriation.
The Year Earth Changed (Apple TV+)
BBC Studios Natural History Unit in collaboration with Apple
This timely documentary special showcases footage from around world after an unprecedented year. It offers a refreshing approach to the global locking down and the inspiring stories that have emerged. People around the world have had the opportunity to connect with nature in a way they’ve never experienced before, from hearing birdsongs in deserted cities to seeing whales in Glacier Bay and meeting capybaras in suburbs across South America. Viewers will witness how the smallest changes in human behavior—reducing cruise ship traffic, closing beaches a few days a year, identifying more harmonious ways for humans and wildlife to coexist—can have a profound impact on nature. The documentary, narrated by David Attenborough, is a love letter to planet Earth, highlighting the ways nature’s resiliency and ability to bounce back can give us hope for the future.
Source: Women And Hollywood