Inaugural Gotham TV Awards Prove There’s Still Room for Smaller Projects to Flourish

The first-ever Gotham TV Awards offered a stark contrast between the Gotham Film & Media Institute’s annual celebration of cinema. While both awards shows were founded to toast independent productions — that is, before the Gotham Awards increased their budget cap eligibility requirements in 2023 — the Gotham TV Awards felt like a strangely intimate gathering that was mostly populated by showrunners, network executives, and the Gotham TV Awards jurors, with a few actors and press sprinkled in.

Sure, it could be that it’s the first year for the awards show and thus a smaller turnout and even venue (Cipriani 25 is mere blocks away from the Gotham Awards’ home at Cipriani Wall Street, and is probably half the size). Or perhaps the Gotham TV Awards will remain a coveted industry event, one that feels like it’s only for insiders.

The intimacy was most prominent during the Anniversary Tribute for “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” icon Mariska Hargitay. The award was presented by Hargitay’s former co-star Stephanie March, and Hargitay’s speech was an impassioned plea for media recognition of abuse survivors onscreen. Hargitay created the Joyful Heart Foundation, which provides resources for sexual assault survivors and has worked with government agencies to push for expedited rape kit testing in precincts. The Anniversary Tribute was the first of a trio of awards presented to industry titans, and given Hargitay’s eloquence and sheer force of presence onstage, the Gotham TV Awards should have saved the Anniversary Tribute for the final award of the evening. There was no way to top Hargitay, and the ceremony crescendoed before it even really began.

“The Crown” creator Peter Morgan received the Creator Tribute after the Netflix series aired its final sixth season this year, with series alum Lesley Manville presenting with her signature charm. “Expats” showrunner Lulu Wang also earned the Spotlight Tribute at the ceremony. Additional presenters included “Under the Bridge” star Riley Keough, “Apples Never Fall” actor Jake Lacy, and “Obi-Wan Kenobi” actress Moses Ingram who will co-lead “Lady in the Lake” soon, all of whom reminded audiences why they are such lovable actors to begin with.

And while there were some big names that were nominated (like Lily Gladsone) and won (like Andrew Scott for Outstanding Performance in a Limited Series for Netflix’s “Ripley”), very few of them were in attendance. “Ripley” showrunner Steve Zaillian accepted the award on Scott’s behalf, for example. And even though “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” won Breakthrough Drama Series, co-creators Donald Glover and Francesca Sloane were not there.

Jerrod Carmichael, however, did accept the award for his meta reality series, and “Palm Royale” nominee Kristen Wiig stayed for the whole awards show.

The ceremony’s genderless categories also seemed to highlight each winner in a more robust way. Zine Tseng winning the Outstanding Dramatic Performance award for “3 Body Problem” was a surprise in the room, with Tseng saying during her acceptance speech that it was her first time in New York, joking that that was almost a bigger achievement to celebrate.

Indie series “Colin from Accounts” won big with two awards. Actress Harriet Dyer, who co-created “Colin from Accounts” with her husband, quipped that her spouse couldn’t attend the ceremony because he was back in Sydney, Australia taking care of their child. “Fuck the patriarchy,” Dyer said onstage after winning both the Breakthrough Comedy Series and Outstanding Performance in a Comedy Series.

Eligible shows for the Gotham TV Awards had to be in their first season. The awards ceremony additionally knew which crowd-pleasers to emphasize, with the cast of breakout hit “Baby Reindeer” presenting the first award and later returning to the stage after winning Breakthrough Limited Series.

The first-ever Gotham TV Awards felt small, for better or for worse. Will it stay that way, or morph into the size of its preceding film parent awards show? We’ll just have to wait for the next episode.

Check out full list of winners below.

Breakthrough Comedy Series

“Colin from Accounts”

Patrick Brammall, Harriet Dyer, creators; Patrick Brammall, Ian Collie, Harriet Dyer, Rob Gibson, Lana Greenhalgh, Alison Hurbert-Burns, Trent O’Donnell, Brian Walsh, executive producers (Paramount+)

Breakthrough Drama Series

“Mr. & Mrs. Smith”

Donald Glover, Francesca Sloane, creators; Donald Glover, Stephen Glover, Anthony Katagas, Nate Matterson, Arnon Milchan, Yariv Milchan, Hiro Murai, executive producers (Amazon MGM Studios)

Breakthrough Limited Series

“Baby Reindeer”

Richard Gadd, creator; Wim De Greef, Petra Fried, Richard Gadd, Matt Jarvis, Ed Macdonald, executive producers (Netflix)

Breakthrough Nonfiction Series

“Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show”

Jerrod Carmichael, Eli Despres, Ari Katcher, creators; Jerrod Carmichael, Eli Despres, Susie Fox, Ari Katcher, Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg, executive producers (HBO | Max)

Outstanding Performance in a Comedy Series

Harriet Dyer, “Colin from Accounts” (Paramount+)

Outstanding Performance in a Drama Series

Zine Tseng, “3 Body Problem” (Netflix)

Outstanding Performance in a Limited Series

Andrew Scott, “Ripley” (Netflix)