There are a ton of TV and broadcast nominees and so let’s dig into some of them. I’m not going to do the ones where I don’t really watch a ton of the stuff because I can’t make an informed opinion or guess about how it’ll play out.
Outstanding Guest Performance
- Amanda Gorman – Sesame Street
- Chance the Rapper – South Side
- Colman Domingo – Euphoria
- Glynn Turman – Queen Sugar
- Gabourey Sidibe – American Horror Stories
Should Win: Colman Domingo
Will Win: Glynn Turman
Should Have Been Nominated: John Clarence Stewart / Steven Norfleet / Gail Bean
They should really expand this category to break it up between male and female actors (and perhaps comedy and drama) to make more room to highlight a greater range of performances. Because, guys, these nominees are a mess! Missing are a plethora of great performances – first and foremost the great John Clarence Stewart for his breakthrough role as Big Teak on P-Valley. The brother has been brilliant in little-seen stuff like Netflix’s What/If where he played an unconventional, wildly self-possessed Black gay man and he has sung and danced his heart out in Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. But Big Teak is the role actors dream of and Stewart was incredible. Ditto to Gail Bean as new character, Roulette, on P-Valley and Steven Norfleet who plays the pivotal role of Paul, Louis’ brother, on Interview with the Vampire. That said, of these nominees, I’d give it to Colman, but I actually think living legend Glynn Turman picks up this one.
Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-Series)
- Alaya “That Girl Lay Lay” High – That Girl Lay Lay
- Cameron J. Wright – Family Reunion
- Elisha Williams – The Wonder Years
- Khali Spraggins – The Upshaws
- Ja’Siah Young – Raising Dion
Should Win: Elisha Williams
Will Win: Elisha Williams
Should Have Been Nominated: Björgvin Arnarson
These are fine nominees, but for me this category is about Elisha Williams and Elisha Williams only. Especially since Björgvin Arnarson isn’t nominated for his role on Chucky, which is an unfortunate oversight. The new Wonder Years is a decent show, but to the degree that it works it is because of Elisha and Dule Hill. Elisha, in particular, has to carry the show. He’s in nearly every scene and he has to handle drama and comedy. He’s a wonder! He should win and I think he will.
Outstanding Children’s Program
- Family Reunion
- Raising Dion
- Raven’s Home
- Tab Time
- Waffles + Mochi’s Restaurant
Should Win: Raising Dion
Will Win: Family Reunion
Should Have Been Nominated: n/a
I’m not entirely sure that Raising Dion should be here. It’s a show about a child, but I don’t think it’s actually a children’s show. But either way, it’s the most accomplished show on this list, but it’s also operating at a very different frequency. That will likely hurt it. Family Reunion has won this category every year for the last three years so there’s no reason to think it won’t win again this year.
Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)
- Roland Martin Unfiltered: Black Votes Matter Election Night 2022 Coverage
- ABC News 20/20 Michelle Obama: The Light We Carry, A Conversation with Robin Roberts
- Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
- OWN Spotlight: Viola Davis – The Woman King
- The Hair Tales
Should Win: The Hair Tales
Will Win: Robin Roberts Special
Should Have Been Nominated: n/a
These are interesting nominees. I personally think The Hair Tales is the most interesting informational piece here, but my guess is that Robin Roberts will win because it’s about Michelle Obama. And Black folks never resist any opportunity to celebrate the Obamas.
Outstanding Talk Series
- Hart to Heart
- Red Table Talk
- Sherri
- Tamron Hall
- Uninterrupted: The Shop
Should Win: Uninterrupted: The Shop
Will Win: Red Table Talk
Should Have Been Nominated: n/a
I like all of these talk shows and they are all exactly what they aspire to be. That’s harder to do than I think we realize. I think Red Table Talk wins it’s 4th award in a row, but I’d personally give it to Uninterrupted: The Shop. It’s a warmer, more naturally flowing conversational style than the calculated vulnerability of Red Table Talk, which I suspect is getting old for folks.
Outstanding Reality Program, Reality Competition or Game Show (Series)
- Legendary
- Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls
- Shark Tank
- Sweet Life: Los Angeles
- The Real Housewives of Atlanta
Should Win: Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrls
Will Win: Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrls
Should Have Been Nominated: n/a
There’s probably a thinkpiece to be written about how the NAACP Image Awards nominating Real Housewives programming constitutes an expansion of the images we think represent us well. I personally think the show is drivel that should be cancelled immediately. Ditto Shark Tank. So I think this is two-way race between Lizzo’s show and Legendary. I’d give it Lizzo by a hair.
Outstanding Variety Show (Series or Special)
- A Black Lady Sketch Show
- BET Awards 2022
- Deon Cole: Charleen’s Boy
- Martin: The Reunion
- The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Should Win: A Black Lady Sketch Show
Will Win: The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Should Have Been Nominated: Rothaniel
Rothaniel was nominated for writing, but didn’t make it here. That is deeply bizarre. It should be here and it should win. Of what’s here, I’d probably give it to A Black Lady Sketch Show, but I think Trevor wins for his final turn behind the Daily Show chair. Trevor has been nominated and won as host, but the show has only been nominated once in the last 7 years – so so wrong – and it’d be a nice parting gift to the guy.
Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble
- Jada Pinkett-Smith, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, Willow Smith – Red Table Talk
- Jennifer Hudson – The Jennifer Hudson Show
- Kevin Hart – Hart to Heart
- Lester Holt – NBC Nightly News
- Tracee Ellis Ross – The Hair Tales
Should Win: Tracee Ellis Ross
Will Win: Jada Pinkett-Smith, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, Willow Smith
Should Have Been Nominated: n/a
The ladies of Red Table Talk won this last year, so I think they win again. Personally, I’d give this to Tracee who is one of the most naturally engaging individuals on the planet. The Hair Tales is enjoyable almost entirely due to her presence and point of view.
Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble
- Keke Palmer – Password
- Lizzo – Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls
- Tabitha Brown – Tab Time
- Taraji P. Henson – BET Awards 2022
- Trevor Noah – The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Should Win: Trevor Noah
Will Win: Trevor Noah
Should Have Been Nominated: n/a
Trevor Noah always had a very very difficult job following Jon Stewart as host of The Daily Show. While I still think the show should have ended after Jon left, Trevor’s done a bang-up job making it work about as good as anyone could have. He’s my choice, but I could see a scenario where Tabitha wins because she’s about as popular as can be.
Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television)
- Amy Wang – From Scratch
- Branden Jacobs-Jenkins – Kindred
- Hannah Cope – Karma’s World
- Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary
- Syreeta Singleton – Rap Sh!t
Should Win: Quinta Brunson
Will Win: Quinta Brunson
Should Have Been Nominated: Jordan Cooper
This is a great group of nominees, though I’d probably have swapped in Jordan Cooper for Branden since Kindred just dropped a month ago. What Cooper pulled off with Bel Air is really astonishing and actually really difficult to do. He took a beloved television show – arguably one of the most beloved in Black American culture – and reinvented in form, function, and perspective. Bel Air not only works, it actually deepens and complicates how we view the original show. He should really be here. That said, we all know that 2022 was the year of Quinta Brunson. She will win and she should.
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