‘Pose,’ ‘WandaVision’ lead LGBTQ Critics’ Dorian TV Award nominations

I May Destroy You, It’s a Sin, Mare of Easttown also score top noms

Group combines performance categories to create gender-neutral acting nominations

GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, comprised of over 300 entertainment journalists in the U.S. and abroad, has announced its 2021 Dorian TV Award nominations. Winners will be revealed Sunday, August 29.

The final season of Pose, FX’s dazzling and powerful found-family drama, holds sway with six nods, starting with Best TV Drama. Disney+’s TV-spoofing Marvel fantasy WandaVision was with five nominations. Following closely with four nominations each: HBO’s grim Kate Winslet-lead murder mystery Mare of Easttown and vividly frank trauma tale I May Destroy You, as well as the heartrending AIDS crisis drama It’s a Sin on spinoff network HBO Max.

“I’m so proud,” says the Society’s newly elected president, Monika Estrella Negra. “Our group’s nominations are diverse and fresh, signaling the overhaul of invisibility of marginalized communities and the heralding of a new generation of entertainment journalists.”

Spurred by passionate pleas in trade publication editorials by non-binary activists, as well as non-binary journalists and others in GALECA’s own ranks, the group’s membership recently voted to make all Dorian performance categories gender-neutral (as they were in the group’s first three years of existence, beginning in 2009). Aiming to alleviate concerns that the elimination of gendered acting categories would cut the number of nomination-worthy roles by half—and leave out artists that might otherwise be recognized—the Society moved to note 10 nominees, rather than the usual five, for Best TV Performance and Best Supporting TV Performance.

In the chief performance category, venerable stars like Winslett (for Easttown), Jean Smart (Hacks) and past Dorian Award winner Billy Porter (Pose) are up against rising talents like I May Destroy You’s creator Michaela Coel and Thuso Mbedu (The Underground Railroad). In the supporting race, Dorian final-ballot voters will choose from the likes of The Crown’s Gillian Anderson, 
John Boyega of auteur director Steve McQueen’s anthology drama Small Axe, Saturday Night Live’s latest breakout Bowen Yang and Easttown standout Julianne Nicholson.

Showing the medium is still thriving amid a pandemic, GALECA’s shortlist picks include lots of first-season shows, including the electric dramas Bridgerton, Lovecraft Country and P-Valley, the over-the-top showbiz satires Girls5Eva (produced by Tina Fey) and Hacks, and Best Current Affairs Show contenders Ziwe and The Amber Ruffin Show.

And holding court in the group’s trademark Campiest TV Show arena: The annual flashy and drama-filled live music performance battle Eurovision Song Contest, the nasty nurse rehash that was Ratched, the ultra-irreverent WandaVision, and more.

In the Best TV Musical Performance category, is Lady Gaga with for mighty rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” during President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ inauguration. Among her rivals: Saturday Night Live cast members Bowen Yang, Punkie Johnson, Kate McKinnon, et al, singing “Pride Month Song,” a clever take-down of corporate America’s sometimes laughable way of pandering to the LGBTQ crowd.

Dorian TV Award winners will be revealed Sunday, August 29. Last fall’s Dorians TV Toast 2020 special, a mix of comedy, original music and meaningful tributes to winners, featured appearances by Janelle Monáe, Regina King, Hugh Jackman, Dan Levy, Josh Thomas, Laverne Cox, John Oliver, Damon Lindelof, Margaret Cho, Chad Michaels and the exuberant Porter. The program, hosted by groundbreaking gay activist and broadcasting veteran Karel, can be viewed for free on demand on Revry.TV.

Viewers who missed GALECA’s more recent special, Dorians Film Toast 2021—featuring Carey Mulligan, Daniel Kaluuya, Lee Daniels, Charo, Cheyenne Jackson, Rachel McAdams, Cynthia Nixon, Jharrel Jerome, Rosanna Arquette, Harry Hamlin, Rafael Silva, satirist Deven Green, returnees Cox and Cho and more—can tune to Free Speech TV (FSTV) on June 27, 4pm EST, 1pm PST. The three-hour show, also hosted by Karel, will be repeated on the channel over July 4 weekend as well.

More GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics news: On Wednesday June 23, we’re proud to be a marketing partner of the first PRIDE TV Summit hosted by Next TV, Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and tvtech.The free virtual event featuring talks with Nicole Maines, (Dorian nominee) Randy Rainbow, Jonathan Capehart, Obama-Biden administration fixture Moe Vela and several GALECA members. Register at pridetvsummit.com.

And in addition to Negra, Editor-in-Chief of CinéSPEAK, GALECA’s recently elected Board of Directors for 2021-23 are Vice President Diane Anderson-Minshall (CEO & Editorial Director, Out and The Advocate magazines, Pride .com), Secretary Adriana Gomez-Weston (writer of The Cinema Soloist blog) Treasurer Walt Hickey (Editor & founder, Numlock newsletter), Women’s Outreach Director Jazz Tangcay (Senior Artisans Editor, Variety), Membership Director Dan Allen (contributor, NBC Out; The Blade, EDGE Media Network), and Outreach Director Tariq Raouf (contributor, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Advocate, Nerdist).

COMPLETE LIST OF DORIAN TV AWARD NOMINEES:

BEST TV DRAMA
Bridgerton
The Crown

Lovecraft Country
P-Valley
Pose

BEST TV COMEDY
The Flight Attendant
Girls5Eva
Hacks
PEN15
Ted Lasso

BEST LGBTQ SHOW
I May Destroy You
It’s A Sin
Love, Victor
Pose
Veneno

BEST TV MOVIE OR MINISERIES

I May Destroy You
It’s a Sin
Mare of Easttown
Small Axe
The Queen’s Gambit

BEST UNSUNG SHOW
A Black Lady Sketch Show
Girls5Eva
Love, Victor
Search Party
Veneno
We Are Who We Are

BEST TV PERFORMANCE

Michaela Coel, I May Destroy You
Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant
Thuso Mbedu, The Underground Railroad
Elizabeth Olsen, WandaVision
Billy Porter, Pose
Mj Rodriguez, Pose
Jean Smart, Hacks
Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso
Anya Taylor-Joy, The Queen’s Gambit
Kate Winslet, Mare of Easttown

BEST SUPPORTING TV PERFORMANCE
Gillian Anderson, The Crown

John Boyega, Small Axe

Paapa Essiedu, I May Destroy You
Kathryn Hahn, WandaVision
Marielle Heller, The Queen’s Gambit
Callum Scott Howells, It’s a Sin

Dominique Jackson, Pose
Julianne Nicholson, Mare of Easttown
Jean Smart, Mare of Easttown
Bowen Yang, Saturday Night Live

BEST TV MUSICAL PERFORMANCE

Lady Gaga, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” Biden-Harris Inauguration
Jonathan Groff, “You’ll Be Back,” Hamilton
Kathryn Hahn, “Agatha All Along,” WandaVision

Elton John & Years & Years, “It’s a Sin,” BRIT Awards 2021

Punkie Johnson, Anya-Taylor Joy, Lil Nas X, Kate McKinnon, Bowen Yang,
“Pride Month Song,” Saturday Night Live
Bowen Yang (as The Iceberg That Sank the Titanic), “Loverboy,” Saturday Night Live

BEST TV DOCUMENTARY OR DOCUMENTARY SERIES
Framing Britney Spears
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark
Pretend It’s a City
Pride
Tina

BEST CURRENT AFFAIRS SHOW

Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
The Amber Ruffin Show
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Ziwe

BEST ANIMATED SHOW
Big Mouth
Bob’s Burgers
Harley Quinn
Invincible
South Park: The Pandemic Special

BEST REALITY SHOW
Legendary
Nailed It
Queer Eye
RuPaul’s Drag Race
The Great British Bake Off

MOST VISUALLY STRIKING SHOW
Bridgerton
The Crown
Lovecraft Country
Pose
Small Axe
The Mandalorian
WandaVision

CAMPIEST TV SHOW
At Home with Amy Sedaris
Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square
2021 Eurovision Song Contest
Ratched
WandaVision

WILDE WIT AWARD
(
To a performer, writer or commentator whose
observations both challenge and amuse)
Michaela Coel
Kathryn Hahn

Fran Lebowitz

Randy Rainbow

Bowen Yang

THE INAUGURAL “YOU DESERVE AN AWARD!” AWARD
(To a uniquely talented TV icon we adore)
Winner TBA

Photo credits: FX; Marvel Studios