Wendi McLendon-Covey on Hosting the TCA Awards: ‘No Pressure!’

It’s been a long time coming, but the Television Critics Association’s annual TCA Awards are returning to an in-person event this year for the first time since 2019. After the COVID-19 pandemic and last year’s Hollywood strikes made everything virtual for five years, the The 40th annual TCA Awards will take place on July 12 at Langham Pasadena, the midway point of this summer’s TCA press tour.

And host and critics’ favorite Wendi McLendon-Covey want to get things back on track.

“No pressure,” she jokes. “But my God, it will feel good to be back in real life and experience the return to normality. I like the TCAs, I like meeting everyone. Maybe I’m a nerd, but I’m looking forward to it.”

McLendon-Covey, who was part of the team that scored a 2022 Emmy nomination for the TV movie “Reno 911!: The Hunt for QAnon,” is also known for her long-running role on ABC’s “The Goldbergs” and is the next in the new NBC comedy “St. Denis Medical”, with David Alan Grier and Allison Tolman.

That new series, from the team behind “Superstore,” has just placed an order for five additional episodes, on top of the original thirteen — meaning it will still be in production when TCA arrives. “We’re having a lot of fun with it, and I’m so glad I don’t have to pack up my trailer and say goodbye to everyone,” she says. “It’s great that we can continue for a while.”

When it comes to this year’s TCA Awards, Netflix’s “Baby Reindeer” and “Ripley,” as well as FX’s “Shogun,” lead the nominations, with five apiece. FX and Netflix both scored a total of 16 nods and topped all outlets.

The TCA Awards recognize honorees in comedy, drama, movies/miniseries/specials, news and information, variety/talk/sketch, reality, family programming and children’s programming. It also awards non-gender related awards for individual achievements in comedy and drama.

And then there is the main prize, for program of the year. This year’s contenders include “Baby Reindeer,” “Ripley” and “Shogun,” as well as FX’s “The Bear” and “Reservation Dogs” and Max’s “Hacks.”

“What a wonderful treat ‘Shogun’ is,” says McLendon-Covey. “It’s so amazing. I voted ‘Shogun’ for Emmys across the board. And ‘Fargo’ was absolutely terrifying.”

Perhaps a demonstration of the confusing nature of categories and genres, “Baby Reindeer,” “Fargo” and “Ripley” all received nominations in both the drama and movie/miniseries/special categories. In drama, they’re up against Prime Video’s ‘Shogun’, Prime Video’s ‘Fallout’ and HBO’s ‘True Detective: Night Country’. In films/minis/specials they face Netflix’s ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’, Showtime’s ‘Fellow Travellers’ and HBO’s ‘The Sympathizer’.

In comedy, McLendon-Covey notes, “I think ‘Hacks’ will do very well. And I absolutely respect ‘Abbott Elementary.’ Quinta Brunson is fantastic.” “Abbott,” which won the 2022 comedy prize, faces 2023 winner “The Bear,” as well as “Hacks,” “Reservation Dogs,” Netflix’s “Girls5eva” and Peacock’s “We Are Lady Parts.”

McLendon-Covey notes that she doesn’t have a lot of experience organizing awards events – but unlike most shows, the TCA Awards are informal – and the audience of reporters and winners know the results in advance, so it’s a stress-free evening .

“I want to keep it light,” she says. “I want to keep it positive. I feel like there’s a way to do that. I think people are sick of bad news, politics and all that nonsense. Excuse my French! There is a way and a need to keep it fun and focus on the fact that we are back together after five years. How lucky we are to have a job where we can celebrate all these things! So that’s what I really want to focus on.”

These are this year’s nominees:

Program of the year
“Baby Reindeer” – Netflix
“The Bear” – FX
‘Hacks’ – HBO | Max
“Reservation Dogs” – FX
“Ripley” – Netflix
“Shogun” – FX

Outstanding Achievement in Comedy
“Abbott Elementary” – ABC (2022 winner in category)
“The Bear” – FX (2023 winner in category)
“Girls5eva” – Netflix
“Hacks” – HBO | Max
“Reservation Dogs” – FX
“We Are Lady Parts” – Peacock

Outstanding Achievement in Drama
“Baby Reindeer” – Netflix
“Fallout” – Prime Video
“Fargo” – FX
“Ripley” – Netflix
“Shogun” – FX
“True Detective: Nightland” – HBO | Max

Outstanding Performance in a Movie, Miniseries or Specials
“Baby Reindeer” – Netflix
“The Fall of the House of Usher” – Netflix
“Fargo” – FX
“Fellow Travelers” – Showtime
“Ripley” – Netflix
“The Sympathizer” – HBO | Max

Excellent new program
“Baby Reindeer” – Netflix
“Fallout” – Prime Video
“Mr. & Mrs. Smith” – Prime Video
“Ripley” – Netflix
“Shogun” – FX
“X-Men ’97” – Disney+

Individual achievement in drama
Jodie Foster, “True Detective: Night Country” – HBO | Max
Richard Gadd, “Baby Reindeer” – Netflix
Hiroyuki Sanada, “Shogun” – FX
Anna Sawai, “Shogun” – FX
Andrew Scott, “Ripley” – Netflix
Juno Temple, “Fargo” – FX

Individual achievement in comedy
Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary” – ABC (2022 winner in category)
Ayo Edebiri, “The Bear” – FX
Renée Elise Goldsberry, “Girls5eva” – Netflix
Devery Jacobs, “Reservation Dogs” – FX
Jean Smart, “Hacks” – HBO | Max (2021 winner in category)
Jeremy Allen White, “The Bear” – FX

Outstanding achievement in news and information
“America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston” – PBS
“Frontline” – PBS (eight-time category winner)
“The Jinx: Part Two” – HBO | Max
“Queens” – Nat Geo
“Quiet on the set: the dark side of children’s television” – ID
“Telemarketers” – HBO | Max

Excellent performance in variety, talking or sketching
“The Daily Show” – Comedy Central (2004 winner in news and information ‘The Daily Show with Jon Stewart’)
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” – ABC
“John Mulaney Presents: Everyone’s in LA” – Netflix
“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” – HBO | Max (2021, 2019 & 2018 winner in category, and 2015 winner in news and information)
“Late Night with Seth Meyers” – NBC
“Saturday Night Live” – NBC

Excellent performance in reality
“The Amazing Race” – CBS (2011 and 2022 category winner)
“Conan O’Brien Must Go” – HBO | Max
“Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show” – HBO | Max
“The Traitors” – Peacock
“Top Chef” – Bravo
“We are here” – HBO | Max
“Welcome to Wrexham” – FX

Outstanding Achievement in Family Programming
“Doctor Who” – Disney+
“Heart Stopper” – Netflix
“My Adventures with Superman” – Swimming for adults
“Percy Jackson and the Olympians” – Disney+
“Apostate Nell” – Disney+
“X-Men ’97” – Disney+

Outstanding Achievement in Children’s Programming
“Bluey” – Disney+ (2023 Winner in Category)
“Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” – PBS KIDS (2016 winner in youth category)
“Frog and Toad” – Apple TV+
“Pokémon Janitor” – Netflix
“Sesame Street” – HBO | Max (winner 2018, 2011 and 2001 in Youth category)
“Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin” – Apple TV+