'Shōgun' Leads 30th Critics' Choice TV Nominations, But These Shows Are Close Behind

With the 30th Critics’ Choice Awards approaching, the TV category has one strong contender leading the nominations: Shōgun. The show is nominated for a total of six awards, including Best Drama Series. It managed to win all the awards it was nominated for at this year’s Golden Globes, as well as four awards at the Primetime Emmy Awards. But who else is in the competition behind Shōgun? Let’s take a look at the series that gathered four nominations each, placing second behind Shōgun in the number of nominations.

Abbott Elementary is a mockumentary sitcom starring Quinta Brunson as a second-grade teacher at Abbott Elementary, a predominantly Black public school in Philadelphia. This year, it’s nominated for Best Comedy Series, with Quinta Brunson earning a Best Actress in a Comedy Series nomination, Tyler James Williams nominated for Best Supporting Actor, and Janelle James for Best Supporting Actress. The show first made waves at the Critics’ Choice Awards in 2023, where it won Best Comedy Series and Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Sheryl Lee Ralph.

The Diplomat is a political thriller starring Keri Russell as Kate Wyler, the new U.S. ambassador to the U.K., as she handles global crises, builds alliances, and navigates her troubled marriage. This year, the show’s second season earned a nomination for Best Drama Series, along with Best Actress in a Drama Series for Russell, Best Actor for Rufus Sewell, and Best Supporting Actress for Allison Janney. Last year, it received three Critics’ Choice Awards nominations but didn’t win any.

Disclaimer is a psychological thriller following journalist Catherine Ravenscroft, played by Cate Blanchett, who is shocked to find herself portrayed in a mysterious novel that threatens to expose a long-buried secret from her past, forcing her to confront the truth. It received a Best Movie/Miniseries nomination, as well as Best Actor in a Movie/Miniseries for Kevin Kline, Best Actress for Cate Blanchett, and Best Supporting Actress for Leila George.

Hacks is making a comeback at this year’s Critics’ Choice Awards after being absent last year. The show previously earned Jean Smart the Best Actress in a Comedy Series award in 2022 and 2023. In its third season, Deborah Vance launches her own late-night talk show, but things get messy when her friendship with Ava is tested by a major betrayal. This year, the show is nominated for Best Comedy Series, Jean Smart is nominated for Best Actress again, Paul W. Downs earned a Best Supporting Actor nomination, and Hannah Einbinder received a Best Supporting Actress nomination.

The Penguin, starring Colin Farrell, was one of the biggest TV events of the past year, so it’s no surprise that Colin Farrell received a Best Actor in a Limited Series nomination for his performance as the titular character. For the same role, he already won a Golden Globe at this year’s ceremony. The show also received nominations for Best Limited Series, Best Actress for Cristin Milioti, and Best Supporting Actress for Deirdre O’Connell.

The vampire comedy series What We Do in the Shadows is back for the fifth year in a row, and perhaps this time, it will finally take home at least one of the awards it’s nominated for, breaking its five-year-long losing streak at the Critics’ Choice Awards. The show is nominated for Best Comedy Series, Kayvan Novak is nominated for Best Actor, Natasia Demetriou for Best Actress, and Harvey Guillén received a Best Supporting Actor nomination.

As mentioned earlier, Shōgun is a strong contender at every award show, with its recent awards sweep. The show is nominated for Best Drama Series, with Hiroyuki Sanada nominated for Best Actor and Anna Sawai for Best Actress. Shōgun also has two nominees in the Best Supporting Actor category—Tadanobu Asano and Takehiro Hira—increasing its chances of winning in that category. Lastly, Moeka Hoshi is nominated for Best Supporting Actress.