The Critics Choice Association (CCA) and nonfiction producers’ organization NPACT have unveiled the winners for the second annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards, which recognize excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms.
Netflix led the way with eight wins, including two apiece for Cheer as Best Unstructured Series and Male Star of the Year (Jerry Harris), and Queer Eye for Best Lifestyle: Fashion/Beauty Show and Best Ensemble Cast In An Unscripted Series. Also scoring wins for Netflix were Love Is Blind as Best Relationship Show, Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich as Best Crime/Justice Series, and Somebody Feed Phil as Best Travel/Adventure Series. Plus Netflix earned distinction with the special peer-voted award for Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Programming by a Network or Streaming Platform.
The other peer-voted honor went to Raw TV for Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Production.
And receiving the Impact Award was Survivor host and executive producer Jeff Probst received this year’s Critics Choice Real TV Impact Award, for his ongoing contributions to the unscripted television industry. Probst is a four-time Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Reality Host. He has traveled the world serving as both host and executive producer for Survivor, which won the first-ever Outstanding Non-Fiction Program (Special Class) Emmy Award in 2001.
Here’s a full category-by-category rundown of the winners:
BEST COMPETITION SERIES
RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1)
BEST COMPETITION SERIES: TALENT/VARIETY
The Voice (NBC)
BEST UNSTRUCTURED SERIES
Cheer (Netflix)
BEST STRUCTURED SERIES
The World According to Jeff Goldblum (Disney+)
BEST BUSINESS SHOW
Shark Tank (ABC)
BEST SPORTS SHOW
The Last Dance (ESPN)
BEST CRIME/JUSTICE SERIES
Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich (Netflix)
BEST ONGOING DOCUMENTARY SERIES
Frontline (PBS)
BEST LIMITED DOCUMENTARY SERIES
Hillary (Hulu)
BEST SHORT FORM SERIES
Carpool Karaoke: The Series (Apple)
BEST LIVE SHOW
Chasing the Cure (TNT)
BEST INTERACTIVE SHOW
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (Bravo)
BEST CULINARY SHOW – TIE
Chopped (Food Network)
&
Top Chef (Bravo)
BEST GAME SHOW
Jeopardy!: The Greatest of All Time (ABC)
BEST TRAVEL/ADVENTURE SERIES
Somebody Feed Phil (Netflix)
BEST ANIMAL/NATURE SHOW
Seven Worlds, One Planet (BBC America)
BEST LIFESTYLE: FASHION/BEAUTY SHOW
Queer Eye (Netflix)
BEST RELATIONSHIP SHOW
Love Is Blind (Netflix)
LIFESTYLE: HOME/GARDEN SHOW
A Very Brady Renovation (HGTV)
BEST ENSEMBLE CAST IN AN UNSCRIPTED SERIES
Queer Eye (Netflix)
FEMALE STAR OF THE YEAR
Dr. Sandra Lee – Dr. Pimple Popper (TLC)
MALE STAR OF THE YEAR
Jerry Harris – Cheer (Netflix)
BEST SHOW HOST
Alex Trebek – Jeopardy! (CBS Television Distribution)
IMPACT AWARD
Jeff Probst
Survivor host and executive producer Jeff Probst received this year’s Critics Choice Real TV Impact Award, for his ongoing contributions to the unscripted television industry. Probst is a four-time Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Reality Host. He has traveled the world serving as both host and executive producer for Survivor, which won the first-ever Outstanding Non-Fiction Program (Special Class) Emmy Award in 2001. This year marked the 20th anniversary of Survivor and its 40th season.
CRITICS CHOICE REAL TV PEER-VOTED AWARDS
The honorees for the two peer-voted awards (Outstanding Achievement In Nonfiction Programming By A Network Or Streaming Platform and Outstanding Achievement In Nonfiction Production) are selected by the members of NPACT, the US association for nonfiction production companies. While the shows themselves are recognized by critics and the public in the other Real TV Awards categories, these awards celebrate the excellence and innovation that happens behind the scenes to create, develop, produce, and deliver every show to the viewing public. Each show begins as a creative spark that is fueled by a collaboration between producer and programmer to ultimately become the finished program that’s enjoyed by viewers. The nonfiction production community has come together, through NPACT, to acknowledge and celebrate the best of their colleagues and collaborators with these two awards.
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN NONFICTION PROGRAMMING BY A NETWORK OR STREAMING PLATFORM
Netflix
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN NONFICTION PRODUCTION
Raw TV