'The Last of Us' leads TV nominees at the Critics Choice Super Awards

As I promised twice, I'm beginning my coverage of the TV nominees at the Critics Choice Super Awards as an early Sunday entertainment feature. Like last year, The Last of Us has the most nominations among TV shows. Here's the relevant paragraph from the press release.

“The Last of Us” leads this year’s television nominees with 6 nominations overall including Best Superhero Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie and Best Horror Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie. Pedro Pascal received nods for both Best Actor in a Superhero Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie and Best Actor in a Horror Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie, while Bella Ramsey earned nominations for both Best Actress in a Superhero Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie and Best Actress in a Horror Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie. (Superhero categories also include Comic Book and Video Game Inspired series.)

The Last of Us swept all of its nominated categories last year, so I wouldn't be surprised if does so this year. As I'm fond of writing about awards shows, electorates matter, and this is the same electorate. That written, The Last of Us is neither the most nominated show solely in the categories of horror series nor in superhero series. Follow over the jump to find out what shows those are.


The Last of Us has six nominations evenly split between horror and superhero categories, so three horror nominations. The most nominated show entirely within horror categories is Evil with five. What We Do in the Shadows tied with The Last of Us at three, followed by From and True Detective: Night Country with two and Anne Rice’s Interview With the Vampire with just this one. From was my choice for Best Television Series at the Saturn Awards and it won, but I'd be surprised if it did so here. Not only do electorates matter, so does the field, as True Detective: Night Country was in Action/Thriller TV Series at the Saturn Awards, not Horror. It's my choice to upset The Last of Us, not Evil, which was my second choice for Best Horror TV Series at the Saturn Awards last year.


I think Pedro Pascal has this in the bag. The question is who might upset him. I picked Harold Perrineau for the Saturn Awards, but that was in the absence of Pascal. I don't think I'd do that at the next vote.


On the other hand, I don't think Bella Ramsey is assured of winning this, despite her carrying the current season. I picked Jodie Foster to win Best Actress in a Television Series at the Saturn Awards and I would have done so in a field with Ramsey. I won't have to, but the Critics Choice Association members do.


I complained and made a prediction last year.

The Last of Us shut out the actual superhero shows. So long as the CCA maintains that "Superhero categories also include Comic Book and Video Game Inspired series," this will be an issue, as I expect Fallout will be serious competition for true superhero shows like Superman & Lois and The Boys next year in addition to being a leading nominee for Science Fiction/Fantasy TV Series.

That happened, as three of Fallout's four nominations are in superhero categories, tying it with The Last of Us; only one is in a science fiction/fantasy category. The most nominated show purely in superhero categories is The Penguin with four, followed by Agatha All Along and The Boys tied with Fallout and The Last of Us at three each and Superman & Lois with two. The Last of Us is almost certainly the favorite, but The Penguin has a very strong chance to upset. It helps that it has great nominated actors. Speaking of which...


Pascal will have a much harder time repeating in this category than for horror actor. He's up against Colin Farrell as The Penguin himself and Walter Goggins. Farrell has a second nomination at these awards, won Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television at the main Critics Choice Awards, won the Saturn Award for Best Actor in a TV Series, and Gold Derby has him in the lead for Outstanding Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie at this year's Primetime Emmy Awards. Goggins has a second nomination at these awards for the same role and is likely to earn an Emmy nomination for supporting actor. Since electorates matter, I think Farrell is the favorite to win this award, followed by Goggins, then Pascal.


Ramsey will have an even harder time winning this category than for the corresponding horror category for the same reason Pascal is not the favorite to win in the category above. Like Farrell, Cristin Milioti won Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television at the main Critics Choice Awards, won Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series at the Saturn Awards, and leads the Gold Derby odds for Outstanding Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie at this year's Primetime Emmy Awards. If that's not enough, Kathryn Hahn won this award for the same role in WandaVision and is on the bubble to earn an Emmy nomination according to Gold Derby. I think either of them could beat Ramsey, but my choice is Milioti.


I think Farrell is the favorite to win as a villain protagonist, but my favorite villain I love to hate is Michael Emerson from Evil. I'm glad I got to boo him again as a guest star in his wife's show Elsbeth. That was fun to watch and I bet the two of them have stories!

What do these nominations mean for the upcoming Saturn Awards? Like horror movies, there should be enough potential nominees. The Last of Us and What We Do in the Shadows may be the only series nominees eligible, although the latter might be a nominee in genre comedy, should that category return — Evil and True Detective: Night Country are over and From and Interview with the Vampire won't return in time to be eligible — The Bondsman and Yellowjackets from the acting categories are. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon will also return. If those aren't enough, there are always shows on Shudder, like The Creep Tapes. I'm not worried. I also expect to be voting for The Last of Us, even though I'm down on Season 2.

On the other hand, I'm worried about the superhero TV series category, like I am for the movie category. Daredevil: Born Again from the acting awards and the second half of Superman & Lois are eligible and that's it for these awards. The Boys won't return until 2026, The Penguin isn't returning, and the rest of the nominees aren't actually superhero series. What's left? Ironheart. Unless I'm missing something, that's not enough for a category. Action series do not need the addition of superhero nominees, but I expect that's what will happen. Sigh.

The next day I could continue this series would be Tuesday the 15th, but that's when this year's Primetime and Creative Arts Emmy nominations will be announced, and I might prioritize those. In the meantime, stay tuned for Souther followed by Bastille Day.

Previous entries about the 5th Critics Choice Super Awards

• 'Deadpool & Wolverine' and 'Thunderbolts*' lead movie nominees at the Critics Choice Super Awards
• 'Dune: Part Two' at the Critics Choice Super Awards
• 'Sinners' leads Best Horror Movie nominees at the Critics Choice Super Awards
• Drink to the action movie nominees at the Critics Choice Super Awards on National Piña Colada Day