THE 35th annual Television Critics Association (TCA) Awards crowned the year’s top achievements in TV across 13 categories. Hosted this year by comedy duo Desus & Mero, the TCA Awards provide a nice boost for series contending for 2019 Primetime Emmys.

Amazon’s tragicomic hit “Fleabag” swept up three prizes, including Program of the Year and Outstanding Achievement in Comedy, with series star/creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge taking home Individual Achievement in Comedy for her droll turn as a dissolute London cafe-owner pining for a priest. “Fleabag” is currently up for 11 Primetime Emmy Awards.

HBO’s stunning runaway hit “Chernobyl” received the award for Outstanding Achievement in Movie or Miniseries, while Netflix’s mind-bending “Russian Doll” was crowned Outstanding New Program. Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams received the honor for Individual Achievement in Drama for her stellar turn as Gwen Verdon in FX’s “Fosse/Verdon.”

“NYPD Blue” and “Deadwood” creator David Milch nabbed the Lifetime Achievement honor. The “Deadwood” movie that premiered on HBO earlier this year is up for eight Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Television Movie.

“A self-lacerating examination of the intersection of love and faith, explorations of private trauma both scripted and unscripted, tales of personal transformation both uplifting and tragic, period explorations of creativity and avoidable tragedy, this year’s TCA Awards winners are united in how different and how ambitious they are,” said Daniel Fienberg, TCA president.

“This is an exciting time for television and there’s no single formula for excellence, as our honorees include reputation restoring biopics, female-driven half-hours, the rare spinoff to equal its illustrious predecessor and a piece of difficult-to-watch history that couldn’t feel more vital and relevant, making for a special TCA Awards night.”

(SD-Agencies)