Seven programs are being honored at the Fifth Annual Television Academy Honors today by multiple Emmy® Award-winning actress Dana Delany (Body of Proof), who will once again host the Honors presentation in May. The 2012 honorees are Dr. Oz, Five, Harry’s Law “Head Games,” Hot Coffee, Men of a Certain Age “Let the Sunshine In,” Rescue Me “344” and Women, War & Peace.
All of this year’s honorees use the power of television to create positive social change by focusing attention on such important issues as personal health, breast cancer, sports-related head injuries, the civil justice system, 9/11 first responders and the role women play as peace builders and creators of international law in global hotspots.
All of the recognized programs aired in 2011 on a diverse group of outlets: FX, HBO, LIFETIME, NBC, PBS, TNT and in syndication. The always-inspiring evening will take place at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Wednesday, May 2nd.
Recipients of the Fifth Annual Television Academy Honors are:
Dr. Oz Show (Syndicated) – Hosted by Emmy Award-winning host, Dr. Mehmet C. Oz., this multi-topic, multi-segment health and wellness talk show offers relevant, inspiring stories and newsworthy information that can be easily understood and safely integrated into the lives of its viewers. With his upbeat, entertaining format and thoughtful presentation, Dr. Oz has made his show a safe zone to shed light on physical, mental and emotional health issues, field questions and get answers. He has made health and wellness a part of the American conversation. (Co-Produced by Harpo Productions and Sony Pictures Television (SPT) and distributed by SPT)
Five (Lifetime) – This anthology of five short films explores the impact of breast cancer on people’s lives from the moment of diagnosis. The films chart the different stages of the disease that affect relationships and the way women perceive themselves while searching for strength, comfort, medical breakthroughs and, ultimately, a cure. Five was directed by Jennifer Aniston, Alicia Keys, Demi Moore, Independent Spirit Award-winner Patty Jenkins and Penelope Spheeris. (Produced by Sony Pictures Television)
Harry’s Law “Head Games” (NBC) – Harry (Kathy Bates) and Adam (Nathan Corddry) argue on behalf of parents whose son died after receiving a concussive blow while playing on his high school football team. During the case, Harry examines the danger that football-related injuries pose to young athletes. (Produced by Bonanza Productions in association with David E. Kelley Productions and Warner Bros. Television)
Hot Coffee (HBO) – First-time filmmaker and former public interest lawyer Susan Saladoff uses four cases — including the infamous “McDonald’s coffee case” — to shed light on several instances in which multi-million dollar corporate PR campaigns and media manipulation were used to spark America’s zeal for tort reform. This thought-provoking documentary challenges viewers to reexamine long-held beliefs that our courts are flooded with frivolous lawsuits that lead to “jackpot justice,” and questions the effectiveness of a civil justice system that may be heavily influenced by bottom line corporate interests. (Produced by If Not Now and The Group Entertainment in association with HBO Documentary Films)
Men of a Certain Age “Let the Sunshine In” (TNT) – When perennial bachelor Terry (Scott Bakula) announces he’s getting a colonoscopy for his 50th birthday, the guys all decide to have the procedure and make a weekend of it in Palm Springs. Once there, however, Terry obsesses over his girlfriend, Joe (Ray Romano) wrestles with his gambling addiction and Owen (Andre Braugher) opens up about his father. True to the series’ focus on the turbulent emotional struggles and feelings of inadequacy its lead characters encounter with middle age, this episode underscores the importance of getting annual checkups to address health issues early. It also addresses the tendency of reasonably healthy, middle-aged men to avoid doctors. (Produced by TNT Originals)
Rescue Me “344” (FX) – Created by Denis Leary and Peter Tolan, Rescue Me has been acclaimed as one of the finest pieces of television or film dealing with the day-to-day lives of New York firefighters and their families in a Post-9/11 world. In “344,” the sixth episode of the seventh and final season of the series, Tommy Gavin (Denis Leary) finds himself at Ground Zero almost 10 years after the attack on Manhattan’s World Trade Center. In a powerful opening scene, the topic of memorializing and commemorating loved ones is the subject of debate. The episode proceeds to tackle the issues of fear, love and loss as the firefighters still struggle with the emotional trauma of 9/11 almost a decade after the tragedy. (Produced by Apostle, The Cloudland Company and DreamWorks Television in association with Sony Pictures Television)
Women, War & Peace (PBS) – This five-part series, narrated by Matt Damon, Tilda Swinton, Geena Davis and Alfre Woodard, challenges the conventional wisdom that war and peace are a man’s domain. Women embroiled in the midst of today’s conflicts bring viewers inside their lives, forever changing the way we look at war. (Thirteen and Fork Films in association with WNET and ITVS)