You came, you saw, you voted, friends. After a week-long contest that contained both runaway victories and an unprecedented three-way tie, these are your winners of the Eleventh Annual Feelies.
My favorite thing about the Feelies is that they serve as a bit of a time capsule that represents the ever changing television landscape and our hyperfixations throughout the lifespan of this website. I went back through a decade’s worth of winners to do some fact checking as far as past winners, and it’s a TRIP, y’all. You’ve loved so many shows so fiercely and it’s always so unpredictable as to which ones will rise to the top of the heap.
Except when it comes to David Tennant, that is. That’s one thing we know for sure. You guys really, really, really love David Tennant. Quite right too.
Thank you for once again sharing your TV passions with us. We hope you can be as proud of these winners as we are. — Kim
And The Feelies go to….
Best Comedy Series – Good Omens
Kim: Our pals over at Abbott Elementary made it a good contest but Good Omens ultimately emerged victorious in the race for Best Comedy, making it a two-time series winner. (Season One won Best Drama back in 2019. We are way more flexible with our category placements than the Emmys are.) As you will see from the rest of this post, you guys really went nuts for Season Two and it’s easy to see why.
Given that Season One exhausted all of the original source material, no one really knew what to expect from a second season. Imagine our delight when Good Omens decided to lean all the way into the millennia-spanning love story between Crowley and Aziraphale, giving us the kind of Jane Austen homage that Bridgerton could only dream about. David Tennant and Michael Sheen are truly the Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart of their generation; their chemistry is unmatched and they obviously bring out the best in each other acting wise. The addition of Jon Hamm as an amnesiac Gabriel, was, not sorry for the pun, divinely inspired. And as for that somewhat controversial ending that left many a delicate Gen Z viewer yelling that the show had been RUINED FOREVER? All I can say is that they wouldn’t last an hour in the asylum where network television raised me because I thought that ending was DELICIOUS and I’m so glad you all seem to agree.
Best Leading Performance in a Female Role, Comedy – Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Sage: It’s the second Feelie win in a row for Quinta Brunson, the brains, humor and heart behind Abbott Elementary.
Season Three sees Janine do what had previously seemed unthinkable: She leaves Abbott of her own accord, albeit in the hopes of being able to help not only her beloved school but many others like it through her fellowship at the district. While I suspect this storyline was concocted as a way of keeping Quinta in the writers room as much as possible post-strike, it also shakes up the series and gives her some new cast members to interact with. Many of the funniest and most moving moments of the show involve Janine running up against the limits of her job, and it’s even more crushing when she experiences that lack of resources on a district level. But there are moments of triumph too: the playground field trip, the librarian program, and the absentee student she and Gregory are able to coax back to school among them. By the end of the year, Janine realizes that what motivates her is as important as what she can do. Working directly with her students is what she loves, and even if she could have a higher-level impact elsewhere, that matters!
Janine cares so much – about her friends, about her kids, about throwing the perfect house party – but Quinta makes even the desperate overachieving part of her accessible and relatable. She’s the teacher and colleague we wish we all had, and we can’t wait to have her back at school full-time in the fall.
Best Leading Performance in a Male Role, Comedy – David Tennant, Good Omens
Sage: I did not see a second season of Good Omens coming, so what an embarrassment of riches it’s been to have more of David Tennant as Anthony J. Crowley, a Tumblr fancast come to fruition if there’s ever been one.
It’s been said that David particularly excels at playing the biggest heroes and the most dastardly villains – with Crowley, we get a big softie who wants everyone to think that he’s a remorseless agent of chaos. It’s the perfect alchemy for another iconic David performance. The mix of Crowley’s swagger and defiance along with his complete inability to not indulge Aziraphale or to cause suffering to anyone who doesn’t deserve it make him such a juicy, multi-faceted character who is evidently a blast to play.
Season Two’s flashbacks yielded many meme-able, quotable moments, from your friend and mine Bildad the Shuite to Giant Crowley’s furious declaration that killing yourself is “not on.” And let us not discount the demon as a romantic hero, with this season building to a betrayal and a desperate confession that punched us all in the stomach. For as much as he portrays himself to be in control, Crowley is actually a roiling vat of emotions and requires an actor willing to go big (sometimes literally) and to excavate those buried insecurities. It’s impossible now to imagine anyone but David Tennant in those skinny pants.
Best Supporting Performance in a Female Role, Comedy – Rebecca Wisocky, Ghosts
Kim: We’ve been banging our drums for Rebecca Wisocky’s brilliant work on Ghosts since the show premiered in 2021, so we are thrilled to announce that she is finally a Feelie winner. Hetty may not be the oldest ghost who haunts Woodstone Manor, but she’s definitely the ringleader and much of that comes down to the authority and confidence with which Rebecca plays her. She just plays outrage, both faux and genuine, so fucking well and I swear to God, her mastery of the double entendre keeps the folks at CBS standards and practices up at night.
Hetty’s not just Victorian repression and horniness though. Rebecca gives her so much heart and the moments where Hetty is surprisingly open minded or self-aware always deliver, be it her immediate acceptance of Isaac and Nigel’s relationship or the way she accepted her fellow ghosts’ punishment for hiding the truth about Alberta’s murder. Season Three’s revelation that Hetty had died via suicide was a heavy one, especially for a goofy half-hour sitcom, but Rebecca handled the storyline with true grace and vulnerability. In short, she’s a genuine treasure and I’m so happy that her work is being recognized by the people that count – the viewers.
Best Supporting Performance in a Male Role, Comedy – Jon Hamm, Good Omens
Kim: It’s absolutely insane that it took eleven years for Jon freaking Hamm to win a Feelie, but his inspired work in Season Two of Good Omens made it worth the wait.
We love HammBone as a dramatic actor, obviously, but it feels right that his victory has finally come thanks to a comedic role. Jon Hamm is an underrated comic genius and as Sage said in our nominee post, playing dumb is absolutely one of his strongest suits. It’s genius casting him against Michael Sheen and David Tennant because he’s just so American next to the two of them, in the best way possible. I love how he uses his classic good looks for comic effect, bumbling around with big, bright eyes and a bigger, brighter smile. But what’s so freaking genius about Jon’s performance as Gabriel is how he can go from adorably clueless idiot to incisively witty all-powerful being and back all within the blink of an eye. It’s just so effortless and unpredictable and that’s what makes him so much fun to watch. Get this man a prestige dramedy, stat! (And no, The Morning Show doesn’t count.)
Best Drama Series – Doctor Who
Sage: A new but returning showrunner, a hot young Doctor, a well-funded network, and a milestone anniversary – Doctor Who is no stranger to change, but this year was bound to be a test for the long-running series in more ways than one. And according to your votes, it passed with flying colors.
With Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson in the TARDIS, Russell T. Davies back in charge, and a splashy Disney budget, Series 14 (Sorry Russell: It’s not Series 1, because of math.) swung for the fences, eliciting some big reactions and getting people talking about the show again. Bold, experimental episodes like “Dot and Bubble” and “73 Yards” torpedoed any cynical assumption that the new deal would lead to a broad and toothless show. And Doctor Who reveled in its queerness, featuring not only a queer actor in a queer lead role but also bringing on guest stars Jinkx Monsoon and Jonathan Groff in major, plot-defining parts. Mileage undeniably varied on some of the decisions made – the season’s big bad and Ruby Sunday’s personal mystery among them – but after a few seasons where Doctor Who almost seemed embarrassed to be what it was, it feels damn good to have the spark, the spunk, and the fearlessness back.
Best Leading Performance in a Female Role, Drama – Carrie Preston, Elsbeth
Kim: It was a battle of the Carries down to the very last second and while I would have been delighted to give a Feelie to either of them, it feels fitting to give Carrie Preston a Feelie for a show created by Robert and Michelle King. It can go on the metaphorical shelf next to her husband’s Feelie.
I love Elsbeth Tascioni so much that my phone automatically capslocks her name because I was always that excited to see her pop up on The Good Wife and The Good Fight. Even with all of my love for her, I still had some worries about whether or not the character could sustain her own series. Those worries were completely unfounded though and that’s all down to how brilliant Carrie Preston is in this role. In the hands of a lesser actress, Elsbeth would probably be a caricature, but Carrie just makes her feel like your quirky and a bit socially awkward best friend. Elsbeth’s the smartest person in the room but she never makes people feel dumb, unless they’re the murderer and they deserve to feel dumb. She likes liking things and will unabashedly gush about her latest hyper fixation. She will gleefully accompany you to any tourist destination. She’s a fashion icon. She IS the moment and I hope we get to see Carrie play her for many years to come.
Best Leading Performance in a Male Role, Drama – Ncuti Gatwa, Doctor Who
Sage: It took all of 10 seconds for Ncuti Gatwa to prove himself as the only choice for the Fifteenth Doctor – that blinding smile is undeniable. But he never let his foot off the gas at any point throughout his first season in the role, giving us rage, playfulness, sex appeal, and gravitas, sometimes concurrently. Ncuti’s take on the Time Lord exemplifies what makes Doctor Who great, because he’s someone who’s trained out the ears but also operating primarily on impeccable instincts and pure good vibes. From his flirty banter to his flinty stares, Ncuti has, as the kids used to say, the range.
And he really got to show it off in his first batch of episodes. A rom-com with a tragic ending, an allegory for racism that leaves the Doctor speechless, a two-part showdown with a Classic series villain… Series 14 has got it all, and Ncuti showed the fuck UP, even when he was stuck to a landmine or filming almost an entire episode on space-Zoom. To sum it up, he is a brilliant shining star in this special sci-fi galaxy of ours, and we’ve barely scratched the surface of what he has in store for us in this role.
Best Supporting Performance in a Female Role, Drama – Christine Baranski, The Gilded Age
Kim: This one wasn’t even close. You guys really really love Christine Baranski as Agnes van Rhijn, the Grande Dame of East Sixty-First Street.
Agnes is The Gilded Age‘s equivalent of Dowager Countess Violet Crawley – a formidable broad from old money who’s clinging to established tradition with all her might and is always ready with a savage one-liner. Christine Baranski can deliver a zinger with the best of them and it is nothing short of delightful to see Agnes make lesser mortals crumble with one raise of her perfectly arched eyebrow and a cutting remark. What I really enjoyed about Agnes in Season Two is that we got more from her than just snark. (Though she would deserve the Feelie for her bitchy comments about Mrs. Russell alone.) It was so much fun to see her put off balance by Ada’s romance with Luke Forte and it was even more amazing to see her rise to the occasion and be there for her sister when her happiness was snatched away from her so quickly. Season Two ended on a low for Agnes thanks to her son Oscar’s squandering of the van Rhijn fortune and I can’t WAIT to see how she handles a newly wealthy Ada being the Lady of the House now. Bring on the zingers!
Best Supporting Performance in a Male Role, Drama – Oliver Stark, 9-1-1
Sage: As Kim said in the nominees post: Someone call the cops, because Oliver Stark stole our 9-1-1 newbie hearts this year. Evan “Buck” Buckley is such a special character – a bundle of insecurities and good intentions with a gigantic heart who never stops being curious about life and himself. And in Season Seven he learns something pretty huge.
What’s great about Buck discovering that he’s bisexual is that it’s so in line with how Oliver has been playing this character since, yes, Buck 1.0. Searching for happiness and self-acceptance has basically been Buck’s hero’s journey, and he’s so wonderfully open to having his mind changed, even if it takes him a minute. Oliver plays Buck like he’s holding his heart in his hand – you yearn to protect the guy, at the same time knowing that what he’s already overcome would make another person cold and selfish. He is a good boy but in a believable and rounded way, and the actor playing him deserves a great deal of the credit for that.
Best Limited or Anthology Series – Fellow Travelers
Kim: Fargo and True Detective: Night Country put up a good fight in this category, but I ALMOST feel like their similar subject matters and tone split the vote, clearing the way for Fellow Travelers to handily win the Feelie for Best Limited or Anthology series. Well deserved!
I talked about how important I thought Fellow Travelers was in our nominee post, but I failed to talk about how watchable it is. It has everything. Political intrigue! Illicit affairs! A heart-wrenching central love story! An ending that will have you reaching for the tissues and leave you staring into space for at least an hour afterwards! Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey give what will be looked back on as career defining performances and the entire cast rises to their level. It’s a pitch-perfect miniseries in every way and I am so proud to say it’s a Feelie winner.
Best Leading Performance in a Limited or Anthology Series – Jonathan Bailey, Fellow Travelers
Sage: Tim Laughlin lives more lifetimes in his too-brief stint on this world than anyone should. Fellow Travelers follows him from his optimistic early days in Washington, powerless to his attraction to Hawk despite his conservatism and piety, to his being the activist he had no choice but to become, determined that the government that’s abandoned him stare him in the face as he dies. Jonathan Bailey is up to the considerable challenge of the decades-spanning miniseries, imbuing Tim with the adorable naivety that Hawk initially finds so irresistible and later the outrage that keeps him fighting. While his worldview changes, Tim is never not strong, constantly pushing against Hawk’s self-preserving dishonesty and demanding the place in his life that he deserves. It’s apparent in every frame how important this role and the history it documents is to Jonny, and his chemistry with Matt Bomer is chef’s kiss.
His most impressive acting moment in the series, however? That scene where Tim and Hawk are out to dinner and Jonny has to pretend that he can’t carry a tune. That’s Emmy- (and Feelie-) worthy right there.
Best Supporting Performance in a Limited or Anthology Series – Kali Reis, True Detective: Night Country
Kim: Jodie Foster may have top billing but Kali Reis’ Evangeline Navarro is the heart, soul, and moral compass of True Detective: Night Country and that’s why she’s taking home the Feelie for Supporting Performance in a Limited or Anthology Series. Anyone who has ever watched a season of True Detective knows that its success often lives or dies on the strength of the partnership between the two lead detectives. If, as a relatively new actress, Kali Reis was intimidated by sharing scenes with two-time Academy Award winner Jodie Foster, it didn’t show in the slightest. They have an amazing chemistry together, their characters prickly in different ways and their relationship growing from one of disdain to tolerance to begrudigng respect to genuine partnership.
For as fun as the scenes with Jodie are, I think my favorite moments of Kali’s are the scenes she shares with her sister and the scenes where she grapples with her own family trauma and her fears of being cursed. She does such a fantastic job of balancing Evangeline’s strength and her vulnerability and her courage and it’s definitely a performance I’m going to think about for a long time.
Best Shipper Moment – Crowley’s Confession, Good Omens
Sage: What’s better than a love confession? A love confession given under duress, after the love of your life (who you just realized is the love of your life) is about to go against everything you thought you both stood for and ruin everything you built together.
The build to Crowley’s outburst in the Season Two finale of Good Omens is so subtle, as the flashbacks to his and Aziraphale’s earlier escapades and all the outside assumptions that they’re a couple lead to the realization that they are and basically always have been. Would it have come out if Aziraphale hadn’t accepted Heaven’s manipulative offer (which is surely going to bite him in the ass)? Probably not, at least for a few more hundred years, and that, children, is why angst is good and vital to our ecosystem.
Best Right in the Feels Moment – Loki ascends the throne, Loki
Kim: Listen, there are few things that hit me in the feels more than a scene where a character pulls a Bruce Willis in Armageddon, sacrificing their life in order to save the people they love, not to mention the entire universe. The series finale of Loki delivers on that trope in spades, down to Sylvie and Mobius being trapped on the other side of an airlock. They watch helplessly as Loki destroys the Temporal Loom, grasping all the branches of time in his bare fucking hands as he ascends to the throne where He Who Remains once sat.
“I know what kind of god I need to be,” Loki says with peaceful resignation. “For you. For all of us.” His sad but happy smile though!!! It makes me want to fling myself into traffic. Honestly, this scene could have been in our Shipper category because no matter who you ship Loki with, he’s sacrificing himself for them. It’s a gut punch of a moment that only Tom Hiddleston and his big wet eyes (copyright Sage) could deliver on after playing this character for fourteen years. Glorious Purpose indeed.
Best YAAASSSSSS!!!! Moment – Bigeneration, Doctor Who
Kim: It’s pretty engraved into the DNA of modern Doctor Who that a regeneration scene occurs in the final moments of an episode, with the current Doctor delivering a memorable closing line and then regenerating into a new Doctor who gets to deliver one or two lines before those pesky end credits pop up. It’s how it’s been done with pretty much every regeneration over the course of the show’s sixty year history.
Naturally, we were all confused when David Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor took a mortal hit from the Toymaker with a solid twenty minutes left in the episode. We were even more confused when it seemed we might be getting another “Journey’s End” style fakeout. But then. BUT THEN the Doctor asked Donna and Mel to pull his arms (honestly, me as Donna’s “Could I what?”) and the Doctor SPLIT IN TWO, with the Fifteenth Doctor emerging from the Fourteenth. “You’re me!” Fourteen marvels, looking at the new Doctor. “No, I’m me,” Ncuti Gatwa says, unleashing that megawatt grin on us for the first time. “I think I’m really, really me.”
BIGENERATION!! Do I fully understand it? Absolutely not. Do I love it because it meant we got to see Ncuti Gatwa and David Tennant share a screen and we didn’t have to say a tragic goodbye to David’s Doctor? ABSOLUTELY YASSSSSSSSSSS.
Best Warm Fuzzy – “I’ve never been so happy in my life,” Doctor Who
Sage: Why does it not surprise me that you guys love seeing David Tennant characters content and on the path to healing as much as you love seeing them tortured by eternal love? The Fourteenth Doctor’s resolution in “The Giggle” gave you the warm fuzzies like no other TV moment this year, and it’s no wonder, given all the trauma we’ve seen the Doctor endure and inflict over the years.
We are obviously big shippers here, but how wonderful is it that the Doctor finds peace and belonging with his platonic soulmate? Donna and the Doctor were always meant to find each other again, and it’s only right for her to have saved him simply by virtue of being who she is, living the life she’s lived (which lands him an instant family), and being a soft place to land. Sure, the mechanics of one Doctor cooling his heels on Earth while, you know, Sutekh tries to wipe out all life are a little wonky, but that doesn’t take away from the impact of the family dinner in the garden scene itself. Some of his companions got their happily ever after – it’s high time the Doctor secured one for himself.
Best WTF?!?! Moment – It was Suktekh all along, Doctor Who; The San Francisco Episode, Interview With The Vampire; Isaac’s Kidnapping, Ghosts
Sage: In an unprecedented three-way tie, you spread the love for WTF moment across a gothic romance, a sci-fi soap opera, and a supernatural sitcom.
On Interview With the Vampire, “Don’t Be Afraid, Just Start the Tape” reveals the truth about Louis and Daniel’s first meeting in San Francisco: Most significantly, that Armand held Daniel hostage for six days, Louis tried to commit vampire suicide, and Armand wiped both of their memories of all of these events. It’s not quite a bottle episode, but it has all the focus and intensity of one, featuring raw performances from Feelies nominees Jacob Anderson, Assad Zaman, and the show’s casting coup as far as I’m concerned, Luke Brandon Field.
He doesn’t come with a catchy theme song, but it actually was Sutekh all along (like, all along) on Doctor Who. The return of the Osiran bested by Sarah Jane and the Fourth Doctor only to develop over time into an actual god led to some bonkers updates to the show’s lore, a giant dog doing space zoomies in the time vortex, and (my personal favorite) evil, possessed Mel Bush. What a time!
Finally, Ghosts wrapped its most recent season with another major cliffhanger, which we hope has more permanent consequences than last year’s winner in this category. (No one actually important got sucked off – Flower just fell into a hole and hung out there while Sheila Carrasco was on maternity leave. A cop-out, tbh!) At least now we know there are some vengeful feelings afoot, with Isaac being kidnapped by a Puritan ghost with grudge several centuries old. Save him!
You all have exquisite taste in television. Thank you once again for voting! The race for next year’s Feelies starts now, so happy watching!
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