The Peabody Awards has announced its 2025 nominations for the arts, children’s/youth, entertainment, and interactive and immersive categories. (Two days ago, the organization revealed its nominees in the documentary, news, public service, and radio/podcast contests.)
Among this group of contenders are three television programs that dominated the 2024 Emmy Awards: Shōgun (Season 1), FX’s Japanese historical epic drama; Hacks (Season 3), Max’s laugh-out-loud comedy about an aging stand-up comedian; and Baby Reindeer, Netflix’s limited series about a young comic who gets stalked. Who else is getting Emmys déjà vu?
All of the nominees were chosen by a unanimous vote of 27 jurors from more than 1,000 entries. The winners of the 85th Peabody Awards will be announced May 1, and then celebrated June 1 in a ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. Roy Wood Jr. will host the kudos, with special career honors going to NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell and sketch-comedy series Saturday Night Live.
“Whether a sweeping, cinematic drama, a sharp-witted comedy, a moving children’s program, or an interactive experience, Peabody is dedicated to rewarding resonant stories,” said Jeffrey Jones, executive director of Peabody. “All of our nominees demonstrate thought-provoking storytelling that entertains, enlightens, and leaves an impact on audiences that serves to expand our collective understanding of humanity.”
ARTS (1 nominee)
Photographer (National Geographic)
Photographer is a six-part documentary series that dives into the lives and missions of some of the world’s most impactful photographers, showcasing their artistry, personal struggles, and the cultural power of imagery. Through intimate storytelling and diverse perspectives — from wildlife conservation to conflict zones — the series explores what drives image-makers in a world oversaturated with photos, yet still hungry for meaning.
CHILDREN’S/YOUTH (2 nominees)
Out of My Mind (Disney+)
This coming-of-age film, based on a 2010 novel by Sharon M. Draper, stars Phoebe-Ray Taylor as a sixth-grader with cerebral palsy facing the challenges of being in a mainstream class for the first time. Her thoughts are voiced by Jennifer Aniston, the non-verbal character’s favorite actress from Friends, and her family is played by Rosemarie DeWitt, Luke Kirby, and Judith Light.
Spirit Rangers (Netflix)
Spirit Rangers is an animated series on Netflix that follows three Chumash and Cowlitz siblings who transform into animal heroes to protect their California national park, blending Native stories, environmental themes, and adventure. As the first U.S. kids’ show created and showrun by a Native American, with an all-Native writers’ room and deep tribal collaboration, it offers authentic, joyful, and empowering representation for Indigenous communities.
ENTERTAINMENT (12 nominees)
Alex Edelman: Just for Us (HBO Max)
Comedian Alex Edelman presents his deeply personal solo show about identity, assimilation, and empathy, centered around his real-life experience attending a meeting of White Nationalists as a Jewish man. Over seven years, the show evolved through conversation, revision, and audience engagement, ultimately becoming a celebrated HBO special that resonated profoundly in a time of rising antisemitism and ideological division.
Baby Reindeer (Netflix)
Baby Reindeer follows Donny, a troubled comedian entangled in a toxic relationship with a stalker, as he gradually unravels how his past has shaped his self-destructive behavior and relationships. At its core, the series explores how unaddressed trauma perpetuates cycles of harm, ultimately becoming a powerful and resonant meditation on healing, empathy, and the enduring impact of abuse.
Clipped (FX/Hulu)
This sports docudrama, created by Gina Welch, based on the ESPN 30 for 30 podcast The Sterling Affairs, tells the story of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling’s downfall after his recorded racist remarks were publicized.
Fantasmas (HBO Max)
Created by and starring Julio Torres, Fantasmas is a surreal, genre-defying HBO comedy series that blends narrative and sketch to explore themes of alienation, queerness, and identity through a whimsical quest for a lost oyster earring in a dreamlike version of New York City. With its bold visual style, diverse cast, and deeply personal storytelling, the show stands as a singular testament to the value of unconventional, imaginative voices.
Hacks (HBO | Max)
Season 3 of Hacks explores the renewed dynamic between comedy legend Deborah Vance and young writer Ava Daniels as they reunite after a year apart, reigniting their creative spark just in time for Deborah’s shot at hosting Late Night. As Deborah fights to claim a long-denied dream and Ava learns to advocate for herself, the season becomes a powerful reflection on ambition, legacy, and the courage it takes — especially for women — to boldly ask for what they want.
Mr Bates vs The Post Office (PBS/Masterpiece)
This four-part drama is based on the true story of U.K. sub-postmasters who were falsely accused of theft due to a faulty computer system, revealing one of the worst miscarriages of justice in British history. The series sparked nationwide outrage, led to real-world legal reform, and highlighted the extraordinary courage of ordinary people fighting back against institutional abuse.
One Hundred Years of Solitude (Netflix)
One Hundred Years of Solitude follows José Arcadio Buendía and Úrsula Iguarán as they flee their village and found the mythical town of Macondo, where generations of their family grapple with love, madness, war, and a haunting curse in this stunning adaptation of Gabriel García Márquez’s 1967 masterpiece.
Ramy Youssef: More Feelings (HBO Max)
In Ramy Youssef: More Feelings, the comedian reflects on the complexities of being a Muslim public figure in America, confronting issues of representation, Islamophobia, and the emotional toll of being expected to respond to global crises.
Ripley (Netflix)
Ripley follows a cunning grifter in 1960s New York who is hired to retrieve a wealthy man’s son from Italy, setting off a dark journey into deception, fraud, and murder. Based on Patricia Highsmith’s acclaimed novels, the limited series explores the chilling transformation of Tom Ripley as he manipulates his way through a life built on lies.
Say Nothing (FX/Hulu)
This FX limited series, adapted from Patrick Radden Keefe’s nonfiction book, traces the unsolved murder of Jean McConville and the brutal complexities of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Through deeply human storytelling, the series transcends its historical setting to explore universal themes of violence, trauma, idealism, and the moral ambiguities of political conflict.
Shōgun (FX/Hulu)
Creators Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks reimagine James Clavell’s classic tale through a modern lens, exploring what it means for two cultures to collide and transform one another with empathy and authenticity. By involving Japanese collaborators in every facet of production, they move beyond the “stranger in a strange land” trope to create a more inclusive, respectful, and culturally rich storytelling process that could serve as a new standard for global filmmaking.
We Are Lady Parts (Peacock)
We Are Lady Parts is a bold, joyful comedy about an all-female Muslim punk band navigating identity, ambition, and sisterhood, blending sharp humor with themes of inclusivity and representation. In its second season, the series elevates its complexity, challenging cultural stereotypes with heart, humor, and killer music as the band experiences the pressures of success and navigates how to remain true to themselves while monetizing their art.
INTERACTIVE AND IMMERSIVE (8 nominees)
1000xRESIST
This genre-blending narrative adventure game uses time, memory, and shifting gameplay styles to explore themes of identity, resistance, and intergenerational trauma, rooted in the emotional aftermath of the 2019 Hong Kong protests. Created by a majority Asian- Canadian team, the game sets players in a haunting future shaped by a global pandemic and alien occupation, challenging them to reckon with historical memory.
Body of Mine
Body of Mine is an immersive VR experience that places users in the body of another gender, using interactivity to explore the lived experiences of transgender individuals through intimate, tactile storytelling. Born from a deeply personal journey, the project has grown into a widely impactful tool for empathy, healing, and education, now used in LGBTQ+ centers across North America to foster understanding and connection amid rising transphobia.
Failures to Act
This investigation of the largest government scandal in New Hampshire’s history delves into an abuse case in which nearly 1,300 individuals have sued the state for neglecting to protect them from mistreatment in youth facilities. Through an interactive timeline and detailed personal accounts, this interactive project exposes the widespread nature of the abuse, showing patterns over decades and highlighting the state’s failure to take responsibility despite numerous allegations against over 300 staff members.
Inside the Deadly Maui Inferno, Hour by Hour
The New York Times meticulously reconstructs the deadly wildfires in Lahaina, Hawaii, using 400 resident and tourist videos placed meticulously on a photorealistic 3-D map, offering a vivid account of the tragedy. Through interviews, expert analysis, and in-depth reporting, the piece uncovers the failures that contributed to the disaster, providing a comprehensive and gripping narrative of the events.
One Day in Gaza: Close Up
In One Day in Gaza, Al Jazeera English captures daily life in Gaza through the firsthand lens of Palestinians using their phone cameras, highlighting both the devastation of war and the resilience of those living through it. The piece exemplifies the power of citizen journalism to provide raw, intimate storytelling where traditional media access is restricted, offering a vital and humanizing perspective on a deeply complex conflict.
Tchia
In Tchia, players embark on a tropical open-world adventure to rescue the protagonist’s father from the tyrannical ruler Meavora, exploring a physics-driven sandbox across beautiful islands. Inspired by New Caledonia, the game features creative gameplay and immerses players in the culture and language of the island nation.
Venba
This narrative cooking game allows players to take on the role of an Indian mother navigating her immigrant experience in Canada while reconnecting with her cultural roots through food. The game explores family dynamics, particularly the strained relationship between Venba and her son, Kavin, highlighting themes of love, loss, and the challenges of being a first-generation immigrant.
What Does Racial Bias in Medicine Look Like?
Dr. Joel Bervell’s series of informative Instagram and TikTok videos expose racial discrimination in healthcare, highlighting biased medical algorithms and practices. Through well-researched insights, Bervell educates both medical professionals and patients, empowering them with critical knowledge to combat harmful biases in medical care.
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