Photo Credit: Sheri Determan / for AAFCA 

 

AAFCA TV Honors Names “Paradise,” “Love Story” and “Abbott Elementary” Among Its 2026 Winners

The African American Film Critics Association has announced the winners of the eighth annual AAFCA TV Honors, with “Paradise,” “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette” and “Abbott Elementary” emerging among this year’s leading honorees.

The annual celebration, which recognizes achievement across television and streaming, will take place Saturday, Aug. 8, at City Club Los Angeles in downtown Los Angeles. This year’s edition also expands the field with two new competitive categories: Best Reality Series and Best Podcast, a recognition of how far television-adjacent storytelling has stretched beyond the medium's old boundaries.

“The best television doesn’t simply entertain; it forces us to talk to one another and look closely at the world outside our own living rooms,” said AAFCA President and Co-Founder Gil Robertson. “This year’s winners represent the incredible depth and creative ambition driving our industry forward. Across every genre, these artists are telling bold, culturally rich stories that completely redefine what the medium can do. We are proud to celebrate the visionaries who are not only captivating audiences but making sure our communities are seen, heard, and remembered.”

“Paradise,” from Hulu, took Best Drama, while Sterling K. Brown was named Best Actor for his performance in the series. Apple TV’s “Shrinking” earned Best Comedy, and “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette” won Best Limited Series, with Crystle Roberson Dorsey also recognized for Best Directing in a Drama. “Abbott Elementary,” still one of television’s sharpest studies of workplace comedy, community and public education, received Best Ensemble and Best Writing.

Other acting honors went to Jurnee Smollett, who won Best Actress for “Smoke,” Erika Alexander, who earned Best Supporting Actress for “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins,” and Lamorne Morris, named Best Supporting Actor for “Spider-Noir.” Aaron Moten received Best Breakout Performance for “Fallout.”

The documentary prize went to Netflix’s “Sean Combs: The Reckoning,” while Kris Bowers won Best Music for “Spider-Noir.” In the newly introduced categories, OWN’s “Love & Marriage: Huntsville” won Best Reality Series, and “All the Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson” received Best Podcast.

AAFCA also announced its 2026 Top 10 Television Programs list, led by “Paradise,” “The Pitt,” “Shrinking,” “The Madison,” “Abbott Elementary,” “The Chi,” “Matlock,” “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins,” “Beef” and “The ’Burbs.”

Previously announced Special Achievement honorees include Tracy Morgan, who will receive the Flip Wilson Award; Kathryn Busby, recipient of the TV Vanguard Award; Celeste Hughey, who will receive the Impact Award; Lamar Chase, recipient of the Horizon Award; and Felicia Pride, who will be honored with the Salute to Excellence Award.

The full list of 2026 AAFCA TV Honors winners follows:

Best Drama
“Paradise” — Hulu

Best Comedy
“Shrinking” — Apple TV

Best Limited Series
“Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette” — FX/Hulu

Best Actor
Sterling K. Brown, “Paradise” — Hulu

Best Actress
Jurnee Smollett, “Smoke” — Apple TV

Best Supporting Actress
Erika Alexander, “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins” — NBC

Best Supporting Actor
Lamorne Morris, “Spider-Noir” — MGM+

Best Ensemble
“Abbott Elementary” — ABC

Best Directing, Drama
Crystle Roberson Dorsey, “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette” — FX/Hulu

Best Directing, Comedy
Anthony Hemingway, “All’s Fair” — Hulu

Best Documentary
“Sean Combs: The Reckoning” — Netflix

Best Writing
“Abbott Elementary” — ABC

Best Music
Kris Bowers, “Spider-Noir” — MGM+

Best Breakout Performance
Aaron Moten, “Fallout” — Prime Video

Best Reality Series
“Love & Marriage: Huntsville” — OWN

Best Podcast
“All the Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson”

Founded in 2003, the African American Film Critics Association is one of the leading organizations dedicated to film and television criticism, awards recognition and arts journalism, with a mission rooted in elevating African American voices and broader perspectives across the African Diaspora. Through its annual awards programs and special events, AAFCA continues to recognize artists, executives, journalists, and cultural leaders shaping the entertainment industry.