The JC's 2021 television awards

Welcome to the inaugural JCTV Awards! A tough couple of years has seen television promoted to not just the opiate of the masses, but loads of other drugs as well. With the black box our literal portal to the outside world, here we celebrate the pleasures of reconnecting to our peoplehood, whilst reposed on the sofa, wearing our pyjamas three days in a row.

TOUGHEST TV JEW
What a time we live in, where not only can this be a category, but there’s so much choice! Brett Goldstein in Ted Lasso might seem like an obvious victor, but the character’s violence is only ever implied, and his Judaism non-existent. Not so with Tracy-Ann Oberman, and the fact I’m scared of what she’ll do to me if she doesn’t win speaks to how she had to soften her portrayal of a Jew that fights back in Ridley Road. Special shout out to the Mizrahi tank crew in Valley of Tears who consistently stepped up and kicked ass, even when the society they were protecting weren’t protecting them.

Winner: Lior Raz in Hit & Run. As if there was any doubt. Taking his real life experiences in an elite army unit first to Fauda, then America in this show, Lior is the Jewish Stallone, Stratham, and Willis all in one. But, unlike them, he can also make up a minyan.

Rona-Lee Shim_on as Nurit, Lior Raz as Doron Kavillio - Photo Credit - Nati Levi

MOST RELIGIOUS MOMENT
On screen the perennial shorthand for illustrating someone’s a practicing Jew is lighting the candles on Shabbat. A vintage year with The Club, Ridley Road, Luxe Listings Sydney, and Scenes from a Marriage all embracing the trope. Special points to Curb Your Enthusiasm for utilising the shofar as a burglar alarm.
Unfortunately Shtisel has requested to be prohibited from this category, as they don’t watch TV. A shame, as otherwise they’d have wiped the floor with the others.

Winner: The Shrink Next Door. Paul Rudd’s beautiful rendition of the blessing before the reading of the Torah is the golden standard, and should be used to teach all future barmitzvah classes.

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Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell in The Shrink Next Door

BEST ‘JEWFACE’
Every year it always comes down to these two. Both play Jews so perfectly, if you can unpack that statement, I always have to reach for the genealogy charts afterwards to double check they’re gentiles. This year’s runner up is Kathryn Hahn in The Shrink Next Door, getting more orthodox after portraying a Liberal rabbi in Transparent.

Winner: Showing that portraying a Jew isn’t about shrugs and over-using your hands, Oscar Isaac channeled a connection to Mount Sinai in Scenes from a Marriage.

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BEST ‘SIMON AMSTELL’ LOOKALIKE
Winner: Shahar Tavoch in Valley of Tears. I’m worried that if Simon and Shahar were ever to meet, it would create a continuum paradox that would destroy the world.

Shahar Tavoch

Is it Simon Amstell? No it's Shahar Tavoch

SIMON-AMSTELL

Simon Amstell

MOST NICHE JEWISH REFERENCE
Honorary mention to Charlotte in the Sex and the City reboot, for proving that conversion makes you 100 percent Jewish and unwanted funeral lox should never go to waste as she offers to drop it off at temple.

Winner: In Impeachment: American Crime Story Monica Lewinsky gives Bill Clinton a copy of the book Oy Vey! the things they say: A book of Jewish Wit as a lover’s gift. My best friend gave me a copy for my birthday, so now I’m confused.

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As Monica Lewinsky in Impeachment

MOST TREIF SHOW
As we celebrate the good, we must acknowledge the bad. Dave Chappelle’s mediocre comedy special The Closer had its moments. Unfortunately, it also had other moments of antisemitism. Not that anyone else but Jews seemed to mind.

Winner: Squid Game. Obvs.

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Tref TV? Squid Game of course (Photo: Getty Images)

FUNNIEST JEW
The most prestigious category? A lot of people have written in demanding it be the main character’s best friend in Hapless, but I forgot his name. The estate agents in Luxe Listings Sydney had some good bantz, and Ruby Wax’s career overview When Ruby Wax Met was a joyful trip down memory lane.

Winner: No surprise here, and winning the award for the 30th year in row, Larry David is the best of us, at being the worst of us.

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Television programme: Curb Your Enthusiasm Episode 01. Larry David (left)

BEST ‘JEWISH’ SHOW
Not just the best programme concerning Jews, but up there with Succession, The White Lotus, and Mare of Easttown as one of the best series of the year. Unfortunately its shameful relegation to late night E4 means the mainstream are unlikely to discover Valley of Tears, but they’re missing out on a treat. The immense Israeli production about the Yom Kippur War was a faithful representation of Jews in battle; argue, fight, argue, fight, argue, fight. It had it all, great effects, writing, acting, subject matter, suspense, and ultimately heartbreak. Mazels to all involved and bring on series two.