Sentinel Awards Winners (2014)
NBC’s hit series Parenthood, now in its final season, received first place in the Drama category in the 2014 Sentinel Awards for its story about Hank, played by Ray Romano, who learns he may have Asperger’s Syndrome. The Normal Heart on HBO won first place for Drama TV Movie with a powerful story about HIV/AIDS activism in the early 1980’s. Mark Ruffalo, Jonathan Groff, and Frank De Julio starred in the film based on the original screenplay by Larry Kramer.
In the Climate Change category, Years of Living Dangerously, Showtime’s nine-part documentary television series, won first place for an episode featuring Matt Damon on how rising temperatures are becoming a public health emergency. Disney Jr.’s Doc McStuffins clinched the Children’s Programming category for a storyline that stresses the importance of wearing a helmet when riding a bike. HBO’s Getting On took top honors in the Comedy category for it’s dark humor in dealing with the healthcare system in an extended care hospital ward.
This year, the Reality category was expanded to include talk shows and documentaries. Life According to Sam (HBO) took first place in the Reality/Talk/Documentary category for the topic of progeria, a genetic condition where symptoms resembling aging appear at an early age.
The event, held at the Taglyan Center on Oct. 9, drew some of the top names in the entertainment industry. Producer Jerry Weintraub (Ocean’s Eleven, Ocean’s Twelve, Behind the Candelabra) accepted the award on behalf of Years of Living Dangerously, for which he served as executive producer. Alex Borstein, who plays Nurse Dawn on HBO’s Getting On, presented the award in the Comedy category, and executive producer and show runner Jason Katims represented Parenthood. Also accepting awards were Dante Di Loreto, executive producer for The Normal Heart, and Chris Nee, executive producer and creator of Doc McStuffins.
The awards are presented in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by Hollywood, Health & Society, a program of The Norman Lear Center at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
A full list of the winners follows:
Parenthood (NBC) | Drama
Topic: Asperger’s Syndrome
The Normal Heart (HBO) | Drama TV Movie
Topic: HIV/AIDS
Getting On (HBO) | Comedy
Topic: Healthcare
Life According to Sam (HBO) | Reality/Talk/Documentary
Topic: Progeria
Years of Living Dangerously (Showtime) | Climate Change
Topic: Climate change
Doc McStuffins (Disney Junior) | Children’s Programming
Topic: Importance of wearing a helmet