Rueben's Ramblings

This May the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (otherwise known as the organization behind the Emmys) announced the TV programs that will be honored at the Fourth Annual Television Academy Honors on May 5, which will be hosted by actress Dana Delaney (China Beach, Desperate Housewives and the new ABC series Body of Proof).

According to the Academy, “the programs selected this year explore such vital issues as sexual abuse and assault, racism, mental health and trauma, teen pregnancy, autism, living with a life-threatening disease and good nutrition in the fight against childhood obesity.”

Among the honorees, who were announced yesterday, are the following:

The Big C, “Taking The Plunge” — In the season-one finale of The Big C, Cathy Jamison (Laura Linney) finally informs her family of the life-threatening cancer diagnosis she had kept secret, and after wavering on treatments, opts for a risky procedure. In this compelling episode, Cathy examines the taboo nature of her own mortality while bravely transcending denial to acceptance of living with her disease. The Big C explores the critical need for all, whether facing a medical diagnosis or merely getting older, to live life every day as though one is dying the next.

Friday Night Lights, “I Can’t” — One of America’s most acclaimed family drama series tackles a difficult situation that teens and adults face every day: unwanted pregnancy. As Becky (Madison Burge) faces a heartbreaking decision and seeks support, information and advice from friends and total strangers, the episode delves into the human emotion surrounding abortion with honesty and grace, never succumbing to the politically charged emotion that usually overwhelms the dialogue around this controversial issue.

Parenthood, “Pilot” — In the series premiere of Parenthood, Kristina and Adam Braverman (Monica Potter, Peter Krause) discover their young son Max (Max Burkholder) has Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism. 1.5 million Americans have some form of Autism Spectrum Disorder, but this statistic ignores the millions of parents, siblings, friends, teachers and therapists whose lives are affected by autism every day. In its pilot episode, Parenthood introduces the colorful, intergenerational Braverman family; with raw emotion it demonstrates the impact of Asperger’s on all members of Max’s family and the need for them to find the means to support each other.

Private Practice, “Did You Hear What Happened to Charlotte King?” — In this powerful episode, Private Practice masters the gut-wrenching crime of sexual assault, as well as a poignant depiction of its aftermath and the long-term mental health effects that follow. When Pete (Tim Daly) discovers Charlotte (KaDee Strickland) in the halls of the hospital bloodied and bruised, he and his fellow doctors come to her aid. However, only Addison (Kate Walsh) learns the truth from Charlotte — that she wasn’t just beaten and robbed, but was raped. This marks the second Television Academy Honors award for Private Practice. The series was also honored in 2010 for the episode “Nothing to Fear,” a thought-provoking account of physician-assisted suicide.

You can read more about the honorees here.

Check your local listings on May 5 for the televised event, which aired on the following channels last year: ABC, DirecTV, ESPN, HBO, NBC, Showtime and in syndication.