Nods from 'The Rehearsal' and 'The Porter' show the independent spirit is alive and well, even if the rewards aren't

I'll admit it: even as a professional TV reviewer, I had to research which cable or streaming service released "The Porter" this year. CBC's original series from Arnold Pinnock and Bruce Ramsey landed two Film Independent Spirit Award nominations on Tuesday morning, and to be eligible, a television show "must be available [in the U.S.] via the network, basic cable , pay cable, pay TV, pay-per-view, interactive cable, broadband, or digital distribution through streaming platforms."

So where did the organization's nominating committees find a series with only seven reviews on Rotten Tomatoes? BET+!

As a TV fan, and not just a critic, these are the kind of nominations I love to see - and you should too! Not only is the rewards machine a duplicating business, where the most popular picks are highlighted so often that it's easier to ignore them than to recognize why they win this time, but to elevate a show like “The Porter” may actually steer some viewers toward a period piece that has been largely overlooked here in the United States. (Thanks to Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune, who called it "best kept streaming secret" of the year.)

"The Porter" was one of five nominees in the Best New Series category. His second nomination went to Aml Ameen, for his portrayal of transcontinental railroad carrier Junior Massey, in the new Best Lead Performance category. For the first time, the Film Independent Spirit Awards introduced gender-neutral acting categories, with 10 nominees in Lead Performance (including clever surprises like KaMillion in "Rap Sh!t" and Sue Ann Pien in "As We See It") and 10 more in the inaugural Best Performance in a Supporting Role category (which aptly features Jeff Hiller in "Somebody Somewhere" and Gbemisola Ikumelo in "A League of Their Own").

It's an adjustment that's long overdue and one that more awards bodies should embrace, but it's far from the only change the Film Independent Spirit Awards needs when it comes to honor television. On the one hand, another eligibility requirement is that a series must be “new”; only the first seasons are eligible, including seasonal anthologies (in case you're wondering where the love for "The White Lotus" went), and even reboots and revivals. (Certainly, an exception would have been made for "Twin Peaks: The Return", had TV been part of the 2018 Spirit Awards.)

Only acknowledging the new television disproves a fundamental strength of the medium: longevity. Television has always involved a process of adaptation and improvement, whether from episode to episode or season to season. It doesn't matter if the story is serialized or episodic. Either way, writers and producers are constantly evaluating what works and what doesn't to refine their programs going forward, and how the shows develop over time is part of what makes the creative process so special. It's one of the ways television differs from cinema, but Film Independent insists on seeing only the similarities.

Nevertheless, awards can (and should) have different purposes. Perhaps by focusing only on new series, the Spirit Awards intend to elevate the shows that really need it. At a time when productions aren't safe even when they're nearing completion, giving audiences an extra boost to watch (and networks an extra boost to honor a renewal) is vital for hundreds, if not thousands, of fans. jobs. In that regard, it's exciting to see such prominence given to "Pachinko," which not only landed a Best New Series nod, but was also named the Best Ensemble winner. While critics flocked to the Apple TV+ drama, award voters expressed no similar adoration. The Emmys nearly ruled out Soo Hugh drama altogether, and the Globes (which tends to lean towards international cuisine) didn't i...