AWARDS

The Bear leads DGA TV nominations

By Reel Chicago
January 7, 2025

The Directors Guild of America has unveiled the nominees for the 77th Annual DGA Awards, and FX’s The Bear stands tall with three nominations in the Comedy Series category. The critically acclaimed show continues to blur the lines between comedy and drama, earning recognition for its episodes “Napkins” (directed by Ayo Edebiri), “Doors” (directed by Duccio Fabbri), and “Tomorrow” (directed by Christopher Storer).

These DGA nominations not only highlight the exceptional direction that brings The Bear to life but also underscores the show’s ability to resonate with audiences through its authentic storytelling. With these DGA nods, The Bear further cements its place as one of television’s most captivating series.

“Napkins” (Directed by Ayo Edebiri)

This episode delves into the personal struggles of Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas) as she faces job loss and the challenges of providing for her family. After a series of setbacks, Tina stumbles into The Beef, where an unexpected conversation with Mikey (Jon Bernthal) changes the course of her life. Their heartfelt interaction reveals the healing power of food and community, culminating in Tina being offered a position at the restaurant.

“Doors” (Directed by Duccio Fabbri)

Marcus (Lionel Boyce) and the staff attend his mother’s funeral, where he delivers a heartfelt eulogy about her unwavering support and influence on his life. Returning to the restaurant, the team is met with packed attendance, and the first day runs smoothly.

However, over the following month, tensions escalate as conflicts arise within the kitchen. Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) clashes with Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) by creating his own “non-negotiable” list to foster a more relaxed environment, while Cicero (Oliver Platt) grows frustrated over the restaurant’s costly purchases, including an $11,000 butter. Meanwhile, Sugar (Abby Elliott) discovers financial struggles despite fully booked reservations, leading her to propose a new turn at 9:30 p.m., which the staff reluctantly accepts.

The mounting pressures culminate in a heated physical altercation between Carmy and Richie over a customer’s request, disrupting the restaurant’s workflow. By the end of service, Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) finds a lost food ticket on the floor, a stark symbol of the restaurant’s growing dysfunction and the challenges that threaten its stability.

“Tomorrow” (Directed by Christopher Storer)

Following the soft opening of The Bear, tensions run high as Carmy reflects on the pressure to succeed. The episode intersperses chaotic flashbacks of his journey through Michelin-starred kitchens with present-day moments of reckoning. Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) and Marcus (Lionel Boyce) grapple with personal losses and professional demands, while Carmy refocuses the team with a new vision for the restaurant, laying the groundwork for the future.

Check out the full list of DGA nominees below:

Dramatic Series

Alex Graves, The Diplomat, “Dreadnought” (Netflix)
Hiromi Kamata, Shōgun, “Ladies of the Willow World” (FX)
Issa López, True Detective: Night Country, “Part 6” (HBO)
- Directorial Team:
  - Unit Production Manager: Mari Jo Winkler
  - First Assistant Director: Richard Graysmark
Frederick E.O. Toye, Shōgun, “Crimson Sky” (FX)
Jonathan Van Tulleken, Shōgun, “Anjin” (FX)

Comedy Series

Lucia Aniello, Hacks, “Bulletproof” (Max)
- Directorial Team:
  - Unit Production Manager: Chris R. Robinson
  - First Assistant Director: Jeff Rosenberg
  - Second Assistant Director: Erin Stern Linares
  - Second Second Assistant Director: Alaina Neumann
  - Additional Second Assistant Director: Chalis Romero
Ayo Edebiri, The Bear, “Napkins” (FX)
- Directorial Team:
  - Unit Production Managers: Carrie Holt de Lama, Tyson Bidner
  - First Assistant Director: Duccio Fabbri
  - Second Assistant Directors: Olivia Dame, Larissa Malarek
  - Second Second Assistant Director: Sofía Blanco
  - Location Manager: Maria C. Roxas
Duccio Fabbri, The Bear, “Doors” (FX)
- Directorial Team:
  - Unit Production Managers: Carrie Holt de Lama, Tyson Bidner
  - First Assistant Director: Larissa Malarek
  - Second Assistant Director: Olivia Dame
  - Second Second Assistant Director: Sofia Blanco
  - Location Manager: Maria C. Roxas
Jeff Schaffer, Curb Your Enthusiasm, “No Lessons Learned” (HBO)
- Directorial Team:
  - Unit Production Manager: Mary Church
  - First Assistant Director: Adam Feil
  - Second Assistant Director: Jessica Faires McGinn
  - Second Second Assistant Director: Timothy Muir
Christopher Storer, The Bear, “Tomorrow” (FX)
- Directorial Team:
  - Unit Production Managers: Carrie Holt de Lama, Tyson Bidner
  - First Assistant Director: Duccio Fabbri
  - Second Assistant Director: Olivia Dame
  - Second Second Assistant Director: Sofía Blanco
  - Location Manager: Maria C. Roxas

Movies for Television and Limited Series

Kevin Bray, The Penguin, “Top Hat” (HBO)
- Directorial Team:
  - Unit Production Managers: Dana Robin, Bill Carraro
  - First Assistant Director: Jude Gorjanc
  - Second Assistant Director: Brad Robinson
  - Second Second Assistant Director: Matt Merksamer
  - Additional Second Assistant Director: Maritza Gomez
  - Location Manager: Keith Adams
Alfonso Cuarón, Disclaimer (Apple TV+)
- Directorial Team:
  - Unit Production Manager: Donald Sabourin
  - First Assistant Director: Chris Carreras
Jennifer Getzinger, The Penguin, “A Great or Little Thing” (HBO)
- Directorial Team:
  - Unit Production Managers: Dana Robin, Bill Carraro
  - First Assistant Director: H.H. Cooper
  - Second Assistant Director: Eric Calatayud
  - Second Second Assistant Director: Matt Merksamer
  - Additional Second Assistant Director: Maritza Gomez
  - Location Manager: Keith Adams
Helen Shaver, The Penguin, “Cent’anni” (HBO)
- Directorial Team:
  - Unit Production Managers: Dana Robin, Bill Carraro
  - First Assistant Director: H.H. Cooper
  - Second Assistant Director: Eric Calatayud
  - Second Second Assistant Director: Matt Merksamer
  - Additional Second Assistant Director: Maritza Gomez
  - Location Manager: Keith Adams
Steven Zaillian, Ripley (Netflix)
- Directorial Team:
  - Unit Production Managers: Clayton Townsend, Joe Guest (New York)
  - First Assistant Director: Peter Thorell
  - Second Assistant Directors: Justin Bischoff (New York), Nick Notte (New York)
  - Second Second Assistant Director: Melissa Morphet (New York)
  - Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi (New York)

Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled Programming

Paul G. Casey, Real Time with Bill Maher, “Jiminy Glick, Andrew Cuomo, Adam Kinzinger” (HBO)
- Directorial Team:
  - Associate Director: Stacy Talbot
  - Stage Managers: Brian Anderson, Patrick Whitney
Jim Hoskinson, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, “Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez & Mavis Staples w/ Jeff Tweedy” (CBS)
- Directorial Team:
  - Associate Directors: Yvonne De Mare, Karen Yaeger
  - Stage Managers: Mark McKenna, Jeff Leib
David Paul Meyer, The Daily Show, “Indecision 2024: The Democratic National Convention – Plot Twist!” (Comedy Central)
- Directorial Team:
  - Associate Director: Adrienne Ford
  - Stage Managers: Bennymar Almonte (Lead), Tyler Goldman, Gena Rositano
Liz Patrick, Saturday Night Live, “John Mulaney / Chappell Roan” (NBC)
- Directorial Team:
  - Associate Directors: Michael Mancini, Michael Poole, Laura Ouziel Mack, Janine DeVito, Amy Mancini
  - Stage Managers: Gena Rositano, Chris Kelly, Eddie Valk, Tom Ucciferri
Paul Pennolino, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, “India Elections” (HBO)
- Directorial Team:
  - Associate Director: Elliot Mendelson
  - Stage Managers: Mark McKenna, Craig Spinney, Jeff Leib

Reality Programs

Neil DeGroot, Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted, “The Cliffs of Ireland” (National Geographic)
- Directorial Team:
  - Associate Director: Jeff Simms
Joseph Guidry, Deal Or No Deal Island, “Are You Decisive?” (NBC)
- Directorial Team:
  - Associate Director: Greg Rosa
Ari Katcher, Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show, “Road Trip” (HBO)
Patrick McManus, American Ninja Warrior, “Las Vegas Finals 4” (NBC)
- Directorial Team:
  - Associate Director: David Massey
  - Stage Managers: Sara Brown, Sean P. Galvin, T.J. Ganser, Joseph R. Osborne, Louise Story
Mike Sweeney, Conan O’Brien Must Go, “Ireland” (Max)

Children’s Programs

Kat Coiro, The Spiderwick Chronicles, “Welcome to Spiderwick” (Roku Channel)
- Directorial Team:
  - Unit Production Manager: Grace Gilroy
Michael Goi, Avatar: The Last Airbender, “Aang” (Netflix)
- Directorial Team:
  - First Assistant Director: Michael Neumann
  - Second Assistant Director: Chad Belair
Jim Mickle, Sweet Tooth, “This Is a Story” (Netflix)
Jennifer Phang, Descendants: The Rise of Red (Disney+)
- Directorial Team:
  - Unit Production Manager: Wendy S. Williams
  - First Assistant Director: Senica Billingsley
  - Second Assistant Director: Mark E. Brown
Amber Sealey, Out of My Mind (Disney+)

Commercials

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials
Lance Acord (Park Pictures)
An American Love Story, Volkswagen – Johannes Leonardo
- Unit Production Manager: Karoline Kousidonis
- First Assistant Directors: Thomas Smith, Peter S. Jackson
- Second Assistant Directors: Carly Sturgeon, John Mattern
- Second Second Assistant Directors: Matthew Kramer, Reed Baum
Kim Gehrig (Somesuch)
A Life in Sound, SiriusXM – Uncommon
- First Assistant Director: Kate Greenberg
- Second Assistant Director: Rebecca Rogers
Am I A Bad Person?, Nike – Wieden+Kennedy
- First Assistant Director: Guy Forgaard
Find Your Friends, Apple – Client Direct
- First Assistant Director: Rodney Smith
- Second Assistant Director: John Nasraway
- Second Second Assistant Director: Isaac Meija
- Additional Second Assistant Directors: Michael Dudley, Kendall Wilmot
Tim Heidecker & Eric Wareheim (Prettybird)
Michael CeraVe, CeraVe – WPP Onefluence (Ogilvy)
- First Assistant Directors: Matthew Smith, Kerstin Emhoff
- Second Assistant Director: Kiersten Fehlig
- Second Second Assistant Director: Matthew Hausmann
Andreas Nilsson (Biscuit Filmworks)
Board Game, Hennessy – Wieden+Kennedy, London
First Office Poo, Andrex – FCB, London
One More, Apple – Client Direct
- First Assistant Director: Scott Harris
- Second Assistant Director: Ronald Misetich
Whizzer, Virgin Media – VCCP, London
Ivan Zachariáš (Smuggler)
Flock, Apple – Media Arts Lab
- First Assistant Director: Robert Phillips