The Pitt, Shrinking, Dying for Sex Among Shows Taking Renamed Sentinel Prizes
By Roberta Cruger
Seven series recognized for powerful storytelling on topics like cancer, racism and climate will be honored on October 27 by Hollywood, Health & Society, the program at USC Annenberg’s Norman Lear Center. Marking its 25th year, HH&S is renaming its Sentinel Awards in honor of the trailblazing TV writer and producer behind All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Maude and One Day at a Time.
Lear, who died in 2023 at the age of 101, proved that TV shows can tackle consequential issues while also being massively popular entertainment.
“Norman would be thrilled that this award carries his name,” said producer Lyn Lear, his wife of 37 years. “He loved what HH&S does, as do I, and he loved celebrating the creative community’s passion for making a difference.”
“Writers and actors love being on a hit show,” added Lear Center founding director Marty Kaplan, who holds Annenberg’s Norman Lear chair in entertainment, media and society. “These awards remind us they also love being on a show that matters.”
In a challenging year for Angelenos and Americans reeling from horrific firestorms and heartbreaking losses, HH&S spotlights narratives that offer audiences messages of hope and resilience.
The 2025 Norman Lear Award winners include Emmy nominees Shrinking, Dying for Sex, Matlock and Paradise. Medical drama honorees include Grey’s Anatomy, Chicago Med and The Pitt, the new breakout hit, which receives the special Culture of Health Award for its entire Season 1 body of work.
Those 15 episodes follow a long day’s shift for healthcare workers and their patients on the frontlines of a trauma hospital’s emergency department, offering an unflinching look at the embattled healthcare system coping with staff shortages and deep cuts. Co-created by R. Scott Gemmill, actor Noah Wyle and John Wells, the HBO Max series depicts important topics with exceptional accuracy and moving portrayals, including mental health, abortion access, organ donation, trust in medicine, gun violence, end of life and social services.
“We were delighted to connect the writers of The Pitt with experts on a range of topics,” said HH&S director, Kate Folb. “It’s what we can do for any show.”
Scripted shows from network, cable and streaming services were reviewed by award judges twice: for accuracy of information, and for entertainment value and potential benefit to the viewing audience. The awards will be presented on the evening of Monday, October 27, 2025, at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills.
The full list of winners:
The Pitt (HBO Max)
Season 1 body of work
Culture of Health Award
Chicago Med (NBC)
“Trust Fall” episode
Topic: Racial Disparities in Healthcare
Dying for Sex (FX on Hulu)
“It’s Not That Serious” episode
Topic: Breast Cancer
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
“Ridin’ Solo” episode
Topic: Advances in Medicine/Clinical Trials
Matlock (CBS)
“Claws” episode
Topic: Addiction and Recovery
Paradise (Hulu)
“The Day” episode
Topic: Climate Change
Shrinking (AppleTV+)
“The Last Thanksgiving” episode
Topic: Caregiving
HH&S provides entertainment industry professionals with accurate and timely information for storylines on health, safety and security through consultations and briefings with experts. Based at the Lear Center, HH&S is a free resource for writers, producers and others in search of credible information. Past and present support for HH&S has come from funders that include the California Health Care Foundation, Caring Across Generations, Southern California Clinical and Translational Science Institute, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. For more information about resources for writers, go to www.usc.edu/hhs.
The Norman Lear Center is a multidisciplinary research and public policy center studying and shaping the impact of entertainment and media on society. From its base in the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, the Lear Center builds bridges between faculty who study aspects of entertainment, media and culture. Beyond campus, it bridges the gap between entertainment industry and academia, and between them and the public. For more information, visit www.learcenter.org.
Located in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California, the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism is among the nation’s leading institutions devoted to the study of journalism and communication, and their impact on politics, culture and society. USC Annenberg offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in journalism, communication, public diplomacy and public relations. For more information, visit www.annenberg.usc.edu.
