Viewers for Quality Television (also called "VQT") was an American nonprofit organization (under 501(c)(3)) founded in 1984 to advocate network television series that members of the organization voted to be of the "highest quality."VQT: A Rising Voice in the TV Wilderness - Los Angeles Times The group's goal was to rescue "...critically acclaimed programs from cancellation despite their Nielsen program rating." It was a participatory organization that was open to all interested viewers. The organization was dissolved in late 2000 due to financial problems.
History The group's founder Dorothy Swanson started VQT to save the television show Cagney and Lacey from cancellation. The VQT presented an award each year called the "Q" Award, based on the votes of its members. Actors were nominated based on the group's judgement of the "quality" of the acting. Other programs supported by the group included St. Elsewhere, Designing Women, Frank's Place, Quantum Leap, Sports Night, and Party of Five.
Aftermath Swanson dissolved VQT in 2000 after the organization's membership dropped to 1,000 members (down from a peak of 5,000 members), which reduced the funding for the organization. With the low membership and lack of funding, VQT was not able to put on its annual "Q" awards ceremony in Los Angeles. Swanson claims that she disbanded the organization to avoid the danger of "... the organization becom[ing] a shadow of its former self, whether under my direction or somebody else's."
They became the subject of the 2018 documentary United We Fan.United We Fan (2018)|TubiUnited We Fan Review - IGN22 movies to watch at Hot Docs|The Star
List of Q Awards winners
Best Quality Drama Series: 1985: Cagney & Lacey 1986: Cagney & Lacey 1987: Cagney & Lacey 1988: Cagney & Lacey 1989: China Beach 1990: China Beach 1991: China Beach 1992: I'll Fly Away 1993: I'll Fly Away 1994: NYPD Blue 1995: Picket Fences 1996: Homicide: Life on the Street 1997: ER 1998: The Practice 1999: The Practice 2000: The West Wing
Best Quality Comedy Series: 1985: The Cosby Show 1986: The Cosby Show 1987: Designing Women 1988: Designing Women 1989: Designing Women 1990: Designing Women 1991: Murphy Brown 1992: Brooklyn Bridge 1993: Brooklyn Bridge 1994: Mad About You 1995: Frasier 1996: Frasier 1997: Frasier 1998: Ally McBeal 1999: Everybody Loves Raymond 2000: Everybody Loves Raymond
Best Actor in a Quality Drama Series: 1985: Daniel J. Travanti – Hill Street Blues 1986: William Daniels – St. Elsewhere 1987: William Daniels – St. Elsewhere 1988: Ron Perlman – Beauty and the Beast 1989: Ron Perlman – Beauty and the Beast 1990: Scott Bakula – Quantum Leap 1991: Scott Bakula – Quantum Leap 1992: Scott Bakula – Quantum Leap 1993: Scott Bakula – Quantum Leap 1994: Dennis Franz – NYPD Blue 1995: Andre Braugher – Homicide: Life on the Street 1996: Dennis Franz – NYPD Blue 1997: Dennis Franz – NYPD Blue 1998: Dennis Franz – NYPD Blue 1999: Dennis Franz – NYPD Blue 2000: Martin Sheen – The West Wing
Best Actor in a Quality Comedy Series: 1985: Bill Cosby – The Cosby Show 1986: Bill Cosby – The Cosby Show 1987: Michael J. Fox – Family Ties / Bob Newhart – Newhart 1988: Tim Reid – Frank's Place 1989: Fred Savage – The Wonder Years 1990: Fred Savage – The Wonder Years 1991: Burt Reynolds – Evening Shade 1992: John Goodman – Roseanne 1993: Jerry Seinfeld – Seinfeld 1994: Paul Reiser – Mad About You 1995: Kelsey Grammer – Frasier 1996: Kelsey Grammer – Frasier 1997: Kelsey Grammer – Frasier 1998: Kelsey Grammer – Frasier 1999: Ray Romano – Everybody Loves Raymond 2000: Ray Romano – Everybody Loves Raymond
Best Actress in a Quality Drama Series: 1985: Sharon Gless – Cagney & Lacey 1986: Sharon Gless – Cagney & Lacey 1987: Sharon Gless – Cagney & Lacey 1988: Sharon Gless – Cagney & Lacey 1989: Dana Delany – China Beach 1990: Dana Delany – China Beach 1991: Dana Delany – China Beach 1992: Regina Taylor – I'll Fly Away 1993: Regina Taylor – I'll Fly Away 1994: Kathy Baker – Picket Fences 1995: Kathy Baker – Picket Fences 1996: Sherry Stringfield – ER 1997: Julianna Margulies – ER 1998: Gillian Anderson – The X-Files 1999: Gillian Anderson – The X-Files 2000: Sela Ward – Once and Again
Best Actress in a Quality Comedy Series: 1985: Shelley Long – Cheers 1986: Shelley Long – Cheers 1987: Betty White – The Golden Girls 1988: Betty White – The Golden Girls 1989: Candice Bergen – Murphy Brown 1990: Candice Bergen – Murphy Brown 1991: Candice Bergen – Murphy Brown 1992: Marion Ross – Brooklyn Bridge 1993: Marion Ross – Brooklyn Bridge 1994: Helen Hunt – Mad About You 1995: Brett Butler – Grace Under Fire 1996: Helen Hunt – Mad About You 1997: Helen Hunt – Mad About You 1998: Calista Flockhart – Ally McBeal 1999: Patricia Heaton – Everybody Loves Raymond 2000: Patricia Heaton – Everybody Loves Raymond
Best Supporting Actor in a Quality Drama Series: 1985: Bruce Weitz – Hill Street Blues 1986: John Karlen – Cagney & Lacey 1987: John Karlen – Cagney & Lacey 1988: Larry Drake – L.A. Law 1989: Larry Drake – L.A. Law 1990: Jimmy Smits – L.A. Law 1991: Dean Stockwell – Quantum Leap 1992: John Cullum – Northern Exposure 1993: Chad Lowe – Life Goes On 1994: Fyvush Finkel – Picket Fences 1995: Peter MacNicol – Chicago Hope 1996: Stanley Tucci – Murder One 1997: Noah Wyle – ER 1998: Steve Harris – The Practice 1999: Steve Harris – The Practice 2000: John Spencer – The West Wing
Best Supporting Actor in a Quality Comedy Series: 1985: Nicholas Colasanto – Cheers 1986: Michael J. Fox – Family Ties 1987: Peter Scolari – Newhart 1988: Meshach Taylor – Designing Women 1989: Meshach Taylor – Designing Women 1990: Meshach Taylor – Designing Women 1991: Michael Jeter – Evening Shade 1992: Michael Jeter – Evening Shade 1993: Michael Jeter – Evening Shade 1994: David Hyde Pierce – Frasier 1995: David Hyde Pierce – Frasier 1996: David Hyde Pierce – Frasier 1997: David Hyde Pierce – Frasier 1998: David Hyde Pierce – Frasier 1999: Peter MacNicol – Ally McBeal 2000: David Hyde Pierce – Frasier
Best Supporting Actress in a Quality Drama Series: 1985: Veronica Hamel – Hill Street Blues 1986: Betty Thomas – Hill Street Blues 1987: Bonnie Bartlett – St. Elsewhere 1988: Susan Ruttan – L.A. Law 1989: Marg Helgenberger – China Beach 1990: Marg Helgenberger – China Beach 1991: Marg Helgenberger – China Beach 1992: Kellie Martin – Life Goes On 1993: Kay Lenz – Reasonable Doubts 1994: Lauren Holly – Picket Fences 1995: Julianna Margulies – ER 1996: Barbara Bosson – Murder One 1997: Gloria Reuben – ER 1998: Gloria Reuben – ER 1999: Camryn Manheim – The Practice 2000: Tyne Daly – Judging Amy
Best Supporting Actress in a Quality Comedy Series: 1985: Rhea Perlman – Cheers 1986: Julia Duffy – Newhart 1987: Julia Duffy – Newhart 1988: Julia Duffy – Newhart 1989: Park Overall – Empty Nest 1990: Park Overall – Empty Nest 1991: Park Overall – Empty Nest 1992: Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Seinfeld 1993: Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Seinfeld 1994: Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Seinfeld 1995: Jane Leeves – Frasier 1996: Christine Baranski – Cybill 1997: Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Seinfeld 1998: Doris Roberts – Everybody Loves Raymond 1999: Doris Roberts – Everybody Loves Raymond 2000: Doris Roberts – Everybody Loves Raymond
Best Recurring Player: 1991: Alice Ghostley – Designing Women 1992: Adam Arkin – Northern Exposure 1993: Ray Walston – Picket Fences 1994: Scott Bakula – Murphy Brown 1995: Kathleen Wilhoite – ER 1996: Amy Aquino – Picket Fences 1997: Pruitt Taylor Vince – Murder One 1998: John Larroquette – The Practice
Network Commitment to Quality Award: 1996: NBC 1997: NBC 1998: Fox
Founder's Award: 1988: Ray Sharkey – Wiseguy 1989: Terence Knox – Tour of Duty 1990: Kenneth Johnson – Alien Nation 1991: Robert Picardo – China Beach 1992: Life Goes On 1993: Homefront 1994: South Central 1995: Homicide: Life on the Street 1996: Bonnie Hunt – Bonnie 1997: Paul Haggis – EZ Streets 1998: Nothing Sacred 1999: Will & Grace 2000: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
See also Quality television – a term used by television scholars, television critics, and broadcasting advocacy groups to describe a genre or style of television programming that they subjectively argue is of higher quality, due to its subject matter or content. Peabody Awards
Further reading Dorothy Swanson. The Story of Viewers for Quality Television: Grassroots to Prime Time (Syracuse University Press, 2000).
References
External links Q Awards at IMDb.com