I understand why the Broadcast Film Critics Association has added Star Wars: The Force Awakens to its roster of Best Picture nominees. A lot of members got a pleasurable bounce from it (as have many others) and they felt enormously relieved that it’s better than the prequels and they’re figuring that perhaps a sizable percentage of Star Wars fans will now tune into the 21st annual Critics’ Choice Awards show (1.17.16 at 8 pm eastern on A&E, Lifetime and LMN). No real harm in this, I suppose. Just a nice ceremonial gesture.

The official release states that Force Awakens “was not screened for BFCA voters in time for the initial nominations balloting, but after members of the nation’s largest film critics group saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens last week it was decided to hold a special referendum yesterday to determine if it would have been nominated if the BFCA membership had been able to consider it.

“The exception was made for only the Best Picture category and all other Critics’ Choice Award nominations remain as previously announced.”