Jorge has been taking a look at the Emmy history for this year’s writing nominees.
Let’s take a look at the various shows that made up the six nominees for Writing in a Limited Series, TV Movie, or Dramatic Special. Even with the longest title in the writing categories, which aim to include made-for-TV films or broadcast theater performances, all of the nominees are from a limited series with multiple episodes (even Black Mirror, where every episode is self-contained, is part of a larger anthology). Some series submitted the entirety of their episodes, while others only a single standout episode (I ignore the specific rules, but I assume it has something to do with overall series length).
Since we’re huge fans of statistics here, let's take a look the elevator pitches and Emmy history stats after the jump…
American Vandal
“Clean Up”
Season 1, Episode 8
Written by: Matthew McManus & Kevin McManus
The elevator pitch: In the season one finale, Peter is forced to reckon with his actions and attempts to learn lessons in the aftermath of the documentary. But the investigation might not be over.
Emmy History: First Emmy nomination for both Matthew and Kevin McManus.
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
“House by the Lake”
Season 2, Episode 4
Written by Tom Rob Smith.
The elevator pitch: Minneapolis architect David Madson is forced to go on the run with Andrew Cunanan.
Emmy History: First Emmy nomination for Tom Rob Smith. (The first season of this anthology series "The People vs OJ Simpson: American Crime Story" won this category in 2016.)
Black Mirror
“USS Callister”
Season 4, Episode 1
Written by:William Bridges & Charlie Brooker
The elevator pitch: In the first episode of season four, a woman wakes up on a Star Trek-esque ship where the crew praise their all-knowing and fearless captain.
Emmy History: First writing nomination for William Bridges. Charlie Brooker won in this same category last year for the season 3 episode “San Junipero,” which also won Outstanding Television Movie. (Black Mirror had received no Emmy attention prior to "San Junipero," but now the series has momentum. It went from 3 nominations for "San Junipero" to 8 nominations for "USS Callister")
Godless
Written by: Scott Frank
The elevator pitch: In the 1880s American West murderous outlaw gang leader Frank Griffin hunts for ex-protege Roy Goode. Frank's chase leads him to La Belle, New Mexico - a town inhabited, after a mining disaster, almost entirely by women.
Emmy History: First writing nomination for Scott Frank, who is also nominated in the Directing category for this limited series.
Written by: David Nicholls
The elevator pitch: Following the death of his father in the 1980s, Englishman Patrick Melrose attempts to overcome his addictions and demons rooted in abuse by his father and negligent mother.
Emmy History: First writing nomination for David Nicholls.
Twin Peaks: The Return
Written by:Mark Frost and David Lynch
The elevator pitch: Picks up 25 years after the inhabitants of a quaint northwestern town are stunned when their homecoming queen is murdered.
Emmy History: Third writing nomination for Mark Frost, who was nominated in this same category in 1984 for the Hill Street Blues episode “Grace Under Pressure” and for the pilot of the original Twin Peaks in 1990, alongside David Lynch. This is Lynch’s second writing nomination and he's nominated this year for directing, as well.
Who are you rooting for in this category?