Skip to main content

BENJAMONSTER AWARDS: Outstanding Writing of a Drama Series

Today's award is Outstanding Writing of a Drama Series!

The nominees are:

JESSE ARMSTRONG, Succession "This is Not for Tears" (HBO)











KERRY EHRIN, The Morning Show "The Interview" (Apple TV+)













MIKI JOHNSON, Ozark "Fire Pink" (Netflix)













LAURA KENAR, This is Us "A Hell of a Week Part Three" (NBC)











J.C. LEE, The Morning Show "Lonely at the Top" (Apple TV+)













PETER MORGAN, The Crown "Margaretology" (Netflix)











RYAN MURPHY & JANET MOCK, Pose "Never Knew Love Like This Before" (FX)














And the Winner Is...
JESSE ARMSTRONG
Succession "This is Not for Tears" (HBO)
This was a tough one to pick. All of the nominees are examples of really strong writing but so many of them are also punctuated by a standout performance. The reason I went with Jesse Armstrong's season finale for Succession is that it is a standout episode for all the characters and that is a testament to the writing more than anything. "This is Not for Tears" was jam packed with plot and ended with a nice twist to set up the third season. By the end of season two, Armstrong and his team of writers had spent so much time (and some growing pains here and there to be honest) really defining the characters. By the time this episode rolled around, each characters strengths and (many) flaws were pretty clear and they could interact more effectively. It made me very excited for season three, whenever that happens!

Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:
There were two entries for The Morning Show on this list, which picked up steam as it went along. "Lonely at the Top," featuring Steve Carell's character prominently, and the explosive finale both revealed a show and writing staff that was getting more and more comfortable with trusting its incredible cast. The penultimate episode of Ozark's third season really amped up the intensity. The Princess Margaret focused episode of The Crown was a fascinating portrayal of two very different sisters. Pose's "Never Knew Love Like This Before" featured a beautifully written eulogy delivered by Billy Porter's character. Finally, the conclusion of the very well done trilogy about the big three on This is Us was perhaps the show's best story for Kate (Chrissy Metz) so far.

Tomorrow: Outstanding Directing of a Limited/Anthology Series!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

SCHEDULES OF THE PAST: 1995-1996 Thursdays

On Tuesdays, I take a look at schedules from yesteryear. Here's a look at Thursdays in the 1995-96 season! ABC 8:00 8:30 9:00 10:00 Sep Charlie Grace The Monroes Various Programs Oct Murder One Nov Various Programs Dec Various Programs Thursday Night Movie Jan Feb World’s Funniest Videos Before They Were Stars! Mar Apr May NBC was the powerhouse on Thursday nights but ABC still gave it the old college try in the Fall of 1995 with a trio of new dramas that they hoped would help them cut into the Peacock's dominance. Headlining their night was Murder One , a high profile new show from Steven Bochco that received much of the network's attention before the season started. The series focused on one murder case for an entire season, whi...

EPISODE GUIDES: Rhoda Season Five

On Thursdays, I go through classic series with a critical look at each season. Today I am looking at Season Five (the final season) of  Rhoda ! RHODA: SEASON FIVE 1978 13 episodes Rhoda' s final season was a truncated one as the show was cancelled in December 1978 after only 13 episodes had been produced (and only nine had aired). This feels like a continuation from season four in many ways except with the ill-advised split between Ida and Martin (more on that below). While  Rhoda  has an occasional good moment and even a couple decent episodes, it is a show that seems so wildly different from season one and not in a good way.  Rhoda  could never figure out what it fully wanted to be and only made it four and a half seasons as a result. Starring Valerie Harper as Rhoda Morgenstern  (13 episodes) Julie Kavner as Brenda Morgenstern  (13 episodes) Ray Buktenica as Benny Goodwin  (11 episodes) Kenneth McMillan as Jack Doyle  (9 episodes) Nancy Wa...

DECADE IN REVIEW: The Best Comedies of the 2010s

During the month of December, I will be looking back at the decade that was the 2010s on TV. I will be sharing my favorite sitcoms, dramas, the best episodes, the best performances and the worst shows of the decade. To be eligible for this list, a show had to air the majority of its episodes in the 2010s. However, for the rankings and determination, all episodes were taken into account, including ones that may have aired before 2010. I will also preface that there are comedies that have aired this decade that I haven't watched yet so this is the best of what I have watched. To be fair, that preface is more true for dramas. There's not a ton of unwatched comedies sitting in my Netflix or Amazon watchlist. So here are my Top 10 comedies of the 2010s! Close Calls:  Master of None (Netflix) - An inconsistent but occasionally fascinating commentary on many life issues done so with innovative storytelling. The Good Place (NBC) - A show that aims high with a fascinating premis...