BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2022: Outstanding Writing of a Drama Series

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

Check out past results from 2020 and 2021!

This year's nominees are...

JESSE ARMSTRONG, Succession "Chiantishire" (HBO)

DAN ERICKSON, Severance "The We We Are" (Apple TV+)

DAN FOGELMAN, This is Us "The Train" (NBC)

MIKI JOHNSON, Ozark "Mud" (Netflix)

JASON KATIMS, As We See It "Pilot" (Amazon)

ASHLEY LYLE & BART NICKERSON, Yellowjackets "Sic Transiti Gloria Mundi" (Showtime)

ELAN MASTAI, This is Us "Don't Let Me Keep You" (NBC)

And the Winner Is...

JESSE ARMSTRONG

Succession "Chiantishire" (HBO)

Jesse Armstrong takes back the prize he won in 2020 for writing because his writing for Succession is just wonderful. There were times where the third season was uneven but it built momentum as the season went on and crested with the penultimate episode that took place partially in beautiful Italy. The high drama of the family was on display throughout the episode with an intense and important dinner scene between Kendall and Logan as well as some dynamite dialogue between Caroline and Shiv. You would think the episode would peak in Italy but it remains just as strong back in New York with a hilarious sequence of Roman making a huge mistake in sending a photo to his Dad that was intended for Geri. That sequence involving Logan, Roman and Geri is another great stretch of dialogue. Armstrong was on fire for this episode the whole way through.

Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:

There are a lot of strong writing entries in this episode. Dan Fogelman weaved one last intricate story together for the penultimate episode of This is Us that had a really interesting framing device. His fellow This is Us writer Elan Mastai penned a really beautiful one-off episode about Milo Ventimiglia's character and his family. Dan Erickson delivered heart pounding thrills in the season finale of Severance that upped the show's game. Miki Johnson had some great writing moments in the penultimate episode of Ozark, specifically for Laura Linney (who of course nailed it). The great Jason Katims set the tone of drama, comedy and realism for the pilot of As We See It. Finally, Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson wrote a thrilling first season finale for Yellowjackets.

Tomorrow: Outstanding Writing of a Comedy Series!