BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2023: Outstanding Limited/Anthology Series

We are at the big three awards! Today's award is for Outstanding Limited/Anthology Series!

Past Awards in This Category: 2022   2021   2020

This year's nominees are...

BEEF (Netflix)

FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE (FX/Hulu)

LOVE & DEATH (HBO Max)

THE PATIENT (FX/Hulu)

A SMALL LIGHT (National Geographic)

THE WHITE LOTUS (HBO)

And the Winner Is...

THE WHITE LOTUS

HBO

For a second year in a row, HBO's vacation satire takes the prize in this category. I understand why the Emmys are moving its category but it's still an anthology by my definition. After an under-the-radar first season that broke out, Mike White and his team had a lot to live up to. With an almost entirely new cast and a beautiful new Italian setting, they were more than up for the challenge. The second season was a show that was just as sure of itself and had a lot of different commentaries to make. There wasn't as much of the "upstairs/downstairs" story but there was a whole lot more about love and relationships. Most impressively, it didn't succumb to its own hype (I'm looking at you, Yellowjackets). It was the same show it was in Season One and that's really a high compliment considering the cast turnover. Season Three is expected to take place in Thailand and I can't wait for another journey to the world's most interesting fictional hotel chain.

Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:

This was not the strongest year for limited series overall, but there were still worthy contenders taking up the top tier. The closest competitor was Fleishman is in Trouble, a show that has really stuck with it since I watched it. It had so much to say about life in your 30s and 40s. Beef was a show that burned brightly and quickly for me. I was really engaged watching it but I don't go back to it in my mind as often as Fleishman. The Patient was a tough watch at times but had a really interesting bare bones approach. Love & Death was better than it needed to be and was one of the better true crime shows after the glut we've had the last two seasons. Finally, A Small Light was a show that found a new way to tell an old story and boasted a breakout performance from Bel Powley.

Tomorrow: Outstanding Drama Series!