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BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2023: Outstanding Directing of a Limited/Anthology Series

Today's award is Outstanding Directing of a Limited/Anthology Series!

Past Awards in This Category: 2022   2021   2020

This year's nominees are...

SHARI SPRINGER BERMAN & ROBERT PULCINI, Fleishman is in Trouble "The Liver" (FX/Hulu)













VALERIE FARIS & JONATHAN DAYTON, Fleishman is in Trouble "Me-Time" (FX/Hulu)













HIKARI, Beef "The Birds Don't Sing, They Screech in Pain" (Netflix)











TONY PHELAN, A Small Light "What Can Be Saved" (National Geographic)











JOHN RIDLEY, Five Days at Memorial "Day One" (Apple TV+)











MIKE WHITE, The White Lotus (HBO)













And the Winner Is...
MIKE WHITE
The White Lotus (HBO)
For a second year in a row, Mike White takes this award for directing the entire season of The White Lotus. White seems to get more praise as a writer and he is a really strong writer, but I think his direction shines even more than his writing. It's because he does all the big things and little things well and give equal attention to both. He has an eye for big scenes and that was even more clear with the expanded playground to work with in Italy. But he also has an eye for when to "go small" in a character's reaction or a filming choice. He also has a great eye for humor (the entire final episode with Jennifer Coolidge had so many great shots). I think his writing and directing go hand in hand with each other because he knows exactly what he wants to emphasize and how.

Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:
There's the usual strong limited/anthology series represented here along with Five Days at Memorial, which was a show I didn't love all the way through. But I thought the pilot, directed by the acclaimed John Ridley, was harrowing and expertly done. There are two entries from Fleishman is in Trouble, which had a really unique filming style that worked more often than it didn't. Both the final two episodes featured really nice directing moments. The pilot of Beef set the tone for the frantic and unique series that would follow. Finally, the penultimate episode of A Small Light did a great job of building tension and showing heartbreak through artistic choices.

Tomorrow: Outstanding Directing of a Drama Series!
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