BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2024: Outstanding Technical Design of a Drama Series

Today's award is Outstanding Technical Design of a Drama Series!

Past Awards in This Category: 2023 2022 2021 2020

This year's nominees are...

THE BEAR (FX/Hulu)

THE CROWN (Netflix)

THE CURSE (Showtime)

FOR ALL MANKIND (Apple TV+)

THE MORNING SHOW (Apple TV+)

MR. & MRS. SMITH (Prime Video)

SILO (Apple TV+)

And the Winner Is...

MR. & MRS. SMITH

Prime Video

Prime Video's take on Mr. & Mrs. Smith was very different from the flashy Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie film it is loosely based on. It was a lot more thoughtful and had different things it wanted to explore. But it was still flashy in the sense of its technical design. The TV show traveled to many locales from the crowded NYC streets to a large ski resort to beautiful Lake Como. This was one of those shows where it looks like no expense was spared and the on-location filming really aided the storytelling - both the thriller/spy elements and the quieter moments. I don't always want to give this award to the show with the "most" but this show used its gorgeous settings so effectively.

Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:

While perhaps not thought of as a technical show, The Bear could easily have won this award. Each technical element in the kitchen/restaurant, and in the various locations they took their characters to in the second season, was fully realized and considered. The Crown has always been a gorgeous show to look at and the final season was no exception as the regal nature smoothly sailed into the present day from a technical perspective. The Curse used its sparse shooting location to aid its storytelling and develop the geographic area. Silo was such a distinct world with not just its sets but also its costumes and props. Finally, two OG Apple TV+ shows round out the list. The Morning Show continues to play up the glamour of its world though I thought a couple scenes looked a little cheap this year. And For All Mankind continues to be a visual marvel even though its fourth season was a disappointment. I did have to ding it slightly for the bad old age hair and makeup though.

Tomorrow: Outstanding Technical Design of a Comedy Series!

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