Emmy Nomination Advice: Limited Series and Made-for-Television Movies

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As voting members of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences continue binging their way through the many programs and movies they missed during the last 12 months and prepare to submit the names of the actors, actresses, personalities and shows they wish to nominate for the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards, here’s a handy guide designed to help all interested parties recall eligible programs and performances in the Limited Series and Made-for-Television Movies categories that deserve recognition from the official qualification period – June 1, 2017 through May 31, 2018.

In previous columns I listed the programs and performances I think Academy members should keep top of mind in the Drama Series and Comedy Series categories.  A quick review of those, along with the list below, will make clear that in this era of massive corporate acquisitions and burgeoning viewing options, not to mention crushing competition from other media, television somehow just keeps getting better and better.

My personal favorites in each category are pictured.

Outstanding Limited Series

American Vandal (Netflix)
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (pictured at top and below) (FX)

Genius: Picasso (National Geographic)
Godless (Netflix)
The Long Road Home (National Geographic)
The Sinner (USA)

Outstanding Made-for-Television Movie

Black Mirror: USS Callister (pictured below) (Netflix)

Farenheit 451 (HBO)
Flint (Lifetime)
I Am Elizabeth Smart (Lifetime)
Paterno (HBO)
The Tale (HBO)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Made-for-Television Movie

Antonio Banderas – Genius: Picasso (National Geographic)
Darren Criss (pictured at top and below) – The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)

Benedict Cumberbatch – Patrick Melrose (Showtime)
Jack O’Connell – Godless (Netflix)
Al Pacino – Paterno (HBO)
Jesse Plemons – Black Mirror: USS Callister (Netflix)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series of Made-for-Television Movie

Jessica Biel – The Sinner (USA)
Laura Dern (pictured below) – The Tale (HBO)

Michelle Dockery – Godless (Netflix)
Elisabeth Moss – Top of the Lake: China Girl (Sundance TV)
Sarah Paulson – American Horror Story: Cult (FX)
Catherine Zeta-Jones – Cocaine Godmother (Lifetime)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Made-for-Television Movie

Jeff Daniels – Godless (Netflix)
Luke Evans – The Alienist (TNT)
Scoot McNairy – Godless (Netflix)
Bill Pullman – The Sinner (USA)
Edgar Ramirez -- The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
Alex Rich (pictured below) – Genius: Picasso (National Geographic)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Made-for-Television Movie

Ellen Burstyn – The Tale (HBO)
Penelope Cruz -- The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
Dakota Fanning – The Alienist (TNT)
Angela Lansbury – Little Women (PBS)

Ed Martin

Ed Martin is the chief television and content critic for MediaVillage.  He has written about television and internet programming for several Myers publications since 2000, including The Myers Report, The Myers Programming Report, MediaBizBloggers a… read more