2024 Emmy Predictions: Best TV Movie/Limited Series Writing
At this point in his career, “Black Mirror” creator Charlie Brooker has a perfect Emmys record, having succeeded on all three producing and two writing nominations he has received for the Netflix series. Soon, however, he could be blocked from going six-for-six by general first-timer Richard Gadd, who is predicted to trounce him in the 2024 race for Best TV Movie/Limited Series Writing.
Along with Ron Nyswaner (“Fellow Travelers”) and Issa López (“True Detective”), Gadd is one of three category newcomers involved in this writing contest. Aside from sole past winner Brooker, the remaining veterans are Noah Hawley (“Fargo”) and Steven Zaillian (“Ripley”), both of whom the “Black Mirror” writer defeated in 2017.
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In order to determine whether Gadd truly has this race sewn up, let’s take a closer look at each nominee. Be sure to make your predictions in this and 24 other Primetime Emmy categories by September 15.
“Baby Reindeer” – Richard Gadd
Episode: N/A
Unlike most of his competitors, Gadd did not have to submit just one episode of his program for voter consideration since he wrote all seven of them. The concurrent producing and lead acting nominee stars on this autobiographical series based on his separate experiences as a victim of sexual abuse and stalking.
“Black Mirror” – Charlie Brooker
Episode: “Joan Is Awful”
Brooker is credited with writing all but one of “Black Mirror’s” 28 total episodes, with the lone exception being 2011’s “The Entire History of You” by four-time “Succession” honoree Jesse Armstrong. The stand-alone first episode of the show’s sixth season stars Emmy winner Annie Murphy (“Schitt’s Creek”) as an average woman who learns that Salma Hayek is portraying her in a real-time TV adaptation of her life.
“Fargo” – Noah Hawley
Episode: “The Tragedy of the Commons”
Simultaneous directing and producing nominee Hawley has now been recognized for penning four episodes of this anthology series. As was the case in 2014 and 2017, he is nominated for the latest season’s premiere installment which sets up a quirky new crime story reminiscent of the 1996 Coen Brothers film of the same name.
“Fellow Travelers” – Ron Nyswaner
Episode: “You’re Wonderful”
Nyswaner has submitted the opening chapter of this eight-part series which introduces viewers to Hawk Fuller (Matt Bomer) and Tim Laughlin (Jonathan Bailey), two U.S. government employees whose secret romance spans more than 30 years. He previously shared in a 2016 Best Drama Series nomination for “Homeland,” nine episodes of which he was responsible for writing.
“Ripley” – Steven Zaillian
Episode: N/A
Zaillian’s writing, directing, and producing mentions for “Ripley” come seven years after he was similarly recognized for the HBO miniseries “The Night Of.” The Oscar-winning “Schindler’s List” scripter created both shows, the newest of which serves as the first multi-part adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel “The Talented Mr. Ripley” in which a con artist develops an obsession with a carefree young man from a wealthy family.
“True Detective: Night Country” – Issa López
Episode: “Part 6”
Of the nominees in this bunch who were required to submit single episodes, López is the only one who chose her series’ finale rather than its opener. She follows Nic Pizzolatto (2014) as the HBO crime program’s second writing nominee and Jane Campion (“Top of the Lake,” 2013), Ava DuVernay (“When They See Us,” 2019), and Michaela Coel (“I May Destroy You,” 2021) as the fourth woman ever recognized for producing, directing, and writing the same limited series or TV movie.
So, what will win the 2024 Emmy for Best TV Movie/Limited Series Writing? “Baby Reindeer” is poised to emulate “The White Lotus” and “Beef” by sweeping this and the corresponding series and directing categories, and it’s especially safe here. While it is rare for someone to achieve writing and acting wins for a limited program as Gadd is expected to do, that can’t really be counted as a drawback since there have only ever been a handful of such opportunities to begin with.
Given that eight of the last 10 movie/limited teleplay honorees also clinched a program prize, “Baby Reindeer” being a sure bet in the series race makes its writing win practically inevitable. While it is somewhat vulnerable in the directing category (the one major area where Gadd is not nominated), there is really no sense in breaking from the crowd here.
PREDICT the 2024 Emmy winners through September 15
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