AFT Awards: Best Directing for a Limited Series or TV Movie

This is the twenty-first category of the 14th Annual AFT Television Awards, my personal choices for the best in television during the 2019-2020 season. This year, I’m including a shorter list, with just nominees and a few finalists, if applicable. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them.

Best Directing for a Limited Series or TV Movie

Last year’s nominees: I’m excited to introduce this category for the first time this year after watching more limited series than ever in my life.

Emmy nominees: Find a Way (Little Fires Everywhere), Episode 5 (Normal People), Unorthodox, It’s Summer and We’re Running Out of Ice (Watchmen), Little Fear of Lightning (Watchmen), This Extraordinary Being (Watchmen)

Finalists: Peter (Dispatches from Elsewhere), Episode 4 (Normal People), Episode 12 (Normal People), Episode 9 (Normal People), Part 4 (Unorthodox), Simone (Dispatches from Elsewhere), Little Fear of Lightning (Watchmen), Houston (Mrs. America), Fredwynn (Dispatches from Elsewhere), Hooray for Hollywood: Part 2 (Hollywood), Empty Best (Mrs. Fletcher), This Extraordinary Being (Watchmen), 1995 (The Loudest Voice), Chapter 7: Judging by Its End (Our Boys), Part 6 (The Plot Against America), Part 2 (Unorthodox), Part 3 (Unorthodox)

The nominees:

Hooray for Hollywood: Part 1 (Hollywood)
It's Summer and We're Running Out of Ice (Watchmen)
Chapter 1: Out of the Depth, I Cry to You (Our Boys)
Part 1 (Unorthodox)

The winner:

Episode 11 (Normal People) extracted such depth from its two characters basking in heat and emotion, adding considerable meaning to a simple setup.

Next up: Best Writing for a Limited Series or TV Movie