Pity the poor television movie. Once thought of as the prestigious jewel of a network’s Emmy lineup, films that are made for television have long been eclipsed in prestige and ratings by the limited series, which regularly attracts major movie stars and legendary film directors attracted by longer running times, bigger budgets, and the chance to add an E in their quests for an EGOT.
But just as the awards landscape for the Outstanding Television Movie has changed over the years, so has the nature of the contenders themselves. Gone are the days when a network would cast one of their sitcom stars in an “important” drama to lend them acting credibility. Most of the major contenders in this year’s race take risks that would be unthinkable in a big-budget limited series. A nerve-rattling thriller with only five words of spoken dialogue, a coming-of-age comedy set to a Brazilian beat, or a gay romcom with geopolitical consequences. These are not your grandfather’s TV movies, and the category — especially this year — is all the better for it.
So, with even some ace Emmy prognosticators flummoxed as to what titles will make the final five, here’s your chance to jump ahead of the pack. I’ve selected these ten television movies to put on your Emmy radar, along with a few comments on where their awards’ strengths (or weaknesses) may lie. Happy streaming!
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (Paramount+ with Showtime)
This latest film adaptation of author Herman Wouk’s stage version of his 1951 novel, “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial” garnered worldwide press with its premiere at the 2023 Venice Film Festival, just one month after the death of its writer/director, Oscar-winning filmmaker William Friedkin. To make the narrative more relevant, Friedkin smoothly updated the trial’s setting from the World War II era to that of the Persian Gulf War, and critics lavished particular praise on the director’s mise en scene, keeping his camera fluid to remove the staginess of the play while still keeping the claustrophobic atmosphere that’s so critical in making the story’s dramatic fireworks still crackle.
EMMY OUTLOOK: In another Emmy era, “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial” would be the kind of important project that CBS would air on its prestigious “Hallmark Hall of Fame” and go on to win this category in a walk. It still might win and would certainly offer the Academy a moving moment to honor the legacy of a great filmmaker. But after Friedkin’s death and the film’s splashy 2023 Venice premiere, the film seemed to fade from memory, at least compared with a few of its category rivals. Additionally, recency bias for newer projects often takes precedence for forgetful Emmy voters. It is certainly a contender, but not a slam dunk.
Finestkind (Paramount+)
Oscar-winning screenwriter Brian Helgeland wrote and directed this crime drama set in the fishing town of New Bedford, MA in which brothers Tom (Ben Foster) and Charlie Eldrige (Toby Wallace), desperately trying to keep their family’s scallop fishery afloat after a tragic explosion, are forced to turn to Boston mobsters to bankroll their operation. After his acclaimed work writing “L.A. Confidential,” Helgeland knows this world well, and following “Finestkind’s” premiere at the 2023 Toronto Film Festival, critics appreciated his emphasis on the power of family ties, as well as the performances of Foster, Wallace, and Tommy Lee Jones.
EMMY OUTLOOK: Reviews for other elements of the film were not as strong as those for its acting and with several more critically acclaimed projects hunting for one of those five slots, “Finestkind,” has to be viewed as a long shot for a Television Movie nomination.
The Great Lillian Hall (HBO)
“Recount,” “Grey Gardens,” “The Normal Heart”… just three of the 22 winners of this category that have come from HBO, more than twice the number of wins of any other network. Their 2024 entry is a formidable one that could very well take the prize: “The Great Lillian Hall,” which the network snuck under the Emmy qualifying deadline of May 31, centers on a legendary Broadway star (Jessica Lange) who, while preparing for her next big role, finds that her memory (and all she holds dear to her) is slowly slipping away. This is the kind of big diva melodrama that Emmy voters have lapped up in the past, and this year could be no exception.
EMMY OUTLOOK: In a race with no clear frontrunner, this is just the kind of prestige project that swoops in at the last minute and takes it all. Certainly, with a cast led by 3-time Emmy winner Lange and double Emmy winner Kathy Bates, voters will certainly sit up and take notice. Add to that Tony winner Michael Kristofer behind the camera and a screenplay by Elisabeth Seldes-Annacon, based on the late career of her mother, beloved actress Marian Seldes, and you’ve got a potent awards package that comes with a story behind it. Now it’s just up to HBO to get voters to actually watch it.
Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie (Peacock)
While the OCD detective comedy “Monk” was never among the trendiest of Emmy contenders, it managed to become one of the most beloved by Emmy voters, especially for its star Tony Shalhoub, who won three Emmys as Lead Actor from eight consecutive nominations. The original series earned strong critical praise during its run, and reviews for its first stand-alone movie, “Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie” are even better. Here, a pandemic-rattled Monk is coaxed out of retirement to help his stepdaughter Molly who suspects that her fiancé has been murdered. The film received widespread praise for retaining the best elements from the series while not falling victim to fan service.
EMMY OUTLOOK: The odds are strong that Shalhoub will pick up his ninth Emmy nomination for the role, and with no clear frontrunner among this year’s contenders, voters may find great comfort in choosing an old favorite for the big prize as well.
Música (Prime Video)
As the star, director, composer, and co-writer of this musical romance, comic actor Rudy Mancuso tells his own story as a young Brazilian American artist at a crossroads, unsure of his next step in life in “Música.” Mancuso, who, like his character, suffers from synesthesia (a condition in which he hears everyday sounds as music), journeys through life with a certain beat to his step, a musicality that is reflected in his directing style. Though the story utilizes familiar romcom tropes, the manner that Mancuso uses to tell it — with musical numbers, magical realism, and even a talking puppet — gives the material a narrative freshness that keeps the audience engaged throughout.
EMMY OUTLOOK: Though no film in this race has gotten better reviews (95% on RT) than “Música,” the film’s unconventional style makes it feel like the indie upstart in a studio-dominated awards race. Certainly, the terrific musical score, which is so important to the narrative, is Emmy-worthy, but the film may be a bit of a long shot to grab that Television Movie nomination. “Música” announces the arrival of a fresh new voice and should serve Mancuso well as a calling card in the years to come.
No One Will Save You (Hulu)
Though the Oscars famously turn up their collective noses at horror, the Television Academy holds no such snobbish qualms (Hulu’s own “Prey” was nominated for five Emmys last year including Outstanding Television Movie). In Brian Duffield’s chilling “No One Will Save You,” Emmy nominee Kaitlyn Dever stars as a young woman who fights back against a home invasion whose perpetrators may not be human. This is high-wire filmmaking of the highest order — Duffield keeps his action moving without the benefit of speech. Indeed, only five words are spoken during the film’s entire 93-minute run time. It’s a daring move for any film to take, much less one made for television, but the dynamics of Duffield’s direction and Dever’s performance have kept audiences galvanized.
EMMY OUTLOOK: With a script consisting of only five words, a writing nomination may not be likely but don’t count it out to land in the final five. With the recent success of “Prey,” another 20th Century Studios horror film sent to Hulu, which landed a Television Movie nomination, as well as five other Emmy nods, and won for its Sound Editing, there’s no reason to think that this film won’t match this feat, plus a potential Lead Actress nod for Dever.
Quiz Lady (Hulu)
With “Quiz Lady,” Oscar winner Jessica Yu has created a singular sister/buddy movie with a definite pop culture twist. One of the delights of the 2023 Toronto Film Festival, the 20th Century Studios film focuses on two estranged sisters: Anne (Awkwafina), a mousy quiz whiz whose sole dream is to be a contestant on the “Can’t Stop the Quiz” game show and Jenny (Sandra Oh), her irresponsible older sister who sees a lucrative financial angle in Anne’s quiz obsession. Part of the fun of “Quiz Lady” is to see the boisterous Awkwafina and the mature Oh switch their normal roles, and Jen D’Angelo’s smart script finely captures the tiny details that make sisterly rivalries so mixed with love and annoyance.
EMMY OUTLOOK: If you’re counting out “Quiz Lady” because it might appear too light for the Emmys, think back to just last year when another 20th-to-Hulu comedy by an Asian-American filmmaker, Joel Kim Booster’s “Fire Island,” faced the same skepticism and walked away with Emmy nominations for both writing and Outstanding Television Movie. Look for lightning to strike twice this year.
Red, White, & Royal Blue (Prime Video)
It’s rare to see a television movie have such an impact that it creates a new star (much less two!), but after their performances in the queer romcom “Red, White & Royal Blue,” both Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez have seen their careers soar. An old-fashioned screwball comedy at its heart, the film plays strictly by official romcom rules as the lovers-to-be — Prince Henry (Galitzine), the spare heir to the British throne, and Alex (Zakhar Perez), the son of the U.S. President (Uma Thurman) — begin with hate-at-first-sight, then fall in love, split apart and finally come back together. Though the film’s structure may be familiar, it’s how playfully director Matthew López (in his debut) delivers unexpected gay tweaks to the material and genre that keep you rooting for this royal match to succeed.
EMMY OUTLOOK: With a PGA nomination already under its belt, the film seems primed to land an Emmy nomination in what looks to be a wide-open race. It may be a telling sign that even though the film premiered on Prime Video last August, it is still being discovered and talked about today, which is always a good sign as Emmy voting begins.
Scoop (Netflix)
At first glance, “Scoop,” directed by Emmy winner Philip Martin and co-written by famed playwright Peter Moffat, would seem to fit comfortably into the mold of the “All the President’s Men“-style of journalism thriller. What makes this quest for an exclusive story stand out here, however, are the women and man involved. At issue are the allegations that Prince Andrew sexually assaulted a minor, as well as his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The goal is an on-camera interview, and the women journalists at the BBC news series “Newsnight” will stop at nothing to get it. Though the story’s headlines may have been made by Andrew (Rufus Sewell) and presenter Emily Maitlis (Gillian Anderson), the heart of “Scoop” is the real grunt work by the women on both sides to make the historic moment happen.
EMMY OUTLOOK: Political dramas featuring vivid characters have always done well within the category, and “Scoop” likely checks enough Emmy boxes to give it a leg up in making the final five. In addition, the awards pedigree of the film’s cast and crew — Emmy winners Martin & Anderson, Emmy nominee Sewell, and BAFTA winner Moffat — can only help burnish its credentials.
Shooting Stars (Peacock)
Based on the book by LeBron James, “Shooting Stars” is indeed about basketball, but what it explores more deeply is the power of male friendship, even at an early age. As far back as grammar school, a young LeBron (Mookie Cook) loved the game and especially loved playing it with his three best friends. Together, they called themselves the Fab Four and played together on and off the court through high school, even at the risk of disappointing their family and community with their choices along the way. With so many films focusing on the destructive effects of toxic masculinity, “Shooting Stars” offers a refreshing look at just how emotionally enriching positive male friendship can be.
EMMY OUTLOOK: Certainly the involvement of LeBron James in “Shooting Stars” will make Emmy voters intrigued in checking it out. Is the film sentimental? Sure. But past experience has shown there’s usually at least one spot for a heartwarming contender in this race, and this year, that’s “Shooting Stars.”
What television movies are you hoping will be nominated at this year’s Emmy Awards? Please let us know in the comments section below or over on our Twitter account and check out our latest Emmy nomination predictions here.
