Limited-run series

Last updated

In television programming, a limited-run series (or simply limited series) is a program with an end date and limit to the number of episodes. For instance, The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' definition specifies a "program with two or more episodes with a total running time of at least 150 program minutes that tells a complete, non-recurring story, and does not have an on-going storyline and/or main characters in subsequent seasons." [1] Limited-run series are represented in the form of telenovelas in Latin America and serials in the United Kingdom.

Contents

The shortest forms of limited-run series have two or three parts, usually described as "made-for-television film" or miniseries in the United States. Longer forms are often reality television or scripted dramas. [2]

Parameters

Some limited series do not have main characters recurring between seasons or a storyline that spans seasons. Series with five episodes or fewer per season—such as the BBC/Masterpiece coproduction Sherlock —also are considered limited series due to their short run, even if main characters and story lines do migrate across seasons. [3] Series with a limited eight-to-twelve-episode run are typically ordered to fill mid-season television network gaps. [4]

An image from American Horror Story: Freak Show, one season of the ongoing anthology series. Halloween Horror Nights - American Horror Story (30436007672).jpg
An image from American Horror Story: Freak Show, one season of the ongoing anthology series.

Classification

Limited series have the potential to be renewed without a required number of episodes as a typical order per season. Under the Dome , Killer Women , and Luther were originally marketed as limited series. Individual season-length stories of anthology series such as American Horror Story , Fargo , and True Detective are also described as "limited series", which the Primetime Emmys have changed to their miniseries/limited series category to accommodate. [5] [ failed verification ]

Actors may choose to take part in limited-run series because their set start and end dates make scheduling other projects easier. [6]

History

In 2015, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences changed its guidelines on how Emmy nominees are classified, with shows with a limited run all referred to as "limited series" instead of "miniseries". This is a reversion back to 1974, when the category was named "outstanding limited series". It had been changed to "outstanding miniseries" in 1986 and then added to the "made for television films" category in 2011. Miniseries were brought back out in 2014, accommodating such limited series as HBO's Olive Kitteridge , History's Texas Rising , IFC's The Honorable Woman , and PBS' Wolf Hall , as well as TV movies such as HBO's Bessie and National Geographic's Killing Jesus . [3]

Development

United States

Short-term reality television like Bravo's Eat, Drink, Love , scripted dramas like Netflix's Black Mirror , and individual seasons of anthology series are examples of limited-run series that appear on American television networks or streaming services. [5]

Latin America

In the 1950s, telenovelas emerged as Latin limited series. These low-budget Spanish and Portuguese shows were modeled after American soap operas in style and form. [7] The programs follow a story arc that ends at the end of a season, with the possibility of renewal for subsequent seasons.

United Kingdom

In British television, the term "serial", or simply "series", is used instead of "miniseries". [8] Like telenovelas, these programmes are stand-alone dramas, with a conclusion at the last episode of the series.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khandi Alexander</span> American dancer, choreographer, and actress

Harriet Rene "Khandi" Alexander is an American dancer, choreographer, and actress. She began her career as a dancer in the 1980s, and was a choreographer for Whitney Houston's world tours from 1988 to 1992.

A soap opera, daytime drama, or soap for short, is typically a long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored by soap manufacturers. The term was preceded by "horse opera", a derogatory term for low-budget Westerns.

A miniseries or mini-series is a TV show or series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. Many miniseries can also be referred to, and shown, as a television film. "Limited series" is a more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. As of 2021, the popularity of miniseries format has increased in both streaming services and broadcast television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wendie Malick</span> American actress (born 1950)

Wendie Malick is an American actress and former fashion model, known for her roles in various television comedies. She starred as Judith Tupper Stone in the HBO sitcom Dream On, and as Nina Van Horn in the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me!, for which she was nominated for two Primetime Emmys and a Golden Globe Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Shenkman</span> American actor

Benjamin Shenkman is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the comedy-drama series Royal Pains and the acclaimed HBO miniseries Angels in America, which earned him both Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frances Conroy</span> American actress

Frances Hardman Conroy is an American actress. She is best known for playing Ruth Fisher on the television series Six Feet Under (2001–2005), for which she won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and received four Primetime Emmy Awards nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. She is also known for playing the older version of Moira O'Hara in season one of the television anthology series American Horror Story, which garnered Conroy her first Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television nomination, and as well a Primetime Emmy Awards nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie. Conroy subsequently portrayed The Angel of Death, Myrtle Snow, Gloria Mott, Mama Polk, Bebe Babbitt, and Belle Noir on seven further seasons of the show: Asylum, Coven, Freak Show, Roanoke, Cult, Apocalypse, and Double Feature, respectively. Conroy is the fourth actor who has appeared in most seasons of the show. For her performance in Coven, she was nominated again for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Niecy Nash</span> American actress, comedian and television host (born 1970)

Carol Denise Betts, known professionally as Niecy Nash, is an American actress, comedian and television host. Her acting career began in the late 1990s, with appearances in films Boys on the Side (1995) and Cookie's Fortune (1999). She garnered further recognition for her portrayal of Deputy Raineesha Williams in the comedy series Reno 911!, along with hosting the Style Network show Clean House (2003—2010), for which she won a Daytime Emmy Award.

The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series represents excellence in the category of limited series that are two or more episodes, with a total running time of at least 150 minutes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">56th Primetime Emmy Awards</span> 2004 American television programming awards

The 56th Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, September 19, 2004. The ceremony was hosted by Garry Shandling and was broadcast on ABC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie</span> Primetime Emmy Award

The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie is an award presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role on a television limited series or television movie for the primetime network season.

This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series since its institution in 1951. The award goes to the producers of the series. The award is often cited as one of the "main awards" at the Emmys ceremonies.

The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime Emmys are presented in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming. The award categories are divided into three classes: the regular Primetime Emmy Awards, the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards to honor technical and other similar behind-the-scenes achievements, and the Primetime Engineering Emmy Awards for recognizing significant contributions to the engineering and technological aspects of television. First given out in 1949, the award was originally referred to as simply the "Emmy Award" until the International Emmy Award and the Daytime Emmy Award were created in the early 1970s to expand the Emmy to other sectors of the television industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Nutter</span> American film director

David Nutter is an American television and film director and television producer. He is best known for directing pilot episodes for television. In 2015, he received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, for his work on the HBO series Game of Thrones.

Diane Frolov is an American television writer and producer. She has written for several television shows, including The Sopranos and Northern Exposure. She frequently co-writes episodes with her husband, Andrew Schneider.

This is a list of the winners of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Made for Television Movie, which is awarded since 1992. The category was originally called Outstanding Drama or Comedy Special.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Television show</span> Segment of audiovisual content intended for broadcast on television

A television show, TV program, or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable. This includes content made by television broadcasters and content made for broadcasting by film production companies. It excludes breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed between shows. Television shows are most often scheduled for broadcast well ahead of time and appear on electronic guides or other TV listings, but streaming services often make them available for viewing anytime. The content in a television show is produced by one of two production methodologies: live taped shows such as variety and news magazine shows shot on a television studio stage or sporting events The other production model includes animation and a variety of film productions ranging from movies to series. Shows not produced on a television studio stage are usually contracted or licensed to be made by appropriate production companies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telenovela</span> Latin American television genre

A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines tele and novela. Similar drama genres around the world include diziler (Turkey), serial (India), teleserye (Philippines), lakorn (Thailand), téléroman, K-drama, J-drama (Japan), C-drama (China) and sinetron (Indonesia).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">67th Primetime Emmy Awards</span> Primetime Emmy Award annual ceremony

The 67th Primetime Emmy Awards honored the best in US prime time television programming from June 1, 2014 until May 31, 2015, as chosen by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The ceremony was held on Sunday, September 20, 2015 at the Microsoft Theater in Downtown Los Angeles, California, and was broadcast in the U.S. by Fox. Andy Samberg hosted the show for the first time. The nominations were announced on July 16, 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">71st Primetime Emmy Awards</span> 2019 American television programming awards

The 71st Primetime Emmy Awards honored the best in American prime time television programming from June 1, 2018, until May 31, 2019, as chosen by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The ceremony was held on September 22, 2019, at the Microsoft Theater in Downtown Los Angeles, California, and was broadcast in the United States by Fox; it was preceded by the 71st Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards on September 14 and 15. The show did not have a host for the fourth time in its history, following the telecasts in 2003, 1998, and 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">74th Primetime Emmy Awards</span> 2022 American television programming awards

The 74th Primetime Emmy Awards honored the best in American prime time television programming from June 1, 2021, until May 31, 2022, as chosen by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The awards ceremony was held live on September 12, 2022, and was preceded by the 74th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards on September 3 and 4, at the Microsoft Theater in Downtown Los Angeles, California. The ceremony was broadcast in the United States on NBC and Peacock. During the ceremony, Emmy Awards were handed out in 25 categories. The event was produced through Done and Dusted and Hudlin Entertainment and was directed by Hamish Hamilton. Kenan Thompson was the ceremony's host.

References

  1. ↑ "70th Primetime Emmy Awards 2017-2018 Rules and Procedures" (PDF). Emmys. 23 July 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  2. ↑ Carter, Bill (8 February 2004). "Shorten TV Season? End Sweeps? Rules Shifting at Networks". New York Times. ProQuest   92869337.
  3. 1 2 Albiniak, Paige (25 May 2015). "Rule Changes Open Gates To More Hopefuls". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  4. ↑ Morabito, Andrea (20 May 2013). "ABC: Reducing Repeats With Limited Series". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  5. 1 2 Turitz, Neil (11 June 2015). "From 'American Crime' to 'Wayward Pines,' Limited Series Invade Network TV". Variety. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  6. ↑ Steel, Emily (19 January 2015). "As Content Pours from Everywhere, New Network shows Strive for Boldness". ProQuest   2074265825.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. ↑ "High Drama, Little Spirit in a Season of Telenovelas". New York Times. 24 October 2006. ProQuest   93093372.
  8. ↑ "Awards Categories". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 7 May 2007.[ dead link ]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.