We’re in the golden age of TV with some of the best-written stories engaging audiences on several streaming services, cable TV and network television. Each one of the Emmy-nominated scripts is unique in its own way and ranges from historical perspectives of British royalty to comedic takes on an underfunded Philly elementary school to a dystopian future in which most of humanity is wiped out by a contagious fungus.
If you’re planning out your next TV spec series or want to see how some of the most talented writers in the industry captured intrigue and interest from page 1, here are this year’s Emmy-nominated scripts for you to read and download (for free)!
Read More: What is a Spec Script (and Why Should You Write One)?
Better Call Saul
Hotshot attorney Saul Goodman made his debut in the award-winning series Breaking Bad. So intriguing was this character in the dynamic world of drug dealing in New Mexico that he became the title character of his own origin story. Before Breaking Bad, Saul Goodman was a lawyer who never quite fit into the fast-paced, fancy world of the well-respected attorneys of Albuquerque. The show follows his ascent (or descent) into becoming the person who represents Walter White.
The Crown
For five seasons, The Crown has shown the life of Queen Elizabeth starting from a young princess to becoming one of the longest reigning monarchs of the British Empire. Its intimate look at the life of one of the world’s most famous people has made it one of Netflix’s most popular shows. Each season is a new decade of Queen Elizabeth’s life tackling moments within that time span that impacted both her personally as well as the lives of her subjects.
The Crown has one several Emmys including Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series.
Read More: Tips for Coming Up with an Idea for Your TV Spec Episode
The Last of Us
A global pandemic destroys most of humanity and turns civilization into a paranoid, hostile and survival-minded society. You would think that a story centered around an illness that puts the civilized world into upheaval might be a tale told too soon, but acclaimed TV shows like The Last of Us, Station Eleven and The Stand have been streamed by millions.
These stories though are about the people who struggle to survive and often feature reclusive grown-ups (usually male) suddenly in charge of a minor (usually female). It’s these characters that truly drive the story and why people continue watching pandemic/end-of-the-world shows. Read one of the episodes of The Last of Us and discover what made this show stand out.
Read 10 Things that Male HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’ Great for more insights into the Emmy-nominated series.
Yellowjackets
What happened when a high school soccer team crashed in the remote Canadian wilderness? Apparently, a lot of weird stuff. This show takes place in two time periods: a group of women in present day and the same women as teenagers trying to survive the strangeness of a mountainous region with no way to escape. The series constantly makes the audience wonder what happened, or what will happen next, to the teenagers and what ties bind them as adults.
Succession
Succession is one of those TV shows that pits family members against each other as money and power gets to their head. Logan Roy runs the largest entertainment and media company in the world and the power he wields in political circles stretches far and wide. However, like many men in power, their children lack the competence to run the empire they created. Succession focuses on the lives of the Roy family as they backstab, deceive and insult their way to the top giving audiences a glimpse into the wealthy one percent.
A similarly themed show is The Righteous Gemstones, which follows a mega church’s dysfunctional family.
The White Lotus
Someone is dead. But who? The White Lotus starts off with the death of a resident at the luxurious hotel and basically forgets about this concept until the end of the show. It leaves the audience wondering which one of the intolerable hotel guests or an accommodating hotel employee will meet their demise on the property. The ensemble cast of colorful characters is a comedy and a commentary on how the wealthy and privileged treat those who serve them and what they can get away with.
The supposed paradise getaway increasingly reveals dark pasts, sinister intentions and suspicions from both the hotel residents and the workforce.
Barry
What happens when a hitman accidentally catches the acting bug? Barry is a complicated tale of a hitman who suffers from an identity crisis and finds solace in father-figure Gene who teaches the acting class he stumbled into. Barry tries to find ways to redeem himself but his past and the sinister people he’s involved with keep coming back and threaten his new perspective of his life and his career aspirations. Barry is filled with dense, complicated characters whose motives and decisions keep audiences engaged and curiosities piqued.
Throughout its four seasons, Barry has had six (yes, six) Emmy nominations for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.
Read More: How to Choose a TV Show to Spec
Abbott Elementary
Abbott Elementary is heartbreakingly humorous. Set in a failing elementary school in Philadelphia, the TV show follows a group of teachers who love their jobs but must face the constant struggles of attempting to shape young minds within underfunded programs. This documentary-style series is reminiscent of shows like The Office with characters breaking the fourth wall and giving their commentary on what goes on in their lives and how the others complicate or help matters.
Based on creator Quinta Brunson’s mother’s experiences as a teacher, Abbott Elementary is a great example of how to take a complicated social issue and use humor to bring up these subjects.
The Bear
The Bear became a show that spread by word-of-mouth and quickly became the newest series you had to binge. The series centers around Carmen, an award-winning chef who ends up running his family’s sandwich shop. On the surface it’s a story about how the mighty have fallen – how does a fine-dining chef get to the point where he has to make ends meet at a small business with blue-collar ingredients and a no-B.S. kitchen crew? It’s deeper than that though, as he must also deal with his brother’s suicide, whose death is why he has returned to take over the shop.
Nominated in the comedy category, this show finds humor in chaos and doesn’t hold back on drama.
Only Murders in the Building
True-life stories about murder are popular. From binge-worthy limited series’ to long-running TV shows like Dateline and 20/20, people are fascinated with true crime. This has bled over into podcasts as well, and now there are several TV shows and movies in the interest of true crime podcasts such as Based on a True Story and Vengeance whose protagonists choose to solve crimes and make podcasts. That leads to the Emmy-winning series Only Murders in the Building about three amateur investigators using the power of podcasting to solve murders.
Only Murders in the Building finds a way to differentiate itself when it comes to the fictional-true-crime-podcasting-murder-mystery genre. Read the pilot to see how they set up the story.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
When the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel first took the stage for her initial comedy routine, which was more of a rant filled with unintended humor, she brought a rawness and freshness to an audience that didn’t expect language and verbal confirmation of a mother’s feelings of the time. Since that fateful night in the late 1950s, Midge Maisel has toured the world while trying to keep the family balance in order. In the final season, time jumps back and forth over the course of several decades as the story wraps up and the audience learns about the life and legacy of Mrs. Maisel.
Read the pithy, unique writing stylings of Amy Sherman-Palladino (creator of Gilmore Girls).
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Many of the Emmy-nominated TV shows have concluded their final seasons so this will be the last chance for many to take home an award. Regardless, the scripts are a testament to the high level of writing expected in the world of prestige TV and open the door for a fresh new batch of nominees next year.
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The post Read and Download 2023’s Emmy Nominated Scripts appeared first on ScreenCraft.
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Author: Steven Hartman
