The Nominees Ranked By Which Should Win:
- Mark Mylod for HBO's Succession - "This Is Not for Tears"
- Andrij Parekh for HBO's Succession - "Hunting"
- Mimi Leder for AppleTV+'s The Morning Show - "The Interview"
- Benjamin Caron for Netflix's The Crown - "Aberfan"
- Jessica Hobbs for Netflix's The Crown - "Cri de Coeur"
- Lesli Linka Glatter for Showtime's Homeland - "Prisoners of War"
- Alik Sakharov for Netflix's Ozark - "Fire Pink"
- Ben Semanoff for Netflix's Ozark - "Su Casa Es Mi Casa"
As a TV critic, I pride myself on watching a lot of television. However, I shamefully have to admit that I've only seen three of the episodes nominated in this category - the two from Succession and The Morning Show finale. All three are excellent episodes of television. The Succession episodes are strong showcases for what that show does so well. The powerful are all scrambling to remain in control while simultaneously destroying the lives of so many people in the process. It's horrifying. And yet, the audience can't look away because it is so outrageous and devious. The twists and turns can be overwhelming. But the finale produced a number of stunning moments while "Hunting" introduced the world to "Boar on the Floor." The Morning Show finale is similarly chaotic. That appears to be what voters like most when deciding who gets nominated in this category. If an episode has a lot of intensity and uncertainty, then it seems well directed. From what I've read about Ozark, that seems to be the case with these episodes. Homeland always operated as such. So, I would be shocked if the series finale was anything but that. The Crown is a different show altogether. That's why I have it ranked higher. It's a prestige play while using historical events to deliver well-acted drama. That too is a huge part of directing.
The Nominees Ranked by Which Will Win:
- Mark Mylod for HBO's Succession - "This Is Not for Tears"
- Benjamin Caron for Netflix's The Crown - "Aberfan"
- Mimi Leder for AppleTV+'s The Morning Show - "The Interview"
- Alik Sakharov for Netflix's Ozark - "Fire Pink"
- Jessica Hobbs for Netflix's The Crown - "Cri de Coeur"
- Andrij Parekh for HBO's Succession - "Hunting"
- Ben Semanoff for Netflix's Ozark - "Su Casa Es Mi Casa"
- Lesli Linka Glatter for Showtime's Homeland - "Prisoners of War"
Everyone was in disbelief a year ago when Ozark prevailed in this category despite going up against two action-packed episodes of Game of Thrones. And now, it's one of the shows with multiple nominees. That isn't always a formula for success. It may cause the votes to be split because the voters can't rally around one specifically. That may allow for one of the shows with only one nomination to prevail. This could be a category Apple wins. The Morning Show had such a rough start. The directing was never really an issue though, with Mimi Leder getting tremendous performances out of the actors by the time the finale arrived. With Succession and The Crown though, it seems like one of their nominated episodes could have an advantage. "This Is Not for Tears" was the finale of Succession that produced a closing image that people are still talking about. "Aberfan" was one of the most critically acclaimed episodes of The Crown in its third season. Of course, prognosticators also believe that "Fire Pink" could be the winning episode for Laura Linney in lead drama actor. Similarly, Olivia Colman and Helena Bonham Carter opted for "Cri de Coeur" as their respective showcases. What all of this amounts to is I have no clarity whatsoever as to what the voters are likely to support. Succession had a surge in nominations. That could help it. Ozark and The Crown are past winners. The Morning Show is the exciting newcomer. Lesli Linka Glatter is the perennial nominee but never the winner. No one can truly be counted out.
What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with my predictions? Let me know in the comments below!
