The Best Miniseries, TV Movies, and Specials of 2016

by Jason Dietz, Metacritic Features Editor – December 28, 2016

Below are the highest-scoring special TV programs—including "limited" series, made-for-TV-movies, and one-off specials—debuting in the United States between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016. Titles are ranked by Metascore (an average of grades from top professional critics on a 0-100 scale) prior to rounding, and any programs with fewer than 7 reviews are excluded. (Note that regular TV series will be ranked in a separate list coming later this week.)

11 of 16 photo by Hilary Bronwyn Gayle

78 All The Way (2016)

For this HBO movie, Bryan Cranston plays President Lyndon Johnson during his eventful first year in office—the same role that earned Cranston a Tony when he starred in the acclaimed play written (like the TV adaptation) by Robert Schenkkan. Anthony Mackie, Melissa Leo, Bradley Whitford, Frank Langella, and Stephen Root also star for director Jay Roach (Game Change). The film collected eight Emmy nominations.

(HBO)

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