The Best Miniseries, TV Movies, and Specials of 2018

by Jason Dietz, Metacritic Features Editor – December 29, 2018

Above are the 20 highest-scoring special TV programs—including "limited" series, made-for-TV-movies, and one-off specials—debuting in the United States between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018. 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. (Looking for the best regular TV series of 2018? Those are ranked in a separate list.)

Note that Netflix original films (such as Roma and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs) generally open in at least a few theaters prior to (or in conjunction with) their streaming debuts, and are excluded here. (They will be eligible for our Best Movies of 2018 list instead.)

14 of 21 photo by Reuters/Brian Snyder/HBO

78 #14: John McCain: For Whom the Bell Tolls

The late politician and war hero is profiled in this HBO documentary film (from the team behind the Emmy-winning Jim: The James Foley Story) that aired in May. McCain directly participated in the documentary, allowing the filmmakers to chronicle his life in Washington and Arizona shortly after he was diagnosed with brain cancer, and this recent footage is supplemented with archival footage and home movies tracing McCain's entire life.

“An insightful, poignant, journalistically sound profile that gives McCain his due, but steers clear of hagiography.” —Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times

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