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.)

16 of 21 photo by Sonya Sones/HBO

78 #16: Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind

Director Marina Zenovich (Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired) profiles the late comedian in a feature-length documentary that debuted at Sundance in January and then aired on HBO in July. The film combines interviews with Williams with home movies and new interviews with friends and colleagues such as Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, David Letterman, and Steve Martin.

“A lovingly crafted tribute offering many laughs, a few tears, some intriguing insights and just a constant swarm of warm memories.” —Mark Dawidziak, Cleveland Plain Dealer

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