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.)

5 of 21 photo by Kevin Mazur

87 #5: Springsteen on Broadway

It's 2018's best concert film. This recent Netflix special captures a solo performance by Bruce Springsteen—specifically, at Broadway's Walter Kerr Theatre, where the Boss was in residency for the past year with a Tony-winning show that mixes songs and spoken segments. (Look out for an EGOT opportunity for Springsteen when next year's Emmy nominations are announced.) A companion soundtrack album is also receiving excellent reviews.

“It’s a master class in pacing, dynamics, modulation of volume and tone, and the film brings you right up onstage with Springsteen, giving you a more intimate view of his technique--understated, seemingly casual but absolutely controlled--than you could get in the theater. Each expression, gesture, artful hesitation and sly punch line is zeroed in on, framed for our appreciation.” —Mike Hale, The New York Times

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