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.)

9 of 21 photo by NBCUniversal

81 #9: Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert

TV's best religion-themed rock musical since Jeepers Creepers: Semi-Star, this live NBC production of the 1970 rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice stars John Legend as Jesus, Sara Bareilles is Mary Magdalene, Brandon Victor Dixon as Judas, and rocker Alice Cooper as King Herod. Superstar picked up four Emmy nominations.

“It was an overwhelming original, complete with inspired casting and staging choices.” —Bruce Miller, Sioux City Journal

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