The Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Long Form – Original is an award presented by the Writers Guild of America to the writers of the best long-form program not based on the previously published material of the season. It has been awarded since the 49th Annual Writers Guild of America Awards in 1996.
Through the 70s and 80s, numerous categories were presented to recognize writing for long-form programs, some of them were for anthology series or limited series while others also included television films as "long form". The divisions between original and adapted were presented in some of the categories presented during these years, though not all of them.
Since the 39th Writers Guild of America Awards in 1976, two categories are presented to recognize the writing in long form television media, these two categories remain to this day and are: Long Form – Original and Long Form – Adapted.
Name History
- Best Anthology Original (1975, 1978)
- Best Original Comedy Anthology (1982-1983)
- Best Original Drama Anthology (1982-1985)
- Best Original/Adapted Comedy Anthology (1984-1985)
- Best Original/Adapted Multi-Part Long Form Series (1984)
- Best Anthology Episode/Single Program (1986-1990)
- Best Long Form - Original (1986-present)
Winners and nominees
The year indicates when each season aired. Single winner of the years is left unmarked while other winners are highlighted in gold and in bold.
1970s
- Best Anthology Original
1980s
- Best Original Comedy Anthology
- Best Original Drama Anthology
- Best Original/Adapted Comedy Anthology
- Best Original/Adapted Multi-Part Long Form Series
- Best Anthology Episode/Single Program
- Best Long Form - Original
1990s
- Best Anthology Episode/Single Program
- Best Long Form - Original
| Year
|
Program
|
Writer(s)
|
Network
|
Ref.
|
| 1990
|
| The Incident
|
James Norell, and Michael Norell
|
CBS
|
[11]
|
| Heat Wave |
Michael Lazarou |
TNT
|
| 1991
|
| Judgment
|
Tom Topor
|
HBO
|
[12]
|
| 1992
|
Homefront
"S.N.A.F.U."
|
Lynn Marie Latham, and Bernard Lechowick
|
ABC
|
[13]
|
| 1993
|
| The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom
|
Jane Anderson
|
HBO
|
[14]
|
| 1994
|
| Witness to the Execution
|
Thomas Baum, Keith Pierce, and Priscilla Prestwidge
|
NBC
|
[15]
|
| Lily in Winter |
Julie Moskowitz, Robert Elsele, Gary Stephens, and J. Michael Riva |
USA Network
|
| 1995
|
ER
"24 Hours"
|
Michael Crichton
|
NBC
|
[16]
|
| A Father for Charlie |
H. Haden Yelin |
CBS
|
| Lily in Winter |
Julie Moskowitz, Robert Elsele, Gary Stephens, and J. Michael Riva |
USA Network
|
| Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story |
Alison Cross |
NBC
|
| 1996
|
| Harvest of Fire
|
Susan Nanus and Richard Alfieri
|
CBS
|
[17]
[18]
|
| Andersonville |
David W. Rintels |
TNT
|
| Hidden in Silence |
Stephanie Liss |
Lifetime
|
| Stolen Memories: Secrets from the Rose Garden |
Tim Cagney |
The Family Channel
|
| 1997
|
| The Summer of Ben Tyler
|
Robert Inman
|
CBS
|
[19]
|
| Dark Skies |
Bryce Zabel, Brent V. Friedman |
NBC
|
| Hidden in America |
Peter Silverman and Michael De Guzma |
Showtime
|
| 1998
|
| Labor of Love
|
Nina Shengold
|
Lifetime
|
[20]
[21]
|
| Blind Faith |
Frank Military |
Showtime
|
| Color of Justice |
Lionel Chetwynd
|
| Gia |
Jay McInerney and Michael Cristofer |
HBO
|
| 1999
|
| Dash and Lilly
|
Jerry Ludwig
|
A&E
|
[22]
[23]
|
| Aldrich Ames: Traitor Within |
Michael Burton |
Showtime
|
| Freak City |
Jane Shepard
|
| Purgatory |
Gordon T. Dawson |
TNT
|
2000s
