The AACTA Award for Best Drama Series is a television award handed out by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA). It was previously awarded by the Australian Film Institute (AFI), from 1991-2010, and will continue to be presented by the Academy. It is awarded to a dramatic television series of new fewer than five episodes. It can be a series of self-contained stories which can be screened in any order or a number of interweaving and overlapping plots continuing from one episode to the next.[1]
Between 1991 and 2001, only individual episodes were awarded. The award has changed its name several times, and between 1993 and 2001, it became two separate categories; from 1991 to 1992, the award was called Best Episode in a Television Drama, Series or Serial; from 1993 to 2001 the award was split into Best Episode in a Television Drama Series and Best Episode in a Television Drama Serial and; from 1998 to 2001 Best Episode in a Drama Serial was changed to Best Episode in a Television Drama Series (Long). In 2002 the awards was combined to make Best Drama Series.[2]
The award is usually presented to the producer(s) of a series, but between 1991 and 2001, the award went to the producer of a specific episode.[2] Over the years, ABC have won sixteen of twenty-nine awards.[A] Home and Away have won four awards, more than any other television programme. If the Best Episode categories aren't taken into account, then Home and Away's wins are discounted and Love My Way would have the record of three.
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Potential nominees must submit two episodes from a drama series, which will be judged as a single entry, and a fee of A$1,125. The television program must be produced and broadcast in Australia for free-to-air or subscription television channels, but excludes broadcasts on community television.[1][3]
| Year | Program | Network | Episode | Recipient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 (34th) |
Embassy[B] | ABC | "A Human Dimension" | Alan Hardy |
| 1991 (34th) |
Embassy | ABC | "A Crisis of Confidence" | Alan Hardy |
| 1992 (35th) |
Phoenix[B] | ABC | "Hard Ball" | Bill Hughes |
| 1993 (36th) |
Home and Away[C] | Seven Network | "Episode #1222" | Andrew Howie |
| 1993 (36th) |
Phoenix[D] | ABC | "Under Siege" | Bill Hughes |
| 1994 (37th) |
The Damnation of Harvey McHugh[E][D] | ABC | "Hey St Jude" | Sue Masters |
| 1994 (37th) |
Heartland[E][D] | ABC | "Episode 7" | Bruce Best Penny Chapman Phaedon Vass |
| 1995 (38th) |
Home and Away[C] | Seven Network | "Episode #1705" | Andrew Howie Russell Webb |
| 1995 (38th) |
Frontline[D] | ABC | "The Siege" | Rob Sitch Santo Cilauro Jane Kennedy Tom Gleisner |
| 1996 (39th) |
Home and Away[C] | Seven Network | "Shane Parrish's Death" | Russell Webb |
| 1996 (39th) |
Frontline[D] | ABC | "Keeping Up Appearances" | Rob Sitch Santo Cilauro Jane Kennedy Tom Gleisner |
| 1997 (40th) |
Neighbours[C] | Network Ten | "Episode #2842" | Peter Dodds |
| 1997 (40th) |
Home and Away | Seven Network | "The Earthquake" | Russell Webb |
| 1997 (40th) |
Neighbours | Network Ten | "Episode #2911" | Peter Dodds |
| 1997 (40th) |
Frontline[D] | ABC | "Epitaph" | Rob Sitch Santo Cilauro Jane Kennedy Tom Gleisner |
| 1997 (40th) |
Frontline | ABC | "The Shadow We Cast" | Rob Sitch Santo Cilauro Jane Kennedy Tom Gleisner |
| 1997 (40th) |
Good Guys Bad Guys | Nine Network | "One Point Eight Million Reasons to Change Your Name: Part 1" | Roger Le Mesurier Roger Simpson Ros Tatarka |
| 1997 (40th) |
Good Guys Bad Guys | Nine Network | "One Point Eight Million Reasons to Change Your Name: Part 2" | Roger Le Mesurier Roger Simpson Ros Tatarka |
| 1998 (41st) |
Home and Away[C] | Seven Network | "Episode #2197" | Russell Webb |
| 1998 (41st) |
All Saints | Seven Network | "Give and Take" | Jo Porter |
| 1998 (41st) |
All Saints | Seven Network | "Revelations" | Jo Porter |
| 1998 (41st) |
Home and Away | Seven Network | "Episode #2413" | Russell Webb |
| 1998 (41st) |
Wildside[D] | ABC | "Episode 16" | Steve Knapman |
| 1998 (41st) |
Blue Heelers | Seven Network | "Collateral Damage" | Ricardo Pillizzeri |
| 1998 (41st) |
Good Guys Bad Guys | Nine Network | "Dog People" | Roger Le Mesurier Roger Simpson John Wild |
| 1998 (41st) |
SeaChange | ABC | "Stormy Weather" | Sally Ayre-Smith |
| 1999 (42nd) |
All Saints[C] | Seven Network | "Head to Head" | Jo Porter |
| 1999 (42nd) |
Home and Away | Seven Network | "Episode #2646" | Russell Webb |
| 1999 (42nd) |
Neighbours | Network Ten | "Episode #3388 " | Peter Dodds |
| 1999 (42nd) |
Neighbours | Network Ten | "Episode #3389 " | Peter Dodds |
| 1999 (42nd) |
Wildside[D] | ABC | "Episode 59" | Steve Knapman |
| 1999 (42nd) |
SeaChange | ABC | "Law and Order" | Sally Ayre-Smith |
| 1999 (42nd) |
SeaChange | ABC | "Manna From Heaven" | Sally Ayre-Smith |
| 1999 (42nd) |
SeaChange | ABC | "Playing With Fire" | Sally Ayre-Smith |
| 2000 (43rd) |
All Saints[C] | Seven Network | "Valley of the Shadows: Part 1" | Jo Porter |
| 2000 (43rd) |
All Saints | Seven Network | "Dead On Time" | Jo Porter |
| 2000 (43rd) |
Something in the Air | ABC | "Movers and Shakers" | Roger Le Mesurier Roger Simpson Ros Tatarka |
| 2000 (43rd) |
Something in the Air | ABC | "We Will Remember Them" | Roger Le Mesurier Roger Simpson Ros Tatarka |
| 2000 (43rd) |
Grass Roots[D] | ABC | "The Whole Year" | John Eastway |
| 2000 (43rd) |
Grass Roots | ABC | "Late July 4.00pm to 10.30pm" | John Eastway |
| 2000 (43rd) |
Grass Roots | ABC | "Late September" | John Eastway |
| 2000 (43rd) |
SeaChange | ABC | "Hungi Jury" | Sally Ayre-Smith |
| 2001 (44th) |
Something in the Air[C] | ABC | "That One Defining Moment" | Roger Le Mesurier Roger Simpson Alan Hardy |
| 2001 (44th) |
All Saints | Seven Network | "The Sign" | Di Drew |
| 2001 (44th) |
Something in the Air | ABC | "Into Thy Hands" | Roger Le Mesurier Roger Simpson Alan Hardy |
| 2001 (44th) |
Something in the Air | ABC | "Living in the Past" | Roger Le Mesurier Roger Simpson Alan Hardy |
| 2001 (44th) |
SeaChange [D] | ABC | "I Name Thee Bay of Pearls" | Sally Ayre-Smith |
| 2001 (44th) |
The Games | ABC | "Solar" | John Clarke Ross Stevenson Mark Ruse |
| 2001 (44th) |
Love Is a Four Letter Word | ABC | "Split" | Rosemary Blight Tim Pye |
| 2001 (44th) |
SeaChange | ABC | "Half Life" | Sally Ayre-Smith |
| 2001 (44th) |
The Secret Life of Us | Network Ten | "The Butterfly Effect" | John Edwards, Amanda Higgs |
| 2002 (45th) |
Kath & Kim | ABC | — (N/A) |
Mark Ruse |
| 2002 (45th) |
All Saints | Seven Network | — (N/A) |
Di Drew |
| 2002 (45th) |
MDA | ABC | — (N/A) |
Greg Haddrick |
| 2002 (45th) |
The Secret Life of Us | Network Ten | — (N/A) |
John Edwards, Amanda Higgs |
| 2003 (46th) |
MDA | ABC | — (N/A) |
Denny Lawrence |
| 2003 (46th) |
Grass Roots | ABC | — (N/A) |
John Eastway |
| 2003 (46th) |
Stingers | Nine Network | — (N/A) |
Roger Le Mesurier Roger Simpson John Wild |
| 2003 (46th) |
The Secret Life of Us | Network Ten | — (N/A) |
Amanda Higgs |
| 2004 (47th) |
Stingers | Nine Network | — (N/A) |
Roger Le Mesurier Roger Simpson John Wild |
| 2004 (47th) |
McLeod's Daughters | Nine Network | — (N/A) |
Susan Bower Posie Graeme-Evans |
| 2004 (47th) |
MDA | ABC | — (N/A) |
Denny Lawrence |
| 2004 (47th) |
White Collar Blue | Network Ten | — (N/A) |
Steve Knapman Kris Wyld |
| 2005 (48th) |
Love My Way | Fox8 | — (N/A) |
John Edwards Claudia Karvan |
| 2005 (48th) |
All Saints | Seven Network | — (N/A) |
Maryanne Carroll |
| 2005 (48th) |
Blue Heelers | Seven Network | — (N/A) |
Gus Howard David Clarke |
| 2005 (48th) |
MDA | ABC | — (N/A) |
Denny Lawrence |
| 2006 (49th) |
Love My Way | W | — (N/A) |
John Edwards Claudia Karvan Jacqueline Perske |
| 2006 (49th) |
All Saints | Seven Network | — (N/A) |
MaryAnne Carroll |
| 2006 (49th) |
Blue Heelers | Seven Network | — (N/A) |
Gus Howard David Clarke |
| 2006 (49th) |
McLeod's Daughters | Nine Network | — (N/A) |
Posie Graeme-Evans Karl Zwicky |
| 2007 (50th) |
Love My Way | Showtime | — (N/A) |
John Edwards Claudia Karvan |
| 2007 (50th) |
All Saints | Seven Network | — (N/A) |
MaryAnne Carroll Bill Hughes |
| 2007 (50th) |
Dangerous | Fox8 | — (N/A) |
John Edwards Imogen Banks |
| 2008 (51st) |
Underbelly | Nine Network | — (N/A) |
Greg Haddrick Brenda Pam |
| 2008 (51st) |
City Homicide | Seven Network | — (N/A) |
MaryAnne Carroll |
| 2008 (51st) |
Rush | Network Ten | — (N/A) |
John Edwards Mimi Butler |
| 2008 (51st) |
Satisfaction | Showcase | — (N/A) |
Andrew Walker & Roger Simpson |
| 2009 (52nd) |
East West 101 | SBS One | — (N/A) |
Kristine Wyld, Steve Knapman |
| 2009 (52nd) |
Packed to the Rafters | Seven Network | — (N/A) |
Jo Porter |
| 2009 (52nd) |
Satisfaction | Showcase | — (N/A) |
John Edwards Mimi Butler |
| 2009 (52nd) |
Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities | Nine Network | — (N/A) |
Greg Haddrick Brenda Pam |
| 2010 (53rd) |
Rush | Network Ten | — (N/A) |
John Edwards Mimi Butler |
| 2010 (53rd) |
The Circuit | SBS | — (N/A) |
Ross Hutchens Colin South |
| 2010 (53rd) |
Spirited | W | — (N/A) |
John Edwards Claudia Karvan Jacqueline Perske |
| 2010 (53rd) |
Tangle | Showcase | — (N/A) |
John Edwards Imogen Banks |
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