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The 73rd Writers Guild of America Awards honored the best writing in film, television and radio of 2020. Nominees for television and radio were announced on February 3, 2021,[1][2] while nominees for film were announced on February 16, 2021. The winners were announced in a virtual ceremony on March 21, 2021.

Winners and Nominees

Film

Best Original Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Documentary Screenplay

Television

Drama Series
Comedy Series
New Series
Long Form – Original
Long Form – Adapted
Short Form New Media – Original
Animation
Episodic Drama
Episodic Comedy
Comedy/Variety – Talk Series
Comedy/Variety – Specials
Comedy/Variety – Sketch Series
Quiz and Audience Participation
  • Weakest Link (NBC) – Head Writer: Ann Slichter Writers: Chip Dornell, Paul Greenberg, Joyce Ikemi, Stuart Krasnow, Jon Macks, Mona Mira, Scott Saltzburg, Aaron Solomon, Chris Sturgeon, Grant Taylor
    • Hollywood Game Night (NBC) – Head Writers: Ann Slichter, Grant Taylor Writers: Michael Agbabian, Allie Kokesh, Dwight D. Smith
    • Jeopardy! (ABC) – Writers: Matthew Caruso, John Duarte, Harry Friedman, Mark Gaberman, Debbie Griffin, Michele Loud, Robert McClenaghan, Jim Rhine, Billy Wisse
    • Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Celebrity Season (Disney/ABC Syndication) – Head Writer: Bobby Patton Writers: Alan Bailey, Josh Halloway, Seth Harrington, Shawn Kennedy
Daytime Drama
  • Days of Our Lives (NBC) – Head Writer: Ron Carlivati; Writers: Lorraine Broderick, Joanna Cohen, Carolyn Culliton, Richard Culliton, Rick Draughon, David Kreizman, Rebecca McCarty, Ryan Quan, Dave Ryan, Katherine D. Schock, Elizabeth Snyder
    • General Hospital (ABC) – Head Writers: Dan O'Connor, Christopher Van Etten; Associate Head Writer: Anna Theresa Cascio; Writers: Barbara Bloom, Suzanne Flynn, Charlotte Gibson, Lucky Gold, Kate Hall, Elizabeth Korte, David Rupel, Lisa Seidman, Donny Sheldon, Scott Sickles

Children's

Children's Script – Episodic, Long form and Specials
  • The Sleepover (Netflix) – Written by Sarah Rothschild
    • "Countdown" – The Astronauts (Nickelodeon) – Written by Dan Knauf
    • Mo Willems And The Storytime All Stars Present: Don't Let The Pigeon Do Storytime (HBO Max) – Written by Mo Willems, Based on the children's books and published by Hyperion: Leonard the Terrible Monster; Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale; A Busy Creature's Day Eating!; Elephant and Piggy's Waiting is Not Easy!; and Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
    • The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo (HBO Max) – Writers: Geri Cole, Scott Gray, Benjamin Lehmann, Wendy Marston, Andrew Moriarty, Ken Scarborough, Moujan Zolfaghari
    • The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special (HBO Max) – Written by Geri Cole
    • "Speaking of Cancer" – Alexa & Katie (Netflix) – Written by Leo Chu & Eric S. Garcia & Julia Miranda

Documentary

Documentary Script – Current Events
Documentary Script – Other than Current Events
  • "Opioids, Inc." – Frontline (PBS) – Written by Tom Jennings
    • "The Poison Squad" – American Experience (PBS) – Written by John Maggio
    • "The Violence Paradox" – Nova (PBS) – Written by Michael Bicks and Anna Lee Strachan

News

News Script – Regularly Scheduled, Bulletin, or Breaking Report
  • "Anger in America" – World News Tonight with David Muir (ABC News) – Written by Dave Bloch, David Muir, Karen Mooney, David Schoetz
    • "Critical Condition" – 60 Minutes (CBS News) – Written by Katie Kerbstat Jacobson, Scott Pelley, Nicole Young
    • "Gale Sayers Obit" (WCBS-TV) – Written by Joe McLaughlin
    • "The Wild West of Covid Testing" – 60 Minutes (CBS News) – Written by Sharyn Alfonsi, Oriana Zill de Granados
News Script – Analysis, Feature, or Commentary
  • "Juneteenth: A Celebration of Overcoming" (ABC News) – Written by Dave Bloch
    • "Exhume the Truth" – 60 Minutes (CBS News) – Written by Katie Kerbstat Jacobson, Scott Pelley, Nicole Young
    • "The African Basketball Trail" – 60 Minutes (CBS News) – Written by Oriana Zill de Granados
Digital News
  • "The Store That Called the Cops on George Floyd" (Slate.com) – Written by Aymann Ismail
    • "Pornhub Doesn't Care" (Vice.com) – Written by Samantha Cole and Emanuel Maiberg
    • "This Week Has Happened Before" (Slate.com) – Written by Julia Craven
    • "Why Did the Government Separate This Family?" (Slate.com) – Written by Jeremy Stahl

Radio

Radio News Script – Regularly Scheduled, Bulletin, or Breaking Report
  • "Changemakers: Leaders Who Made a Difference" (CBS News Radio) – Written by Gail Lee
    • "CBS News on the Hour with Norah O'Donnell, March 10, 2020″ (CBS News Radio) – Written by James Hutton
    • "World News This Week, November 13, 2020″ (ABC News Radio/WNTW Podcasts) – Written by Joan Harris
Radio News Script – Analysis, Feature, or Commentary
  • "Against Those Thugs: Delores Tucker and Bill Bennett" (Slow Burn) (Slate Podcasts) – Written by Joel Anderson, Christopher Johnson
    • "The Gist: Spiel, April 3, 2020″ (Slate Podcasts) – Written by Mike Pesca
    • "Instrument of Hope" (ABC News Radio) – Written by Christopher Barry

Promotional writing

On-Air Promotion – Television or Radio
  • "Get Out The Vote – Check Out Those Moves" (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube) – Written by Meghana Reddy and Angad Bhalla
    • "Can You See It?" (Facebook) – Written by Meghana Reddy and Angad Bhalla
    • "Launch Trailers" (CBS All Access) – Written by Molly Neylan

Special awards

Paul Selvin Award

Will Berson, Shaka King, and Kenny and Keith Lucas, for Judas and the Black Messiah[3]

Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement
Laurel Award for TV Writing Achievement

References

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