The Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Episodic Drama is an award presented by the Writers Guild of America to the best written episodes of a dramatic television series. It has been presented annually since the 14th annual Writers Guild of America awards in 1962. The years denote when each episode first aired. Though, due to the eligibility period, some nominees could have aired in a different year. The current eligibility period is December 1 to November 30. The winners are highlighted in gold.
Winners and nominees 1960s Year Series Episode Winners/nominees Network 1960 The Untouchables "The Unhired Assassin" William Spier ABCBonanza"The Last Hunt"Donald S. SanfordNBCRawhide"Incident of the Dry Drive"John DunkelCBS 1961 Naked City "The Fault in Our Stars" Barry Trivers ABCHave Gun – Will Travel"The Fatalist"Shimon WincelbergCBSThe Law and Mr. Jones"No Sale"Palmer ThompsonABCRawhide"The Incident of the Buffalo Soldier"John DunkelCBSThe Westerner"Brown"Bruce GellerNBC 1962 Naked City "Today the Man Who Kills the Ants Is Coming" ABCBen Casey"I Remember a Lemon Tree"ABCThe Defenders"The Benefactor"Peter StoneCBSNaked City"The Multiplicity of Herbert Konish"Ernest KinoyABCRoute 66"Goodnight, Sweet Blues"CBS 1963 Route 66 "Man Out of Time" Lawrence B. Marcus CBSBen Casey"A Cardinal Act of Mercy"Norman KatkovABCThe Defenders"A Book for Burning"William WoolfolkCBSEmpire"Between Friday and Monday"Kenneth TreveyNBCNaked City"The S.S. American Dream"Frank PiersonABC 1964 East Side/West Side "Who Do You Kill?" Arnold Perl CBSChanning"Freedom is a Lovesome Thing God Wot!"Jack R. Guss and Edmund MorrisABC"Wave Goodbye to Our Fair-Haired Boy"Kenneth KolbThe Defenders"The Non Violent"Ernest KinoyCBSGunsmoke"Owney Tupper Had A Daughter"Paul Savage 1965 Mr. Novak "With a Hammer In His Hand, Lord, Lord!" John D. F. Black NBC12 O'Clock High"Interlude"Dean RiesnerABCBen Casey"A Woods Full of Question Marks"Ellis MarcusDr. Kildare"Man is a Rock"Christopher KnopfNBCThe Fugitive"Men in a Chariot"George EcksteinABCSlattery's People"Did He Who Made the Lamb Make Thee?"William P. McGivernCBS 1966 The Trials of O'Brien "No Justice for the Judge" David Ellis CBSCourt Martial"Judge Them Gently"Gerry DayABCThe Fugitive"When the Wind Blows"Betty LangdonSlattery's People"Color Him Red"Pat FielderCBSThe Virginian"The Horse Fighter"Richard FielderNBC 1967 Star Trek "The City on the Edge of Forever" Harlan Ellison NBCThe Big Valley"The Martyr"Mel GoldbergABCGunsmoke"Fandango"Don IngallsCBSMission: Impossible"Odds on Evil"William Read Woodfield & Allan BalterStar Trek"The Return of the Archons"NBC 1968 Judd, for the Defense "To Kill a Madman" Robert Lewin ABCHawaii Five-O"Pilot"Leonard FreemanCBSJudd, for the Defense"The Commitment"Paul MonashABC"No Law Against Murder"Harold GastMannix"The Name is Mannix"Bruce GellerCBSThe Outcasts"Take Your Lover in the Ring"Anthony LawrenceABCStar Trek"Return to Tomorrow"John T. DuganNBC 1969 Judd, for the Defense "An Elephant in a Cigar Box" Robert Lewin ABCHawaii Five-O"To Hell with Babe Ruth"Anthony LawrenceCBSThe Mod Squad"In This Corner -- Sol Alpert"Rita Lakin and Harve BennettABC"Keep the Faith, Baby"Harve BennettThen Came Bronson"Two Percent of Nothing" D. C. FontanaNBCThe Virginian"Black Jade"Herb Meadow
1970s Year Series Episode Winners/nominees Network 1970 The Bold Ones: The Senator "A Continual Roar of Musketry" David W. Rintels NBCBracken's World"Infinity"Cliff GouldNBC"Meanwhile, Back at the Studio"Joseph BonaduceHawaii Five-O"Trouble in Mind"Mel Goldberg and Sasha GilienCBSThe Young Lawyers"The Glass Prison"John W. BlochABC 1971 The Psychiatrist "Par for the Course" NBCThe Bold Ones: The Lawyers"The Invasion of Kevin Ireland"NBCThe Bold Ones: The New Doctors"Angry Man"Arthur DalesColumbo"Murder by the Book"Steven BochcoHawaii Five-O"F.O.B. Honolulu"Jerry Ludwig & Eric BercoviciCBSIronside"No Motive for Murder"Sy SalkowitzNBCMarcus Welby, M.D."They Grow Up"Dick NelsonABCOwen Marshall: Counselor at Law"Until Proven Innocent"Pat Fielder 1972 Kung Fu "King of the Mountain" Herman Miller ABCColumbo"Etude in Black"NBCMarcus Welby, M.D."Please Don't Send Flowers"Bess BoyleABCMcCloud"The Barefoot Stewardess Caper"NBC"The New Mexican Connection"Glen A. LarsonThe Mod Squad"Taps, Play It Louder"Sandor SternABC 1973 The Starlost "Phoenix without Ashes" Harlan Ellison SyndicatedGunsmoke"The Golden Land"Hal SitowitzCBSMarcus Welby, M.D."A Necessary End"Norman HudisABCThe Streets of San Francisco"House on Hyde Street"The Waltons"The Easter Story" CBS"The Odyssey"Joanna Lee"The Roots"Sheldon Stark"The Thanksgiving Story" 1974 Gunsmoke "Thirty a Month and Found" Jim Byrnes CBSMcCloud"The Colorado Cattle Caper"Michael GleasonNBCThe New Land"The Word Is: Growth"William BlinnABCThe Waltons"The Conflict"Jeb RosebrookCBS 1975 The Law "Prior Consent" NBCGunsmoke"The Busters"Jim ByrnesCBSKojak"The Good Luck Bomber"Raymond BrennerThe Streets of San Francisco"Web of Lies"Leonard KantorABCThe Waltons"The Woman"Hindi BrooksCBS 1976 Sandburg's Lincoln "Crossing Fox River" Loring Mandel NBCBaa Baa Black Sheep"Flying Misfits"Stephen J. CannellNBCCity of Angels"The November Plan"Rich Man, Poor Man Book II"Chapter I"Millard LampellABCThe Rockford Files"So Help Me God" Juanita BartlettNBC 1977 Police Story "Pressure Point" Mark Rodgers NBCEight Is Enough"The Gipper Caper"William BlinnABCLou Grant"Christmas"David LloydCBS"Housewarming"Leonora ThunaPolice Woman"Merry Christmas, Waldo"E. Arthur KeanNBCThe Rockford Files"Beamer's Last Case""Quickie Nirvana"David Chase 1978 Lou Grant "Prisoner" Seth Freeman CBSColumbo"The Conspirators"Howard BerkNBCLou Grant"Murder"Gary David GoldbergCBSThe Rockford Files"The House on Willis Avenue"Stephen J. CannellNBCThe Waltons"The Captive"Ray CunneffCBS"The Illusion"John McGreevey 1979 Lou Grant "Vet" Leon Tokatyan CBSEischied"The Demon"Mark RodgersNBCLou Grant"Exposé"David LloydCBS"Home"Gary David Goldberg"Slammer"Johnny DawkinsThe Rockford Files"Some Things You Can Tell Yourself"David ChaseNBCThe Waltons"The Burden"E. F. WallengrenCBS
1980s Year Series Episode Winners/nominees Network 1980 Tenspeed and Brown Shoe "Pilot" Stephen J. Cannell ABCLittle House on the Prairie"Second Spring"John T. DuganNBCLou Grant"Blackout"Steve KlineCBS"Brushfire"Allan Burns and Gene Reynolds"Inheritance"April SmithM*A*S*H"Dreams"Skag"Pilot"Abby MannNBC 1981 Hill Street Blues "Hill Street Station" Michael Kozoll and Steven Bochco NBCHill Street Blues"Film at Eleven"Anthony YerkovichNBCLou Grant"Campesinos"Michael VittesCBS"Strike"April SmithM*A*S*H"Bless You, Hawkeye"Dan Wilcox & Thad MumfordPalmerstown, USA"Future City"Ronald Rubin 1982 Hill Street Blues "The World According to Freedom" Michael Wagner NBCDarkroom"Closed Circuit"Alan BrennertABCFame"A Special Place"Parke PerineNBCHill Street Blues"Fruits of the Poisonous Tree"Jeffrey LewisLou Grant"Review"Jeffrey LaneCBS 1983 Hill Street Blues "Trial by Fury" David Milch NBCCagney & Lacey"Jane Doe #37"Peter LefcourtCBSHill Street Blues"Eugene's Comedy Empire Strikes Back"NBC"Gung Ho!"David Milch, Jeffrey Lewis and Michael WagnerSt. Elsewhere"Addiction"John Masius and Tom FontanaTwo Marriages"Pilot"Carol SobieskiABC 1984 Hill Street Blues "Grace Under Pressure" NBCCagney & Lacey"Victimless Crime"Peter LefcourtCBSHill Street Blues"Death by Kiki"David Milch and Mark FrostNBC"Parting is Such Sweep Sorrow"St. Elsewhere"Hello and Goodbye"John Masius and Tom Fontana"The Women"Trauma Center"Turnaround"Harry Longstreet & Renee Schonfeld LongstreetABC 1985 Cagney & Lacey "An Unusual Occurrence" Georgia Jeffries CBS Miami Vice "Brother's Keeper" Anthony Yerkovich NBCCagney & Lacey"Child Witness"Deborah ArakelianCBS"Who Said It's Fair?" (Part II)Patricia GreenCall to Glory"A Wind from the East"Josef AndersonABCHill Street Blues"Watt a Way to Go"NBCSt. Elsewhere"Sweet Dreams"John Masius and Tom Fontana 1986 Moonlighting "The Dream Sequence Always Rings Twice" Debra Frank and Carl Sautter ABC St. Elsewhere "Remembrance of Things Past" John Masius, Bruce Paltrow and Tom Fontana NBCHill Street Blues"Remembrance of Hits Past"NBC"What Are Friends For?"Dick WolfMoonlighting"Every Daughter's Father is a Virgin"Bruce Franklin SingerABC 1987 Cagney & Lacey "Turn, Turn, Turn: Part 1" Georgia Jeffries CBS Moonlighting "It's a Wonderful Job" Debra Frank and Carl Sautter ABCHill Street Blues"Fathers and Guns"NBC"More Skinned Against than Skinning"David BlackL.A. Law"Fry Me to the Moon"Jacob Epstein, Marshall Goldberg and David E. Kelley"The Venus Butterfly"Steven Bochco and Terry Louise FisherMoonlighting"Atomic Shakespeare"Jeff Reno & Ron Osborn ABC"Big Man on Mulberry Street"Karen HallSt. Elsewhere"A Room with a View"NBC 1988 thirtysomething "Pilot" Marshall Herskovitz & Edward ZwickABC "Therapy" Susan ShillidayChina Beach"Home"William Broyles Jr.ABCL.A. Law"Full Marital Jacket"NBCSt. Elsewhere"A Moon for the Misbegotten"thirtysomething"Nice Work If You Can Get It"ABC 1989 TV 101 "Rolling" Karl Schaefer CBSCBS Summer Playhouse"Elysian Fields"Joan TewkesburyCBSChina Beach"Where the Boys Are"Alan BrennertABC"Xmas/CHNBCH VN '67"John WellsL.A. Law"His Suite is Hirsute"Steven Bochco, David E. Kelley, Michele Gallery and William M. FinkelsteinNBCStar Trek: The Next Generation"The Measure of a Man"Melinda M. SnodgrassSyndicated
1990s Year Series Episode Winners/nominees Network 1990 China Beach "Souvenirs" John Sacret Young ABCChina Beach"Warriors"ABCL.A. Law"Bang...Zoom...Zap"David E. Kelley and William M. FinkelsteinNBC"Justice Swerved"David E. Kelley and Bryce Zabelthirtysomething"I'm Nobody! Who Are You?"Winnie HolzmanABC"Strangers" Richard Kramer 1991 thirtysomething "Photo Opportunity" Racelle Rosett Schaefer ABCChina Beach"Escape"ABC"Hello Goodbye"Law & Order"Everybody's Favorite Bagman"Dick WolfNBCQuantum Leap"The Leap Home, Part 1"Donald P. Bellisariothirtysomething"Guns and Roses"Liberty GodshallABC 1992 I'll Fly Away "Amazing Grace" Henry Bromell NBCI'll Fly Away"Coming Home"Kevin ArkadieNBCNorthern Exposure"Burning Down the House"Robin GreenCBS"Seoul Mates" Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider 1993 Homicide: Life on the Street "Night of the Dead Living" NBCHomicide: Life on the Street"Gone for Goode"Paul AttanasioNBCI'll Fly Away"Comfort and Joy"Barbara HallLife Goes On"Last Wish"Toni GraphiaABCPicket Fences"Thanksgiving"David E. KelleyCBSReasonable Doubts"Thank God It's Friday"Ed ZuckermanNBCTriBeCa"The Box"David J. Burke and Hans TobeasonFox 1994 Homicide: Life on the Street "Bop Gun" NBCHomicide: Life on the Street"A Many Splendored Thing"NBC Northern Exposure"Hello, I Love You"Robin Green and Mitchell BurgessCBSNYPD Blue"Pilot"ABC"Tempest in a C-Cup"Gardner Stern 1995 ER "Love's Labor Lost" Lance A. Gentile NBCHomicide: Life on the Street"Fits Like a Glove"NBCPicket Fences"Saint Zack"CBSThe X-Files"Duane Barry"Chris CarterFox 1996 NYPD Blue "Girl Talk" ABCLaw & Order"Aftershock"NBC"Savages"Morgan Gendel, Barry M. Schkolnick and Michael S. Chernuchin"Trophy"Murder One"Chapter One"ABCParty of Five"Falsies"Mark B. PerryFoxThe X-Files"Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose"Darin Morgan 1997 Law & Order "Entrapment" Rene Balcer and Richard Sweren NBCER"Who's Appy Now?"Neal BaerNBCLaw & Order"Deadbeat"Ed Zuckerman and I.C. Rapoport 1998 Nothing Sacred "Proofs for the Existence of God" Paul Leland ABCER"Exodus"Walon Green and Joe SachsNBCFrom the Earth to the Moon"Apollo One"Graham YostHBOHomicide: Life on the Street"Finnegan's Wake"NBC"Saigon Rose"Eric Overmyer"Subway"James YoshimuraLaw & Order"Burned"Siobhan ByrneThe Practice"Betrayal"David E. KelleyABCRescuers: Stories of Courage"The Marie Taquet Story"Showtime 1999 The Sopranos "Meadowlands" Jason Cahill HBOER"The Storm, Part 1"John WellsNBCLaw & Order"DWB"Rene BalcerOz"U.S. Male"Tom Fontana and Bradford WintersHBO
2000s