# AACTA Award for Best Television Drama Series

The AACTA Award for Best Television 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 to 2010, and will continue to be presented by the Academy. It is awarded to a dramatic television series of no 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.
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.
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. Over the years, ABC have won sixteen of twenty-nine awards. 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.

## Rules

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.

## Winners and nominees
### Best Episode in a Television Drama Series or Serial (1991–1992)

| Year | Program | Network | Episode | Producer(s) |
| 1991 (34th) |
| 1991 (34th) | Embassy (series 2) | ABC | Episode 1: "A Human Dimension" | Alan Hardy |
| 1991 (34th) | Police Rescue (season 1) | ABC | Episode 2: "Angel After Hours" | Sandra Levy and John Edwards |
| 1991 (34th) | Police Rescue (season 1) | ABC | Episode 13: "By The Book" | Sandra Levy and John Edwards |
| 1991 (34th) | Boys from the Bush (season 1) | Seven Network | Episode 8 | Jane Scott and Verity Lambert |
| 1992 (35th) |
| 1992 (35th) | Phoenix (season 1) | ABC | Episode 13:"Hard Ball" | Bill Hughes |
| 1992 (35th) | Police Rescue (season 2) | ABC | Episode 2: "Off The Track" | Sandra Levy and John Edwards |
| 1992 (35th) | Embassy (season 3) | ABC | Episode 10: "Crisis of Confidence" | Mark Callan |
| 1992 (35th) | Phoenix (season 1) | ABC | Episode 8: "Fond Memories" | Bill Hughes |

### Best Episode in a Television Drama Series (1993–2001)

| Year | Program | Network | Episode | Producer(s) |
| 1993 (36th) |
| 1993 (36th) | Phoenix | ABC | "Under Siege" | Bill Hughes |
| 1993 (36th) | Police Rescue | ABC | "Whirlwind" | Sandra Levy, John Edwards |
| 1993 (36th) | G.P. | ABC | "Exposed" | Bruce Best |
| 1993 (36th) | Police Rescue | ABC | "Lifeline" | Sandra Levy, John Edwards |
| 1994 (37th) |
| 1994 (37th) | The Damnation of Harvey McHugh | ABC | "Hey St Jude" | Sue Masters |
| 1994 (37th) | Heartland | ABC | "Episode 7" | Bruce Best, Penny Chapman, Phaedon Vass |
| 1994 (37th) | G.P. | ABC | "Double Bind" | Peter Andrikidis |
| 1994 (37th) | Police Rescue | ABC | "Double Illusion" | Sandra Levy, John Edwards |
| 1995 (38th) |
| 1995 (38th) | Frontline | ABC | "The Siege" | Rob Sitch, Santo Cilauro, Jane Kennedy, Tom Gleisner |
| 1995 (38th) | Frontline | ABC | "The Art of Gentle Persuasion" | Rob Sitch, Santo Cilauro, Jane Kennedy, Tom Gleisner |
| 1995 (38th) | Janus | ABC | "Not On The Merits" | Bill Hughes |
| 1995 (38th) | Janus | ABC | "Without Consent" | Bill Hughes |
| 1996 (39th) |
| 1996 (39th) | Frontline | ABC | "Keeping Up Appearances" | Rob Sitch, Santo Cilauro, Jane Kennedy, Tom Gleisner |
| 1996 (39th) | G.P. | ABC | "Ceremony Of Innocence" | Peter Andrikidis |
| 1996 (39th) | G.P. | ABC | "Sing Me A Lullaby" | Peter Andrikidis |
| 1996 (39th) | Police Rescue | ABC | "Tomorrow Never Knows" | John Edward |
| 1997 (40th) |
| 1997 (40th) | Frontline | 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) |
| 1998 (41st) | Wildside | 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) |
| 1999 (42nd) | Wildside | 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) |
| 2000 (43rd) | Grass Roots | 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) |
| 2001 (44th) | SeaChange | 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 |

### Best Episode in a Television Drama Serial (1993–2001)

| Year | Program | Network | Episode | Producer(s) |
| 1993 (36th) |
| 1993 (36th) | Home and Away | Seven Network | "Episode #1222" | Andrew Howie |
| 1993 (36th) | Home And Away | Seven Network | Episode 1252 (Seven Network) | Andrew Howie |
| 1993 (36th) | Neighbours | Network Ten | Episode 1859 | Margaret Slarke, Sally-Anne Kerr |
| 1993 (36th) | Home And Away | Seven Network | Episode 1251 | Andrew Howie |
| 1995 (38th) |
| 1995 (38th) | Home and Away | Seven Network | "Episode #1705" | Andrew Howie, Russell Webb |
| 1995 (38th) | Echo Point | Network Ten | Episode 29 | Sandra Levy, John Edwards |
| 1995 (38th) | Home And Away | Seven Network | Episode 1683 | John Holmes, Russell Webb |
| 1997 (40th) |
| 1997 (40th) | Neighbours | 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 |
| 1998 (41st) |
| 1998 (41st) | Home and Away | 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 |
| 1999 (42nd) |
| 1999 (42nd) | All Saints | 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 |
| 2000 (43rd) |
| 2000 (43rd) | All Saints | 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 |
| 2001 (44th) |
| 2001 (44th) | Something in the Air | 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 |

### Best Television Drama Series (2002-current)

| Year | Program | Network | Producer(s) |
| 2002 (45th) |
| 2002 (45th) | Kath & Kim (series 1) | ABC | Mark Ruse |
| 2002 (45th) | All Saints (season 5) | Seven Network | Di Drew |
| 2002 (45th) | MDA (series 1) | ABC | Greg Haddrick |
| 2002 (45th) | The Secret Life of Us | Network Ten | John Edwards and Amanda Higgs |
| 2003 (46th) |
| 2003 (46th) | MDA (series 2) | ABC | Denny Lawrence |
| 2003 (46th) | Grass Roots (series 2) | ABC | John Eastway |
| 2003 (46th) | Stingers (series 6) | Nine Network | Roger Le Mesurier, Roger Simpson and John Wild |
| 2003 (46th) | The Secret Life of Us (series 3) | Network Ten | Amanda Higgs |
| 2004 (47th) |
| 2004 (47th) | Stingers (series 8) | Nine Network | Roger Le Mesurier, Roger Simpson and John Wild |
| 2004 (47th) | McLeod's Daughters (season 4) | Nine Network | Susan Bower and Posie Graeme-Evans |
| 2004 (47th) | MDA | ABC | Denny Lawrence |
| 2004 (47th) | White Collar Blue (series 2) | Network Ten | Steve Knapman and Kris Wyld |
| 2005 (48th) |
| 2005 (48th) | Love My Way (series 1) | Fox8 | John Edwards and Claudia Karvan |
| 2005 (48th) | All Saints (season 8) | Seven Network | Maryanne Carroll |
| 2005 (48th) | Blue Heelers (season 12) | Seven Network | Gus Howard and David Clarke |
| 2005 (48th) | MDA (series 3) | ABC | Denny Lawrence |
| 2006 (49th) |
| 2006 (49th) | Love My Way (series 2) | W | John Edwards, Claudia Karvan and Jacquelin Perske |
| 2006 (49th) | All Saints (season 9) | Seven Network | MaryAnne Carroll |
| 2006 (49th) | Blue Heelers (season 13) | Seven Network | Gus Howard and David Clarke |
| 2006 (49th) | McLeod's Daughters (season 6) | Nine Network | Posie Graeme-Evans and Karl Zwicky |
| 2007 (50th) |
| 2007 (50th) | Love My Way (series 3) | Showtime | John Edwards and Claudia Karvan |
| 2007 (50th) | All Saints (season 10) | Seven Network | MaryAnne Carroll and Bill Hughes |
| 2007 (50th) | Dangerous | Fox8 | John Edwards and Imogen Banks |
| 2008 (51st) |
| 2008 (51st) | Underbelly | Nine Network | Greg Haddrick and Brenda Pam |
| 2008 (51st) | City Homicide (series 2) | Seven Network | MaryAnne Carroll |
| 2008 (51st) | Rush (series 1) | Network Ten | John Edwards and Mimi Butler |
| 2008 (51st) | Satisfaction (series 1) | Showcase | Andrew Walker and Roger Simpson |
| 2009 (52nd) |
| 2009 (52nd) | East West 101 (season 2) | SBS One | Kristine Wyld and Steve Knapman |
| 2009 (52nd) | Packed to the Rafters (season 1) | Seven Network | Jo Porter |
| 2009 (52nd) | Satisfaction (season 2) | Showcase | John Edwards and Mimi Butler |
| 2009 (52nd) | Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities | Nine Network | Greg Haddrick and Brenda Pam |
| 2010 (53rd) |
| 2010 (53rd) | Rush (series 3) | Network Ten | John Edwards and Mimi Butler |
| 2010 (53rd) | The Circuit (season 2) | SBS | Ross Hutchens and Colin South |
| 2010 (53rd) | Spirited (series 1) | W | John Edwards, Claudia Karvan and Jacquelin Perske |
| 2010 (53rd) | Tangle (season 2) | Showcase | John Edwards and Imogen Banks |
| 2011 (1st) |
| 2011 (1st) | East West 101 (season 3) | SBS One | Steve Knapman and Kris Wyld |
| 2011 (1st) | Offspring (season 2) | Network Ten | John Edwards and Imogen Banks |
| 2011 (1st) | Rake | ABC1 | Ian Collie Peter Duncan and Richard Roxburgh |
| 2011 (1st) | Spirited (series 2) | W | Claudia Karvan and Jacquelin Perske |
| 2012 (2nd) |
| 2012 (2nd) | Puberty Blues | Network Ten | John Edwards and Imogen Banks |
| 2012 (2nd) | Rake (season 2) | ABC1 | Ian Collie, Peter Duncan and Richard Roxburgh |
| 2012 (2nd) | Redfern Now | ABC1 | Darren Dale and Miranda Dear |
| 2012 (2nd) | Tangle (season 3) | Showcase | John Edwards and Imogen Banks |
| 2013 (3rd) |
| 2013 (3rd) | Redfern Now (series 2) | ABC1 | Darren Dale and Miranda Dear |
| 2013 (3rd) | Offspring (season 4) | Network Ten | John Edwards and Imogen Banks |
| 2013 (3rd) | Serangoon Road | ABC1 | Paul Barron and Nick North |
| 2013 (3rd) | Wentworth (series 1) | Soho | Jo Porter and Amanda Crittenden |
| 2014 (4th) |
| 2014 (4th) | The Code | ABC | Shelley Birse, David Maher and David Taylor |
| 2014 (4th) | Janet King | ABC | Karl Zwicky and Lisa Scott |
| 2014 (4th) | Puberty Blues (season 2) | Network Ten | John Edwards and Imogen Banks |
| 2014 (4th) | Rake (series 3) | ABC | Ian Collie, Peter Duncan and Richard Roxburgh |
| 2015 (5th) |
| 2015 (5th) | Glitch | ABC | Tony Ayres, Louise Fox and Ewan Burnett |
| 2015 (5th) | Love Child (season 2) | Nine Network | Tom Hoffie |
| 2015 (5th) | Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (series 3) | ABC | Deb Cox and Fiona Eagger |
| 2015 (5th) | Wentworth (season 3) | SoHo | Jo Porter and Amanda Crittenden |
| 2016 (6th) |
| 2016 (6th) | Wentworth (season 4) | SoHo | Pino Amenta and Jo Porter |
| 2016 (6th) | The Code | ABC | David Maher, David Taylor, Shelley Birse and Diane Haddon |
| 2016 (6th) | Jack Irish | ABC | Ian Collie and Andrew Knight |
| 2016 (6th) | Rake | ABC | Ian Collie, Peter Duncan and Richard Roxburgh |
| 2017 (7th) |
| 2017 (7th) | Top Of The Lake: China Girl | Foxtel/BBC First | Emile Sherman, Iain Canning, Jane Campion, Philippa Campbell and Libby Sharpe |
| 2017 (7th) | Cleverman | ABC | Rosemary Blight, Sharon Lark, Ryan Griffen and Jane Allen |
| 2017 (7th) | Glitch | ABC | Louise Fox, Tony Ayres, Julie Eckersley and Chris Oliver-Taylor |
| 2017 (7th) | Wentworth (season 5) | Foxtel/Showcase | Jo Porter and Pino Amenta |
| 2017 (7th) | Janet King - Playing Advantage | ABC | Lisa Scott, Karl Zwicky, Greg Haddrick |
| 2018 (8th) |
| 2018 (8th) | Mystery Road | ABC | David Jowsey and Greer Simpkin |
| 2018 (8th) | Jack Irish | ABC | Ian Collie, Matt Cameron, Andrew Knight |
| 2018 (8th) | Rake | ABC | Ian Collie, Peter Duncan, Richard Roxburgh |
| 2018 (8th) | Mr Inbetween | Foxtel/Showcase | Michele Bennett |
| 2018 (8th) | Wentworth (season 6) | Foxtel/Showcase | Jo Porter and Pino Amenta |
| 2019 (9th) |
| 2019 (9th) | Total Control | ABC | Darren Dale, Miranda Dear and Rachel Griffiths |
| 2019 (9th) | Mr Inbetween | Foxtel/Showcase | Michele Bennett |
| 2019 (9th) | Bloom | Stan | David Maher, David Taylor, Glen Dolman and Sue Seeary |
| 2019 (9th) | Secret City: Under the Eagle | Foxtel/Showcase | Stephen Corvini, Penny Chapman, Matt Cameron and Penny Win |
| 2019 (9th) | Wentworth (season 7) | Foxtel/Showcase | Jo Porter and Pino Amenta |
| 2020 (10th) |
| 2020 (10th) | Mystery Road | ABC | David Jowsey and Greer Simpkin |
| 2020 (10th) | Bloom | Stan | David Maher, David Taylor, Glen Dolman and Sue Seeary |
| 2020 (10th) | Doctor Doctor | Nine Network | Ian Collie, Ally Henville, Keith Thompson and Rodger Corser |
| 2020 (10th) | Halifax: Retribution | Nine Network | Roger Simpson and Louisa Kors |
| 2020 (10th) | The Heights | ABC | Warren Clarke, Peta Astbury-Bulsara, Debbie Lee and Que Minh Luu |
| 2020 (10th) | Wentworth | Foxtel | Jo Porter and Pino Amenta |
| 2021 (11th) |
| 2021 (11th) | The Newsreader | ABC | Joanna Werner and Michael Lucas |
| 2021 (11th) | Clickbait | Netflix | Tony Ayres, Joanna Werner, Tom Hoffie and David Heyman |
| 2021 (11th) | Jack Irish | ABC | Ian Collie, Matt Cameron, Jo Rooney, Andrew Knight and Rob Gibson |
| 2021 (11th) | Mr Inbetween | Foxtel | Michele Bennett |
| 2021 (11th) | Total Control | ABC | Darren Dale, Rachel Griffiths, Stuart Page and Erin Bretherton |
| 2021 (11th) | Wakefield | ABC | Kristen Dunphy, Sam Meikle, Jason Burrows, Chloe Rickard, Ally Henville, Shay Spencer and Alex Mitchell |
| 2021 (11th) | Wentworth | Foxtel | Pino Amenta |
| 2022 (12th) |
| 2022 (12th) | Mystery Road: Origin | ABC | Greer Simpkin and David Jowsey |
| 2022 (12th) | Bump | Stan | Dan Edwards, John Edwards, Claudia Karvan and Kelsey Munro |
| 2022 (12th) | Heartbreak High | Netflix | Carly Heaton, Sarah Freeman and Chris Oliver-Taylor |
| 2022 (12th) | Love Me | BINGE/Foxtel | Hamish Lewis, Michael Brooks, Angie Fielder and Polly Staniford |
| 2022 (12th) | The Tourist | Stan | Lisa Scott, Harry Williams, Jack Williams, Christopher Aird and Chris Sweeney |
| 2022 (12th) | Wolf Like Me | Stan | Steve Hutensky, Jodi Matterson, Bruna Papandrea and Abe Forsythe |