"Argo," "Zero Dark Thirty" Top 2013 Writers Guild Awards

by Leroy Douresseaux

Zero Dark Thirty, Argo, and Searching for Suger Man won the Writers Guild Awards in their respective screenplay categories last night.  In the cae of Zero Dark Thirty and Argo, I think they are at least the top two favorites in their corresponding categories at the Academy Awards.  Zero Dark Thirty has to deal with the spectre of Django Unchained, which did not receive a WGA nomination.  Argo has to deal with the screenplay for Silver Linings Playbook, which did receive a WGA nomination.

The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) announced the winners of the 2013 Writers Guild Awards last night, Sunday, February 17, 2013. The awards were given for outstanding achievement in writing for screen, television, radio, news, promotional, videogame, and new media writing. The 2013 Writers Guild Awards held simultaneous ceremonies at the JW Marriott L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles and the B.B. King Blues Club in New York City.

The Writers Guild Awards are given in numerous categories, but I tend to focus on the film categories and only a few of the television categories. A complete list of winners can be found here: http://www.wga.org/content/default.aspx?id=5184.

2013 Writers Guild Awards Winners (in select categories):

SCREEN WINNERS

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Zero Dark Thirty, Written by Mark Boal; Columbia Pictures

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Argo, Screenplay by Chris Terrio; Based on a selection from The Master of Disguise by Antonio J. Mendez and the Wired Magazine article “The Great Escape” by Joshuah Bearman; Warner Bros. Pictures

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
Searching for Sugar Man, Written by Malik Bendjelloul; Sony Pictures Classics

TELEVISION WINNERS

DRAMA SERIES
Breaking Bad, Written by Sam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, George Mastras, Thomas Schnauz, Moira Walley-Beckett; AMC

COMEDY SERIES
Louie, Written by Pamela Adlon, Vernon Chatman, Louis C.K.; FX

NEW SERIES
Girls, Written by Judd Apatow, Lesley Arfin, Lena Dunham, Sarah Heyward, Bruce Eric Kaplan, Jenni Konner, Deborah Schoeneman, Dan Sterling; HBO

EPISODIC DRAMA
“The Other Woman” (Mad Men), Written by Semi Chellas and Matthew Weiner; AMC

EPISODIC COMEDY
“Virgin Territory” (Modern Family), Written by Elaine Ko; ABC

LONG FORM – ORIGINAL
Hatfields & McCoys, Nights Two and Three, Teleplay by Ted Mann and Ronald Parker, Story by Bill Kerby and Ted Mann; History Channel

LONG FORM – ADAPTED
Game Change, Written by Danny Strong, Based on the book by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann; HBO

ANIMATION
“Ned ’N’ Edna’s Blend Agenda” (The Simpsons), Written by Jeff Westbrook; Fox