The category began as the
Outstanding Drama/Comedy – Limited Episodes in 1973. Prior to that year, limited series and miniseries were entered in the same category as continuing series for
Outstanding Series – Drama. According to a 1972 newspaper article in the
Los Angeles Times, For that year, two miniseries had competed with four "made-for-television movies". The decision was reversed in 1992. In 2011, due to a low number of eligible miniseries in recent years, the categories were again merged as
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries or Movie, before reverting in 2014, following an influx in limited series following the critically and commercial popularity of the
FX anthology series
American Horror Story. A year later, the name of the awards category was changed to
Outstanding Limited Series, and the rules were made to distinguish that category from that of a movie by having the work have at least two episodes, and from that of a regular series by having no more than five episodes. The 2015 rule change allowed more short-seasoned cable TV programs to compete, while prior rules had forced the same programs to compete in the same category with full seasons network programs. What has been unique about this award in recent years (and even so today) is that there is almost always at least one nominee originating from
Great Britain. For example, the
2005 winner was
The Lost Prince, which happened to be that year's British entry. The 2006 winner,
Elizabeth I, was also a British miniseries, although it was a co-production with American television network
HBO. Likewise, the
2019 winner,
Chernobyl, was a co-production of British and American companies (in this case,
Sky UK and
HBO). == Milestones ==