Golden Globes Best Mini-Series or TV Movie Nominees

The Golden Globes Best Mini-Series or TV Movie nominees honor a select group of television programs that are made like movies but produced specifically to air on television. 2012's nominees included the HBO original films "Too Big to Fail" and "Cinema Verite," the BBC proudctions "Downton Abbey" and "The Hour," and the HBO mini-series "Mildred Pierce" with "Downton Abbey" winning the award.

Often times these miniseries and TV movies attract well-known and talented actors and actresses to the dramatic stories. Many are based on true stories but be them fictional or factual, each of these Golden Globe Awards nominees stood out as the best mini-series and TV movies from the year.

Like many other Golden Globe categories, this award has gone by many names throughout the years since 1971 when it was first awarded to "The Snow Goose" as the Best Television Film. Similarly, while the Golden Globe Award for Best Miniseries or Television Movie has been awarded since the 1970s, the corresponding awards for Best Actress in a Mini-Series or Television movie and Best Actor in a Mini-Series or Television movie were not added by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association until one decade later.

Unlike television series, the one-off miniseries and television movies often have just once chance to win over viewers, not several episodes during the year. This compact format, much like movies, mean more bang for the buck. Accordingly, the stories must be crisp and convincing which is why often real-life stories are used for inspiration.

In 2010, for example, "Carlos" the winner in this category was based on an actual terrorist and murder. Other 2010 nominees were also inspired by actual events such as "The Pacific," based on the memoirs of U.S. Marines, "Temple Grandin," based on the inspirational autistic woman by the same name, and "You Don't Know Jack," based on the life of controversial doctor and euthanasia advocate Jack Kevorkian.

Be it through great acting or a compelling story, these television movies and miniseries attract watchers and critics for one reason or another. These select few will be remembered as the best from the year but only one can win the title of the Golden Globe Award for Best Mini-Series or Television Movie.