title: 49th Writers Guild of America Awards
text: # 49th Writers Guild of America Awards
  
  The 49th Writers Guild of America Awards, given on 16 March 1997, honored the best writers of screen and television of 1996.
  
  ## Film
  
  ### Best Original Screenplay
  
  Fargo - Joel and Ethan Coen
  
  * Jerry Maguire - Cameron Crowe
  * Lone Star - John Sayles
  * Secrets & Lies - Mike Leigh
  * Shine - Jan Sardi and Scott Hicks
  
  ### Best Adapted Screenplay
  
  Sling Blade - Billy Bob Thornton
  
  * Emma - Douglas McGrath
  * The Birdcage - Elaine May
  * The English Patient - Anthony Minghella
  * Trainspotting - John Hodge
  
  ## Television
  
  ### Best Episodic Drama
  
  Girl Talk - NYPD Blue - Theresa Rebeck and Bill Clark
  
  * Aftershock - Law & Order - Janis Diamond and Michael S. Chernuchin
  * Savages - Law & Order - Morgan Gendel, Barry M. Schkolnick and Michael S. Chernuchin
  * Trophy - Law & Order - Jeremy R. Litman, Ed Zuckerman and Michael S. Chernuchin
  * Pilot - Murder One - Charles H. Eglee, Channing Gibson, Steven Bochco and David Milch
  * Falsies - Party of Five - Mark B. Perry
  * Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose - The X Files - Darin Morgan
  
  ### Best Episodic Comedy
  
  The Pool Guy - Seinfeld - David Mandel
  
  * The Soup Nazi - Seinfeld - Spike Feresten
  * The Sponge - Seinfeld - Peter Mehlman
  * Eight - The Larry Sanders Show - Peter Tolan
  