Todd Holland has worked in television as a director for numerous series, beginning in the 1980s. Perhaps most recognized after winning both a Director's Guild Award and an Emmy in 2001 for his work on the half-hour comedic series Malcolm in the Middle, Holland has made a mark in prime-time television, as well as on the big screen.
His directorial career began in 1985, when he first directed episodes of the series Amazing Stories and Tales From the Crypt. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, his television credits grew to include episodes of series that covered a wide spectrum of genres. He directed episodes of the dramatic David Lynch series Twin Peaks (1990), the hilarious movie spin-off Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventures, and the MTV teen drama My So-Called Life (1997). He also earned credits both as director and producer on the The Larry Sanders Show (1992). In 1998, he worked as a director on the prime-time hit Felicity, starring Keri Russell, a drama about college life in New York City. In 1998, he directed his first feature film, Krippendorf's Tribe, starring Richard Dreyfuss, Jenna Elfman, and Lily Tomlin. However, the strange comedy about a financially deceptive anthropologist struggled at the box office. Returning to his television roots, Holland continued his work as a director for prime-time TV. Centered around a child-star, Malcolm in the Middle earned much attention as a prime-time sitcom, and Holland's direction earned him awards for the show. Additionally, he has directed episodes of D.C. (2000) and The Time Tunnel (2002).