The original post: /r/television by /u/Brard_Cailly16 on 2026-05-07 14:27:51+00:00.
Me, I have a lot but the main ones are :
Sarah Michelle Gellar : For Buffy. She had to often switch between the powerful commanding leader, slayer to a vulnerable teenage/young women. She had to be snappy, witty, a bit ditzy- but still smart and with deep sorrow half of the time. I mean, The Body is obvious. The first few minutes of her finding Joyce are stellar. But not only for The Body. Her entire work on season 6 of the show is one of the best portrayal of depresssion I’ve ever seen (Dead Things still gives me chills and she have to go through a whole run of emotions in this one). Her acting in the back half o the second and five seasons is phenomenal. This show really had her exhausted by the end of the run (she was also very invested with how things were going behind the scenes and her character) but truly a powerhouse of a lead. (Other contenders for the show/verse : Anthony Stewart Head, James Marsters, Alyson Hannigan, Emma Caulfield, Nicholas Brendon, David Boreanaz, Alexis Denisof, Eliza Dushku, Amy Acker… my hand is hurting)
Lauren Graham : For Lorelai in Gilmore Girls. She was so good at playing both comedy and writing. Amy Sherman Palladino is an amazing writer but her style can be quite difficult to perform but Lauren’s actin makes it look effortless each times and she carried the very badly written season 7 on her back. Her crying about how she’s failing never fails to get me. (Other contenders of the show : Liza Weil, Kelly Bishop, Edward Herrman, Scott Patterson, Milo Ventimiglia)
Michael K.Williams : For Omar in The Wire. RIP. He was so stellar in this. I’m on my way to see Boardwalk Empire for him. He had to be an observer, an anti-hero, someone people feared. One of my favorite scenes is him and Bunk, which was basically an humbling scene for him and he plays the feelings bottled up so well. But the court scene will always be in my heart. (Other contenders : Dominic West, Andre Royo etc… too many too)
Kristen Bell : For Veronica Mars. I’ve said it a lot but despite my deep, deep love for the stellar show that is The Good Place, VM is Kristen Bell’s best performance. The raw emotions she sometimes access in this show truly impressed me. While I was impressed watching her in TGP, the roof scene in season 2 finale is really one of the best pieces of acting I’ve seen (or her calling her dad in the season 1 finale as she was trapped with the fire). (Other contenders on the show : Jason Dohring, Enrico Colantoni, Francis Capri, Ryan Hansen,
Shannen Doherty : For Prue in Charmed. RIP. Unlike the shows up there, the writing of Charmed wasn’t necessarily the strongest suit of it (especially in the later seasons, the first few ones had some really good writing sometimes) but the acting was almost never at fault for our 4 leads and Shannen shined through. Her finale episode “All Hell Breaks Loose” truly showed that. She directed that episode and completely killed in it. (Other contenders : Holly Marie Combs, Alyssa Milano, Rose McGowan, Julian McMahon.)
Michael Rossenbaum : For Lex Luthor in Smallville. To this day, I’ve yet to see a better Lex Luthor than Michael. To be fair, Smallville had really good writing and was one of the best DC adaptations (shoutout to Tom Welling my favorite Clark Kent, not superman and Erica Durance my second favorite Lois Lane). (Other contenders : well… the ones mentioned + Allison Mack (I hate her but she was one of the strongest performers on the show which makes it even sadder, since she could have been more), Annette O’Toole, John Schneider, Cassidy Freeman)
Maitreyi Ramakrishnen : For Devi in Never Have I Ever. It was her FIRST role and she was like 17 at the time of the first season and she was amazing in it. She made Devi so freaking funny. Again, the writing of Mindy Kaling can be good, even great but it’s kinda hard to perform, especially the frequent use of social issues in every sentences and the awkwards jokes lending (and some of the actors on the show struggled) but Maitreyi was on point every time and made it work. Her work on the final two episodes of the show (when she tells her mom she should have been the one to die that night and when she reconciles with her in tears are really stellar work (especially facing a more experienced one : Poorna Jagannathan) (other contender : Jaren Lewison).
Brianne Howey : For Georgia in Ginny and Georgia. This actress have not been lucky for her projects with two TV shows in which she was the leading lady getting cancelled too quick. However, G&G was her chance and she shined so hard in it. The range she displays on it is truly fantastic. She was this southern Belle in a nutshell and could be funny and dramatic. Season 3 as a whole featured her best work. So stellar (Other contenders : Antonia Gentry, Sara Waisglass, Katie Douglass, Scott Porter, Felix Mallard).
Connie Britton : For Tami in Friday Night Lights. Her on-screen husband, Kyle Chandler won one (and well deserved) but Connie was also amazing as the Coach’s wife. (Other contenders : Zack Gilford, Adrianne Palicki, Scott Porter, Taylor Ktisch …)
Sophia Bush : For Brooke. The first four seasons of this should have been the only ones. But anyway, Sophia was stellar throught the entirety of it. She made Brooke unforgettable, charming, funny and strong. Her “I’m not pushing you away” scene will always be a standout. The sheer desperation in her voice and her holding up her tears from fully breaking down. (Other contenders : Paul Johansson, Hilarie Burton, Bethany Joy Lenz).