The TV you should have been watching: Part II supporting drama

 

According the Emmy powers that be, the 2008-2009 TV season is officially over.  This means the jockeying for awards glory has begun.  Unfortunately, the Emmy nominators have proven to be imbeciles, rotely checking off the same tired names year after year (James Spader?  Really?).  So the NY Enterainment Examiner has taken it upon himself to highlight the best of what was a truly stellar year in television.  Over the next few weeks I'll roll out my picks (see last week's picks in Part I: Supporting Comedy).  Up now?  Those scene-stealing featured players in drama.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA

William Hurt, Damages: The jury’s still out over whether he was as fun to watch go toe to toe with powerhouse Glenn Close as Ted Danson was last season, but that headache we got trying to figure what was the truth and what Hurt’s Daniel Purcell was hiding? That’s the sign of a job well done.

Vincent Kartheiser, Mad Men: He was consistently interesting as the young Pete Campbell in the suave, slick Mad Men world, but it all comes down to that scene: watching his face as he digests the news that Peggy had secretly carried and given birth to his child—and then given it up for adoption. Wowza.

Taylor Kitsch, Friday Night Lights: He oozes teen sex and cool, but Kitsch manages to create a wholly 3-dimensional character in Tim Riggins. He’s the guy you want to be, not just for his popularity and good looks, but also because Riggins makes me him a real guy, one who’s in love, scared for his future, and blissfully wayward in life.

Ryan Kwanten, True Blood: It ain’t easy to play a hick, especially as earnestly and compassionately as Kwanten does. True Blood can get pretty tangled in its supernatural, soapy ways, but Kwanten’s portrayal dodges any stereotype and was truly exciting to watch.

John Mahoney, In Treatment: A complete 180 degree turn from playing Frasier’s wise-cracking dad, Mahoney proves that real actors can play the drama as deftly as the deadpan jokes. Walter’s sessions were stressful to watch, but masterful to witness.

Matthew Rhys, Brothers and Sisters: Rhys’ Kevin Walker is pulled in so many directions—by his husband, by his overbearing mother, by his mess of a gaggle of real and illegitimate siblings—but he grounds it all with his compassion. Despite his neuroses, Rhys does the impossible: make at least one of the Walker clan actually likeable.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA

Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights: As one half of the most realistic couple on television, Britton’s Tami Taylor is complex and endearing. No line is ever forced or emotion false. She channels desperation, exhaustion, hope, and excitement, but most importantly breathes genuineness into every conversation.

Katherine Heigl, Grey’s Anatomy: Her storylines ran the gamut from boneheaded to brilliant, but Heigl delivered on all cylinders. As she fell in new love, freed herself from past ghosts, and fought cancer, Heigl pulled every emotional punch.

Adrianne Palicki, Friday Night Lights: As spitfire Tyra Collette, Palicki’s more than just the token high school hottie. She’s insecure, driven, and desperate with determination that pierces through the screen. Try not root for her as she crusades to get off the waitlist for college.

Allison Pill, In Treatment: As a young woman coming to terms with her cancer diagnosis, Pill has created one of the most fascinating character studies in recent memory. Her denial and obstinance are almost as heartbreaking to watch as her deteriorating appearance. Watching the lovely actress break under the weight of all is positive nerve wracking.

Amanda Seyfried, Big Love: Misguided love and parental rebellion are typical teenage woes, but Seyfried’s Sarah, a confused Mormon whose father has three wives, is anything but typical. Add in a hidden pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage, and you have one heck of a character arc—and one heck of a season for Seyfried.

Chloe Sevigny, Big Love: As Nicki’s manipulations and secrets grew, so did the nuances in Sevigny’s performance. Just as Nicki was torn between family loyalty and her self-interests, we were torn between adoring Nicki—and Sevigny’s performance—for her audacity and wanting to bitch slap her for her conniving ways.

For more: The TV You Should Have Been Watching: Part I Supporting Comedy