JEREMY PIVEN AS ARI GOLD, ENTOURAGE (Sorry, Ari)
This is the second consecutive season in which Piven has absolutely blown me away with his performance. He truly is the hardest-working actor, always running or pacing madly, making wild facial expressions while insulting Lloyd. "Sorry, Ari" is one of his best epsiodes, but the episode submitted for Emmy consideration is "Manic Monday", in which he actually cries. He has some great range.
ED HELMS AS ANDY BERNARD, THE OFFICE (Beach Games)
Andy Bernard was a hilarious character when he worked at the Stamford office and then when he came to Scranton and started sucking up to Michael and antagonizing Dwight. For an episode or two, he became almost unbearably annoying, and left the show to go to anger management. But Helms deserves a tremendous amount of credit. He brought Andy back and toned him down, still managing to make him hilarious. "Beach Games" and "The Job" are excellent proof of how he managed to change the character and still make him just as funny.
JOHN KRASINSKI AS JIM, THE OFFICE (Product Recall)
Krasinski has been great every year of the show, giving the camera hilarious looks and plotting with Pam to torment Dwight. But this season he gains a new love interest, Karen, and starts really thinking about what he wants in life. What has to be one of the funniest moments on the show has Jim dressing up like Dwight and pretending to be him. That moment alone garners Krasinski the nomination.
RAINN WILSON AS DWIGHT, THE OFFICE (The Return)
Dwight Schrute is one of the greatest characters of all time. And Wilson is more than half the reason, infusing Dwight with such a cocksure yet incomparably naive attitude. His work with John Krasinski is commendable, but when he gets his own plotlines is best (though talks of a spinoff starring Wilson trouble me, as Dwight is best served where he is). Dwight spraying Roy with pepper spray is one of this season's highlights, as is his quick takeover when Michael puts him in charge. Seeing him working at Staples, however, is priceless.
JACK MCBRAYER AS KENNETH, 30 ROCK (Hardball)
Playing the clueless yet strangely sensible page Kenneth, McBrayer shines among a hugely talented cast. He also goes far above some of the material written for him, and is particularly great when interacting with Tracy Morgan or Alec Baldwin. "Hardballl" allows him the chance to lie and create a fake relationship.
And the winner is...
RAINN WILSON, THE OFFICE
Next: Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
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