AFT Awards: Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

This is the fifth category of the 4th Annual AFT Television Awards, my personal choices for the best in television this past season. This year, semi-finalists are included to recognize more of the impressive work being done on television today. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them.

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Last year’s nominees: Jeremy Davies, Walton Goggins, Josh Holloway, Vincent Kartheiser, Brian F. O’Byrne

Emmy nominees: Andre Braugher, Michael Emerson, Terry O’Quinn, Aaron Paul, Martin Short, John Slattery

Semi-finalists: Nelsan Ellis (True Blood), Enver Gjokay (Dollhouse), Jackie Earle Haley (Human Target), Ryan Kwanten (True Blood), Chi McBride (Human Target), Dean Norris (Breaking Bad), Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad), Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood)

Finalists: Campbell Scott (Damages) blurred the line between good and evil with his portrayal of a man struggling to cope with financial ruin and disgrace. Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad) was an astonishingly stoic and shrewd businessman with the most memorable of personal touches. Bob Odenkirk (Breaking Bad) connived his way around the latest of Walt’s misdeeds and came out seeming seedier than ever. Josh Charles (The Good Wife) delivered a heartfelt and realistic performance as a law firm partner with an all-too-obvious predilection for one of his junior associates. Bryan Batt (Mad Men) sent off Sal as one of the most endearing and tragic casualties of the 1960s.

The nominees:
Terry O’Quinn (Lost) played two roles and created a whole new character in the Man in Black, making the duality between the two of them utterly captivating. Ron Perlman (Sons of Anarchy) gave the gruff motorcycle gang leader a much-needed dosage of compassion. John Goodman (Treme) was instantly memorable as an outspoken government critic in New Orleans and became even more vital to the show as the season progressed. Vincent Kartheiser (Mad Men) made Pete even more compelling as he took on a new shared position at Sterling Cooper.

The winner:

Martin Short (Damages) was unrecognizable without a fat suit and utterly mesmerizing as the Tobin family lawyer whose motivations and allegiances were never quite clear.

Next up: Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series