Tuesday, October 14, 2014

AFT Awards: Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series

This is the tenth category of the 8th Annual AFT Television Awards, my personal choices for the best in television during the 2013-2014 seasons. Finalists and semi-finalists are included to recognize more of the impressive work done on television today. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them.

Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series


Last year’s nominees: Laura Fraser, Diana Rigg, Sarah Shahi, Meg Chambers Steedle, Yvonne Strahovski

Emmy nominees: Kate Burton, Jane Fonda, Allison Janney, Kate Mara, Margo Martindale, Diana Rigg

Semi-finalists: Jessica Hecht (Breaking Bad), Charlotte Rampling (Dexter), Yvonne Strahovski (Dexter), Diana Rigg (Game of Thrones), Carrie Preston (The Good Wife), Constance Zimmer (House of Cards), Mary Steenburgen (Justified), Neve Campbell (Mad Men), Helene Yorke (Masters of Sex), Constance Zimmer (The Newsroom)

Finalists: Allison Janney (Masters of Sex), Julianne Nicholson (Masters of Sex), and Annaleigh Ashford (Masters of Sex) all delivered affecting period portraits of women who refused to be confined by the supposed definition of their gender roles. Amy Seimetz (The Killing) portrayed a terrible mother gradually developing a conscience and sense of her situation. Kate Mara (House of Cards) played her part just right, an all-too-eager reporter with a serious nose for trouble.

The nominees:

Alicia Witt (Justified) was a villain from the start but worked hard to ensure that her character was both intelligent and morally conflicted, something that set her apart from her family members. Emily Bergl (Shameless) fit in with the Gallagher family like a natural, wise to thievery and other tricks but outfitted with a twisted heart of gold. Rosanna Arquette (Ray Donovan) and Brooke Smith (Ray Donovan) were both innocents swayed by the appeal of Donovan men and less than willing to look the other way when the truth presented itself.

The winner:

Amy Smart (Justified) achieved something extraordinary: effortlessly seducing and tempering Raylan in a way that no one else, not even Winona, could and causing him to reexamine his priorities and mold his life to make her happy.

Next up: Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series

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