Friday, October 10, 2014

AFT Awards: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

This is the eighth 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 Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series


Last year’s nominees: Pamela Adlon, Kristen Bell, Aubrey Plaza, Kathleen Rose Perkins, Allison Williams

Emmy nominees: Mayim Bialik, Julie Bowen, Anna Chlumsky, Allison Janney, Kate McKinnon, Kate Mulgrew

Semi-finalists: Mircea Monroe (Episodes), Allison Williams (Girls), Julie Bowen (Modern Family), Sofia Vergara (Modern Family), Hannah Simone (New Girl), Rashida Jones (Parks and Recreation), Anna Chlumsky (Veep), Justina Machado (Welcome to the Family)

Finalists: Kate Mulgrew (Orange is the New Black) and Natasha Lyonne (Orange is the New Black) played two remarkably different inmates, both of whom contributed enormously to Piper’s adjustment to prison. Dawn Olivieri (House of Lies) wallowed in her self-destructiveness, which continued to be endlessly watchable. Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation) and Retta (Parks and Recreation) were at the ready with priceless looks, sighs, and one-liners every time the camera turned to them.

The nominees:

Nina Conti (Family Tree) was so committed to her character’s token bizarre nature, and it made her every scene impossible not to watch with amazement. Kathleen Rose Perkins (Episodes) got a new boss but found herself in a whole new unadvisable situation and couldn’t help but talk about it every chance she got. Christine Woods (Hello Ladies) was endearing in her every failed attempt to be successful and likeable in spite of her innate tendency to talk herself into trouble. Laura Prepon (Orange is the New Black) did so much with a simple shift of her glasses, and her detached but mysteriously seductive attitude managed to sway more than just Piper on her show.

The winner:

I wouldn’t normally award this prize to a performer on a show I don’t watch regularly, but Cristin Milioti (How I Met Your Mother) was so natural and perfect in every episode of her show that I watched that it didn’t feel right not to recognize her achievement.

Next up: Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series

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