AFT Awards: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

This is the eighth category of the 9th Annual AFT Television Awards, my personal choices for the best in television during the 2014-2015 season. 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: Nina Conti, Cristin Milioti, Kathleen Rose Perkins, Laura Prepon, Christine Woods

Emmy nominees: Mayim Bialik, Julie Bowen, Anna Chlumsky, Gaby Hoffmann, Allison Janney, Jane Krakowski, Kate McKinnon, Niecy Nash

Semi-finalists: Dorian Brown (Wilfred), Emily Bergl (Shameless), Emma Kenney (Shameless), Fiona Gubelmann (Wilfred), Gaby Hoffmann (Transparent), Jane Krakowski (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Kate Mulgrew (Orange is the New Black), Kether Donahue (You're the Worst), Lorraine Toussaint (Orange is the New Black), Mircea Monroe (Episodes), Retta (Parks and Recreation), Sufe Bradshaw (Veep), Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black)

Finalists: Brooklyn Decker (Grace and Frankie) and June Diane Raphael (Grace and Frankie) tempered their mother’s craziness with their own antics, balancing sweet and frantic and controlled and cutthroat. Kathleen Rose Perkins (Episodes) contended with her latest obstacle – a female boss to sleep with – with typical frenzied panic and hilarious antics. Andrea Navedo (Jane the Virgin) made her young mother a much more complicated character than she ought to have been, sweet and still figuring out how to be an adult and a parent. Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation) grew up against her every inclination in the final season of her show, hanging out to her singular disdain for life and others but managing to actually accomplish something at the same time.

The nominees:
Amy Landecker (Transparent) energetically explored her own sexual confusion as her father came out in a much bigger way. Amanda Peet (Togetherness) could have been a caricature but instead ended up shaping the dramatic nature of her comedic show as an impulsive and childish adult.Jenny Slate (Married) showed up at all the right moments to paint a picture of marriage and friendship as two distinctly separate things. Anna Chlumsky (Veep) got her best material yet as she finally spoke her mind and realized there were other avenues for her in which she could be far less subtly brutal.

The winner:

Yael Grobglas (Jane the Virgin) made a clear-cut villain something much more complex, constantly swinging from conniving manipulator to gentle, sentimental soul with true commitment.

Next up: Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series