Tuesday, September 6, 2016

AFT Awards: Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series

This is the eleventh category of the 10th Annual AFT Television Awards, my personal choices for the best in television during the 2015-2016 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 Guest Actor in a Comedy Series


Last year’s nominees:Billy Eichner, Patrick Fischler, Jon Hamm, Hugh Laurie, Tim Blake Nelson

Emmy nominees: Larry David, Tracy Morgan, Martin Mull, Bob Newhart, Peter Scolari, Bradley Whitford

Semi-finalists: Andy Daly (Grandfathered), Christopher Abbott (Girls), Corey Stoll (Girls), Ewan McGregor (Doll and Em), Fred Melamed (Married), John Slattery (Veep), Kumail Nanjiani (The Grinder), Patrick Fischler (Married), Rob Huebel (Married), Steve Kazee (Shameless), Timothy Olyphant (The Grinder)

Finalists: Fred Melamed (Casual) was up to his typical shenanigans as a shameless father with a wacky worldview all his own. Steven Williams (iZombie) was foreboding and memorable as a barber who made a lasting impression on those who walked into his shop. Hugh Laurie (Veep) became more of a go-getter, transforming his affable tagalong into a conniving, smiling con man. Noah Emmerich (Master of None) walked into an ice cream shop for a tremendously memorable demonstration of a total lack of consideration for anyone else, namely Dev. Paul Lieberstein (Togetherness) didn’t waste any time in speaking up for himself, calling out the woman who dared to look down at him as not so high and mighty.

The nominees:

Stephen Tobolowsky (Silicon Valley) fit in so perfectly right away as a chief executive with soaring ideas and little substance, so completely confident in his way of doing things. Peter Gallagher (Togetherness) added substance to the part of a rich, older boyfriend who knew right off the bat that he wasn’t as appreciated or as noticed as he should have been. Steven Weber (iZombie) chewed a lot of scenery as a magnate intent on amassing as much nefarious power as possible. Dermot Mulroney (Shameless) was a dependable figure in an unstable situation who made it seem for a moment that Fiona might actually end up happy.

The winner:

Jake Lacy (Girls), who was great as a dim-witted boyfriend on “Better With You” a while back, was a much smarter significant mother wholly committed to a relationship that could never have lasted.

Next up: Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series

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