Tuesday, September 12, 2017

AFT Awards: Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

This is the fifth category of the 11th Annual AFT Television Awards, my personal choices for the best in television during the 2016-2017 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 Actor in a Drama Series



Last year’s nominees: Liam Cunningham, Peter Dinklage, Michael McKean, Rufus Sewell, David Tennant

Emmy nominees: Jonathan Banks, David Harbour, Ron Cephas Jones, Michael Kelly, John Lithgow, Mandy Patinkin, Jeffrey Wright

Semi-finalists: Alex Mallari Jr. (Dark Matter), Anthony Lemke (Dark Matter), Asia Kate Dillon (Billions), Bill Irwin (Legion), Bryan Cranston (Sneaky Pete), Campbell Scott (House of Cards), Christopher Eccleston (The Leftovers), Clayne Crawford (Rectify), Eddie Marsan (Ray Donovan), Giancarlo Esposito (Better Call Saul), Iain De Caestecker (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Jason Isaacs (The OA), Jeremie Harris (Legion), Jonathan Banks (Better Call Saul), Joseph Fiennes (The Handmaid's Tale), Juan Diego Botto (Good Behavior), Lou Diamond Phillips (Longmire), Mahershala Ali (Luke Cage), Nick Zano (Legends of Tomorrow), Ron Cephas Jones (This Is Us), Rufus Sewell (The Man in the High Castle), Terry Kinney (Good Behavior), Tom Cavanagh (The Flash)

Finalists: Jimmi Simpson (Westworld) represented a sense of innocence and wonder in his obsession with a fantasy world, while Ed Harris (Westworld) was a bitter, disgruntled man made evil by his own misery. Jeremy Strong (Masters of Sex) was a devoted scientist whose own happiness took a backseat to his work and the illusion of his marriage. Jason O'Mara (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) was an emblem of strength and hope, driven by a commitment to serve others. Iain De Caestecker (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) was transformed into a completely unrecognizable person and was a true force for terror.

The nominees:

Michael McKean (Better Call Saul) set out to take charge of his life and punish those who had wronged him, painfully pushing through his condition, be it real or imagined. Gaten Matarazzo (Stranger Things) was a wondrous representation of youthful energy and positivity, keeping the gang together when disputes threatened to tear them apart. Joel Kinnaman (House of Cards) charged forward as a candidate with the knowledge that he was best for the job, and his fury when faced with opposition was hard to shake. Jeffrey Wright (Westworld) treated his role as a programmer as that of a pioneering scientist, and the way in which he digested new information gleaned was mesmerizing.

The winner:

Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead) was a villain for the ages, one fully aware of just how horrible he was and that no one had any power to stop him.

Next up: Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

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