My Picks for This Years Emmys: Best Supporting Actor in A Drama

I realize this is a Peter Dinklage favored category, but all Game of Thrones objections apply here. Besides, I think three awards is enough. I also can’t in good conscience endorse Michael Kelly for House of Cards. Yes, he was by far the most compelling characters, but I think the stink that’s going to apply to Wright will cover him as well. So who does that leave? More people then you might think.

Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul

Its ridiculous at this point that Banks has never gotten an Emmy at all, much less for Mike Ehrmantraut, whose as much a part of the Breaking Bad landscape as Odenkirk is. The sly wit and dispassion he shows every time he interacts with Jimmy alone would be worth a trophy. But as he’s gotten more involved with Gus Fring, and in the construction of the superlab, we’ve seen elements of the sympathy that we’ve had since this series began become stronger. When it climaxed in the finale when he finally had to kill a virtual innocent, and a man he’d become friends with, it reached a level we rarely see. I hope he gets it this year.

Bobby Canavale, Homecoming

I’ve had my ups and downs with Canavale as an actor – his work on Boardwalk Empire left me cold, I wished he’d gotten more time on Nurse Jackie. But his work with Sam Esmail has finally proven to be an even match of creative force with the right actor. And never has this been proven more with his work as Colin, the corporate recruiter who may be the ultimate force behind what’s going on at Homecoming. It’s clear the gladhand approach he shows is a mask, for real anger and, in the present, actual compassion. This role has layers that he hasn’t ever come close to in almost all of his television roles. This work is more than worthy of a nomination.

Kieran Culkin, Succession

There are a lot of good actors among the Roy family, but the character that seems to bring about the most enjoyment is Culkin’s snide youngest male. As the one who seems to have the clearest perspective as to how the patriarch will act, as well as a clear idea as to just how royally messed up their family dynamic is, Culkin is cast very against type and he manages to relist every moment of it. The fact that he received a Golden Globe nod makes it seem the most likely that of the entire clan, he will be able to bring forth a nomination

Asia Kate Dillon, Billions

I know, they’re gender neutral, which is at least part of the reason they’ve never gotten their due from anybody. The only reason I’m listing Dillon in this category is because the Broadcast Critics have listed them as Supporting Actor twice. But category issues aside, you can’t argue with the fact that Taylor is one of the great characters on a series that is full of them. As they showed themselves to be a worthy adversary for Axe for the majority of the season, they also showed that they were willing to do the very things they swore never to do. And even at their lowest point, they continued to show that they were more than capable of playing the game at a level that Axe and Chuck can’t hope to play at. Dillon should be a winner for something, and the fact that they just broke big in the most recent John Wick film is something the Emmys occasionally recognized. I hope they do.

Justin Hartley, This is Us

It was an outright robbery that Hartley didn’t get a nomination last year for his incredible fall into addiction last season, considering that’s the kind of work that generally gets Emmys. His work in Season 3 was a lot subtler – as his search into his father’s past in Vietnam proved the impetus for much of the action of the season, as well as his discovery of his uncle’s existence. Watching him try to negotiate a relationship with Zoey was also engaging, so it’s an open question as to which hurt more – his relapse after his first year of sobriety, or the eventual break up of their relationship over their long term goals. Hartley has deserved recognition for his work here, and I hope he’ll get it.

Shea Whigham, Homecoming

Whigham has been around for so long – I can trace him back to some Coen brother films – but he always seems to be cast as someone either sinister or incompetent. It’s therefore been very refreshing to finally see him playing someone who is pretty close to a hero as the investigator looking into the complaint that involved Walter Cruz. Despite all of the strangeness and obstacles that lay ahead – I will never forget the shot of him in an endless made of government boxes, sticking up Post-its and waving his hand over a government issue light – or how deep the insanity seems, he just keeping doing his job. If there were more government officials like him, we’d probably trust the government a lot more. He’s a bit of a longshot, but I’m hoping they’ll ‘see the light’.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

Michael Sheen, The Good Fight

It’s not just that his work as Roland Blum – the volcanic, rule-breaking, divisive force that nearly undid the entire firm in Season 3 – was a complete casting against type, or even that he was superb at it. It’s that Sheen may be the most undervalued actor of my generation. He’s played prime ministers, broadcasting icons, and in his greatest role (in my mind) Bill Masters, a pioneering doctor on sexuality who never seemed comfortable outside a laboratory – and has gotten not even a nomination from any award group to show for it. He also was remarkable in the role of the angel in Amazon’s Good Omens, but as is his want, is likely to be overlooked for a brighter star – David Tennant. There are other great actors in The Good Fight supporting cast, but by far he is the one I admire the most.