Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights
You know, I can understand why Friday Night Lights never gets nominated for any series-related awards. I can see why people like Zach Gilford or Aimee Teegarden never get nominated. It sucks, but I get it. But Kyle Chandler? People know who Kyle Chandler is! And that’s at least half the battle! Thus, I’m thoroughly confused every year when the man playing perhaps the most realistic and best television dad of the last 20 years doesn’t come close to a nomination. Kyle Chandler says way more by just stomping around the Taylor house and breathing heavily than most performers can do with top-notch dialogue. If there were any justice in this sad world, he’d be nominated. Just nominated!
Matthew Fox, Lost
I’ve said this a few times since the finale, but I’ll say it again. I think during those bleak years for the character of Jack — notably seasons three and four — we as audience members were not supposed to like him. He was supposed to seem like an insufferable jerk who refused to believe in an island disappearing right in front of him. That was the point. But because Jack became so unlikable, the internet critic community decided that it was Matthew Fox who was so unlikable and perhaps even one-dimensional. However, it seems to me that this season proved that Fox knew how to play a more traditional hero all along, that’s just not what he was asked to do. And so when he was actually able to do so in season six, the performance was full of fire, charm and emotion in a way we hadn’t seen from Fox or Jack since season one really. That was the point people. Fox is sometimes too reliant on a few ticks, but he’s a wonderful actor.
Timothy Olyphant, Justified
Timothy Olyphant was born to play Raylan Givens. He’s an actor that doesn’t have a whole lot of emotional range — just watch “Catch and Release” and you’ll see what I mean — so he’ll never been a leading man in Hollywood. He can’t do rom-coms. The guy can barely smile properly. But that’s okay, especially when he’s called upon to be a man who would rather grimace and shoot than smile and talk on Justified. And perhaps more so than anyone else on this list aside from Hugh Laurie, Olyphant completely carries his series. Sure, Walton Goggins had a number of great moments in the last few episodes, but it was Olyphant’s performance that made even those kind-lame-in-retrospect procedural episodes early on worth watching. He’s another guy who will probably never be nominated based on the sheer number of probable nominees alone, but damn he’s fun to watch.
Tomorrow: Series awards!
I totally agree with what you're saying about Matthew Fox.
I know its on the CW and no one ever takes those shows seriously, but people really need to consider Jensen Ackles from Supernatural. He is arguably on of the best actors on TV right now.