Best Performances of the 2009-2010 TV Season

The 2009-2010 television season has come to a close, and the Emmys will reveal their yearly nominations tomorrow. But who cares what Emmy says? She's drunk most of the time anyway (or definitely on something... see: multiple nods for Two and a Half Men). Here are my picks for the MVPs of the last year in TV, including the 2009 summer season.

First, some names that did not make the list, in case you were wondering what happened to...?

Not Listed: Desperate Housewives

Was anyone able to stay interested this season as the ladies of Wisteria Lane further devolved into empty shells, and insipid soapiness replaced any semblance of plot? It may finally be time to euthanize.

Not Listed: Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock

The fourth season of 30 Rock was carried by its supporting players, as its duo of leads were puzzlingly preoccupied. Baldwin, once infallibly suave as TV exec Jack Donaghy, spent this season always squirming under somebody's thumb: first, squashed by the pressures of a shift in management, then pinned down by the improbably unrelenting guilt of a love triangle. Meanwhile, Liz Lemon lost an awful lot of herself in her quest for an identity (ironic much?), and Tina Fey often seemed asleep on the job--halfheartedly sleepwalking through the part.

Not Listed: Many from True Blood

Let's be honest. True Blood is frisky and fun, but it isn't exactly the pinnacle of television artistry. (I admit, I too was once misled by the hype.) And while the first season offered a handful of cautiously strong performances, including a top-tier turn from Nelson Ellis as Lafayette, season two saw the unraveling of meaning, momentum, and character consistency. One name lands a spot on this list (see below), but the entire cast of leading characters, led astray by a crisis in creativity, couldn't quite make the mark.

Not Listed: Many from Mad Men

The third season of Mad Men is hard to define. It was at times more prolific and poetic than anything that came before, even while all the more cumbersome and frustratingly inert. What emerged from the dips and whirls into various conceptual arcs was the existential journey, the saga, even, of one particular character (unsurprisingly, listed below). And while John Hamm as Don Draper, Elizabeth Moss as Peggy Olson, and Christina Hendricks as Joan Holloway (and even the rest of the cast) all gave solid performances, none of them were quite given the opportunity to leave a lasting impression.

Not Listed: Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife

Hers may have been the most talked-about performance of the season, and indeed Margulies was effective and affecting. What she lacked, however, was a supportive environment that would allow her character to blossom. The CBS network likes to play it safe when it comes to programming (the understatement of the century), and even The Good Wife, arguably their most dynamic primetime offering, felt constrained by a frantic avoidance of serialization--as did Ms. Margulies.

Not Listed: Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

Sheldon, played with considerable savvy by Jim Parsons, is the glue that holds Big Bang Theory together, but the show itself is yet another repetitive, unchallenging entry into the sitcom genre by the CBS television network. Parsons is always the most interesting component of the show, but, like Margulies, he works hard to enliven his environment instead of his environment lending any support to him. Get back to me when they give this guy his own show--hopefully on a different network.

Not Listed: In Treatment

The show was on hiatus this year. Season three will be the first to be fully realized without a foundation (the first two seasons drew from the Israeli series BeTipul), and Dianne Wiest has unfortunately declined to return. The always impressive Amy Ryan will join the cast as Paul's new therapist, but will the show achieve the same level of excellence with entirely original content? Stay tuned!

And now, the ones who did make the list...

20. Portia de Rossi, Better Off Ted

Better Off Ted was a satirical gem that never found an audience, and Portia de Rossi gave a spot-on, spiky performance as no-nonsense boss Veronica.

19. Susie Essman, Curb Your Enthusiasm

It's rare that someone's mere presence can elicit so much hilarity, but such was the case for Essman: swiping and sneering, often without saying much at all.

18. Jon Lithgow, Dexter

His casting and his character may have felt a little obvious, but Lithgow found lift for his closeted serial killer Arthur in personal turmoil and anxiety.

17. Hugh Laurie, House

When House was confined to a mental hospital during the sixth season opener, Laurie gave an elegant performance, showing a fragile, sensitive side to his typically abrasive character. The rest of the season did not hold up, but the impact of its intro persisted.

16. Michelle Forbes, True Blood

True Blood's second season was scatterbrained and wacky, but Forbes was always in control as the devilish, audacious, and manipulative Maryann.

15. Glenn Close, Damages

Patty Hewes may be among the most fascinating TV characters of all time, owed almost entirely to Close's deceptively restrained and complex performance. She doesn't let a single beat go to waste, offering depth, nuance, and intrigue with her every bounce and breath.

14. Rose Byrne, Damages

This season, Byrne took the reins on her burgeoning law-titan character Ellen, standing her ground next to the impenetrable Glenn Close and often one-upping her--with improbably shrewd conviction. Her refusal to conform, both as an actress and as a character, made her personal journey the most challenging component of the season.

13. Jenna Fischer, The Office

There are enough eccentricities on The Office to headline a traveling circus show, but regardless of her environment, Jenna Fischer's Pam is a warm, sweet, and human--thank the Lord someone on this show is human--presence. Fischer showed us a new vulnerability as Pam made her way across the peaks and valleys of pregnancy, marriage, and motherhood, all while strengthening her patience, her compassion, and her charm.

12. Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm

Is there a more self-possessed performer on TV right now? David knows and owns every aspect of his character (even if it's probably-allegedly-maybe based on himself, what he does is much more than showing up), and he nails every joke, every bit, every glance, bobble, and humph with breezy certitude. His character may be a self-righteous jerk who brings out the worst in everyone else, but oh, how often is he right on the money!

11. Michael C. Hall, Dexter

Dexter seemed all but doomed to Desperate Housewives suburban melodrama this season, but Michael C. Hall never let us forget that darkness lurked beneath the surface. His mounting apprehension over juggling his personal life--his facade--and his deadly secret took us to the point of fracture; though Hall never lost his grip. Even during his many tête-à-têtes with John Lithgow's Arthur, Hall was sharp, skilled, and in control.

10. Tracy Morgan, 30 Rock

While 30 Rock felt weighed down by a confusing sense of anxiety this season, Tracy Morgan, as the over-the-top, unpredictable funnyman Tracy Jordan, rose to the occasion, firmly rooting the show in the whimsical absurdity that spawned its initial success. He was repeatedly the highlight of every episode with his hilarious high-jinks and incomparable one-liners dished out with the utmost confidence and finesse. This supporting player fully held the show together, and then some.

9. Jayma Mays, Glee

With the eyes of a baby owl and the silky texture--both physically and expressively--of a polished pearl, Jayma Mays was a delectable presence on Glee's first season. Though she offered little musically on the primarily musical show, her balance of the delicate and neurotic, of the quaint and exaggerated, continued to deliver on the show's semi-surrealist premise. And even while sharply portraying such an array of traits, she was always careful, consistent, and believable.

8. Jennifer Carpenter, Dexter

It took four seasons to find an appropriate outlet for her burly enthusiasm, but did she ever do just that! As Dexter's sister Debra Morgan, Jennifer Carpenter brought new emotional heights and depths to her character in the wake of her lover's demise. Though she was always a formidable foil for her brother's infinite introversion, this season she branched off with her own foray into feeling. Her parking-lot exchange with Dexter, during which she unleashed all of her anger, fear, and despair, was the single most powerful acting moment on television this year.

7. Khandi Alexander, Treme

Treme boasted a first-season cast devoid of any weak link (would you expect anything less from a David Simon production?), but it was Khandi Alexander as embittered, broken bar-owner Ladonna who stood tall above the rest. Her piercing eyes and furrowed glare beautifully reflected the tragedy of post-Katrina New Orleans, as well as the city's unbreakable spirit and soul. She constantly held back a wave of emotion, just as a levee holds back the rising tide, but just like her ill-fated city, she could only take so much--a courage and then a collapse that was exciting, exhausting, and inspiring.

6. Lea Michele, Glee

She took a lot of warming up to, but Lea Michele proved herself essential to the television experience, and to the very fabric and success of Glee. At first, her theatrical roots were blatant and off-putting, and her Rachel Berry came across as caricatural and abrasive--even as her vocal talents were undeniable. With time, Rachel softened into a relatable personality, just as Michele transformed into a skilled and perceptive performer. As Glee the show rode across constant oscillations in quality, Michele remained convincing, complex, committed, and, in terms of her considerable songstress skills, spellbinding.

5. January Jones, Mad Men

As Don Draper's wistful wife Betty, January Jones really got to show off her chops this year. Season three of Mad Men was arguably The Betty Draper Show, with every storyline, character development, and narrative construct referring back to Betty's experience. Ms. Jones fostered complexity and character integrity (not to mention eye-popping physical allure) even as Betty's life swooped and swayed. An unexpected pregnancy, a father's death, the dissolution of a marriage, a forbidden affair, and enough psychological distress to last a lifetime were all handled with grace and the intention of growth by Jones.

4. Sophia Vergara, Modern Family

At first, Modern Family's Columbian firecracker matriarch Gloria was a tad too irritating for her own good, with her thick accent, unrelenting expressiveness, and sharper edges (when compared to the rest of the cast, at least). But it was these very features that Sophia Vergara used to her advantage as the season progressed, and the result was a singular spicy mix of heart, spirit, and unexpected wit. Her exterior ravishing, her interior effervescing, Vergara drew and quartered the gold-digging (coal-digging?) bimbo stereotype by brandishing confidence, awareness, and intelligence when you'd least expect it.

3. Ty Burrell, Modern Family

Expertly played, deliriously lovable, and always hilarious, Ty Burrell's Phil Dunphy of Modern Family is etching his name into the pantheon of TV's greatest dads. He carries the torch when it comes to the show's gleeful mix of physical comedy and one-liner showdowns, but he's just as careful never to place the family dynamic, the very foundation of the show, out of reach. He draws big laughs with his geeky enthusiasm and general obliviousness, but he warms our hearts while conveying his cosmic love for each and every member of the Dunphy-Pritchett-Tucker clan.

2. Jane Lynch, Glee

Oh Jane Lynch of Glee, how do I describe the brilliance of thee? Never once were you out of character as the indefatigable Sue Sylvester. Never once did you let a word--no, even a moment--go to waste. Never once were you not the most outrageous and pants-pissing hilarious presence on the boob tube. If only all performers were as gifted as you: able to spin forth a ridiculous, bulky chunk of backtalk without breaking a sweat or even taking a breath, while somehow conveying every embedded sentiment with priceless aplomb. And what's this? Even then you refuse to be just some weekly punchline and gracefully portray depth of character and, yes, a palpable, beating heart? Genius!

1. Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

With professional integrity, glowing authenticity, and pure performance ingenuity, Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker on Modern Family gave the most complex, impressive, and important performance on television this season. The show's writers were very careful not to mine cheap laughs from gay stereotypes; in fact, they often made a point to deconstruct or debunk these stereotypes--a process that could have proven just as clunky and irksome. But Stonestreet didn't care about playing "the gay" or, for that matter, "the anti-gay." He played a person: a person with whims, wishes, and quirks that spanned the spectrum from "gay" to "straight," from "feminine" to "masculine," and everything in between. He earned our laughs, our tears, and our love not because he was "the gay" or because he was "the anti-gay," but simply because he was. This is a character and a performance that will go down in history: a shining example of utmost skill paired with progressive fluency.

So there you have it! We'll see how many of these performances Emmy places in her cross-hairs. At the very least, I pray that we won't be hearing the word "Two" followed by "and a Half Men" anytime during the announcements tomorrow.

Also, be sure to check out LAST YEAR'S LIST!