Got the idea for this from this topic at the Oscars forum. Everybody here loves a list, so why not list the TV performances we think are the standouts of the decade? (I know we've already done the GD TV Decade Awards, but here we can make a big list to show our personal preferences, without category division.)

I'm only gonna list series' performances because that's where the ones I think are truly the best are from (I haven't seen many TV movies/mini-series), but you can obviously include performances from any fictional work on TV.

Anyways, here's my list to start things off:

1. Kyle Chandler & Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights
2. Frances Conroy, Six Feet Under
3. Jason Segel, How I Met Your Mother
4. Kelly Bishop, Gilmore Girls & Jessica Walter, Arrested Development
5. Will Arnett, Arrested Development (all the guys from AD would get in if this was a top 20)
6. Lauren Graham, Gilmore Girls
7. Jennifer Aniston, Friends
8. Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
9. Michael C. Hall, Dexter
10. Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy
(Next in line: Kristen Bell, Veronica Mars and Hugh Laurie, House.)

Yeah, I know there are more than ten performances... I couldn't help myself!

Wow, for me there is a big difference between single performance and best overall performance.

Not sure yet but for overall I know I'll include:
Martin Sheen
Stockard Channing
Allison Janney
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Sandra Oh
and maybe Vanessa Williams

For single performance I know I'll have:
Sally Field in "Serperation Anxiety"
Minnie Driver in "The Riches Pilot"
Martin Sheen in "Impact Winter"
Edie Falco in "Whitecaps"
Allison Janney in "The Women of Qumar"
JLD in "One and a half men"
Zach Braff in "My First Day"


I think Kelly Bishop will make my single performance for one of her great supporting turns, but I'm not sure exactly which episode just yet.

quote:

Originally posted by G.Penn:
Wow, for me there is a big difference between single performance and best overall performance.

I second that.

I have not seriously been watching awards-worthy television for long enough, but I suspect that Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad would top my list. I would probably also have Ricky Gervais for the original The Office and my Lost bias would throw at least some of Matthew Fox, Terry O'Quinn and Michael Emerson in there. Of course, I still have not seen The Wire, The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, The West Wing or Battlestar Galactica—I am getting there.

TV MOVIE/MINISERIES PERFORMANCES:
1. Emma Thompson, "Wit"
2. Judy Davis, "Life of Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows"
3. William H. Macy, "Door to Door"
4. Laura Dern, "Recount"
5. James Franco, "James Dean"
6. Al Pacino, "Angels in America"
7. Thomas Haden Church, "Broken Trail"
8. Maggie Smith, "my House in Umbria"
9. Meryl Streep, "Angels in America"
10. Kelly Macdonald, "Girl in the Cafe"

TV SERIES PERFORMANCES:
1. Minnie Driver, "The Riches"
2. Lisa Kudrow, "The Comeback"
3. James Gandolfini, "The Sopranos"
4. Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
5. Steve Carell, "The Office"
6. Michael C. Hall. "Six Feet Under"
7.Sandra Oh, "Grey's Anatomy"
8. Terry O'Quinn, "Lost"
9. Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
10. Julia Louis Dreyfus, "The New Adventures of Old Christine"

quote:

Originally posted by G.Penn:
Wow, for me there is a big difference between single performance and best overall performance.

Agree with this, while there are only few performances that I'll recognize based on the course of the whole show while there will be hundreds if it's gonna be based on episodes only.

I think the Emmys judging system is highly unfair with the whole tape thing; a performance in a given season -- which consists of several episodes -- should be considered as a whole, so that's how I usually judge them. To be honest, I didn't even think of making separate lists, but since this is just for fun and not an actual award, I guess it would be cool to judge them separately. Maybe I'll give it a shot later!

I kinda wanted to do an episode list instead, easier to compare individual performances than pit 5 seasons of work against 3 for someone else. Also, instead of comedy and drama, I am dividing it into hour-longs and half-hours:

Hour-Longs
1-Lauren Graham in Gilmore Girls "Let me hear the Balalaikas ringing"
2-Lauren Graham in Gilmore Girls "Raincoats and Recipes"
3-Ian McShane in Deadwood, "A Constant Throb"
4-Lauren Graham in Gilmore Girls "Haunted Leg"
5-Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad, "Pilot"
6-Ian McShane in Deadwood, "A Lie Agreed Upon Part I"
7-Jennifer Garner in Alias "Pilot"
8-Connie Britton in Friday Night Lights "The Giving Tree"
9-Kyle Chandler in Friday Night Lights, "Best Laid Plans"
10-Michael C. Hall in Dexter, "The Dark Defender"
11-Ian McShane in Deadwood, "Deadwood"
12-Lauren Graham in Gilmore Girls "Partings"
13-Hugh Laurie in House, "Broken"
14-Kristen Bell in Veronica Mars "A trip to the dentist"
15-Michael C. Hall in Dexter, "Seeing Red"
16-Patricia Arquette in Medium "Be Kind, Rewind"
17-Molly Parker in Deadwood "Boy the Earth talks to"
18-Kyle Chandler in Friday Night Lights, "Jumping the Gun".
19-Jon Hamm in Mad Men, "The Jet Set"
20-Denis Leary in Rescue Me, "Justice"

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Hybrid87,

I'm just going overall for now...and in no particular order

Jennifer Garner-Alias (still angry about her not having an Emmy for this...)
Matthew Fox-Lost (don't think he gets enough credit for the amazing work he has done)
Glenn Close-Damages (Glenn Close...enough said)
John Hamm-Mad Men (definitely the breakthrough performance of the decade)
Lauren Graham-Gilmore Girls (amazing)
Steve Carrell-The Office (hilarious)
Michael C Hall-Dexter (who else could make a serial killer likeable?!)
Ellen Pompeo-Grey's Anatomy (supp players frequently get more attention but she has been great)
Jason Bateman-Arrested Development (the straight man to all the insanity)
Edie Falco-The Sopranos (White Caps...as if I need to say more)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: jss0058,

I don't think comedic performances and dramatic performances can really be compared so I'll split them up!

DRAMA

1. James Gandolfini, The Sopranos
2. Peter Krause, Six Feet Under
3. Edie Falco, The Sopranos
4. Hugh Laurie, House
5. Frances Conroy, Six Feet Under
6. Michael C. Hall, Dexter
7. Michael Imperioli, The Sopranos
8. Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
9. Martin Sheen, The West Wing
10. Rachel Griffiths, Six Feet Under

COMEDY

1. Steve Carell, The Office
2. Jason Bateman, Arrested Development
3. Jessica Walter, Arrested Development
4. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine
5. Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
6. David Cross, Arrested Development
7. John C. McGinley, Scrubs
8. Will Arnett, Arrested Development
9. Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
10. Tina Fey, 30 Rock

Hmmm, rank by individual episodes or overall runs? That could create two completely different lists. I might end up doing both.

1. Terry O'Quinn, Lost
2. Michael Emerson, Lost
3. Steve Carell, The Office
4. Ian McShane, Kings (I haven't seen Deadwood yet.)
5. Zachary Levi, Chuck
6. Mary McDonnell, Battlestar Galactica
7. Kiefer Sutherland, 24
8. Rainn Wilson, The Office
9. John C, McGinley, Scrubs
10. James Callis, Battlestar Galactica

My ranking:

01. Felicity Huffman, Desperate Housewives
02. Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy
03. Marcia Cross, Desperate Housewives
04. Chandra Wilson, Grey's Anatomy
05. Kim Cattrall, Sex and the City
06. Kristin Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies
07. Tony Shalhoub, Monk
08. Cynthia Nixon, Sex and the City
09. Kate Walsh, Grey's Anatomy / Private Practice
10. Ellen Pompeo, Grey's Anatomy

This message has been edited. Last edited by: kelemenmarc,

No Particular Order

1. Steve Carell, The Office
2. Marcia Cross, Desperate Housewives
3. Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
4. Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy
5. Elizabeth Mitchell, Lost
6. Hugh Laurie, House/James Gandolfini, The Sopranos
7. Felicity Huffman, Desperate Housewives
8. Terry O'Quinn, Lost
9. Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
10. Alison Pill, In Treatment

This message has been edited. Last edited by: JJA91,

Drama:
1. James Gandolfini
2. Edie Falco
3. Bryan Cranston
4. Connie Britton/Kyle Chandler
5. Michael C. Hall (Dexter)
6. Ian McShane
7. Lauren Graham
8. Hugh Laurie
9. Allison Pill
10.Drea De Matteo/ Sela Ward

Comedy:

1. Alec Baldwin
2. Lauren Graham
3. Kristen Chenoweth
4. Jason Bateman/ Steve Carell
5. Jim Parsons
6. Kelly Bishop
7. Jessica Walters
8. John C. McGinley
9. Tina Fey
10. David Cross

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Brilliance inmorbid,

Drama:
1: Frances Conroy, Six Feet Under
2: Michael C. Hall, Six Feet Under
3: Lorraine Bracco, The Sopranos
4: Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
5: Hugh Laurie, House
6: Keifer Sutherland, 24
7: Denis Leary, Rescue Me
8: Jean Smart, 24
9: Elizabeth Mitchell, Lost
10: Robin Weigert, Deadwood

Comedy:
1: Jane Kaczmarek, Malcolm in the Middle
2: Steve Carell, The Office
3: Tina Fey, 30 Rock
4: Rainn Wilson, The Office
5: Will Arnett, Arrested Development
6: Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm
7: Bryan Cranston, Malcolm in the Middle
8: David Cross, Arrested Development
9: Elizabeth Perkins, Weeds
10: Jenna Fischer, The Office

Miniseries/Movie:
1: Emma Thompson, Wit
2: Meryl Streep, Angels in America
3: William H. Macy, Door to Door
4: Laura Dern, Recount
5: Kathy Baker, Door to Door
6: Helen Mirren, Prime Suspect: The Final Act
7: Maggie Smith, My House In Umbria
8: Helena Bonham Carter, Live From Bagdad
9: Mary Louise Parker, Angels in America
10: Jessica Lange, Normal

1. Bryan Cranston as Walt White in Breaking Bad
2. Matthew Fox as Jack Shephard in Lost
3. Terry O'Quinn as John Locke in Lost
4. Jon Hamm as Don Draper in Mad Men
5. Michael Emerson as Ben Linus in Lost
6. Ricky Gervais as David Brent in The Office
7. Hugh Laurie as Greg House in House
8. Steve Carell as Michael Scott in The Office
9. Larry David as Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm
10. Michael Cera as George Michael Bluth in Arrested Development

Overall: Comedy and Drama-

Michael Emerson- Lost
Terry O'Quinn- Lost
Jason Bateman- Arrested Development
Jessica Walter- Arrested Development
Sarah Michelle Gellar- Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Keifer Sutherland- 24
Jane Kaczmarek- Malcolm in the Middle
James Gandolfini- The Sopranos
Will Arnett- Arrested Development
Edie Falco- The Sopranos

There are many other faves, but that's Top 10 off the top of my head.

Whoa, way too many people leaving out The West Wing. This is going to be hard.

quote:

Originally posted by Chisman:
Whoa, way too many people leaving out The West Wing. This is going to be hard.

The West Wing was never a favorite here in GD. I will give Martin Sheen props. I mixed my comedy and drama list, but I will make a separate one, and Sheen will surely be there.

I'll start off with overall runs. That'll be somewhat easier.
-----------------------------------------------
COMEDY

1. Sarah Jessica Parker, "Sex and the City"
2. Steve Carell, "The Office"
3. Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
4. Jeremy Piven, "Entourage"
5. Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
6. Larry David, "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
7. Teri Hatcher, "Desperate Housewives"
8. Jessica Walter, "Arrested Development"
9. Vanessa Williams, "Ugly Betty"
10. Kim Cattrall, "Sex and the City"

DRAMA

1. James Gandolfini, "The Sopranos"
2. Edie Falco, "The Sopranos"
3. Michael Chiklis, "The Shield"
4. Peter Krause, "Six Feet Under"
5. Glenn Close, "Damages"
6. Terry O'Quinn, "Lost"
7. Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
8. Drea de Matteo, "The Sopranos"
9. Alison Pill, "In Treatment"
10. Chandra Wilson, "Grey's Anatomy"