Cristin Milioti, “The Penguin”
Yes, Colin Farrell, caked in dumbfoundingly good fat-suit make-up is incredible as The Penguin, Oz Cobblepot, but Cristin Milioti’s turn as the mentally deranged Sofia Falcone / The Hangman, the daughter of the deceased crime boss Carmine Falcone, is chilling and striking. Playing a traumatized figure who is framed for grisly murders by her father and then committed to Arkham Asylum insane asylum where she truly becomes the psychopathic serial killer, the Gotham public was told she was, she’s already disturbed and then suffers deeper PTSD thanks to the death of her brother. Already having been gaslighted and f*cked over by her father, Milioti’s Falcone is already a dangerously maddened and frayed character, but she becomes even more unhinged when she slowly comes to realize Oz has been manipulating her every move, forcing her to go balls out vengeful and wicked. But the turn, over eight episodes, is calibrated, methodical, and deeply convincing. It’s the performance of her career, frankly and come Emmy time next year, she should be a force to be reckoned with. – RP
Demi Moore, “The Substance”
There is a moment in Coralie Fargeat’s instant classic of a body horror thriller that anyone who has any insecurity in their appearance will recognize. Elisabeth Sparkle is supposed to go out on a dinner date. She puts on some makeup in front of the mirror, but it isn’t quite right. It’s too much. She then takes off all the makeup and tries again with less. Elisabeth, a one-time Hollywood star, is still not happy with what she sees. Eventually, her frustration is so intense she angrily smudges her lipstick all over her face. It’s a non-verbal scene. The audience’s belief in what Elisabeth decides next rests on this sequence. Moore evokes so much compassion for her character, that you’d drive her to that secret little locker room to pick up the substance yourself. – GE
Kevin Kline, “Disclaimer”
We sort of can’t believe it took this long for an auteur filmmaker to give Kline a role worthy of his talents again. Alfonso Cuaron‘s long-in-the-works limited series has its pros and cons, but Kline’s performance is not up for debate. As a husband seeking revenge for a death that caused his wife (Lesley Manville) to spiral to her own early demise, Kline utterly captivates the screen in a manner that reminds you just how talented this Oscar winner is. But when his character finds out the truth. When he realizes what he’s done, ah, that’s when his brilliance as an actor truly shines. There is a very short list of actors who can steal the spotlight opposite Cate Blanchett, but in “Disclaimer” Kline proves he’s still one of them. And he makes it look so, so easy. – GE
Patti LuPone, “Agatha All Along”
In theory, one of the American stage’s greatest living performers would be slumming it starring in a Marvel Studios television series. Someone forgot to tell that to “Agatha All Along” creator Jac Schaffer or to three-time Tony Award winner LuPone. As Lilia Calderu, LuPone plays a centuries-old witch, who finally finds peace with the memories of past and future she believed were haunting her. Schaffer essentially gives her an entire episode, “Death’s Hand in Mine,” and their combined talents elevate it to one of the greatest things Marvel has ever done. And that’s not hyperbole, either. – GE
Bridget Everett, “Somebody Somewhere”
We still can’t believe that HBO has decided to say goodbye to this Peabody Award-winning gem of a series. Especially considering its budget for seven half-hour episodes has to be less than 20 minutes of an episode of “The Last of Us” or “House of the Dragon.” Credit to creators Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen and Everett, the star and an executive producer, for not taking the easy way out. Despite the upbeat ending of season two, Sam, Everett’s character, is struggling in season three. Her friends are seemingly abandoning her with new lives and relationships and her economic situation is increasingly bleak. In each episode, Everett (and her incredible co-stars), find a way to break your heart. Sam will never be perfect. Like many of us, she will never find a real happy ending. That could be hard to root for, but Everett’s incredible, grounded performance (the best work of her career), makes it impossible to ignore. We know the SAG Awards and Emmys will ignore “Somebody,” but give Everett and the show another Peabody! They deserve it! – GE
