2013 Best Performances in Television (in no Order)

Tatiana Maslany in Orphan Black 

This woman was a force to be reckoned with in Orphan Black.  Maslany played a tech geek, a suburban mom, a police officer on the ropes, a young woman fighting to be in her daughters life while pretending to be one of her look a likes, and a crazy Russian woman to name a few.  There are actresses who have played twins before, but Maslany took the concept of playing different characters who look a like to a whole new level.  This girl just earned a Golden Globe nomination today, and won two critics award for this role; she is great.

Michael Douglas and Matt Damon in Behind the Candelabra

Hard to pick just one man in this duo, if I had to pick I would honestly pick Damon because he does so much with a much less showy role.  Yet you can't help not think that Douglas is beyond amazing as the genius musical talent Liberace from the voice, to the mannerisms.  These two men took on one of the most challenging films about a complicated relationship in the spotlight, enraptured with youth.  Liberace was a complicated man, and Douglas played him perfectly.  Damon played the flaws in Scotty better than existed in the book the film was based.  Damon got the innocence, the selfishness, the love, every emotion spot on, something hard to embellish. 

Orange is the New Black Ensemble 

Like with Damon and Douglas, how do you pick just one of these women?  Here are a few to highlight.

Taylor Schilling as Piper Chapman

At first glance Piper is the least interesting character, and she is the lead, but as you watch you see this once privileged women become part of a much more complicated world.  As Piper spends more time in prison you feel her pain, anguish, and also see her grow.

Taryn Manning as Tiffany 'Pensatucky' Doggett

Nuts, is as easy way to describe this former meth head turned fundamentalist.  Manning is brilliant, and frightening within this role, you have to hate her, but you almost admire that you hate her.

Kate Mulgrew as Galina 'Red' Reznikov

Red runs the prison, but in her personal life she was a nobody.  As you watch Mulgrew run the show, and lose control you see vulnerability in a woman who does not want to be able to give up power; she is fantastic.

Uzo Aduba as Suzanne 'Crazy Eyes Warren

When you first meet 'Crazy Eyes' as she falls for Piper, you assume, well crazy, but as you get to know and understand the complexity to her character you see another deeper more meaningful understanding of a misunderstood person.

Laverne Cox as Sophia Burset 

This is the best representation of transgender identity in popular culture to date.  Cox is a brilliant actress; she knows who she is, and dealing with her trans identity in a prison world is complex  Cox does a great job with this role.

These are just five of the numerous great performances that make up the Orange is the Black Ensemble.

Corey Stoll in House of Cards

Stoll played Representative Peter Russo, a man caught in Francis Underwood's (Kevin Spacey) cross hairs in his master plan to manipulate.  Peter not only navigates the tricky political world but a relationship with a staffer and an addiction to drugs and and alcohol. It's hard to outshine Kevin Spacey, the man is force in everything he does, but Corey Stoll goes toe to toe with him, and while he may not win;  he puts up a good fight.

Allison Janney in Mom/Masters of Sex 

What can't Allison Janney do? Janney is stealing the show Mom on a weekly basis as Bonnie a grandmother, mother, and recovering alcohol and drug addict.  Janney's timing is perfect, and she makes this show better week after week.  Janney is not just about the laughs her recurring guest role on Masters of Sex has provided a richer context to show, and the development of a woman's sexual awakening in the 1960s.  This woman is a chameleon, and its hard to ignore her greatness.

Dean Norris in Breaking Bad 

While Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul are the obvious choices, the standout of the the last season of Breaking Bad was Hank.  From the moment Hank sees the abbreviated intitals on the toilet, to the intense confrontation in the garage with Walt, and tries to make things right for his family you sit of the edge of your seat.  Norris was great as Hank, and while the character had moments of being one note throughout most of the earlier seasons, this season added to his depth, and a lot of credit goes to Norris' acting.

Josh Charles in The Good Wife 

Wow, just wow! Josh Charles grabbed a Golden Globe nominee today, he also has an Emmy nomination for this role from a couple of seasons ago, man has he knocked his emotional journey out of the park this year.  Will was "betrayed" by Alicia the woman he loved at one point leaving their firm as he now refers to as LG, and he is on a tear sleeping with the anti-Alicia trying to be there for clients to way Alicia was, this guy just knocks every moment of of the park, if you aren't watching this show, start. 

Behind the Candelabra is an Impressive feat of Honesty in Representing Liberace and Scott, and the Development

Behind the Candelabra (4 1/2 out of 5 Stars)

Directed by: Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Erin Brockovich, Contagion)

Written by: Richard LaGravenese (The Fisher King, The Bridges of Madison County)

Starring: Michael Douglas, Matt Damon, Dan Aykroyd, Rob Lowe, and Scott Bakula

On a yearly basis HBO rolls out a film, which is a landmark event not only for the network, but makes an impact on the landscape of television.  From Angels in America to Band of Brothers, Recount, Mildred Pierce, and last year's film Game Change.  These are only a few television films, which have changed the perception of television film concept.  In the past many television movie/miniseries were a little hooky, and melodramatic.  The films/miniseries listed are some of the best television of all time.  Behind the Candelabra, competed at the Cannes Film Festival.  HBO has once again pushed the boundaries and made a great film.

Candelabra focuses on not just Liberace (Michael Douglas), but two men, the other being his male lover/boyfriend/partner Scott Thorson (Matt Damon).  The film chronicles the six year relationship of these men through the ups and downs of the late 70s early 80s.  Candelabra is more than a biopic of these two men, but rather a tale in love, morality, and a journey as director Steven Soderbergh says "down the rabbit hole" into high priced fame and fortune.

Soderbergh is is the perfect director to take people "down the rabbit hole" he has knack for character driven stories, which do not hold anything back.  Most recently his films Contagion, Side Effects, and even Magic Mike do a great job exploring the nature of characters within their specific situations.  In this case you have two men, Liberace who has been deemed this massively talented entertainer, and has built an empire out of this in Las Vegas.  Then you have Scott who finds himself entranced by the man, and everything he has to offer. 

Part of the credit is due to screen writer LaGravenese.  LaGravenese interestingly enough had a very eclectic screen writing background ranging from The Fisher King to this year's Beautiful Creatures.  LaGravenese uses the book written by Scott Thorson which slants things against the man who tinkled the ivories.  As you see by the end of the film, and Scott is thrown out and given nothing for his time in sun, but this Soderbergh/ LaGravenese version explores the context of both men.  Liberace had a penchant for younger men (the real Scott was 18 when they met), and his fetishizing of youth comes across as manipulative, especially when he forces Scott to get plastic surgery to look more like him.  On the other hand Soderbergh and  LaGravenese explore the other side of the coin with Scotty.  Scotty never says "no" does not walk away even when loses things valuable to him from his past.  Scott is a representation of the materialistic younger boy who is transported to a world he had never experienced.

Part of the strength within the added context is the layered performances from Damon and Douglas.  Damon's Scott goes from the quiet young farm boy, the manipulative disco queen, with a snap.  Watching him lose himself as he is sucked into the world, while also becoming this other person is one of the most interesting character studies on film.  Few films have explored the birth of this gay materialism with such forthright frankness and honesty.  Damon had this characteristic while exploring Tom Ripley back in 1999, but his acting chops have grown, and this role proves he can dance with the big boys.

Douglas's Liberace is also an incredible accomplishment.  Douglas never takes things over the top, never mimics; he owns the role.  While I was more fascinated by Damon's role and his acting, Douglas clearly is a master at portraying the confidence, and vulnerability within Liberace.  Part of the strengths to the way this role is portrayed provide this indelible larger than life image.  Liberace was not only a man of talent, but adored by many; he had an image to live down, or up to, however you want to understand him.  Douglas gets lost in the role, and never lets you forget every moment of the characters joy and misery; he captures each action perfectly.

Recently Steven Soderbergh gave a speech about the downturn of film, and the way the human drama is no longer relevant the way it was in older films.  Soderbergh's speech has elements I agree with, and ones in which I disagree with.  Film/television etc have evolved (just look at the influence of Hulu, and Netflix).  People are consuming media in different formats.  Behind the Candelabra works on HBO, because of the willingness to provide freedom of expression, and not having the make the film more mainstream audience friendly to turn a profit.  Soderbergh's film will be remembered as great mainly because it was an impressive (well shot) feat of honesty that is an impressive character study.  Soderbergh has his own style, and it works so well with this film because its not a "gay film" but an character study, which helps you to have better understanding of people, and their era.