While these may be supporting roles, they are in no way lesser than their leading colleagues. Each of these actors took advantage of their limited screen time to leave a lasting impression.

Here are our picks for the Top 5 Supporting Performances in a Dramatic TV Role in 2022.

5.) JOHN TURTURRO

Severance: Season One

The pairing of John Turturro and Christopher Walken as an odd couple wasn’t something I would have had on my 2022 bingo list. But it is this pairing that gets Turturro on this list. 

Irving, the character he plays in Severance, is at first a true stickler for the rules and attempts to keep everyone in line, even if he’s not the boss of the floor. But when he meets Burt, things change, and he becomes obsessed with learning more about him, the area where he works, and what they do. It’s a playful performance from Turturro and one outside his usual wheelhouse that shines. Especially in a year where his other significant performance was that of Carmine Falcone in The Batman. 

– Dylan Blight

4.) Milly Alcock

House of the Dragon: Season One

The old adage is to leave them wanting more, and that’s what Milly Alcock did when her tenure as Rhaenyra Targaryen came to an end, causing uproar among some fans. As the young princess looking for her father’s approval and to be his rightful heir, Alcock was a captivating presence as she dealt with her hardships and tribulations. She set a beautiful stage for Emma D’Arcy to take over from.

– Ashley Hobley

3.) Genevieve O’Reilly

Andor: Season One

Mon Mothma is one of the most important characters in Star Wars; as the leader of the Rebels, it wouldn’t have taken us this long to get more of the character on our screens. It’s been a long journey for O’Reilly, too, as most of her initial appearances as the character in Revenge of the Sith were cut, but she has since shown up in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and, of course, Star Wars: Rebels. But it’s in Andor where she is finally offered the chance to explore what makes Mon Mothma tick and how she goes from a Senator to the leader of a Rebellion. 

– Dylan Blight

2.) Stellan Skarsgård

Andor: Season One

It’s hard not to love a rebel leader standing on a beam high above a futuristic city, cape flowing, convincing his informant to stay by telling him: “I burn my life to make a sunrise that I know I’ll never see. And the ego that started this fight will never have a mirror or an audience or the light of gratitude. So what do I sacrifice? Everything!”

Beyond that amazing speech in “One Way Out”, Skarsgård makes each moment with Luthen Rael count, building a mystique around him, whether he is pretending to be an art dealer to converse in secret with Mon Mothma or having a discussion with Saw Guerrera as to whether or not they should sacrifice 30 men and Anto Kreegyr for the greater good of the rebellion. The most exciting part is it that it feels like we’ve barely scratched the surface of Luthen and his motivations. I’m excited to see where Stellan Skarsgård takes him next.

– Ashley Hobley

1.) Matt Smith

House of the Dragon: Season One

When Matt Smith was cast in House of the Dragon, I couldn’t picture him with the long blonde Targaryen hair, let alone have the gravitas of the type of family they are known for being. But I was quickly proven wrong as Smith becomes a man of action and the centre of attention anytime he’s on-screen in House of the Dragon bringing the character of Prince Daemon Targaryen to life, and I’m excited to watch his terror unfold in the coming years on this show.

– Dylan Blight

Dylan Blight and Ashley Hobley compiled this Top 5 list. The TV shows nominated must release between November 15th 2021 – November 15th 2022 and have been released in Australia via network TV, VOD or a streaming platform.