Thanks to her appearance as a supporting character in the new Hulu series, Tell Me Lies, Katey Sagal, can now be considered one of the actors with the best streak of good TV shows. In what’s a rather interesting scenario, Sagal plays the mother of a character played by her real-life son, Jackson White.
Like Sagal, a couple of other talented actors have been fortunate enough to have amazing streaks of awesome TV shows and performances over the past few decades. And their impressive resumes haven’t gone unnoticed. On Reddit, fans have named the individuals that can always be expected to be part of a magnificent TV project.
Damian Lewis
Redditor Mr_Ree416 declares, “Damian Lewis may be the answer we’re looking for.” Many TV actors are haunted by the “good character curse,” where they forever fail to land a role that’s as big as the one that made them famous. Then, there’s Damian Lewis, who often disembarks from major projects before their completion but always ends up getting hired again.
The British alighted midway while playing Sgt. Nicholas Brody, and he recently did the same while portraying the billionaire, Bobby Axelrod. Even then, he is set to be the lead in the upcoming drama, A Spy Among Friends. The new role also proves that Lewis is never afraid to appear in similarly themed shows. And by sticking to what works, quality is always guaranteed.
Katey Sagal
Redditor Platypus-Man says, “Katey Sagal has some great ones spanning 3 decades,” a TV career that started in 1971. Plenty of iconic TV characters have mothers that look alike, and that’s because Sagal plays them all.
From being Penny’s mother in The Big Bang Theory to Jax Teller’s mother in Sons Of Anarchy, the actor sure has enjoyed playing the parent. And while she has mostly portrayed some of the most evil TV moms, there are a few good-hearted ones in there, too. Given the quality of shows she appears in, Sagal is presumably very glad about being typecast.
Bryan Cranston
Cranston is yet another actor that’s rarely part of critically panned shows. H00L1GAN419 posts a rather arrogant but justified comment: “I don’t need to tell anyone what he’s been in.”
Having played one of the best TV characters of all time, Walter White, Cranston is in a position to be choosy when it comes to what he appears in. As such, he always picks the best roles that come to him. However, all the credit can’t go to Walter White. The actor was still getting good jobs way before Breaking Bad, as fans fondly remember him from Malcolm in The Middle and The X-Files.
Tommy Olyphant
Redditor eiregobrachtx92 states that regarding actors who always star in good shows, their “first thought is Timothy Olyphant.” And they couldn’t be more right.
Olyphant’s penchant for taking on cameo and supporting roles has resulted in him being in many critically acclaimed shows. From The Office to The Mandalorian, Olyphant is just about everywhere people would look. And it’s just not about TV for him. Olyphant pops up in movies at the same rate as he does TV shows. Aside from supporting roles, Olyphant also found gold with his leading role as the marshal in Justified, which remains his best work to this day.
Elizabeth Moss
MikeShannonThaGawd pinpoints Elizabeth Moss, admitting, “she was my first thought.” Moss is one of few actors to be nominated for an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Tony.
Between The Handmaid’s Tale and Mad Men, a closer look at Moss’ career reveals that she doesn’t just star in good shows but also those that heavily revolves around women beating the odds in chauvinistic societies. Peggy Olson and June Osborne all tread the same path. As is the case with every award magnet, Moss’ foray into the big screen has led to plenty of success, too.
Walton Goggins
For a long time, Goggins has been an underrated actor, but a number of fans recognize his work. Redditor abruo37 thinks he not only appears in great shows, but “he’s usually awesome in everything.”
Goggins’s failure to be a bona fide star could be blamed on the fact that he mostly plays supporting characters. Perhaps the actor should consider working on more projects where he is at the center of events, something that might come to fruition via a self-produced project.
David Costabile
Redditor themanifoldcuriosity says, “David Costabile probably wins this thread.” Constable has been in a couple of the greatest shows of all time, notably Breaking Bad and The Wire.
Costabile is yet another actor who is always more than happy to provide his services in a supporting capacity. But given how good he is at being the right-hand man, few would have a problem with that. This is something he has demonstrated even better recently, thanks to his role as Mike “Wags” Wagner in Billions.
Ted Danson
Redditor wiklr describes Danson as “a delightful face in all the shows he’s in.” The actor has been nominated for a whopping 18 Emmys throughout his career.
Thanks to his accolades and years of experience, finding work is a lot easier for Danson than it is for many actors. And like many other older actors, he has recently fallen into the loop of being typecast as a figure of authority. But he sure is handling these roles well, so fans can expect many more Emmys.
Allison Brie
Islandsurvivor1 names a couple of Brie’s TV projects before declaring that there are “all amazing shows.” The actor has been involved in plenty of live-action and animated projects over the years.
Alison Brie’s best movies and TV shows are all widely celebrated projects. Even though she is a star on the big screen, it’s on the small screen that she has done some of her best work. From the seriousness of Trudy Campbell to the humorous nature of Annie Edison, Brie has proven that she can shine in just about any genre.
David Boreanaz
Boreanaz is rarely considered for any awards, but fans adore him. Sadandshy is awed by the fact that he has not only starred in great shows but also “did them with only a small break in there.”
Boreanaz has been a common face on TV because he is known to stick to one project for lengthy periods of time. He did it in the Buffy franchise, Bones, and SEAL Team. With such loyalty, showrunners feel more inspired to make long term plans for his characters. Additionally, Boreanaz’s tight schedule has prevented him from taking movie roles as frequently as other actors on the list.
