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BENJAMONSTER AWARDS: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Today's category is Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series!

The nominees are:


JASON BATEMAN as Marty Byrde in Ozark (Netflix)









STERLING K. BROWN as Randall Pearson in This is Us (NBC)











STEVE CARELL as Mitch Kessler in The Morning Show (Apple TV+)











BRIAN COX as Logan Roy in Succession (HBO)











JUSTIN HARTLEY as Kevin Pearson in This is Us (NBC)











BILLY PORTER as Pray Tell in Pose (FX)











JEREMY STRONG as Kendall Roy in Succession (HBO)












And the Winner Is...
STEVE CARELL
The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
I will admit, I am a big fan of Steve Carell. Michael Scott is my all time favorite TV character. But I wouldn't give this award to him just because I like him or past roles. He was excellent in The Morning Show in a role that was very difficult. Playing the "Matt Lauer" role, Carell had to be both the charming and charismatic TV personality that America woke up with for decades and also the monster who abused his power time and time again. It worked because Carell seems like such a genuine person all the time and we have gotten to know that through interviews and other events. So to see him be such a terrible person on screen made it all the more compelling and devastating. He was not a sympathetic character and he wasn't supposed to be but he wasn't an outright villain. That wouldn't have worked. Carell made it work thanks to his personality and expert acting skill at playing against type.

 Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:
Probably a lot of critics would vote for Jeremy Strong who had a very strong season in Succession as a very complicated character. He was excellent in everything he did, especially in the season finale, but I just found Carell more compelling. Strong's Succession co-star Brian Cox was also excellent as his Logan Roy became a more three dimensional character in the second season. Jason Bateman continues to be strong in Ozark even if his on-screen wife had the meatier role this season. I love that he brings his trademark snark even to a much more serious role. Billy Porter turned in another great season on Pose especially in his eulogy scene in the fourth episode. Finally, the two This is Us actors in the category had interesting seasons. Sterling K. Brown continues to be one of the show's MVPs but his character had some real unlikable moments this season. Of course he played it well. On the other hand, Justin Hartley has been the less acclaimed member of the "Big Three" but I think he has gotten better each season and season four was his best one yet with some really great performances and arcs. Honestly, I considered him pretty seriously for the win.

 Tomorrow: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited/Anthology Series!
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