BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2021: The Recap

I hope you enjoyed my month of awards! Check back here regularly starting September 6 for the return of my daily posts. 

Mondays: Schedules of the Past

Tuesdays: Top 10 Tuesdays

Wednesdays: One Season Wonders

Thursdays: Episode Guides

Friday: The Friday Five - Top 5 TV news stories of the week!

Here's a recap of all the awards, check below this post for each individual award post!

Outstanding Drama Series: The Crown (Netflix)
Outstanding Comedy Series: Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Outstanding Limited/Anthology Series: The Queen's Gambit (Netflix)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Emma Corrin, The Crown (Netflix)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Billy Porter, Pose (FX)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant (HBO Max)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited/Anthology Series: Kate Winslet, Mare of Easttown (HBO)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited/Anthology Series: Ethan Hawke, The Good Lord Bird (Showtime)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Gillian Anderson, The Crown (Netflix)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Michael Dorman, For All Mankind (Apple TV+)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Brendan Hunt, Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited/Anthology Series: Kathryn Hahn, WandaVision (Disney+)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited/Anthology Series: Brendan Gleeson, The Comey Rule (Showtime)

Outstanding Directing of a Drama Series: Liz Garbus, The Handmaid's Tale "The Wilderness" (Hulu)
Outstanding Directing of a Comedy Series: Susanna Fogel, The Flight Attendant "In Case of Emergency" (HBO Max)
Outstanding Directing of a Limited/Anthology Series: Scott Frank, The Queen's Gambit "Adjournment" (HBO)

Outstanding Writing of a Drama Series: Peter Morgan, The Crown "War" (Netflix)
Outstanding Writing of a Comedy Series: Maya Erskine, PEN15 "Play" (Hulu)
Outstanding Writing of a Limited/Anthology Series: Brad Ingelsby, Mare of Easttown "Sacrament" (HBO)

Outstanding Guest Actor or Actress in a Drama Series: Mckenna Grace, The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu)
Outstanding Guest Actor or Actress in a Comedy Series: Andrew Rannells, Girls5Eva (Peacock)
Outstanding Guest Actor or Actress in a Limited/Anthology Series: Isla Johnston, The Queen's Gambit (Netflix)

Outstanding Technical Design of a Drama Series: P-Valley (Starz)
Outstanding Technical Design of a Comedy Series: The Flight Attendant (HBO Max)
Outstanding Technical Design of a Limited/Anthology Series: WandaVision (Disney+)

Nominations by Show:

11 nominations: The Crown

9 nominations: The Flight Attendant, The Handmaid's Tale, Ted Lasso, WandaVision

8 nominations: Mare of Easttown, Pose, The Queen's Gambit, This is Us

7 nominations: P-Valley, PEN15, The Underground Railroad

6 nominations: Bridgerton, Dickinson, For All Mankind, The Good Lord Bird

5 nominations: Girls5Eva, Hacks, The Haunting of Bly Manor

4 nominations: Perry Mason, Superstore, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist

3 nominations: Everything's Gonna Be Okay, Love Life, Master of None, Shrill

2 nominations: Chad, I May Destroy You, A Teacher, The Undoing, We Are Who We Are, Woke

1 nomination: Black-ish, The Comey Rule, The Conners, Emily in Paris, Halston, Industry, The Kominsky Method, Love Victor, Mr. Mayor, The Politician, Ratched, Rutherford Falls, Saturday Night Live, Young Sheldon

0 nominations: 9-1-1, The Alienist: Age of Darkness, American Housewife, B Positive, Big Shot, Big Sky, Blue Bloods, Brave New World, Call Me Kat, Central Perk, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago PD, Cruel Summer, Dash & Lily, Dirty John, Fargo, Filthy Rich, Genius: Aretha, The Goldbergs, Grand Army, Grown-ish, Home Economics, Kenan, Law & Order: Organized Crime, Law & Order: SVU, Little Voice, Mixed-ish, Mom, The Neighborhood, Prodigal Son, Punky Brewster, Them, The Twilight Zone, The Unicorn, United We Fall, The Wilds, Young Rock, Your Honor

Nominations by Network:

38 nominations: Netflix

22 nominations: Hulu

21 nominations: Apple TV+

19 nominations: HBO

18 nominations: NBC

17 nominations: HBO Max

9 nominations: Disney+

8 nominations: FX

7 nominations: Amazon, Showtime, Starz

6 nominations: Peacock

3 nominations: Freeform

2 nominations: ABC, FX on Hulu, TBS

1 nomination: CBS

0 nominations: CBS All Access, FOX, National Geographic, TNT, USA

Wins by Show

4 wins: The Crown, Ted Lasso

3 wins: The Flight Attendant, The Queen's Gambit

2 wins: The Handmaid's Tale, Mare of Easttown, WandaVision

1 win: The Comey Rule, For All Mankind, Girls5Eva, The Good Lord Bird, P-Valley, PEN15, Pose

0 wins (of shows with nominations): Black-ish, Bridgerton, Chad, The Conners, Dickinson, Emily in Paris, Everything's Gonna Be Okay, Hacks, Halston, The Haunting of Bly Manor, I May Destroy You, Industry, The Kominsky Method, Love Life, Love Victor, Master of None, Mr. Mayor, Perry Mason, The Politician, Ratched, Rutherford Falls, Saturday Night Live, Shrill, Superstore, A Teacher, This is Us, The Underground Railroad, The Undoing, We Are Who We Are, Woke, Young Sheldon, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist

Wins by Network

7 wins: Netflix

5 wins: Apple TV+

3 wins: HBO Max, Hulu

2 wins: Disney+, HBO, Showtime

1 win: FX, Peacock, Starz

0 wins (of networks with nominations): ABC, Amazon, CBS, FX on Hulu, Freeform, NBC, TBS

BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2021: Outstanding Drama Series

We've reached the final award - Outstanding Drama Series!

Check out the nominees and winner from 2020!

This year's nominees are:

BRIDGERTON (Netflix)

THE CROWN (Netflix)

FOR ALL MANKIND (Apple TV+)

THE HANDMAID'S TALE (Hulu)

P-VALLEY (Starz)

POSE (FX)

THIS IS US (NBC)

And the Winner Is...

THE CROWN

Netflix

I was a fan of the first season of The Crown but I found it slow at times. I ended up not watching the second season but picked back up with it during the pandemic. I thought the third season was good (it was nominated for six awards last year from me) but not great (no wins). The fourth season is when it put it all together and a lot of that is thanks to British history. The 1980s is when the British had the saga of Charles and Diana and the rule of Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister. Those events gave The Crown plenty of material and the series made the most of it with pitch perfect casting and compelling stories. Whereas other seasons of The Crown dragged sometimes, this one flew by. The series is not completely based in reality but it took true events and made them very compelling episodes. As always, the production design was impeccable too. But it mostly comes back to the performances. Just as Diana humanized the royal family, they all felt more human this year and less like museum pieces. Even with so many of them not returning for future seasons, I'm still excited to see the final two seasons of the series.

Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:

Despite several of last year's drama nominees not returning due to pandemic issues, there was still a strong set of dramas. Along with The Crown, other returning nominees were This is Us and Pose. This is Us had a rough start to the season with clunky attempts at incorporating the pandemic. But it improved as the season went on and had a very compelling run of episodes to close the season. It also does way more episodes than any other nominee, even in a pandemic year. The final season of Pose gave a fairy tale ending to a lot of the characters but it was very satisfying for a show that has always been hopeful and optimistic even while dealing with things like AIDS. The Handmaid's Tale had a strong fourth season with a story that finally moved forward in a very meaningful way while the second season of For All Mankind took a big leap forward with a much more focused story. Finally, there are two new shows on the list: Bridgerton and P-Valley. Bridgerton was soapy but the best kind of soap with impeccable production values and a very clever voice. But it was P-Valley that gave The Crown its biggest threat. The drama was about strippers on the surface but it was so much more than that and is a very rich character drama that's not getting enough respect.

Tomorrow: A recap of all the awards!

BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2021: Outstanding Comedy Series

Here we are with Outstanding Comedy Series!

Check out the nominees and winner from 2020!

This year's nominees are:

DICKINSON (Apple TV+)

THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT (HBO Max)

GIRLS5EVA (Peacock)

HACKS (HBO Max)

PEN15 (Hulu)

SHRILL (Hulu)

SUPERSTORE (NBC)

TED LASSO (Apple TV+)

And the Winner Is...

TED LASSO

Apple TV+

Ted Lasso arrived on the scene in the Summer of 2020 but it was really in the fall that it started to become part of the zeitgeist. At the time, we were in the throws of a tumultuous election and bracing for another pandemic surge. It's no surprise that this was the perfect antidote for a rough time. With a relentlessly cheery outlook, Ted Lasso was the perfect antidote for 2020. As everything seemed to crumble around us, the show was both a reminder of what we had and also hope of what we could get back to. It was the most sunny show on TV since Parks and Recreation because even though some characters were cynical, the show itself didn't have a cynical bone in its body. On top of all, it was pretty darn funny with an ensemble that gelled quickly, some really strong writing and a unique premise. The second season is out now and now it has the added pressure of living up to the hype but I'm convinced Ted can do it.

Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:

Although Ted Lasso was a pretty easy choice for the winner, there were some excellent other nominees. Superstore ended an underrated six season run with a pandemic-themed season that actually worked where so many other shows failed at trying to incorporate COVID. The third and final season of Shrill was short and sweet with more consistency than it showed in its first two seasons. The second season of PEN15 was so delightfully odd and sweet at the same time while the second season of Dickinson also kicked it up a notch with the humor and stories. But some of the biggest threats to Lasso may have been its fellow freshmen. The Flight Attendant and Hacks both had really promising seasons thanks in large part to their leading ladies while Girls5Eva not only boasted the best theme song in recent memory but also had a madcap first season that was a lot of fun.

Tomorrow: Outstanding Drama Series!

BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2021: Outstanding Limited/Anthology Series

We've reached the big awards. Today's award is Outstanding Limited/Anthology Series!

Check out the nominees and winner from 2020

This year's nominees are...

THE GOOD LORD BIRD (Showtime)

THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR (Netflix)

MARE OF EASTTOWN (HBO)

THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT (Netflix)

THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD (Amazon)

WANDAVISION (Disney+)

And the Winner Is...

THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT

Netflix

The Limited/Anthology Series category is a really strong one in 2021, probably stronger than comedy or drama overall. There was tough competition but the winner is the Netflix phenom The Queen's Gambit. When I first heard about Gambit and its premise, I would never have imagined it would become the sensation that it did. I assumed I would like it because it was a period drama but what made it transcendent was the performances and the way the stakes felt so high without being melodramatic. It was a unique and different story that was so well written and well directed. It also had a very strong cast led by the revelation that is Anya Taylor-Joy. The series made a lot of people discover or re-discover a love for chess but the actual brilliance of the series was it was not really about the chess while still feeling like it was about the chess. What I mean is the show was ultimately about its characters, specifically the lead character of Beth. But it didn't try to bite off more than was necessary. It didn't try to be about geopolitical forces and become a female Bobby Fischer. Its story was narrow in scope but deep in the characters and it was the best limited series of the 2020-21 season.

Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:

Among many strong limited series, the biggest threat was Mare of Easttown. On its surface, it was just another season-long murder mystery plot that has been all over TV since True Detective. But thanks to a superstar cast and a well crafted story, it managed to not get very convoluted and have a satisfying conclusion. Those are two elements that are so much easier said than done. I'm not a big Marvel fan but their foray into TV series on Disney+ intrigued me because of the focus WandaVision had on the history of sitcoms. After watching the whole series, I'm still not sure how much I care about the MCU but I definitely have more interest than I did before thanks to Wanda's very interesting run. The Haunting of Bly Manor was an underrated limited series in the last season. It never focused too much on the horror elements and instead was a rich character drama. The Good Lord Bird was wacky at times but a load of fun over its seven episode run with the dynamite lead performance of my Best Actor winner, Ethan Hawke. Finally, I will admit that I found The Underground Railroad a real slog to get through. But I still appreciated the beauty of its production and the ambitious story it was trying to tell. Its scope alone was worthy of a nomination.

Tomorrow: Outstanding Comedy Series!

BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2021: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

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

Check out the nominees and winner from 2020!

This year's nominees are:

OLIVIA COLMAN as Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown (Netflix)

EMMA CORRIN as Princess Diana in The Crown (Netflix)

BRANDEE EVANS as Mercedes in P-Valley (Starz)

ELARICA JOHNSON as Autumn Night in P-Valley (Starz)

ELISABETH MOSS as June Osborne in The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu)

MJ RODRIGUEZ as Blanca Rodriguez in Pose (FX)

JORDAN KRISTINE SEAMON as Caitlin Poythress in We Are Who We Are (HBO)

And the Winner Is...

EMMA CORRIN

The Crown (Netflix)

We all knew The Crown would be buzzy for season four because it got to the Charles and Diana years. But the show knocked it out of the park with the casting of Emma Corrin as Princess Diana. She had her mannerisms and demeanor down perfectly while taking Diana on a journey through the 1980s. Corrin understood all the understated appeal of Diana and the genuine kindness mixed with a deep sense of insecurity. When playing someone as iconic as Princess Diana, it would have been easy to give a very surface level performance. But Corrin brought tremendous depth to the role and was a revelation. Considering how many people have had something to say about Diana while she lived and since her death, it's really impressive that Corrin could bust through all that and take things back to basis with a character who was a princess but also a very real person. I will miss Emma Corrin's portrayal in Season Five.

Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:

This category was dominated with actresses from The Crown and P-Valley. Returning nominee Olivia Colman was overshadowed at times by her co-stars who had more meaty material (Corrin, Josh O'Connor and Gillian Anderson). But she is the main character in the show and she provided a grounded center to everything that happened. The two P-Valley actresses, Elarica Johnson and Brandee Evans went on very different journeys with Johnson being more front and center in the first half of the season and Evans in the back half. Both were very strong characters that helped P-Valley be so much more than a "stripper show." Elisabeth Moss finally saw her character get past being tortured time and time again and showed new depth in the character. Returning nominee Mj Rodriguez continued to be the heart and soul of Pose in its final season. Finally, Jordan Kristine Seamon gave a very interesting performance and went on an interesting journey in We Are Who We Are.

Tomorrow: Outstanding Limited/Anthology Series!

BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2021: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Today's award is Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series!

Check out the nominees and winner from 2020!

This year's nominees are:

KALEY CUOCO as Cassie Bowden in The Flight Attendant (HBO Max)

HANNAH EINBINDER as Ava in Hacks (HBO Max)

RENEE ELISE GOLDSBERRY as Wickie Roy in Girls5Eva (Peacock)

ANNA KONKLE as Anna Kone in PEN15 (Hulu)

JANE LEVY as Zoey in Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (NBC)

NASIM PEDRAD as Chad in Chad (TBS)

JEAN SMART as Deborah Vance in Hacks (HBO Max)

HAILEE STEINFELD as Emily Dickinson in Dickinson (Apple TV+)

And the Winner Is...

KALEY CUOCO

The Flight Attendant (HBO Max)

This was a real tough choice but I went with Kaley Cuoco because of how much the success of The Flight Attendant hinged on her performance. The Flight Attendant is an ambitious show that got a lot of things right but was a little bit up and down with execution at time. It tonally jumped between being a comedy and drama, sometimes very quickly. The reason it worked as well as it did was because of Cuoco. She completely nailed the dark comedy (she is a riot in the "Funeralia" episode among others) but she also nailed the dramatic elements. And most impressively, she was able to navigate the two genres. It didn't feel as jarring as it could have because Cuoco was so believable as a mess of a character. If you're talking about giving credit to one performer for making the difference in a show's success or failure, this is it.

Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:

I was pretty sure for a long time that Cuoco would be my winner but there was a late and very strong push from Jean Smart for Hacks. Smart was absolutely brilliant in her role as Deborah Vance and if she beats Cuoco for the Emmy, I can get behind that. I ultimately went with Cuoco because I thought she was a little more responsible for the overall success of the show. One reason is Smart had another of my nominees, Hannah Einbinder as a very solid co-lead (she's category frauded in Supporting at the Emmys). Einbinder got stronger as Hacks went along. Among the other nominees, Renee Elise Goldsberry was the MVP for the first season of Girls5Eva with some very funny line deliveries and of course powerhouse performances. I know not everyone is a fan of Chad but I found Nasim Pedrad's portrayal of a 14 year old boy to be delightfully cringey. Anna Konkle and Maya Erskine are both great in PEN15 but I think Konkle was slightly stronger and she made my cut while Erskine just missed it. Hailee Steinfeld has carried Dickinson very well and kicked it up a notch in the second season. Finally, the charm of Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist hinged a large part on returning nominee Jane Levy.

Tomorrow: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series!

BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2021: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited/Anthology Series

Today's award is Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited/Anthology Series!

Check out the nominees and winner from 2020!

This year's nominees are...

MICHAELA COEL as Arabella on I May Destroy You (HBO)

ANNA KENDRICK as Darby on Love Life (HBO Max)

KATE MARA as Claire Wilson on A Teacher (FX on Hulu)

ELIZABETH OLSEN as Wanda Maximoff on WandaVision (Disney+)

ANYA TAYLOR-JOY as Beth Harmon on The Queen's Gambit (Netflix)

KATE WINSLET as Mare Sheehan on Mare of Easttown (HBO)

And the Winner Is...

KATE WINSLET

Mare of Easttown (HBO)

The Lead Actress category is stacked and this was a very tough decision but the honors go to Kate Winslet for elevating the murder mystery genre that has been so common on TV in the last few years. Winslet's portrayal as a grieving Detective made the show so much more of a character drama than it would have been with a less capable actress leading the way. Sometimes her character was determined, sometimes she was apathetic. Sometimes she was angry, sometimes she was sad, sometimes she was laughing hilariously at her mother. Winslet portrayed every human emotion with such realness. Although Winslet is British, her portrayal of an Eastern Pennsylvania detective could not have seemed more real. There was no glamour to her portrayal, just honesty.

Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:

As I mentioned, this was a very stacked category. A close second would belong to Anya Taylor-Joy, who was captivating throughout The Queen's Gambit and the perfect choice for an unorthodox chess prodigy. Elizabeth Olsen deftly navigated TV sitcom history throughout WandaVision with an effective mix of comedy and grief. I wasn't as big a fan of I May Destroy You as many were but there's no denying that Michaela Coel gave a heart-wrenching performance in her very intimate series. Kate Mara had a really difficult role as a teacher having an affair with a student. While her performance did perhaps provide some context, she never crossed the line into being a sympathetic character and her coldness was necessary for the series to work. Finally, I am often a big fan of Anna Kendrick and I thought she made Love Life a whole lot better than it might have been with an honest portrayal of a young woman looking for life.

Tomorrow: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series!

BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2021: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

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

Check out the nominees and winner from 2020!

This year's nominees are:

NICCO ANNAN as Uncle Clifford in P-Valley (Starz)

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

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

JOSH O'CONNOR as Prince Charles in The Crown (Netflix)

REGE-JEAN PAGE as Simon Basset in Bridgerton (Netflix)

BILLY PORTER as Pray Tell in Pose (FX)

MATTHEW RHYS as Perry Mason in Perry Mason (HBO)

And the Winner Is...

BILLY PORTER

Pose (FX)

Billy Porter had the most prominent role in the third and final season of Pose as his character went on quite the journey (SPOILER ALERT) that ended with his death. Whereas Porter was a larger than life figure in the first two seasons, he was much more humanized in the third season. He was strong as Pray Tell was battling alcoholism and as he was dying from AIDS. But the crowning achievement was in the fourth episode where he returned to his small hometown and his church. Porter played that episode magnificently and it could easily have been too sappy. Instead, he showed us all the complicated human emotions that come with being back in a life that he was so far removed from in part due to what they stand for while also loving his family and people from his town. On top of it all, he still delivered razor sharp lines and had some funny moments. His arc was the most satisfying close to the story and he played it brilliantly.

Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:

There are a lot of strong nominees in this category. Rege-Jean Page in his one and only season of Bridgerton got a lot of attention for his looks but he also had the acting chops to back it up. Sterling K. Brown turned in another solid performance of This is Us even when I wasn't always a fan of the choices made for his character. Likewise, Justin Hartley had better stories and has continued to get better as the show has gone on. Josh O'Connor went from being a supporting player in the third season to a major character in season four of The Crown and succeeded in making us understand Prince Charles a little better even if he continues to be an infuriating figure. Matthew Rhys brought a steady presence to Perry Mason during its first season though I would like to see him have a little more fun. Finally, the biggest threat was probably Nico Annan, who was an absolute scene stealer in P-Valley and a really wonderful character.

Tomorrow: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series!

BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2021: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Today's award is Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series!

Check out the nominees and winner from 2020!

This year's nominees are:

ANTHONY ANDERSON as Andre Johnson in Black-ish (ABC)

IAIN ARMITAGE as Sheldon Cooper in Young Sheldon (CBS)

TED DANSON as Neil Bremer in Mr. Mayor (NBC)

MICHAEL DOUGLAS as Sandy Kominsky in The Kominsky Method (Netflix)

ED HELMS as Nathan Rutherford in Rutherford Falls (Peacock)

LAMORNE MORRIS as Keef Knight in Woke (Hulu)

JASON SUDEIKIS as Ted Lasso in Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

JOSH THOMAS as Nicholas in Everything's Gonna Be Okay (Freeform)

And the Winner Is...

JASON SUDEIKIS

Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

All hail Ted Lasso, TV's most refreshingly optimistic character since Leslie Knope. Jason Sudeikis played the title character of the feel good comedy expertly. With a less solid performance, he could have been an irritating version of the white guy who fails upward and creates some resentment. But there was absolutely none of that in this character and that's because Sudeikis made him so genuinely likable in every way. He was unflappable most of the time with relentless optimism and an absolute commitment to seeing the best in everyone. But Sudeikis also gave him some layers as the season went on. Ted Lasso worked as a show for many reasons but the person most responsible for its success is most certainly Jason Sudeikis.

Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:

This category had a couple returnees which can't be said for every category. Anthony Anderson continued to be the best part of Black-ish, which is not nearly as strong a show as it once was. Michael Douglas soldiered on without Alan Arkin in the final season of The Kominsky Method and turned in another solid performance. Last year's winner, Ted Danson (for The Good Place) returned with Mr. Mayor. The show wasn't great but Danson was his usual charming and goofy self. Iain Armitage was a near-miss last year for Young Sheldon and he continues to become a more fully fledged character and not just a boy genius as the years go on. Lamorne Morris had some really interesting moments in Woke while Ed Helms was appropriately understated and not as obnoxious as he sometimes can be in Rutherford Falls. Finally, I found Josh Thomas incredibly irritating in the first season of Everything's Gonna Be Okay but he was a much more sympathetic character in the second season and I was shocked that I grew to like him in the role.