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BENJAMONSTER AWARDS 2024: Outstanding Guest Actor or Actress in a Comedy Series

Today's award is Outstanding Guest Actor or Actress in a Comedy Series!

Past Awards in This Category: 2023   2022   2021   2020

This year's nominees are...

MATTHEW BRODERICK as Himself in Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)












HELEN HUNT as Winnie Landell in Hacks (Max)











KEEGAN-MICHAEL KEY as Superintendent Reynolds in Abbott Elementary (ABC)











BEBE NEUWIRTH as Dr. Lilith Sternin in Frasier (Paramount+)











KAITLIN OLSON as DJ Vance in Hacks (Max)











JOHN SLATTERY as Himself in What We Do in the Shadows (FX)











J. SMITH-CAMERON as Kathy Vance in Hacks (Max)













And the Winner Is...
KAITLIN OLSON
Hacks (Max)
Kaitlin Olson has been a guest star in all three seasons of Hacks so far, but she really came into her own with the third season. She was given her best material and knocked it out of the park. Every appearance she made was strong but her best performance was easily the roast episode. Her character seemed destined to fail at the roast only to knock it out of the park and Olson was so effective at leading that sleight of hand. She is able to go toe-to-toe with Jean Smart in a much different way than Hannah Einbinder does and the show uses her in very smart ways. If she was a series regular, I don't think she'd be as effective. It is great casting and is a great performance.

Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:
Olson had the most competition from another guest star as a family member of Deborah Vance. J. Smith-Cameron joined this season as Deborah Vance's sister and also had some great scenes with Jean Smart. I hope they continue to explore that relationship in the fourth season. Another great Hacks guest star was Helen Hunt, who reminded us all she has great comedy chops in a fun pickleball scene. Among non-Hacks guest stars, Keegan-Michael Key was great as a bumbling superintendent on Abbott Elementary. Matthew Broderick and John Slattery both played versions of themselves on Only Murders in the Building and What We Do in the Shadows respectively and they both seemed to have a ton of fun doing it. Finally, the great Bebe Neuwirth returned for an episode of Frasier as Lillith and she and Kelsey Grammer haven't lost a step with each other.

Tomorrow: Outstanding Writing of a Limited/Anthology Series!
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