Welcome to the 2022 SiftPop.com Sifties!
This year, the SiftPop writers came together to nominate five casts for Best Television Ensemble. Here is a countdown of the five best ensembles that our writers collectively saw!
2022 brought a long list of lovable ensembles. Between lawyers and shady criminals, inner-city teachers, a group of teenagers in a sci-fi world, vampires, and dragon riders there was a wide variety to appreciate. The SiftPop crew nominated five casts for Best Television Ensemble: Better Call Saul, Abbott Elementary, What We Do in the Shadows, Stranger Things, and House of the Dragon. Here’s how the voting played out:
House of the Dragon had an even tougher job than most ensemble-driven series: it not only had to build momentum, it had to establish a host of far too many characters (this is the Game of Thrones universe, after all), all over a narrative period of 20 years in just its first eight episodes. This means recasting and restructuring of every form. The fact that the show remains just as engaging, even amidst cast changes and time jumps, is a testament to its fantastic ensemble, who manage to hold the floor and keep pace with every single meticulously-mapped character arc. Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey, Rhys Ifans, and so many more help House of the Dragon rival its predecessor’s ensemble right from the jump.
Better Call Saul is a performer’s dream. The series is filled with complicated characters that the audience can root for, while also showing all the ugliness in the world. The cast is filled with morally bankrupt and corrupt characters like Lalo (Tony Dalton) and Gus (Giancarlo Esposito). Bob Odenkirk anchors the team and has chemistry with everyone on the show. No one embodies that chemistry better than Rhea Seehorn, who you can’t help but feel sorry for while banging your head against the wall with her decision-making with Saul Goodman. We get contributions from everyone in the cast, even those with smaller bit parts like Jonathan Banks as the stoic Mike, Michael Mando as the heroic Nacho, and Patrick Fabian as the unlucky Howard. The ensemble for Better Call Saul is strong individually and together: a rare feat in television.
It was only a matter of time before a mockumentary tackled a public school, and Abbott Elementary was the perfect show to do it. Quinta Brunson not only created this wonderful cast of characters — she stars as the quirky, ever-optimistic, and lovable lead as well. Tyler James Williams has hit his stride as a non-child star as Mr. Eddie; Janelle James steals every single scene she appears in as Ava; Sheryl Lee Ralph is pitch perfect as Barbara; Chris Perfetti stands out as the innocent yet well-meaning Jacob; Lisa Ann Walter brings a sometimes rough exterior with a soft interior as Melissa; and William Stanford Davis is always there for a hilarious one-liner as the custodian, Mr. Johnson. Abbott Elementary has a perfect ensemble with no weak links, and it should last for years to come.
It’s quite the magic trick this cast pulls off. Stranger Things continues to get spectacular performances from returning cast members we’ve grown to love. Finn Wolfhard, David Harbour, Winona Ryder, Gaten Matarazzo, Maya Hawke, Caleb McLaughlin, and of course, Millie Bobby Brown among them. Each season, one returning performer seems to stand out, and for this season, it’s Sadie Sink’s Max who shines. Even more than that, the show somehow manages to give its audience new characters to fall in love with each season. This year saw the additions of Jamie Campbell Bower’s terrifying Vecna, Eduardo Franco’s Argyle, and Joseph Quinn’s fan-favorite Eddie Munson. The way the show constantly mixes new faces into an ever-expanding cast alongside regulars is quite impressive.
Our lovable cast of quirky vampires (and a particular familiar) is back with Season Four of What We Do in the Shadows, and each actor is at the top of their game. Matt Berry’s Laszlo has become almost a parody of himself… but in a good way. Some of his line deliveries are unrivaled. Kayvan Novak and his endearing accent continue to steal the show. Natasia Demetriou brings some real depth to Nadja, on top of her consistently silly dialogue and antics. Mark Proksch is possibly the most impressive performer this season, as we watch the new Colin Robinson grow from a baby to a middle-aged adult. And Harvey Guillén continues to be the beating heart of the entire series as the goofy but lovable Guillermo. Throw in Kristen Schaal, Anoop Desai, and so many more, and you have one of the most endearing ensembles on TV today.
Make sure to check back tomorrow for the winner of Best Television Performance!