After the back end of the 2000s introduced audiences to the Peak TV movement and the dawn of the streaming age made binge-watching the new norm, the 2010s brought us a bunch of addictive drama series. From a high fantasy saga filled with sex, gore, and dragons to a soap opera set during a zombie apocalypse, the 2010s were a great time to be a fan of genre stories.
The decade also brought plenty of interesting crime shows, as the tragic downfall of Walter White got TV viewers in the mood for criminal character arcs. So, here are the 10 best casts from 2010s TV dramas, ranked.
Mr. Robot
Anchored by a riveting performance by Oscar winner Rami Malek as antisocial drug-addicted vigilante hacker Elliot Alderson, Mr. Robot was one of the decade’s most fascinating and captivating TV shows. Malek was backed up by strong support from castmates like Carly Chaikin, Martin Wallström, Portia Doubleday, and of course, Christian Slater in the mysterious title role.
Inspired by American Psycho and Fight Club, series creator Sam Esmail came up with a group of fascinating characters that the actors deftly brought to life on the small screen.
The Americans
Although they depicted undercover Soviet spies as being much more effective than they actually were, The Americans’ lead actors Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys were incredibly compelling in the lead roles of Elizabeth and Philip Jennings.
Noah Emmerich provided a strong dramatic foil as their clueless neighbor, FBI agent Stan Beeman, while young actors Holly Taylor and Keidrich Sellati gave impressive turns as Elizabeth and Philip’s kids.
Stranger Things
With a lot of child actors, it can be distractingly obvious that the young performers are playing a character and reciting lines from a script. But that’s never been the case with Stranger Things’ massively talented young cast, headlined by Finn Wolfhard and Millie Bobby Brown, with Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, and Noah Schnapp all providing strong support.
Somehow, those kids have managed to hold their own opposite veteran acting heavyweights like Winona Ryder, David Harbour, and Matthew Modine.
Westworld
HBO’s serialized adaptation of Michael Crichton’s Westworld has a pretty amazing cast. Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, and James Marsden have all subtly played into the existential worries of being a sentient artificial intelligence, while Ed Harris is suitably mysterious as the Man in Black.
Jeffrey Wright has played the dark twists and turns in Bernard’s arc with gusto, and Anthony Hopkins – who could’ve phoned in his first regular TV role since the ‘70s – is spellbinding as always in the role of Robert Ford.
Fargo
As an anthology series, Fargo has a new cast every season. And in each season, that cast has been filled with A-list talent giving fantastic performances. From Billy Bob Thornton and Martin Freeman in the first season to Kirsten Dunst and Patrick Wilson in the second season to Ewan McGregor and Carrie Coon in the third season, the performances in Fargo are incredible.
On top of nailing the “Minnesota nice” accent, which is tough enough, these actors have all done an impressive job of walking along the show’s tonal tightrope between harrowing drama and pitch-black comedy.
The Walking Dead
With major characters getting permanently killed off every couple of episodes, the cast of The Walking Dead is an ever-changing roster of talent. With a few rare exceptions, everyone in the show’s ensemble has been fantastic, with the series’ standouts including Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Danai Gurira, and the late Scott Wilson.
As fans of The Wire, arguably the greatest TV series ever made, The Walking Dead’s producer have cast a bunch of that show’s finest cast members, including Chad L. Coleman, Lawrence Gilliard, Jr., and Seth Gilliam. Jeffrey Dean Morgan has brought the ultra-villainous Negan to life in a satisfying way, despite having his comics-accurate cuss-ridden vocabulary blunted by TV censorship rules.
Boardwalk Empire
Beginning with its Martin Scorsese-directed pilot episode, the cast of Boardwalk Empire was a who’s who of acting talent. Steve Buscemi’s subdued portrayal of Nucky Thompson led the series, but he was supported by such greats as Michael Pitt, Kelly Macdonald, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Michael Shannon (there was a lot of Michaels in this cast).
The underrated Stephen Graham was terrific in the role of Al Capone, while The Wire’s Michael K. Williams returned to HBO’s airwaves to brilliantly play Chalky White. Of all the actors who played recurring roles, Bobby Cannavale particularly stood out in the third season as ruthless gangster Gyp Rosetti.
The Handmaid’s Tale
Elisabeth Moss is the shining star of Hulu’s adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s seminal dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale in the lead role of June Osborne, a.k.a. “Offred,” as her lead performance has kept viewers hooked for years.
Alexis Bledel has given a heartbreaking performance as a fellow handmaid, while Joseph Fiennes and Yvonne Strahovski have committed wholeheartedly to their roles as the oppressors enforcing the bleak turn that society has taken.
Better Call Saul
Prequels are a risky business, but the Breaking Bad team has created one that’s arguably just as spectacular as the original work. Having been relegated to filling the comic relief role in Breaking Bad, Bob Odenkirk has proven himself to be a fine dramatic actor with his nuanced portrayal of Jimmy McGill’s transformation into “criminal” lawyer Saul Goodman in Better Call Saul.
Jonathan Banks and Giancarlo Esposito have been as great as ever in reprising their Breaking Bad roles, while Rhea Seehorn has emerged as one of the show’s M.V.P.s in the role of fierce fellow attorney Kim Wexler. Michael McKean’s turn as Jimmy’s traitorous brother Chuck McGill and Michael Mando’s subtle performance as Nacho Varga have also helped the show to no end.
Game Of Thrones
From star-making turns by newcomers such as Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, and Maisie Williams to memorable performances by veterans like Charles Dance, Sean Bean, and Lena Headey, Game of Thrones was filled with fantastic acting. The show’s breakout star was Peter Dinklage as the infinitely likable Tyrion Lannister.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Gwendoline Christie, and Richard Madden were all compelling in their roles, while Jack Gleeson and Iwan Rheon were delightfully hateable as Joffrey and Ramsay, respectively.
