Summary
- Featured actors like Alexander Skarsgård and Pedro Pascal improve any show with their versatile talent.
- TV stars like Ian Somerhalder and Bella Ramsey consistently excel in different roles, enhancing the quality of each show.
- Legendary comedy actors such as Ted Danson and Julia Louis-Dreyfus elevate the quality of TV shows simply by being part of the cast.
A select few actors specifically known for their TV roles undeniably make any TV show they appear in better through their acting talent or their mere presence. TV legends such as Ted Danson, Idris Elba, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus followed up their first successful TV show with a new series that proved to be just as popular. While these actors are versatile, their continuous success is also because TV screenwriters know how to use them. Placing actors in a new scenario as a familiar character archetype will delight viewers by letting them do what they do best.
On the other hand, some rising TV stars make every show they are in great by landing one interesting role after another. In some cases, such as the parallel careers of Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, the actors continue to make these shows amazing by repeatedly playing similar characters. Nonetheless, no matter what the circumstances of each specific show, a few remarkable actors can transform every scene they are in.
10 Tom Selleck
Known for Magnum, P.I. (1980-1988) and Blue Bloods (2010-2024).
Tom Selleck will always be remembered for Magnum, P.I., the Hawaii Five-O-inspired series focusing on a single private detective. Shows of this style that highlight the protagonist need a talented and charismatic lead actor to make the formula work. Also still considered one of Selleck’s best roles is the recurring character of Dr. Richard Burke in Friends. Like with most guest stars in Friends, the character is written to leverage Selleck’s established reputation as an action star, allowing him to define every scene he is in.
Moving into the 21st century, Selleck elected to star in Blue Bloods. While also a crime show, Blue Bloods has a decidedly more serious tone than Magnum, P.I., and Selleck becomes the patriarchal figure in a family of cops. However, Selleck can still convey a sense of knowing everything while being amicable as Frank Reagan and is the backbone of the show.
9 Alexander Skarsgård
Known for True Blood (2008-2014) and Big Little Lies (2017-2019).
Standing out among the highly praised Succession cast is an impossible challenge, but Skarsgård manages to hold his own as tech CEO Lukas Matsson.
Alexander Skarsgård's TV career is defined by his roles in True Blood and Big Little Lies. In the former, Skarsgård plays the cunning vampire Eric Northman, who can turn any episode on its head through his rivalry with Bill Compton, the other major vampire character of the series. In contrast, the lead actresses are the focus of Big Little Lies, but Skarsgård still plays an essential role in the story the show wants to tell as Nicole Kidman's character's abusive husband.
However, Skarsgård perhaps only truly demonstrated his ability to make any show better when he joined the cast of Succession. Standing out among the highly praised Succession cast is an impossible challenge, but Skarsgård manages to hold his own as tech CEO Lukas Matsson. Season 4 is considered the best season of Succession, and Skarsgård doubtlessly contributes to the gravitas of this finale.
The 30 Best TV Characters Of All-Time
Though there have been countless characters who have made their mark in television history, Ranker has highlighted those voted as the all-time best.8 Pedro Pascal
Known for Game of Thrones (2011-2019), The Mandalorian (2019-Present), and The Last of Us (2023-Present).
Since his spectacular and bloody breakout role as Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones, Pedro Pascal has become one of Hollywood's favorite leading actors. Game of Thrones fans still adore Oberyn, who makes an impact with his carefree personality and rebellious attitude despite appearing in only a single season of the show. Following Game of Thrones, Pascal became one of Star Wars' new leads as the protagonist of The Mandalorian. This show in particular demonstrates his talent, as he has a powerful on-screen presence despite the audience hardly ever even seeing his face.
Pascal then landed the role of Joel in the video game TV show adaptation The Last of Us. The similarities between his Last of Us and Mandalorian characters are noted, as they are both seemingly heartless loners who end up with a child in their care. Pascal's ability to excel in any TV show has also earned him movie roles, including Drive-Away Dolls, which copies his Game of Thrones death. Pascal is also slated to play Reed Richards in the MCU's Fantastic Four.