Hugh Grant in 'The Undoing' tops the list of best male television performances of 2020

The year 2020 also bore witness to some exemplary pieces of character work in the realm of mainstream television as well. Hugh Grant in The Undoing gave a spine-chilling performance as the human embodiment of a menacing soul in a gentleman's attire. Damien Lewis in Billions set new benchmarks as the shrewd, conniving yet likeable Bobby "Axe" Axelrod in the hit Showtime series.

Mark Ruffalo in I Know This Much Is True showed that he can step out of the shadow of his MCU character, The Hulk, at any given point in time and play a character that is Bruce Banner in every possible way. The article that can be found below enlists such performances who have been a part of the best TV Shows of 2020.

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1) Hugh Grant in The Undoing

Source: A still from The Undoing

The list of the best TV actors of 2020 has to start with Hugh Grant, who plays a child oncologist in The Undoing. The HBO psychological thriller miniseries sees Grant play the character of Jonathan Sachs, who has a myriad of secrets that he has been keeping from his wife, Grace Fraser, a clinical psychologist (Played by Nicole Kidman). Hugh Grant's performance has been described as complex, layered and a welcome departure from the Rom-Com characters that viewers have come to associate with. The miniseries has a rating of 8.4 on IMDb and is available for streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.

2) Damien Lewis in Billions

Source: A still from Billions

Homeland star Damien Lewis steps into the shoes of the forward-thinking, shrewd and decisive Bobby Axelrod for the hit Showtime series, Billions. Damien Lewis's Axelrod, or simply "Axe", has been described as someone who oozes intellectual prowess and Socrates-Esque dexterity when it comes to solving matters with a pinch of a mean streak that is borderline terrifying. The show is available for streaming on Disney+ Hotstar and has a rating of 8.4 on IMDb.

3) Mark Ruffalo in I Know This Much Is True

Source: A still from I Know This Much Is True

The third addition in the list of Best TV actors of 2020 is Mark Ruffalo, who comfortably stepped out of the overshadow of his gigantic green persona and stepped into the skins of Dominick and Thomas Birdsey. The two characters are identical twins whose traumas, miseries and interpersonal/intrapersonal battles make up the premise of the six-part-series. Ruffalo's performance in this show has been termed as astonishing and very much an act that could have gotten him an Emmy. The show has a rating of  8.2 on IMDb and is available for streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.

4) Kayvan Novak in What We Do In The Shadows

Source: A still from What We Do In The Shadows

 Considered the best TV shows of 2020 is Jean Clement's What We Do In The Shadows. In the mockumentary that has been written by Thor: Ragnarok's Taika Waititi, Kayvan Novak can be seen playing Nandor the Relentless. Kayvan Novak's performance has been described as heartfelt, witty, charming and relatable, even though he is playing the part of a Vampire. What We Do In The Shadows is available for streaming on Disney+Hotstar and has a rating of 8.5 on IMDb.

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5)  Lil Dicky in & as Dave

Source: A still from Dave

Lil Dicky as Dave can be considered as a pleasant surprise by many television viewers. His performance in the miniseries, as per many, Lil Dicky as Dave ends up giving a performance which comes out of a pure place, borderline exacerbating but if looked at in its entirety, his heart seems to be in the right place. The show has a rating of 8.4 on IMDb and is available for streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.

6) William Jackson Harper in The Good Place

Source: A still from The Good Place

William Jackson Harper essays the character of Chidi Anagonye in the hit NBC series, The Good Place. Harper's act as Chidi Anagonye has been described as someone who brilliantly uses the tools of his intellect, indecisiveness and his overly paranoid nature to invoke all sorts of extreme reactions from the viewers. The Good Place has a rating of 8.2 on IMDb and is available on Netflix for streaming.

7)  Nick Robinson in A Teacher

Source: A still from The Teacher

A Teacher is front lined and produced by House Of Cards star Kate Mara, but the mini-series' adolescent male lead, Nick Robinson, deserves to be mentioned and hailed for his act as Eric. His performance has been described as relatable, disturbing and the one that has a high degree of authenticity and honesty. The HBO miniseries is available for streaming on Disney+Hotstar. It has a rating of 7.1 on IMDb.

8) Kevin McKidd in Grey's Anatomy

Source: A still from Grey's Anatomy

Kevin McKidd's Owen Hunt has been described as shrewd, caring and yet helpful. The reviewers from across the board have said that she brings a healthy dash of typical British flavour to the team of Grey's Anatomy. The eponymous show has a rating of 7.6 on IMDb.

9) Bob Odenkirk in Better Call Saul

Source: A still from Better Call Saul

Bob Odenkirk's performance as Saul Goodman in Better Caul Saul has been hailed as the sort that perfectly captures the mood of every situation in the series. Better Call Saul, as per many, has been hailed as an equivalent of its parent show, Breaking Bad, sans the slow-paced parts, for whom Odenkirk can be thanked. As per former POTUS Barack Obama himself, the show manages to accurately explore the dark side of the American Dream. The show is available for streaming on Netflix and has a rating of 8.7 on IMDb.

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10) Don Cheadle in Black Monday

Source: A still from Black Monday

Another actor who manages to effortlessly step out of his MCU persona and into the skin a character that is radically different than the former is Don Cheadle. The actor, who can be seen playing Sergent Rhoades/War Machine in the MCU, is seen as a conniving trader who is a substance addict and has a penchant for once-in-a-lifetime lucrative deals in Showtimes's Black Monday. Cheadle's performance as the trader, Mo, has been hailed as a quirky, heart-warming at times and even pleasantly outrageous by many. Black Monday has a rating of 7.4 on IMDb and is available for streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.

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