There has been an embarrassment of riches this year for anyone who is a fan of phenomenal acting on television. 2013 gave us more memorable, complex, and layered characters than ever before. And they were brought to life by men and women with a wide range of talents—actors who didn’t just make us think about these characters as we were watching them; they made us care about them long after the episode was over.

For my next installment of NGN’s “Best of 2013” series, I want to take a look at the actors who brought something special to their respective television shows this year. In a year of standout performances, these—separated into male and female, comedic and dramatic—were the best of the best from my seat on the couch.

Top Five Female Dramatic Performances:

1. Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black)
This might be cheating a little bit because I’m just over halfway through the first season of Orphan Black, but I highly doubt the final four episodes I have left to watch will affect my opinion of Maslany beyond making me respect her even more. Not only does she impressively give each clone her own unique posture, accent, and mannerisms, she gives each one her own soul. I was expecting to marvel at Maslany’s talent when I started this show, but I wasn’t expecting to feel so deeply for so many of the characters she’s created. Yes, it’s amazing how she’s able to not only play clones but also clones pretending to be other clones. But what’s really amazing is the emotional commitment she gives to each character and each scene.
Best Episode of 2013 (that I’ve seen so far): “Variations Under Domestication”

2. Jennifer Morrison (Once Upon a Time)
Emma Swan is not an easy character to play. She suppresses her emotions after a lifetime of loneliness, only showing them in the subtlest change of expression until they all come out in bursts of vulnerability that surprise even her. Emma is strong, but she’s also incredibly broken. And it takes an actress of considerable talent and also considerable love for this kind of character in order to bring her to life successfully. Morrison is so adept at showing every complicated facet of Emma’s character—her awkwardness and her innate ability to lead; her fear of opening up and her intense vulnerability; her ability to love and her inability to fully accept love from others. Emma grounds this fantasy show in real, human drama, and Morrison grounds Emma with real, human emotions.
Best Episode of 2013: “Lost Girl”

3. Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones)
There’s a reason the Red Wedding was one of the most heartbreaking television moments of 2013. Yes, it was horrifying to watch Robb Stark, his young wife, and his direwolf be brutally slaughtered. But the true pathos of that scene came not from Robb but from his mother. Fairley was fearless in her depiction of a mother’s desperation and grief. Her scream when Robb was murdered still haunts me, and her catatonic expression in the moments before her own death said it all: Catelyn Stark died the moment her son did. Only a truly great actress could communicate such depth without dialogue, and Fairley is as good as they come on a show filled with talent.
Best Episode of 2013: “The Rains of Castamere”

4. Bellamy Young (Scandal)
Mellie Grant could be an easy character to hate—and I suppose, for some people, she is. But I love Mellie—I love her ambition, her ruthless edge, the steel in her spine, and the ferocity behind her first-lady façade. In Young’s capable hands, Mellie developed this year into a tragic figure beyond just a woman scorned. Drunk Mellie was brilliant, but it was Young’s work in the horrifying episode where Mellie was raped that floored me with just how talented she is at making us care about this woman beyond her role in Scandal’s screwed-up love story. More than any other actress on my list, Young is the one I wish more critics and award committees were taking notice of this year.
Best Episode of 2013: “Everything’s Coming Up Mellie”

5. Hayden Panettiere (Nashville)
Juliette Barnes is a complicated woman—she’s a woman from a trailer park who rose to country music stardom; she’s a woman who surrounds herself with men and yet has never really been in love; she’s a woman who’s been used and who uses others; and she’s a woman who acts every bit the diva but also has moments of astounding empathy and kindness. Panettiere has managed to give just the right amount of hard edges and soft spots to this character to keep audiences guessing about exactly who Juliette is. Whether she’s ranting about the way women are used in the music industry, befriending a young girl whose mother is in a coma, or breaking down after a confession of love goes awry, Panettiere has made Juliette feel like a real, complicated woman who it is impossible not to care for—no matter how selfish she may seem on the outside.
Best Episode of 2013: “I Fall to Pieces”

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New Girl’s Nick and Jess were one of 2013’s most talked-about TV relationships.

This was a great year to be a fan of smart, complex, and emotionally-engaging relationships on television. In terms of romantic relationships, there were plenty of engagements, weddings, and first kisses to keep even the most rabid “shippers” happy. And there were plenty of other meaningful relationships that blossomed on our TV screens this year, too—between parents and children, friends, coworkers, and traveling companions.

Today at NGN, it’s time to take a look at the 10 best relationships that graced our TV screens this year. From lovers to family members to mentors, here are my favorite TV relationships of 2013.

1. Leslie and Ben (Parks and Recreation)
In a year that featured the development of many strong romantic relationships, there was still no other duo who could come close to the hold these two have over my heart. Through successes and failures, good days and bad, these two are each other’s ultimate teammate—always having each other’s back and helping them be their best self. Their perfect wedding was my favorite TV moment of the year. Not only are they the best couple on television; they’re the most inspiring for all us Leslies (and Bens) out there looking for someone to love and to like.

2. Nick and Jess (New Girl)
The best television surprise in 2013 for me was how this relationship was handled at the end of New Girl’s second season. With a deft mixture of silliness and sincerity, Nick and Jess moved from roommates to roomfriends to romance in what was quite possibly the most satisfying string of episodes of any show to air this year. Has the progression of their relationship faltered a bit in Season Three? Yes. But that doesn’t take away from what this relationship is at its best—a surprisingly honest (and surprisingly hot) look at what happens when two messy, imperfect people fall in love. And let’s not forget about the kissing. (But really, how could anyone forget about the kissing?)

3. Jaime and Brienne (Game of Thrones)
On a show filled with backstabbing, power plays, and relationships built on deceit, Season Three of Game of Thrones gave us the dynamic duo of Jaime and Brienne, whose relationship is built instead on a slowly developing sense of mutual understanding and trust. Theirs is a story of learning to look beyond first impressions and reputations to see the real person. All Jaime wants is someone to see him as Jaime instead of the Kingslayer, and Brienne finally gave him that gift when she called him “Ser Jaime.” In a world where relationships between men and women are either outlets for lust or political power (or both), Jaime and Brienne represent something very rare: genuine respect.

4. Charming and Emma (Once Upon a Time)
Once Upon a Time began with the ultimate act of paternal love—a father willing to give up his own life to save his daughter. But for over two seasons after that brilliant moment, it felt like Charming and Emma’s relationship would never come close to that level of importance on the show again. Thankfully, Season Three has featured a growing number of moments between father and daughter, and it’s been enough for audiences to see just how special this relationship is. Charming’s concern for Emma’s happiness never feels forced or tied up with any emotions other than deep, unconditional love. From lame dad jokes to sweet forehead kisses, their relationship always feels genuine and uncomplicated, which is the kind of love Emma needs from her parents. Josh Dallas radiates a kind of warm, paternal energy, and he is often at his best when sharing a scene with Jennifer Morrison, including even the smallest background moments.

5. Castle and Beckett (Castle)
Confidence is a beautiful thing, and that’s been the key to Castle and Beckett’s relationship ever since Castle proposed at the end of Season Five. By moving the characters into this next stage of their relationship, the writers seem to have freed themselves of any unnecessary angst and are instead weaving this warm, supportive, and sexy relationship into the fabric of the show rather than leaving it in its own box. From a first “I love you” to wedding planning and talk of future babies, this couple has taken huge strides in the last year, and I can’t wait to see what 2014 brings for them and for us as fans.

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