15 Greatest Performances In Marvel Cinematic Universe TV Shows 

15. Clark Gregg - Phil Coulson (Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.)

It seems fitting to start this list with the man who bridged the gap between the MCU movies and TV shows.

Beloved as supporting character Phil Coulson, the character was tragically killed off in The Avengers - only to be given a second lease of life, with Clark Gregg headlining the first MCU spin-off TV show.

Although you could now argue for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. working without him, it never would've gotten off the ground without his presence. The return of Coulson was the reason anyone was interested in the first place, and Gregg's performance is what really made it work.

In the movies he just had to crack-wise. Here, he was charged with all the heavy lifting, and handled the extra workload superbly. Suffering from nightmares and trauma, he was able to delve into the psyche of Coulson, and show how much suffering he underwent. At the same time he had to be the strong leader of S.H.I.E.L.D., carrying the authority that comes with it, and on top of that still maintain an air of the lighthearted Coulson everyone loved in the first place.

It's a testament to Gregg that he not only managed it, but has continued to do so throughout the show's run, bringing more layers to a character the movies deemed surplus to requirements.