10 Best TV Performances Of 2017 (So Far)

3. Elisabeth Moss - The Handmaid's Tale

The Handmaid's Tale is the best new television show of the year so far, a ferocious, sadly relevant piece of art with outstanding writing and a stellar cast, but it wouldn't have worked without getting the casting of protagonist Offred spot-on.

Enter Elisabeth Moss, one of TV's finest actresses of the last decade. Playing Offred, formerly known as June, Moss needs to walk a difficult line: it's a performance that at once demands power, because of what the character is going through, yet also needs considerable restraint due to the perilous situation she's in.

That Moss does all this largely through her face makes it all the more impressive. It's difficult to think of many actors on TV who can say more without actually saying anything, as Offred conveys so much thought and emotion with an expression, be it a quick glance of the eyes or an almost imperceptible twitch of the mouth.

It's a performance that's commanding in its stillness, and the way Moss is able to portray all the pain and grief her character feels - and then able to convey her trying to hide that as well - is astonishing and heartbreaking. It's not overly bleak, though, thanks to the biting asides and commentary Offred provides, along with the brief moments of hope we're allowed to glimpse, which add up to give us an indelible performance.