10 Great TV Show Performances (No One Ever Talks About)

Much of the praise and admiration thrown towards 2021's HBO crime drama Mare of Easttown, led by the always-impressive Kate Winslet, was quite rightly sent the leading lady's way as the star brought a warts and all depiction of a woman fighting her own inner demons whilst trying her best to uncover the truth behind a harrowing murder in her small town.

But propping up this powerhouse performance from Winslet was an ensemble cast each worthy of their own portion of sizeable acclaim, with Jean Smart in particular being largely overlooked when banging the drum for this twisting and turning story.

As Mare Sheehan's mother Helen Fahey, Smart turns scene stealing into an art form during her constant verbal duels with Winslet, but still finds the time to lace some genuine heart into a character who acts as the sharp-witted comedic relief in an often painfully dark tale.

Likely not aided by the fact that Smart also caught critics' eyes with her brilliant work on Hacks in 2021, earning her first Primetime Emmy for her portrayal of Deborah Vance in the process, her wicked-yet-warm foil to Winslet's often stoic Mare made for some of last year's most exhilarating and under-appreciated viewing.