10 TV Performances Way Better Than Anyone Expected

8. Darren Criss - The Assassination Of Gianni Versace

Darren Criss broke out in Ryan Murphy's Glee, capturing fans hearts across 90 episodes as Blaine, lead singer of the Warblers and romantic interesting of Kurt. He was, like so many of Glee's cast from the first couple of seasons, charismatic, charming, and extremely likeable, but it was another Murphy show where Criss showed us just what he's capable of.

While the second season of American Crime Story was called The Assassination of Gianni Versace, the focus was very much on his killer, Andrew Cunanan. Criss had to not only embody this person - this serial killer - but do so in a way that carried the entire series.

As Cunanan, Criss was completely transformed. This wasn't just one performance: the actor nailed the murderous side of him, a hard-partying, drugged-up, pure villain who revelled in the thrill of taking another person's life. But he was always cunning and conniving, acting as a chameleon and being whatever he needed to be in any given moment, with Criss always absolutely convincing. There was a genuine menace to him, as the must be for a serial killer, but with a veneer of vulnerability too. As the show explored the rampant homophobia in America at the time, we get to see how those pressures affect him too. We're used to Criss singing, but here he hit the highest notes of all.