6. Jonathan Banks (Mike) - Wiseguy
Fret not, this list does not feature solely new or recent shows. Wiseguy actually began in 1987, when Mike Ehrmantraut had hair! The fact that this is true is a little off-putting at first, but once you're used to it, the classic timing of Jonathan Banks begins to shine through (no bald pun intended). Jonathan Banks' plays Frank McPike, whose role is essentially being the only one who can talk back to the main character of Vincent Terranova. Wiseguy is centered around just that, a wiseguy, who has just gotten out of prison and now works deep undercover for the for the Organised Crime Division, catching criminals from the inside. Being a recognized officer, McPike usually has Terranova arrested so he can update him on the current mission at hand. What is interesting to note is that this show was, at the time, unique, as plots could last up to 12 episodes of a particular season. The pilot episode is both daring and confident as the premise put forth in this feature length entry isn't actually resolved until the tenth episode. The first season alone had no more than two storylines in it, spotlighting actors such as Scrubs' Ken Jenkins or Rocky Horror's Tim Curry. Don't be deterred by the storyline heavy premise of the show it can be hard to get into, but it's very enjoyable once you do. Also, there are occasional interludes one can enjoy such as the fan favorite episode where everybody goes fishing.