6. Dean Norris
Few if any shows have ever gone as stratospheric as Breaking Bad on the back of both critical and word-of-mouth acclaim. Beginning its first season in 2008 with 1.4 million viewers in the States, its finale last year attracted 10.28. Though the main focus of the story is Bryan Cranston's Walter White, Dean Norris also plays a huge role in proceedings as Hank Schrader, Walt's brother-in-law who doggedly pursues the elusive 'Heisenberg', who goes from a small time meth cook to a drug kingpin, without knowing (for four and a half seasons) that the man is married to his wife's sister. He comes close on several occasions, mind, coming into contact with Walt's associate Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) a number of times before he gets the ultimate 'oh shi-' moment during the season five mid-season finale. Norris has stated that he always seems to play policemen or other law enforcement agents. 24's second season gave him a bit of a change, as he played a military chief, General Bowen, instead.
5. Stephen Merchant
Whenever a new duo of comedic writers/performers comes to the forefront of popularity, it always seems inevitable that one will go to achieve widespread recognition whilst the other, though not fading into obscurity, will soon pale in comparison to their onetime equal. No pair exemplifies this point more than Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, who worked together on London's XFM station and on the original UK version of the Office before Gervais discovered worldwide fame for his stand-up comedy and presenting. The two have continued to work together on projects such as Extras, Life's Too Short and An Idiot Abroad, and Merchant does now have his own show on HBO. When it came to cameoing on 24, however, producers decided that Gervais' face was too recognisable and left his scene on the cutting room floor, whilst leaving Merchant on screen as a background CTU worker during season six. No word yet on whether Karl Pilkington will be emulating his friends/co-stars and appearing in Live Another Day to moan and rant about Jack Bauer's presence in London as an American 'tourist'.