…And this list contains more than one token writer. In fact, writers comprise just about half of those!
Is the dawning of a new era? Mmm….
by Tyler Coates
It was an incredible year for television, with an amazing array of performers, writers, producers and directors stepping up to deliver immaculately crafted series that were thought provoking, intensely affecting, and downright hilarious. Behind every great show there’s a few impressively talented people, and here we take a look at some of the most important people who made 2014 such an stand-out year for TV.
13. Matthew McConaughey
Just before nabbing his first Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club, McConaughey became a surprising TV star with his role in True Detective, playing the philosophizing, brooding, and sometimes creepy Rust Cohle, whose obsession with solving a murder trial took its toll emotionally and physically.
12. Aidy Bryant
One of the break-out cast members of SNL’s two recent seasons, Aidy Bryant has gone from someone who shone in the background to an incredible performer who commands the stage and camera with her hilarious presence, focusing on original characters rather than impressions.
13. Lena Dunham
With Girls‘ third season another critical hit, Dunham proves that whatever she has to say — which is plenty — will create some big waves. This year she released her memoir, Not That Kind of Girl, which sparked as much controversy as it did praise. Look for the same to happen when Girls returns in January.