5 Actors Too Good for Their TV Roles

Some TV shows, like "The West Wing" and "The Good Wife," are blessed with stellar writing and an entire cast of talented actors that make the most of each script that lands in their hands. Then there are TV shows that aren't the best quality, and have one or two actors keeping the entire series afloat. The five shows below may be entertaining, or guilty pleasures we never admit to watching, but these fine actors are too good to be starring in them.

Ian Somerhalder (Damon, "Vampire Diaries"): With his fine-boned good looks and prep school air, Ian Somerhalder began his career in privileged youth roles in films like "Rules of Attraction" and TV series like "Young Americans." After a series of episodes on fan favorite "Smallville" and roles in smaller films and cable series, Somerhalder landed the coveted role of Boone on "Lost."

(Spoiler Alert!) With his character's tortured angst and hauntingly ethereal eyes, Ian Somerhalder wooed female fans until Boone's unfortunate early exit from the series. Somerhalder then moved on to teen vampire drama "The Vampire Diaries", scoring himself a whole new generation of fans with his bloodthirsty bad boy Damon. Somerhalder is so popular in the role, he even beat out teen dream "Twilight" vamp Edward in Entertainment Weekly's Sexy Beast contest.

It's not unusual for the villian of the story to become more popular than the hero, but in this case it's more than just the lure of the dark side. Ian Somerhalder slithers around the set with an enticing mix of sensuality and danger, breathing life into his undead Damon. Somerhalder's performance is at times jarringly good, his stunning eyes more notable than ever as he's the only one in the cast not sporting a vacant expression. Somerhalder's too good for "Vampire Diaries," but we don't mind watching him make the most of it.

Leighton Meester (Blair Waldorf, "Gossip Girl"): Though her musical career might be a bit questionable, there's no doubt that Leighton Meester can act. As the East Coast princess Blair Waldorf -- make that "Queen B" -- on teen hit "Gossip Girl," Meester has taken a prissy and vapid mean girl character and made her immensely watchable. In fact, despite her many transgressions and dismissive attitude towards anyone below a certain social and financial rating, Blair remains one of the most likable characters on "Gossip Girl."

The soap opera plots of "Gossip Girl" can get complex, and often a bit preachy, and the exposition-filled and revelatory conversations can get cumbersome. Leighton Meester is the only "Gossip Girl" cast member who's managed to never sound like she's delivering a public service message in a bored monotone when the dialogue gets weighty. Meester always makes Blair real to the viewer, and she's at her fiery and conflicted best with on-again-off-again love Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick).

Leighton Meester has an extensive resume already, and a series of upcoming films, so it's clear she's planning on taking her talent farther than the college dorms on "Gossip Girl".

Nathan Fillion (Rick Castle, "Castle"): Nathan Fillion won our hearts as Mal Reynolds (aka Captain Tight Pants) in the cult favorite sci-fi series "Firefly." Joss Whedon's imaginative writing allowed Fillion to show his entire range of acting, reveling in the sly humor of his charming rogue captain, showing hints of his darker side, and revealing true humanity underneath all the bravado.

While Nathan Fillion's new TV series "Castle" is an entertaining romp, it's no "Firefly". It's a lightweight guilty pleasure that sometimes finds the right balance between murder scenes and humor, and sometimes doesn't--falling into callousness or absurdity instead. Fillion's appeal as the cheery, clever crime enthusiast has kept the show on the air long enough to gain a following--without him, "Castle" would probably be long gone.

Fillion still gets to use his adeptness at humor in "Castle", and very occasionally his sexy side, but the best parts of the show are when Rick Castle spends time with his family. Molly C. Quinn and Susan Sullivan are fine actors in their own right, and the three play well off of each other, creating a likable and believable family unit. The police investigation stories can be fun on "Castle", but you can often find Fillion adding more nuance to his acting than the players around him can manage. "Castle" would probably have been a stronger show if the focus were more on Fillion, and Castle's adventures in life and writing research rather than as persistent police tag-along.

Martha Plimpton (Virginia Chance, "Raising Hope"): As a teenager, Martha Plimpton stood out from the crowd with her unique looks, perpetual sassy smirk, comedy skill, and appealing believability in films like "Goonies" and "Parenthood". Though she often flies under the radar of the general public in smaller films and on stage, Plimpton has built an impressive career with films like "Beautiful Girls" and "Music from Another Room," and notable appearances on TV in "Law & Order" (SVU & CI), "Grey's Anatomy," "Medium," and "Fringe."

Watch her as the clever, feisty lawyer Patti Nyholm in her wickedly good guest appearances on "The Good Wife," and you'll realize Martha Plimpton deserves her own lead in a TV series. While she adds much-needed heart to the misfit family in "Raising Hope," as well as her wonderful skill at sarcasm and dry wit, she's too good for the show.

The direction of "Raising Hope" is all over the map, trying to be sweetly absurd one minute and then horrifyingly gross and/or inappropriate the next. If it had stuck with more of a white trash "Rosanne"-esque style of real family comedy, it would be a much better vehicle for Martha Plimpton. Currently the star also has a role in the HBO series "How to Make It in America," so she's keeping her options open while she works to make "Raising Hope" a better show than it is.

Alec Baldwin (Jack Donaghy, "30 Rock"): While Alec Baldwin has truly shown off his talents at absurd comedy on "30 Rock", anyone who had seen his multiple "Saturday Night Live" hosting gigs knew this man could do funny. A hysterically droll cameo in Cameron Crowe's "Elizabethtown" and a stint on hit TV series "Will and Grace" perfectly set the stage for Baldwin's "30 Rock" "comeback."

While Baldwin is grateful to Tina Fey for giving him a role that earned him both Emmy and Golden Globe awards, Fey should be equally grateful for having Baldwin on the show. With up and down ratings that have gotten many better shows canceled, "30 Rock" has kept its fan base largely due to Baldwin's hilariously satirical turn as the cutthroat corporate boss who has no PC filter. Let's face it, not many actors other than Baldwin could get away with the line: "We'll trick those race-card-loving wide loads into watching your lefty, homoerotic propaganda yet"--and make it funny.

With successful Meryl Streep film "It's Complicated" under his belt, and the upcoming "Men in Black" sequel, Alec Baldwin looks to have a fine career path no matter what happens with "30 Rock."

Sources:

"Ian Somerhalder," IMDB.com.

"Leighton Meester," IMDB.com.

"Nathan Fillion," IMDB.com.

"Martha Plimpton," IMDB.com.

"Alec Baldwin," IMDB.com.

Lowry, Brian. "30 Rock Review," Variety.com.

Scott, Andrew. "HBO Renews 'How to Make It in America'," TV Squad.