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AP2HYC TV AWARDS 2016 | Break-Out Star

The 2015-16 television season brought with it already beloved superheroes, as well as a slew of new comic-inspired shows. To celebrate another year of awesome, nerdy, super television, AP2HYC is hosting our second annual TV Awards! Be sure to cast your votes in each category, and check back to find out which shows and characters were victorious!

A slew of new characters were introduced to us this television season and, where some were entirely forgettable, others stood out and made us eager to see more. Whether a powered Inhuman, or the cheery wife of a curmudgeony British butler, these five characters, and their portrayers, were welcome additions to our television screens.

Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle (Daredevil)

Breakout- Jon Bernthal

Jon Bernthal proved to be such a standout in Daredevil’s sophomore season that very few were surprised when Marvel and Netflix announced the upcoming Punisher spin-off. Though his methods are questionable at best, and his impassiveness towards killing more than a little disconcerting, Frank Castle is a character that many people grew to love by the end of Daredevil’s second season. Bernthal played the role with a rawness that made it nearly impossible to not have at least some sympathy towards the man who was only trying to avenge the people he loved most. –Silje Falck-Pedersen

Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones (Jessica Jones)

Breakout- Krysten Ritter

The raw emotion that Krysten Ritter brought to the character of Jessica led to one of the most powerful and captivating performances of the year. As a character, Jessica is a gritty and deeply damaged individual whose internal demons needed to always be lurking on the surface. Ritter did a stunning job at portraying a woman whose past traumas were still very much a present concern. To balance the hard façade with Jessica’s constant emotional fragility is a feat that not many actresses could have successfully pulled off. Ritter managed to blend together every good and bad quality of Jessica’s to create a deeply complex individual who, despite an outward denial, only wishes to do good. –Silje Falck-Pedersen

Elodie Yung as Elektra (Daredevil)

Breakout- Elodie Yung

In a season that had its fair share of issues, Daredevil got one thing right in its casting of Matt Murdock’s former-flame-turned-assassin. Daredevil as a whole is a show that tends to be far more dark and broody than most, with central character Matt oftentimes being oddly boring considering his alter ego, which is what made the introduction of Elektra so pivotal. Elodie Yung played the character with a constant smirk and mischievousness that added a much-needed spark to the show and prevented viewers from being too bogged down by all of the depressing things that occur in Hell’s Kitchen. Yung made the show fun and somehow managed to add a flash of color to an otherwise dreary world. –Silje Falck-Pedersen

Natalia Cordova-Buckley as “YoYo” (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.)

Breakout- Natalia Cordova

Since, “YoYo,” was first introduced in the midseason premiere of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., fans have been expressing their love for the new Inhuman speedster. Elena is a character with a genuine desire to do good, whether it be through stopping corrupt police officers in her home country or teaming up with the Secret Warriors to save S.H.I.E.L.D., and strives to use her, “gift,” in a positive and productive way. Her no-nonsense attitude and quick humor immediately made Elena a beloved character and portrayer Natalia Cordova-Buckley a standout in a show that is already jam-packed with talent. –Silje Falck-Pedersen

Lotte Verbeek as Mrs. Jarvis (Agent Carter)

Breakout- Lotte Verbeek

It’s not often that we form an attachment to a character without actually having seen him or her. Meaning the role of Mrs. Jarvis had some pretty high expectations to meet. But even Edwin Jarvis’ banter about his wife wasn’t enough to fully prepare us for the fiery redhead that was to take the second season of Agent Carter by storm. When Lotte Verbeek’s Mrs. Jarvis first came to the screen, it suddenly dawned on us what we’d been missing without even knowing it. Her spirited and open nature was the perfect balance to Hayley Atwell’s more reserved Peggy. It’s no wonder that Mrs. Jarvis quickly became a fan favorite, with Verbeek stealing every scene she was in. Her refreshingly honest, feminine, and down to earth portrayal of the Hungarian WWII survivor was quite a dramatic shift from the other characters we had gotten to know. And it showed us that even a housewife can be a kick-ass lady and a definite scene-stealer. –Lisa Montgomery

Who do YOU think was this season’s biggest break-out? Be sure to vote below and Tweet your pick for the world to know using #ap2hycTVAwards!

VOTING IS NOW CLOSED. CHECK BACK TO SEE WHO WAS VICTORIOUS!

About the author

Silje Falck-Pedersen