The Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series is one of the award categories presented annually by the Critics' Choice Television Awards (BTJA) to recognize the work done by television actors.
It was introduced in 2011 when the event was first initiated. The winners are selected by a group of television critics that are part of the Broadcast Television Critics Association.
Bob Odenkirk holds the record for most wins in the category with three, he won thrice for his performance as Saul Goodman in the AMC legal drama series Better Call Saul in 2015 and 2016 and again in 2023.
Winners and nominees
2010s Year Actress Program Role Network 2011 Jon Hamm Mad Men Don Draper AMC Steve Buscemi Boardwalk Empire Nucky Thompson HBO Kyle Chandler Friday Night Lights Eric Taylor DirecTVNBC Michael C. Hall Dexter Dexter Morgan Showtime William H. Macy Shameless Frank Gallagher Timothy Olyphant Justified Raylan Givens FX 2012 Bryan Cranston Breaking Bad Walter White AMC Kelsey Grammer Boss Tom Kane Starz Jon Hamm Mad Men Don Draper AMC Charlie Hunnam Sons of Anarchy Jax Teller FX Damian Lewis Homeland Nicholas Brody ShowtimeTimothy Olyphant Justified Raylan Givens FX 2013 Bryan Cranston Breaking Bad Walter White AMC Damian Lewis Homeland Nicholas Brody Showtime Andrew Lincoln The Walking Dead Rick Grimes AMC Timothy Olyphant Justified Raylan Givens FX Matthew Rhys The Americans Philip Jennings Kevin Spacey House of Cards Frank Underwood Netflix 2014 Matthew McConaughey True Detective Rust Cohle HBO Bryan Cranston Breaking Bad Walter White AMC Hugh Dancy Hannibal Will Graham NBC Freddie Highmore Bates Motel Norman Bates A&E Matthew Rhys The Americans Philip Jennings FX Michael Sheen Masters of Sex William Masters Showtime 2015 Bob Odenkirk Better Call Saul Jimmy McGill AMC Freddie Highmore Bates Motel Norman Bates A&E Charlie Hunnam Sons of Anarchy Jax Teller FX Timothy Olyphant Justified Raylan Givens Matthew Rhys The Americans Philip Jennings Aden Young Rectify Daniel Holden Sundance TV 2016 (1) Rami Malek Mr. Robot Elliot Alderson USA Network Hugh Dancy Hannibal Will Graham NBC Clive Owen The Knick Dr. John "Thack" Thackery Cinemax Liev Schreiber Ray Donovan Ray Donovan Showtime Justin Theroux The Leftovers Kevin Garvey, Jr. HBO Aden Young Rectify Daniel Holden Sundance TV 2016 (2) Bob Odenkirk Better Call Saul Jimmy McGill AMC Sam Heughan Outlander Jamie Fraser Starz Rami Malek Mr. Robot Elliot Alderson USA Network Matthew Rhys The Americans Philip Jennings FX Liev Schreiber Ray Donovan Ray Donovan Showtime Kevin Spacey House of Cards Frank Underwood Netflix2018 Sterling K. Brown This Is Us Randall Pearson NBC Paul GiamattiBillionsCharles "Chuck" Rhoades Jr.ShowtimeFreddie HighmoreBates MotelNorman BatesA&EIan McShaneAmerican GodsMr. WednesdayStarzBob OdenkirkBetter Call SaulJimmy McGill AMCLiev SchreiberRay DonovanRay DonovanShowtime2019 Matthew Rhys The Americans Philip Jennings FX Freddie Highmore The Good Doctor Dr. Shaun Murphy ABC Diego Luna Narcos: Mexico Félix GallardoNetflix Richard Madden Bodyguard Sergeant David Budd Bob Odenkirk Better Call Saul Jimmy McGill AMC Billy Porter Pose Pray Tell FX Milo Ventimiglia This Is Us Jack Pearson NBC
2020s Year Actress Program Role Network2020 Jeremy Strong Succession Kendall Roy HBO Sterling K. Brown This Is Us Randall Pearson NBC Mike Colter Evil David Acosta CBS Paul Giamatti Billions Charles "Chuck" Rhoades Jr. Showtime Kit Harington Game of Thrones Jon Snow HBO Freddie Highmore The Good Doctor Dr. Shaun Murphy ABC Tobias Menzies The Crown Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Netflix Billy Porter Pose Pray Tell FX2021 Josh O'Connor The Crown Charles, Prince of Wales Netflix Jason Bateman Ozark Marty Byrde Netflix Sterling K. Brown This Is Us Randall Pearson NBC Jonathan Majors Lovecraft Country Atticus "Tic" Freeman HBO Bob Odenkirk Better Call Saul Saul Goodman AMC Matthew Rhys Perry Mason Perry Mason HBO 2022 Lee Jung-jae Squid Game Seong Gi-hun Netflix Sterling K. Brown This Is Us Randall Pearson NBC Mike Colter Evil David Acosta Paramount+ Brian Cox Succession Logan Roy HBO Billy Porter Pose Pray Tell FX Jeremy Strong Succession Kendall Roy HBO 2023 Bob Odenkirk Better Call Saul Saul Goodman AMC Jeff Bridges The Old Man Dan Chase FX Sterling K. Brown This Is Us Randall Pearson NBC Diego Luna Andor Cassian Andor Disney+ Adam Scott Severance Mark Scout / Mark S. Apple TV+ Antony Starr The Boys Homelander Amazon Prime Video 2024 Kieran Culkin Succession Roman Roy HBO Tom Hiddleston Loki Loki Disney+ Timothy Olyphant Justified: City Primeval Raylan Givens FX Pedro Pascal The Last of Us Joel Miller HBO Ramón Rodríguez Will Trent Will Trent ABC Jeremy Strong Succession Kendall Roy HBO 2025 Hiroyuki Sanada Shōgun Yoshii Toranaga FX / Hulu Jeff Bridges The Old Man Dan Chase FX Ncuti Gatwa Doctor Who Fifteenth Doctor Disney+ Eddie Redmayne The Day of the Jackal Alexander Duggan / The Jackal Peacock Rufus Sewell The Diplomat Hal Wyler Netflix Antony Starr The Boys Homelander / John Amazon Prime Video 2026 Noah Wyle The Pitt Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch HBO Max Sterling K. Brown Paradise Xavier Collins Hulu Diego Luna Andor Cassian Andor Disney+ Mark Ruffalo Task Tom Brandis HBO Adam Scott Severance Mark Scout / Mark S. Apple TV+ Billy Bob Thornton Landman Tommy Norris Paramount+
Multiple wins and nominations Multiple wins 3 wins Bob Odenkirk
2 wins Bryan Cranston
Multiple nominations 6 nominations Sterling K. Brown Bob Odenkirk Matthew Rhys
5 nominations Freddie Highmore Timothy Olyphant
3 nominations Bryan Cranston Diego Luna Billy Porter Liev Schreiber Jeremy Strong
2 nominations Jeff Bridges Mike Colter Hugh Dancy Paul Giamatti Jon Hamm Charlie Hunnam Damian Lewis Rami Malek Adam Scott Kevin Spacey Antony Starr Aden Young
See also TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Drama Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
References
External links