The Best TV Comedy Performances of 2015

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There was some amazing acting on sitcoms in 2015. What was the best of the best? Here are my choices for the best TV comedy performances of 2015.

15. Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation)

Aubrey Plaza’s dry, sarcastic performance as April Ludgate has always been hilarious, but this year her performance got even more nuanced as April had her most mature season.

14. Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation)

Nick Offerman is one of the best in the business at delivery quick lines perfectly. This season he also got some great understated emotional episodes like “Leslie and Ron.”

13. Lisa Kudrow (The Comeback)

Ten years after the first season aired, Lisa Kudrow reprised her performance as Valerie Cherish. The second time around was not a disappointment as she brought the same incredible nuance to the role. The second season allowed Kudrow to be even more impressive since the show-within-a-show was meatier.

12. Gillian Jacobs (Community)

The final season of Community was a strong season for Britta, with episodes like “Advanced Safety Features” and “Lawnmower Maintenance and Postnatal Care.”

11. Will Forte (The Last Man on Earth)

This is a unique show that requires a lot from its leading man and Will Forte delivered with a beautiful performance. The first episode is a one-man show that immediately sucks viewers in.

10. Andre Braugher (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

Although Ray Holt is positioned as a straight man on the show, Braugher’s understated performance actually delivers the biggest laughs on the show.

9. Busy Philipps (Cougar Town) 

Busy Philipps is a comedy powerhouse who has always been one of the reasons Cougar Town is among the most hilarious shows on TV. This year we got to see a new side of the character when she became a mother.

8. TJ Miller (Silicon Valley)

TJ Miller’s Erlich Bachman had the most development of any character in Silicon Valley this season aside from the protagonist. Watching his thin layers of defense crack so we could see the vulnerability underneath in episodes like “Homicide” was touching and his redemption in the season 2 finale was on an emotional par with the series main plot.

7. Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley)

Thomas Middleditch is the anchor of Silicon Valley and perfectly played how Richard was put through the ringer this season.

6. Kristen Schaal (The Last Man on Earth)

When this show first debuted it seemed like Will Forte would be the driving force behind it, but Kristen Schaal’s Carol Pilbasian is so quirky and powerful she became just as important to the show.

5. Danny Pudi (Community)

Danny Pudi’s Abed has always been the heart of what makes Community so special. There are countless scenes of Pudi being brilliant in season six, but the most impressive was his monologue in the finale.

4. Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation)

Ben’s drunken speech about the beauty of marriage alone is enough to make Adam Scott’s performance on Parks and Recreation one of the best of the year.

3. Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)

After only one season, Kimmy Schmidt is already one of the most distinct comedy protagonists on TV. Ellie Kemper’s bubbly performance is a delight.

2. Courteney Cox (Cougar Town)

Jules Cobb is the emotional center of Cougar Town. This season Courteney Cox was as astoundingly funny as ever and she brought the emotion in full force, particularly in Cougar Town‘s finale.

1. Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)

This was the final year of my favorite TV performance of all time. You’d think I would’ve started taking Amy Poehler’s brilliance for granted by now, but she continued to constantly impress and remind everyone why Leslie Knope is so incredible.