The 411 Movies Top 5 01.09.09: Week 147 - The Top 5 Supporting Performances of 2008

Posted by Trevor Snyder on 01.09.2009

The Top 5 Supporting Performances of 2008!

This week, we pay tribute to the second fiddles (and I mean that in the best way possible), with our look at:

THE TOP 5 SUPPORTING PERFORMANCES OF 2008



Trevor Snyder

5. Michael Emerson (Ben Linus, Lost)

Lost's fifth season may have been its best, and a large part of that can be attributed to the ever-increasing profile and screen-time of sinister(?) Ben Linus. If you ask me, Ben has become easily the most interesting character on a show jam-packed with them, and Emerson's performance is one of the most top-notch on television. The idea of a sympathetic villain is nothing new, but Emerson's Ben is something a little different. In a way, Ben has actually never been all that sympathetic…it's just that he's so damn intriguing and amusing that you want to like him, even if all the while you're pretty darn sure you shouldn't. Then again, it's always possible Ben could still turn out to be a good guy – you never know with this show, and Emerson – to his great credit – continues to play Ben in a way that will justify either outcome…hero or baddie. The only other thing I'd like to say about Emerson here is this: if anyone involved with the upcoming Green Lantern movie happens to be reading this, please make sure to consider the guy for Sinestro.

4. Russell Brand (Aldous Snow, Forgetting Sarah Marshall)

Tropic Thunder and Pineapple Express might have been the most buzzed about comedies of the year, but the funniest was probably Forgetting Sarah Marshall. With a cast of somewhat-known but certainly-not-megastar actors (Jason Segal, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Paul Rudd), it was anyone's guess as to who would end up stealing the show in this one. But I doubt too many were expecting the honor to go to Brand, a controversial British comedian with little more than a very small cult following here in the states. This movie certainly changed that, as suddenly every magazine had a piece on Brand, he was being rumored to play Jack Sparrow's brother in the next Pirates movie, and he was even tapped to host the MTV Video Music Awards. All because of how freakin' funny he is in this movie. In fact, his character was so popular that Aldous Snow is now getting his own movie. I'd say that's a pretty good indication of a strong supporting performance.

3. Jimmy Smits (Miguel Prado, Dexter)

A critical and commercial success heading into its third season, it might have seemed a risk for Dexter to add a new heavyweight to its already well-tuned ensemble cast. But, in the land of TV, you're usually in pretty safe hands with Jimmy Smits (Cane notwithstanding), and Showtime's killer series (get it?) certainly benefited from his presence. Prado's discovery – and subsequent protection – of Dexter's secret early in the season was one of the most surprising moments the show has delivered yet. Sure, Prado didn't really know the full extent of Dexter's "hobby," but even still, it was a shock to see him react not by locking Dexter up, but instead becoming even a better friend to him. It could have seemed a stretch to accept, but Smits was excellent as a man so obsessed with the idea of justice that he was willing to bend the rules a little (or, I suppose, a lot) – not unlike Dexter himself. It was one of the most interesting friendships in recent TV history, and Smits held his own with Michael C. Hall every step of the way.

2. Robert Downey Jr. (Kirk Lazarus, Tropic Thunder)

My next couple choices might seem "boring" or "obvious," but that's only because it's so clear that they belong. Enough has already been written about the risk Downey was taking by accepting this role, but it's a testament to his talent and this performance that any potential controversy was all but forgotten after opening weekend. Because, really, no matter what the color of your skin, funny is funny. And, has already been pointed out numerous times, Downey's character was much more poking fun at the sometime-ridiculous personalities of method actors…something that, in my eyes, has been begging for a skewering like this for some time. This is definitely going to go down as one of all-time classic comedy performances (especially if it actually manages to score an Oscar nomination, as many are predicting). When all is said and done, this guy had a pretty good year, huh?

1. Aaron Eckhart (Harvey Dent/Two-Face, The Dark Knight)

It's quite the chore to have to pick the best supporting performance out of a cast that includes Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, and Morgan Freeman. And while the obvious choice is Heath Ledger's already legendary turn as The Joker, I'm admittedly giving that one a pass here simply because I think it's on its way to bigger and better things here at 411. Thankfully, that allows me to shine some much-needed light on Aaron Eckhart's brilliant job as Harvey Dent. Eckhart's performance has been understandably overshadowed by Ledger, but as time goes by and the initial Ledger-mania begins to subside, I think Eckhart's work will become more highly praised whenever people talk about The Dark Knight in the future. After all, Eckhart's story actually forms the main emotional through-line of the movie, and is pretty much a textbook example of how to pull off a villain that is both scary and sympathetic. After seeing the film, many fans proclaimed that Echart's Two-Face was so great that he had actually deserved his own movie, and perhaps should have been saved for the third film. I guess that's the one of the highest compliments you can pay a performance that was, technically, the secondary bad-guy part.



Shawn S. Lealos

5. Kristin Chenoweth (Olive Snook, Pushing Daisies)

I don't watch much television because I hate to invest my time in a television show that the networks give up on. I will usually wait until DVD and watch the entire season in one swoop. However, one show I could not stay away from this past year was Pushing Daisies. And thank you, network, for proving why I don't watch television by cancelling the most creative show to come along in a long, long time. The character of Olive went through a great character journey in the show's second season. She felt pushed aside by her friends, who were holding their big secret back from her. She went to a nunnery and had all her worldly possessions given away. She became friends with an actual pig. She returned and helped her friends every chance she could, despite continuing to be kept just outside their comfort zone. In a show full of inventive characters and situations, it was Olive who really came to life in that little pie shop.

4. Ari Graynor (Caroline, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist)

When people play drunk, it usually comes off embarrassing. I don't mean they are embarrassing in the way a real drunk person is, I mean they embarrass themselves as an actor by coming across looking foolish in their performance. Ari Graynor might have accomplished a rare thing this year by giving one of the most realistic performances of a drunk person I have seen in a movie in years. She keeps the character grounded and makes you really care about whether or not she finally finds her way back home, while succumbing to the pratfalls of over inebriation. It was one of the most fun performances of the year.

3. Richard Dreyfuss (Dick Cheney, W.)

There were two very different approaches to the acting on display in W. The first thought process was to just play the characters without worrying about imitating the actual people they are based on. A good example is James Cromwell as George Bush Sr. He didn't try to talk and sound like the Bush we have seen on our televisions for the last twenty years. If he had, it would have been a joke - a Dana Carvey sketch routine. The other line of thinking is to get the mannerisms down pat and try to be that character. An example of this is Thandie Newton's HORRIBLE imitation of Condoleezza Rice. It was so bad it just grated my nerves every time she appeared on screen. One actor took the middle ground. It is clear Richard Dreyfuss is playing Dick Cheney with the Vice President's mannerisms almost perfect. However, in no interview I have ever seen Cheney in has the man seemed as creepy as the character Dreyfuss portrayed. He took the man and made him the most interestingly portrayed character in a movie full of great actors. The film's version of Cheney was the one character that seemed to be pulling the strings and Dreyfuss gave the man an air that made you believe he was someone to worry about. He deserves a Best Supporting Actor nomination for this role.

2. Taraji P. Henson (Queenie, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

While we were deciding who we should nominate for the 411 Year End Awards, I stated I wanted to wait to see how Cate Blanchett did in Benjamin Button before making my decision. Once I saw the movie I was shocked to find another nominee in the movie that surpassed everything Blanchett accomplished in the film. Actually, I felt Tilda Swinton surpassed the disappointing Blanchett as well, but the actress who holds the film's heart and soul in her hands is Henson, who played Benjamin's adoptive mother Queenie. While Benjamin is a character who remains passive most the movie, it is the fire and determination of his mother that makes you really care about him and want him to succeed. Henson was perfect in this role. Looking at her filmography, I see she has been in some high profile movies I haven't gotten around to seeing (Smokin' Aces, Four Brothers, Hustle & Flow) but after this performance I will be watching out for her in the future. Her next role is in this month's drama Not Easily Broken.

1. Aaron Eckhart (Harvey Dent/Two Face, The Dark Knight)

Heath Ledger gave one of the greatest performances of all time in this movie. However, it looks like he might win our Best Actor year-end award, so I am going in another direction here. It is no surprise that I am a huge fan of Eckhart in his role as Harvey Dent. Dent is the character, not Batman or Joker, who holds this movie together. While the superhero and villain do everything to destroy each other, there is one man who stands tall as the true hero of Gotham City, Harvey Dent. When Joker ends up destroying Dent by killing his one true love and scarring his face beyond repair, Dent transforms and loses all hope becoming the psychotic Two Face. It is this character's arc that makes the story in The Dark Knight so great and it is Eckhart's performance that makes the transformation of this man so tragic. This is Eckhart's best performance since In the Company of Men and he earns my Top Supporting Performance for 2008.



Bryan Kristopowitz


HONORABLE MENTIONS

Joan Allen (Warden Hennessey, Death Race): Allen played one nasty, mean, rotten bitch warden to perfection. Just about no one messed with her (Jason Statham was the only one brave enough to, but then again he is Jason Statham. You kind of expect it from him). I think her soon to be classic line sums it all up quite well: "Okay, cocksucker, fuck with me and we'll see who shits on the sidewalk." Indeed.

Donald Sutherland (Patrick "Tripp" Darling III, Dirty Sexy Money): Sutherland just oozes old money manners and sleaze here, the patriarch of a notoriously wealthy New York City family. Even when he has to figure out how to deal with a dead body in a bathroom, he sits on the toilet, his legs crossed like he's at the country club engaging in conversation with some guy named Reginald van Slooth IV or something. Great stuff from the former Professor Jennings.

John Turturro (The Phantom, You Don't Mess with the Zohan): Not only was the Phantom the notorious nemesis of Adam Sandler's super commando Mossad agent Zohan, but he was also the inspiration for a Middle Eastern fast food franchise. That's just hysterical. And since Zohan is a comedy, well, that's just fabulous. Ha.

THE TOP 5

5. James Franco (Saul Silver, Pineapple Express)

Franco's Saul Silver is a great character because he is the exact opposite of Seth Rogen's Dale Denton character. I mean, yeah, they both smoke pot like power lifters eat steak (meaning they smoke a lot of pot), but unlike Denton, who is somewhat ambitious and concerned about his relationship with his girlfriend and people in general, Saul is just content to be a guy who sits in his apartment all day watching 227 and sells pot to the people who show up looking for some. He's sort of like a younger version of the Dude. It's a brilliant performance. And think about the last time you really liked a "lazy" character in a movie. It's probably been a while. Sure, you may laugh at a Jack Black in Orange County type character, you may enjoy watching his or her lazy hijinks, but when was the last time you cared about a "shiftless bum" like a Saul? You're going to care about Saul.

4. Lennie James (Robert Hawkins, Jericho season 2)

The great thing about Hawkins, especially in Jericho season two, was how motivated he was to bring down the new American government based in Cheyenne, Wyoming. There was always this sort of ultimate bad ass aura surrounding Hawkins, and in the second season, with the cat totally out of the bag concerning the grand nuke conspiracy and who was behind it and why, it was only a matter of time before he did something. And you couldn't wait to see what exactly he was going to do. Keeping up that level and kind of intensity and interest would be tough for any actor, simply because that's a lot of stuff to juggle. James, who will probably be Hawkins for the rest of his life, managed to do it all and make it look easy. Again, that's a tough job to accomplish. He also managed to keep Skeet Ulrich's Jake Green in check, which was a tall order considering how Jake, while well meaning, could have cocked the whole "bringing down Cheyenne" thing up just by being overly enthusiastic. If only there was an actual season three coming. We'd probably see Hawkins leading a commando unit, taking down scumbags like Valente. I'd love to see that.

3. Gary Oldman (Lt. James Gordon, The Dark Knight)

With all of the hoopla surrounding Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker, lots of people seem to be forgetting (well, maybe forgetting isn't the right word. Overlooking is perhaps a better word) Gary Oldman's performance as Lt. James Gordon, the beleaguered Gotham police officer trying to keep his department and Gotham together, despite massive crime and widespread police corruption. For me anyway, he was the most interesting character in the movie, simply because of the amount of pressure he's under. Just what the hell is he going to do to try to fix all of this? It's such a daunting challenge. The man fakes his own death, destroying his own family in the process, in order to try to get the bad guys. Amazing stuff. If Ledger deserves an Oscar nomination, Oldman should get one, too.

2. Miriam Shor (Janet Thompson, Swingtown)

I think it's fascinating how the most interesting character on a show about hip and edgy swingers in the 1970's is a prude. Well, essentially a prude. Shor's Janet basically loses her best friend Susan (Molly Parker) to the hip and edgy swingers Tom and Trina Decker (Grant Show and Lana Parrilla) and then, later on, essentially loses her husband Roger (Josh Hopkins) to her former best friend Susan. And yet through it all she manages to stay as chipper and positive and "traditional" as possible. She's happy being a mother and wife, someone who can whip up a batch of cookies or a pie at a moment's notice. She's also willing to do what she has to do to keep the family together, even if that means getting a "real" job as a pseudo secretary and then an advice columnist. How does she do it? How does she manage to hold it all together (that seems to be a theme here with my list, doesn't it? Fighting adversity)? And yet you get the sense that, deep down, she's quite vulnerable (you know, human). Rethinking the series in my head, you're probably not meant to side with Janet since she represents all of that old, bad, "judgmental" stuff from the 1950's. That probably would have happened if Janet was played by someone else. Shor is just perfect.

1. Doug Jones (Abe Sapien, Hellboy II: The Golden Army)

What's great about Jones as Abe Sapien in Hellboy II is that he just about upstages Ron Perlman's performance as Hellboy. That's just amazing, considering how freaking great Perlman was in his second time in the red make up. Jones acts under an incredibly elaborate prosthesis, uses his own voice instead of David Hyde Pierce's, and engages in one of the sweetest on screen romantic relationships you're ever likely to see (well, in a fantasy action movie that is) with a beleaguered princess. And who can forget the Barry Manilow interlude? He pulled that scene off, too. I hope Guillermo del Toro actually gets a chance to make another one of these Hellboy movies. I just want to see more Abe Sapien.



Rick Tym

HONORABLE MENTION

Heath Ledger (The Joker, The Dark Knight) - Since Heath Ledger will likely be highlighted in 411's Year End Movie & TV Awards, I'll take him out of my "official" top 5 for this week (and for those wondering, yes he would have been number one). But I've simply got to give some props to the late actor's portrayal of the Joker in biggest movie of 2008. Alternately menacing and funny in his mannerisms, insane and brilliant in his motives, Ledger brought the best version of the best comic book villain ever to the big screen.

THE TOP 5

5. Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Augie Farks, Role Models)

It's a little ironic that Mintz-Plasse's character Fogell in Superbad was accused of picking a "f%#$ing fairy tale name" when he chose the moniker of McLovin for a fake ID. In Role Models as Augie Farks, he willingly participates in a kind of fairy tale existence as a member of the medieval role-playing game LAIRE. At first he bows down to the king of this fantasy land, with mentors-turned-friends wondering why until they realize the importance of his relationships and identity associated with this modern-day Dungeons & Dragons. Awkwardly funny in his sword swinging ways at first, Augie transforms into a force to be reckoned with on the fake battlefield as he captures genuine laughs and the hearts of audiences by the end of the film. He even gets to be King to his LAIRE crush Esplen, exclaiming "F$@# yeah!" as he earns the title with a kiss, and we like him all the more for it—even if she became Queen by tricking and killing him in competition.

4. Various voice actors as East Coast and West Coast Pigeons, Bolt

Sure, Wall*E and Kung Fu Panda were animated box office juggernauts in 2008, but this little Disney Studios effort proved itself worthy of its brethren even with the inclusion of a Miley Cyrus tune. Bolt and Penny's relationship was endearing and believable, as were the motivations of the Director played by Inside the Actor's Studio moderator James Lipton or even the gruff voice of Randy Savage credited simply as Thug in the film. Rhino the bubble-bound hamster almost won this slot solely because of the hilarity of his "I'll break his neck!" sentiment aimed at an animal shelter guard, but for my money no characters were better in Bolt than the mafia-inspired East Coast pigeons or their West Coast Hollywood-type relatives the main protagonists meet during their adventure. Slapstick, dumb yet wily and over-the-top enjoyable, these guys are yet another addition to the annals of great animated supporting characters.

3.Gary Oldman (Lieutenant-promoted-to-Commissioner Gordon, The Dark Knight)

Sure, his fake death may have lacked the gravitas to make such shenanigans truly believable, but who didn't give a silent cheer when Gordon pulled off his SWAT helmet, saying "We got you, you son of a bitch" as the jig was up and the fix was in (temporarily) for the Joker? Even more satisfying was Gordon's quick exchange with his son before returning to MCU, telling the little boy that he had in fact saved Batman this time around. Oldman's departure from crazed villain to steadfast hero typecasting was satisfying enough in Batman Begins; in The Dark Knight, the role of James Gordon is a keystone of the trio seeking to rid Gotham of its criminal element using whatever means available to accomplish their goal.

2. Yunjin Kim (Sun-Hwa Kwon, Lost)

Sun has always been one of the core characters of ABC's ensemble mind trip, complete with requisite flashbacks detailing infidelity and other secret meetings more in line with TCB—you know, taking care of business. Last season Sun shone particularly bright though, first and foremost in her gut-wrenching reaction to the exploding freighter on which her husband was still (presumably) trapped as the helicopter she rode in lifted off and escaped harm's way. More mind-blowing while being equally graceful and soft spoken were her dealings in current time as she parlayed her Oceanic settlement into being the primary shareholder of her father's company and a sinisterly delightful future meeting with Charles Widmore, offering her business card along with the revelation that the rest of the Oceanic Six were liars. Who knows what Jeremy Bentham may have said to her before his untimely (or was it predetermined?) demise, and what judgment may await her father and Jack, whom she holds responsible for her husband's death?

1. Walter Goggins (Detective-turned-fugitive Shane Vendrell, The Shield)

Remember the early days of the Strike Team, when Shane was little more than a willing accomplice to Vic Mackey's deceitful and decidedly immoral career plans? Over the course of seven seasons Shane went from the sidelines to frontrunner in actions and implications, trying his damnedest to keep his family safe and ultimately failing. Never was the desire to see him succeed and escape his past more powerful than in the last season of this fantastic FX show, and even though the audience rooted for him, the writing was on the wall after his last acidic telephone conversation with Mackey as he called for a family meeting and the show faded to commercial. Sorrowful, heartbreaking, incendiary—whatever adjective you choose to describe Shane's final actions, they won't soon be forgotten by viewers or by Vic Mackey himself, as shown in the interrogation room scene when Claudette read his pitiful suicide note. In a just world Walter Goggins would win Emmys, Golden Globes and whatever other accolades critics could throw his way for catapulting this character into the stratosphere of cable television lore.



Jeremy Thomas

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Angelina Jolie (Fox, Wanted) - Everyone is raving about her performance in Changeling, and deservedly so. However, while that may have been her best acting, this was my favorite of hers for 2008. She helped make the movie as fun as it was.

Bill Nighy (General Friedrich Olbricht , Valkyrie) - No question here. Nighy, a celebrated character actor who's only recently gotten recognition, was utterly astounding in Singer's Nazi thriller, and made his character very sympathetic, even when he messes up...and badly.

Josh Brolin (Dan White, Milk) - It's a statement of how strong the supporting performances were this year that Josh Brolin doesn't even make the top five. He made the much-vilified Dan White into a sympathetic, relatable character; not an easy job.

THE TOP 5

5. Penelope Cruz (María Elena, Vicky Christina Barcelona)

Penelope Cruz could have a Best Supporting Actress statue coming her way this year for this role. As the crazy artist ex-wife of Javier Bardem's character, she absolutely commands the screen when she's on-camera. Cruz has a knack for playing mentally unstable roles and she really nailed this one. If she gets the Oscar, it would be well-deserved.

4. Michael Sheen (David Frost, Frost/Nixon)

Unlike Cruz, Michael Sheen won't be nominated for anything for his role in Frost/Nixon because he pales next to Frank Langella's Nixon, and that's an absolute shame. Sheen had one of the best performances of the year, nailing Frost perfectly and using all the charm he had to portray that playboy attitude. The final interview scene is spell-binding, and that's when it's Frost's game. Sheen just owns the screen, and he deserves some kind of recognition for yet another great performance.

3. Marisa Tomei (Cassidy, The Wrestler)

Some might thing Tomei is a Best Actress-type role, but for my money she's clearly a supporting character in this amazing piece of work. Tomei is daring and brutally honest as Cassidy, the stripper who develops a bond with Randy "The Ram" Robinson but tries to keep it on a professional level. I can't imagine any other actress taking the role to the depths it needed to be at in order to play right, and Tomei deserves all the praise in the world for that.

2. Robert Downey Jr. (Kirk Lazarus, Tropic Thunder)

How amazing is it that Downey's getting Oscar hype for playing an actor in black face? That's a testament to his role as Australian method actor Lazarus in this, easily the funniest comedy of the year. Downey just owns the film every second that he's on camera, committing himself so fully to the role that you just can't help but laugh. The absurdity of an actor so stuck in his ways that he can't break character "until the DVD commentary is done," even if they're not actually making a film anymore, is priceless. Anyone else would have made it offensive; Downey makes it awesome.

1. Heath Ledger (The Joker, The Dark Knight)

There is certainly the caveat that Ledger might win our Year-End best actor award, and I thought for a while about whether that should disqualify him for me here, but I couldn't. Ledger is simply and utterly fantastic and gives the best performance I've seen in a long time here. He absolutely transforms into this psychotic, anarchistic madman who's ready to tear everything down just to watch it fall apart. I've watched this film so many times this year, and every time I notice something different about Ledger's performance. That's how amazingly nuanced it is. While some people will certainly talk about how Ledger's going to win on Oscar night only because he died, I say those people are full of shit. This is the best performance of the year, and certainly the best supporting performance.



Steve Gustafson

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Case Models in Deal or No Deal: Tongue-in-cheek. But I didn't have any females on my list so I ran and put 26 on here! They are the real reason people watch. Do you think people really tune in for Howie Mandel? C'mon!

Michael Emerson (Ben as Henry Gale in Lost): Very underrated! He took what was originally a 3 episode bit character and turned it into a fully realized main event player.

THE TOP 5

5. Neil Patrick Harris (Neil Patrick Harris, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay:

Funny how it took Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle to expose the comedy genius of Neil Patrick Harris (NPH to his homies) to the masses. Yes, he's awesome in How I Met Your Mother, but having him sit on a unicorn for the posters for Escape from Guantanamo Bay was genius. Was the movie any good? Nah. But NPH, and he alone, made it worth it for me. Catch him on Saturday Night Live (SNL for us on the inside!) if you still don't believe.

4. Michael Caine (Alfred Pennyworth, The Dark Knight)

Michael Caine brings an understated dignity to the role. He's able to portray caretaker, butler, mentor, and friend...all in one scene! I've said before that the Batman films have been perfectly cast, and never is that more true than with Mr. Caine. Dark Knight Trivia: One bat suit was made with nipples, ala Batman & Robin. It was presented to Christian Bale as the real bat suit, but he knew instantly it was a joke, having seen a few design pictures during preproduction. He did pose for some publicity photos in the "nipple" suit.

3. Tracy Morgan (Tracy Jordan, 30 Rock)

30 Rock ages well. I went back and watch last season and it's gotten funnier. This season has been no different. Everyone involved plays their part well, and Morgan does what he does best because for the most part he plays himself. At first glance he's the typical "funny guy". But while he says the most off-the-wall lines, you realize he plays off the others with enough balance not to steal their shine, and bring some balance to his comedy character chaos.

2. Robert Downey Jr. (Kirk Lazarus, Tropic Thunder)

The name alone is awesome. NOTE: Best name for a character still belongs to Alpa Chino (Brandon T. Jackson, same movie). Remember how when it was announced that Downey was playing this character in black face and people right away started hating on it? Even during the first trailers there was grumbling. Yet, once it was out, all I heard were applause and people saying how hilarious he was. And Downey nailed it. BEST BONUS EVER: In the film, Lazarus says "I don't drop character 'til I've done the DVD commentary." When recording the audio commentary for the unrated DVD, Downey actually spends the entire commentary in the character that appears on the screen as the movie progresses.

1. Rainn Wilson (Dwight Schrute, The Office)

I don't enjoy any character on television as much as Dwight. I don't even know where to begin! From being the target to Jim Halpert's prank arrow to loyal manservant to Micael Scott, Wilson's Dwight is the backbone to this show. Wilson said it best. "I think Dwight is America. There's something so American about him. We all know one; we all love to hate a Dwight. There was one in my high school, and we teased him mercilessly. He had Battlestar Galactica glasses and a terrible haircut. He took himself very seriously, loved military re-enactments and medieval swordplay. He eventually went into the Army as a fencer and a coronet player." Yes, Dwight IS America. God bless America.

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