Yahoo News Performer of the Week: Benedict Cumberbatch
THE PERFORMER | Benedict Cumberbatch
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THE SHOW | Eric
THE EPISODE | “Episode 3” (May 30, 2024)
THE PERFORMANCE | Netflix’s gritty ‘80s-set drama told a harrowing tale filled with missing children, drug abuse and sex trafficking. But its characters were far more complex than simply good or bad, starting with abrasive dad Vincent. Cumberbatch brought incredible dimension to his portrayal, showing us Vincent’s inspired creativity and his longing to be loved and appreciated alongside his glaring flaws.
His performance peaked in Episode 3, with Vincent on a steep psychological decline after his nine-year-old son Edgar went missing. Cumberbatch was prickly, even vicious, as a drunken Vincent insulted his co-workers before being hauled in for questioning. The cops confronted Vincent with evidence that he saw his son just prior to his disappearance, and Vincent crumbled, fighting back sobs as he confessed he had a physical altercation with his son that led to him running away. (Oh, and Vincent was also talking to an imaginary friend named Eric — that Cumberbatch voiced, too! — adding a jittery, schizophrenic layer to his performance.)
Later, Cumberbatch demonstrated Vincent’s technical wizardry as he introduced a new puppet to the executives behind his kids’ TV show, lending the moment an extra jolt of poignancy by saying: “He’s the monster every child wants when they are lost… and need to be found.” Then Vincent blew off steam by snorting coke and cutting loose at a dance club, with Cumberbatch breaking out some joyous dance moves to the pop hit “Gloria.” All told, it was an intensely complicated portrait of a grieving man experiencing the full range of emotions, from elation to desperation, and Cumberbatch’s daring performance made us feel each of those emotions deep in our bones.
Scroll down to see who scored Honorable Mention shout-outs this week…
HONORABLE MENTION: Paget Brewster and Joe Mantegna
Hoo boy, Prentiss and Rossi are both going through it this season on Paramount+’s Criminal Minds: Evolution, setting the stage for fine work by franchise vets Paget Brewster and Joe Mantegna. Everywhere Emily looks she wants to see Gold Star’s handiwork, reeling as she is from Will Bailey’s murder; Brewster in turn shows us the passion and, yes, problematic tunnel vision with which Prentiss is chasing her goal. David meanwhile is unable to escape the literal spectre of Elias Voit, who buried him alive just weeks ago, and Mantegna makes us feel how unnerved the usually unflappable lawman is. Capping the actors’ winning Episode 2 performance was the dispute over the (biased) profile Emily wanted to deliver. You always hate it when mom and dad fight, but Brewster and Mantegna had us rapt as the longtime colleagues heatedly quarreled. — Matt Webb Mitovich
HONORABLE MENTION: Anjana Vasan
We Are Lady Parts‘ terrific second season was an embarrassment of riches when it came to wonderful performances from the talented ensemble. But we have to single out the effortlessly charming Anjana Vasan as the timid, devout Amina Hussain, partly because the character’s “villain era” transformation was so well-crafted that we’re a little worried that Amina will scold us if we don’t. Watching Vasan find Amina’s inner strength as she came into her own, even as insecurities continued to plague her, was a joy to watch, culminating in a grand-gesture rendition of Hoobastank’s “The Reason” in the finale that had us smiling from ear to ear. We sincerely hope this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Vasan’s expressive performance as Amina. (Please renew this show, Peacock/Channel 4!) — Vlada Gelman
Which performance(s) knocked your socks off this week? Tell us in the comments!
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