5. Tom Cavanagh, 'The Flash

Over the course of 'The Flash's' three seasons, Cavanagh has had the opportunity to slip into the skin of a number of different characters thanks to the multiverse, but he’s really only played three characters for any length of time: Eobard (Season 1), Harry (Season 2), and HR (Season 3). All three men are distinct in personality: The Reverse Flash was a remorseless villain who killed Barry’s mother; Harry turned out to be a gruff jerk who not only thought he was the smartest man in the room, but actually was the smartest man in the room, which sometimes made him a little unbearable; and HR is a complete departure from the first two characters. A writer of science romances, he’s an innocent goof who helps others to realize their potential. While Cavanagh’s had to take on three separate but major roles, he very rarely has had to play them within the same episode.

4. Tobias Menzies, 'Outlander'

Erudite and mild-mannered, Frank is distraught after losing his wife Claire for unknown reasons. Menzies flips the switch to play Black Jack, who is a sadistic and tormented soul who spreads his toxicity wherever he goes. While Frank doesn’t appear on the show that often, Menzies deserves full credit for giving him enough heart that when he’s on screen, we’re somehow able to forget Black Jack’s completely contemptible and brutal ways.

3. Tatiana Maslany, 'Orphan Black'

Ranging from uptight and prissy to wild and violent, Maslany delivers performances so distinct and yet all so vibrant that even her own castmates forget that in a scene with a new clone that they’ve already acted with Maslany before. The sheer number of transformations she has to make, not to mention playing opposite herself for multi-clone scenes, is not just impressive, it’s downright unbelievable at times. The four-clone dance party in the Season 2 finale was a marvelous thing of beauty. It’s no wonder Maslany took home an Emmy for her performance last year.

2. Zach Galifianakis, 'Baskets'

Galifianakis brings out the pathos in Chip, a dreamer sad sack who snipes at his best friend and seems to always find ways to fail. And while we first met Dale as a really loud and obnoxious braggart who constantly picked on his twin, the actor has also given him a tender side. In Season 2, the deep-seated sibling rivalry and pain that the two have built up over decades came to a head, and the resulting combustion brought out new sides to them both. Despite the characters’ physical similarities, Galifianakis has gone beyond the sort of performance where it looks like he’s talking to himself to developing a fully realized pair of brothers who do what brothers do best: fight. In a scene where the two are grappling with each together, even though it’s Dale who is wearing Chip’s clown costume, it’s still clear who is who from the hair and speech.

1. Ewan McGregor, 'Fargo'

McGregor dropped his Scottish brogue to tackle the equally distinctive Minnesotan dialect, which is present but less pronounced in the more controlled, self-assured Emmit. In contrast, Ray is looser and slouchier, and yet still has that spark of hope in his eye. That’s love for ya. The two are completely unlike each other, to the point of being regular siblings or even cousins, not even twins. McGregor is that good.