Let’s be honest—when a Hollywood A-lister appears on the small screen, it usually feels like a special event. Yet sometimes even these big-name stars don’t get the recognition they deserve for their TV work. Maybe the show was a huge hit, maybe they only made a brief appearance, or maybe audiences were too busy rewatching their movies. Whatever the reason, these performances are hidden gems on the small screen that deserve more attention. Below, we’ve rounded up ten underappreciated television roles that are definitely worth a second look.
10. Glenn Close in Damages
Glenn Close is pretty much a crown jewel of Hollywood; nevertheless, her small-screen ventures are overshadowed by her big-screen ones. In the series Damages (2007–2012), she made us acquainted with Patty Hewes, an intellectual, evil lawyer who used power and influence in a very ambiguous way. The series didn’t become a popular success in the traditional sense, but Close’s riveting acting earned her back-to-back Emmy awards and showed that she could dominate the television arena with the same intensity as her film roles.
9. Robin Williams in The Crazy Ones
Robin Williams got his start on Mork & Mindy before dominating the silver screen. Years later, he came back to TV with The Crazy Ones (2013), starring as an offbeat ad man and opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar. It was not a ratings behemoth, perhaps, but Williams infused it with his usual blend of laughter and tears, and it is a sweetly melancholy late-career gem.
8. Johnny Depp in Life’s Too Short
Johnny Depp does not often do little things, but his appearance in Ricky Gervais’ Life’s Too Short is comedic gold. Adopting an over-the-top, ultra-serious version of himself, Depp sends up his own image while cringeingly bantering with Warwick Davis. It’s ridiculous, meta, and sees the normally somber star in a more lighthearted light.
7. Ian McKellen in Vicious
Sir Ian McKellen will always be Gandalf and Magneto, but in Vicious, he is a revelation in a quite different mode. Partnered with Derek Jacobi, he plays half of a snappy, long-term couple whose acerbic wit covers true affection. The program only ran for two seasons, but McKellen’s combination of edgy comedy and sensitivity made it special.
6. Gary Oldman in Slow Horses
Gary Oldman has portrayed everything from Dracula to Winston Churchill, but his Slow Horses character could be one of his best. Playing Jackson Lamb, the disheveled but genius MI5 outcast boss, Oldman applies sarcasm over sharp wit. The series began as a cult favorite but has expanded gradually—largely due to Oldman’s masterclass turn.
5. Donald Sutherland in Trust
Donald Sutherland has had decades of iconic roles, yet his performance as J. Paul Getty in Trust (2018) is underappreciated and chilling. Cold, manipulative, and boundless in his calculating, Sutherland both fascinates and repels the viewer with his performance as Getty. It’s a reminder of why Sutherland is still one of the greatest actors of his generation.
4. Patrick Stewart in Extras
Patrick Stewart typically emanates gravitas as Captain Picard or Professor X—but in Ricky Gervais’ Extras, he happily turns it around. Portraying an exaggerated version of himself, Stewart offers a laugh-out-loud-bad screenplay for a film filled with involuntary nudity, all presented with straight-faced seriousness. It’s Stewart at his most humorous and surprising.
3. Matt LeBlanc in Episodes
Matt LeBlanc will forever be Joey to Friends enthusiasts, but Episodes provided him with a new spin. Portraying a self-parodic version of himself, he dove headfirst into his own persona with biting self-deprecation. The payoff? A Golden Globe-winning turn that showed LeBlanc had a whole lot more range than folks credited him with.
2. Bette Davis in The Dark Secret of Harvest Home
Bette Davis was already a legend by the late ’70s, but in this chilling miniseries, she gave one of her most unsettling performances. As Widow Fortunate, she depicted the head of an evil village with equal parts charm and sinister intent. It’s a reminder that Davis never hesitated to play risky, unsettling characters—even late in her career.
1. Amy Adams in The Office
Before her Oscar-nominated movie career took off, Amy Adams had a brief stint on The Office as Katy, the enthusiastic handbag saleswoman who romances Jim. She popped up for only two episodes, but her warmth and comedic sense made her memorable—and provided an early glimpse of the star she’d soon become. Every so often, even a bit role can seem iconic in retrospect.
Major stars don’t always receive their due when they venture into TV, but these performances demonstrate how much talent can be camouflaged in underappreciated roles. If you didn’t catch them the first time, they’re well worth revisiting.