Some days you’re the villain, and other days you’re the hero. This week’s picks for Hypable Honors represent both ends of that spectrum.
Sometimes, all it takes is an energetic new villain to breathe life into a series, and one of this week’s selections for Hypable Honors is exactly that. The Vampire Diaries struggled to find a believable villain in its first Mikaelson-free season last year, but season 6 has jumped off to a very strong start.
The other selection for Hypable Honors is a brilliant new hero on the scene that we have awarded before, but is plenty deserving. The cast and crew of The Flash are doing some seriously amazing work, and when someone stands out this definitively, you just have to give them their due.
Check out this week’s picks for Hypable Honors and make sure to let us know who you think gave the best performances this week in the comments below!
Hypable Honors
Show: ‘The Vampire Diaries’
Actor: Chris Wood
Over the previous 5 seasons, one thing that The Vampire Diaries has always done well is create dynamic, interesting villains. Despite their evil tendencies, there is usually some sort of realistic motivation for them to have turned to their not-so-savory ways. While still engaging, we’re not so sure the latter is the case with our newest threat, Kai.
Kai has quickly become a force to be reckoned with, even when he barely had force at his disposal. In the first 9 episodes of The Vampire Diaries season 6, Chris Wood had very little power to wield as Kai, and still managed to prove his character a credible threat to Bonnie and Damon.
We’re not sure where this season will take us, but watching Kai imbibe the power of the Traveler’s spell and become ‘Super-charged Kai’ has us antsy and eager to find out just what evil this kid has up his sleeve for our heroes in the back half of the season. Not to mention, how grateful we are for the incredible talents of Chris Wood bringing him to our screens in such an honest and manipulative way.
It’s easy to turn a power-hungry character like Kai into an over-the-top, mustache-twirler, but the subtlety that Chris Wood has utilized to bring him to the screen keeps the witchy mastermind balancing precariously on that precipice, never falling into caricature territory. We are happy to have him torturing our favorite Mystic Falls scooby gang, because he makes it look so good.
Show: ‘The Flash’
Actor: Grant Gustin
You got us. We couldn’t help but send our second round of accolades to the best new lead of the year, Mr. Grant Gustin. Back in October, when he first received Hypable Honors, we were impressed with his ability to step into a lead role and make it his own by keeping Barry’s righteous indignation heart-warming rather than abrasive.
This time around, it’s not just Grant’s ability to harness Barry’s righteous anger that has us wrapped around his little finger, but that despite his incredible power, there are many obstacles in his life that render him powerless, a feeling all the more frustrating when you can run faster than sound itself. We cried right along with him at the prison while he confessed his shortcomings to his father, we sat on pins and needles as he admitted his long-standing feelings for Iris, and we cheered when he and Joe hugged it out.
Grant has proven that no matter who or what Barry is facing, he is more than up to the challenge, and we are more than happy to be able to watch such a wonderful actor bring his spirit to the screen. Barry is proof that nice guys don’t always finish last, and as the rest of us are not-so-speedy, he reminds us to keep going even when the going gets tough.
