Julie Bown (Rubenstein)

Who Should Have Won: Julie Bowen

With the hype surrounding comedic powerhouses Glee and Modern Family, the nominated stars of both series carried extra weight in their corners to take the win.  Jane Lynch, last year's winner in the same category, is an easy favorite for her gleefully villainous portrayal of Sue Sylvester.  Vergara as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett also seemed to overshadow her co-star Bowen's portrayal of Claire Dunphy, making Bowen's win quite surprising. 

Jane Lynch proved her comedic prowess with last year's win in the same category.  Lynch's sharp wit enhances her comedic skills, earning her the coveted chance to host this year's show.  With Glee's storyline taking Sue Sylvester on some dramatic arcs this year, Lynch showed she is capable of far more than sneering one-liners at the Gleeks.  

Jane Krakowski received her third straight nomination for her role as Jenna Maroney on 30 Rock.  While deserving of the honor, Krakowski fell through the cracks thanks to her fellow heavyweight nominees Lynch and Vergara.

Betty White received her first nomination for her portrayal of Elka Ostrosky on Hot in Cleveland.  White's show doesn't garner the same attention Modern Family, Glee, or 30 Rock commands, ultimately burying her performance.  A fan favorite and crowd pleaser, White only had a chance at winning if votes split between the stars of Modern Family and Glee, propelling her to the top.

Sofia Vergara's portrayal of Gloria Delgado-Pritchett lauded her as a frontrunner in the category.  Vergara plays Gloria as spicy and over-the-top, but gives heart to a character that could have easily been just been another pretty face.  Vergara's star shines brightly among the large ensemble cast, and always promises a good laugh whenever her character graces the screen.

Kristen Wiig is another actress who gets lost in the mix of her fellow nominees.  Wiig takes on the challenging role of portraying a variety of characters on Saturday Night Live.  A challenge to play a dynamic range of characters, Wiig accepts the task and soars.  One of SNL's strongest female players in the show's history, Wiig creates memorable and hilarious characters like "Gilly" and "the Target Lady."  Wiig had a strong year with Bridesmaids, a film she wrote and co-produced.  If her hot streak continued, Wiig may have deservedly won the honor.

Julie Bowen won Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her portrayal as perfectionist Claire Dunphy in Modern Family.  An unlikely favorite, Bowen upset the balance that pegged Lynch or Vergara to take the win.  Bowen deserves the award for making her character likable, despite possessing some of the more undesirable traits--a task Bowen pulls off with ease.  Especially when played opposite her goofy, fun-loving husband Phil or fiery Gloria, Claire could have dragged down collective scenes with her constant nagging and overprotective tendencies.  Instead, Bowen lends depth to her character's frantic energy and cosmic freak-outs.  Bowen masters Claire's facial expressions and body language that showcase her character's good intentions behind all the crazy.

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