Why Dylan O'Brien Deserves An Emmy Nomination

At the beginning of season 3B of “Teen Wolf,” something was seriously wrong with Stiles Stilinski.

As the fan-favorite teen sleuth on MTV’s supernatural drama and the Robin to Scott McCall’s Batman, this seemed like a risky move for the show. Why turn this secret weapon of a character — a sweet, comic relief, geek with guts — into the bad guy?

The answer in two words: Dylan O’Brien. Since the pilot episode, O’Brien has been the standout star of “Teen Wolf.” Sure, Scott (Tyler Posey) is dreamy, Allison (Crystal Reed) is an anti-damsel-in-distress, and Lydia (Holland Roden) is the definition of fierce. But no one can resist the adorable quirkiness of Stiles.

So when season 3B came around, I was glad that the show’s creator Jeff Davis decided to bring Stiles to the forefront. But (the always engaging) promos suggested he was going to take a dark turn.

How, you ask? In the season 3A finale, Scott, Allison and Stiles nearly scarified themselves to save their parents. This extremely close brush with death left the three with their minds vulnerable to disruption.

When the third season returned for the second half, we watched as the lovable Stiles slowly (and literally) lost his mind.

I admit, it was painful at first. But then I saw what O’Brien could really do as an actor. In a single episode he could be pure evil, then switch to his normal self and be on the brink of an emotional, guilt-induced breakdown. In three words: He got range.

So now that the 2014 Emmy ballots are out, it’s time I promote O’Brien as a contender for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. No, I’m not completely crazy. I know the chances are slim to none with the usual big names like Aaron Paul, Mandy Patinkin, Peter Dinklage and a whole lot more in the mix.

And because it’s highly unlikely that Emmy voters even consider teen dramas in any category. Why? It’s just the way it goes. They have a different system for storytelling that’s usually written off as “fluff.” I admit, sometimes I agree with that. But when an actor on a teen show is really pushing boundaries with his/her character, it shouldn’t be completely ignored.

In a perfect world, it would be nice to see his name among those award-winning actors. Because he did something few actors could do in a situation like his: He made us root for the villain. Sure, we wanted that evil nogitsune to hit the road, but watching the beloved Stiles helplessly suffer was as painful as it was mesmerizing.

And it was entirely because of Dylan O’Brien. I’ll remember his breakthrough moments from season 3B, like his heartbreaking hug with Scott in the hospital; when, in a tearful rage, he desperately clawed at his head to wake himself up from a string of nightmares; the moment he selflessly saved Malia by letting the nogitsune into his mind; and basically every scene he shared with his dad (Linden Ashby).

Those are just a few instances that depict his absolute standout season. And it’s sad to think that Emmy voters will overlook him just because of the show’s off-putting title or because it’s made by MTV.

In conclusion, I know hearing his name called on July 10 among the nominees is probably impossible. But a girl can dream.

(This post was originally published on my Buzzfeed community page.)