Vincent Kartheiser

Vincent Kartheiser as Pete Campbell in "Mad Men"

There are plenty of reasons to look forward to the second season of AMC’s acclaimed drama series "Mad Men" (premieres 10 p.m. EDT Sunday). But while relishing scenes between Don Draper (Jon Hamm) and his wife, Betty (January Jones), or Draper and his cad of a boss, Roger Sterling (John Slattery), this season I find myself most drawn to scenes that feature Draper’s ambitious underling Peter Campbell. Vincent Kartheiser does a great job with Campbell’s sometimes awkward, sometimes smooth, sometimes downright pathetic antics, revealing his dark urges, vulnerable turns and outright confusion with stunning authenticity. Kartheiser’s flexibility as an actor is on particularly fine display in the second episode of the season, when Campbell’s desperate search for some guidance during a crisis is utterly heartbreaking. — Heather Havrilesky