My favorite type of actor is the one where I’m watching my new favorite show, and they appear on the screen, and I immediately tell my brother (who happens to be my go-to TV-watching partner), “It’s that guy!” No name, no recollection of where I’ve seen him before. “He’s in everything!” This is the best compliment someone can give an actor when they star in a new project. Sure, it’s probably fun to be Tom Hanks or Denzel Washington, but those superstars almost devour the characters they play. It’s sometimes a disservice to a story when the actors are so famous that they can’t help but overshadow the role they’re playing.
Walton Goggins is the ultimate “I know him!” TV actor of the 21st century. This man is a chameleon to the highest degree. Goggins transforms from a bitter boomer on a vacation to a transgender motorcycle mama in the blink of an eye. His talents have finally garnered him the recognition he deserves. Before he outgrows his discreet status as TV’s most versatile performer, it’s time to collect all of his best TV shows into one nice package. After reading this list you’ll finally be able to put a name to his face when he’s in another great show. These are the best Walton Goggins TV shows.
The White Lotus (2021)
The White Lotus follows a new group of rich misfits each season as they visit a fancy resort, although not everyone gets out alive. The series is trendy for its incredible cast of actors each season and a beautiful foreign location that gives viewers a taste of Hawaii, Sicily, and Thailand. Walton Goggins features heavily in the most recent third season as a traumatized and cranky man going through a mid-life identity crisis while vacationing with his much younger girlfriend. This role is the one that has arguably thrust him into stardom the most.
Fallout (2024)
Fallout is one of the best video games of all time, a claim that made it easy for Prime Video to craft an equally great TV series. The story follows the survivors of a nuclear war who try to figure out what life means and how to put humanity back together amongst the remnants of society. Goggins plays a bounty hunter who has been severely mutated by the nuclear waste that emanates from the Earth during the fallout from the conflict.
Justified (2010)
Justified follows Timothy Olyphant’s character, Raylan Givens, a sheriff who operates within an extreme gray area when it comes to morality and ethics. Givens moves to his hometown in Kentucky which has been stricken by crime as he looks to reinvent himself while fighting his past. Goggins plays Boyd Crowder, a criminal who transforms into a much different man as the series progresses.
Vice Principals (2016)
Sons of Anarchy (2008)
Walton Goggins only has a role in a few episodes of Sons of Anarchy, but he makes his mark instantly. Playing transgender character Venus Van Dam, Goggins was able to respectfully portray the transgender experience in a setting that you would expect to be known for bigotry. Venus ends up dating one of the bikers in the motorcycle club at the heart of Sons of Anarchy. Today it would be better to have a transgender actor playing the part, but Goggins gives a pioneering effort here that will be remember forever.
The Righteous Gemstones (2019)
The Righteous Gemstones is Danny McBride’s current hit and it might just be the biggest one yet. The comedy gives a look at a dysfunctional family of televangelists as they navigate modern society against the backdrop of religion, politics, and more. Goggins plays a family friend of the Gemstones. The costume design is impeccable in this one.
The Shield (2002)
The Shield is almost as revolutionary as The Sopranos when it comes to depicting bad people as heroes. Michael Chiklis plays Vic Mackey, the corrupt cop at the center of the LAPD. Goggins plays Shane Vendrell, one of the most memorable sidekicks in the series. The Shield is one of the best cop shows ever.
INVINCIBLE (2021)
Community (2009)
Community became bigger than many expected it to. Its unique brand of humor underlies a shocking reliability filled with meta-humor and contemporary satire. The ensemble cast follows a group of strange people navigating their lives at a community college. Goggins plays a recurring role in season five as one of the oddball teachers at the school.
