Courteney Cox, "Jules Cobb," Cougar Town
Edie Falco, "Jackie Payton," Nurse Jackie
America Ferrera, "Betty Suarez," Ugly Betty
Lea Michele, "Rachel Berry," Glee
Amy Poehler, "Leslie Knope," Parks and Recreation
Collette is a big factor in Tara stepping its game up in its second season by A) making Tara herself a more distinctive character and B) effortlessly transitioning from personality to personality without the crutch of distinctive costuming. Cougar Town made a major thematic shift mid-season that rescued it from "lame attempt to capitalize on the zeitgeist" status, and Cox's flexibility in her role helped greatly in making such a shift both possible and successful. Jackie works as a character (and, thus, Jackie works as a show) because of Falco's natural charisma - you still like her even when she's being a terrible person, which in turn makes her ability to hide the extent of her addiction from friends and family believable. Ferrera got somewhat left out of the discussion after Betty's first buzzy season - she deserves credit, however, for bringing her character fully into adulthood for the show's finale. Michele's role is too big to be ignored; her star quality rescues Rachel from "too annoying" territory, but she isn't afraid to come right up to that territory's edges when the show needs it. Parks & Rec really defined itself as a wholly separate entity from The Office this season, and Poehler is a major reason why. She wholeheartedly sells Leslie's idealism without making her seem too simple.
I wouldn't be surprised to see: Tina Fey, 30 Rock; Patricia Heaton, The Middle; Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, The New Adventures of Old Christine; Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds; any member of the Desperate Housewives ensemble
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