Alyson Hannigan (Lily Aldrin)
“How I Met Your Mother” has provided steady work for Hannigan following her run as Willow Rosenberg on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” — and has further ensured that she wouldn’t forever be known as the girl who did that thing this one time at band camp. Hannigan will follow up her “HIMYM” run with a starring role on the CBS comedy pilot “More Time With Family,” about a husband and father (Tom Papa) who’s making a career change to spend more time with his family.
Neil Patrick Harris (Barney Stinson)
Doogie Who, sir? Between starring as America’s favorite child doctor and taking on the role of consummate ladies’ man Barney Stinson, Harris worked steadily but without much momentum, with the short-lived “Stark Raving Mad” being his longest-lasting project.