Timothy V. Murphy turned the relatively small role of Coughlin into a surprisingly memorable character on Westworld.
Westworld is often praised for its stellar acting. In fact, their achievements led to a slew of nominations–and hopefully victories–for the 2018 Emmy Awards.
Part of what makes Westworld so unique is that the show features impressive actors not only for starring roles like Robert Ford or Maeve but also in the smaller roles.
Take Timothy V. Murphy, for example, and his performance as Coughlin in season 2, episode 6 “Phase Space” and season 2, episode 7 “Les Écorchés.”
Coughlin–the mustachioed leader of the response team sent by Delos–is written as an inherently disposable character. Since fans knew that Karl Strand and his Delos team would be in charge roughly a week later in the timeline, it was clear that Coughlin and his team would be exterminated by the hosts.
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That didn’t stop Murphy from making Coughlin far more memorable than he had any right to be.
Coughlin is first greeted by Ashley Stubbs, whose diplomatic nature is sharply contrasted with Coughlin’s blunt, no-nonsense attitude. Coughlin’s words drip with sarcasm and he wastes no time establishing that he’s in charge and prepared to solve the mess Charlotte and the other human survivors have on their hands.
His overconfidence and inflated sense of ego make him think he’s getting everything back on track, only to realize too late that like many of his human counterparts, he seriously underestimated the hosts.
These traits are amplified by Murphy’s thick Irish accent along with his character’s glorious mustache and excessive swagger. He’s so entertaining to watch that it seems like a shame when Teddy kills him.
For those looking for more of Murphy’s work and a new show to binge while waiting for season 3, check out Netflix’s Grace and Frankie. In the show’s first season Murphy plays Byron, an ex-convict taking art classes taught by Frankie (Lily Tomlin), during which Byron gets the hots for Grace (Jane Fonda). Murphy is more charming as Byron than as Coughlin in Westworld, but he’s equally captivating to watch.
What did you think of Coughlin’s character in season 2? Let us know in the comments below!