Matthew McConaughey has turned in an award winning performance as Rust, but while we’re all so eager to applaud his performance, we’ve been almost actively avoiding his foil . As Marty, Woody Harrelson shows us a troubled family man wrestling with his own set of codes. Marty believe that the people he serves to protect are ultimately good, while Rust is only capable of seeing the decay around him. McConaughey has been on an up-swing lately, giving us memorable performance in almost every production he appears in. There was a time, not too long, when Matthew McConaughey was the punchline to many jokes concerning one-note acting. Obviously, and thankfully, that time is over. It’s true that people love a comeback, but Rust is not all of what made the first season so compelling.

With the Emmy nominations fast approaching, people are quick to point to McConaughey as the best contender. It should be a harder decision than that. Both Rust and Marty spend the majority of their time on the edge of the abyss, with Rust seeming to want to throw himself in and Marty trying to hold on with everything he’s got. Marty’s troubles with his family creates a compelling side-drama that could have easily derailed into eye-rolling territory, but instead shows us something that’s almost as captivating as the mystery of the Yellow King itself. Marty’s twisted rationalizations to himself during his interview show us a complicated man just trying to do what he thinks is right, for better or worse.

We should take the time to remember that McConaughey shares the screen with another, just as compelling actor. The decision over who’s performance is more worthy of an award is almost trivial, as they are both outstanding. In the end however, it’s unlikely that they will both walk away with an Emmy. The decision over who is more worthy could just as easily come down to whether you prefer Rust’s philosophy lessons and hard truths to Marty’s life as a tortured family man. Whoever walks away victorious in the end, hopefully it will prove to have been one hell of a tough decision.