Grading American Accents

Television is swarming with overseas actors playing American characters, from Linus Roache on "Law & Order" and Anthony LaPaglia on "Without a Trace" to Anna Friel on "Pushing Daisies" and Rachel Griffiths on "Brothers & Sisters." Maybe they're good actors. But some do the American thing much better than others (cough, Anna Torv, cough). Here's a selected report card:

Simon Baker, Australia
Patrick Jane on "The Mentalist"
B
He has created a charismatic American, although his Aussie swagger does seep in now and then.

Hugh Laurie, Britain

Gregory House on "House"
A+
He does East Coast acerbic better than real East Coast acerbics.

Anna Torv, Australia

Olivia Dunham on "Fringe"
D
She seems American enough until she opens her mouth and her IrishBritishAussieWhatever hybrid issues forth.

Jonny Lee Miller, Britain

Eli on "Eli Stone"
B-
He passes for a fast-talking American lawyer, but you can't listen too closely.

Natascha McElhone, Britain

Karen on "Californication"
B
Her bright presence and unusually angled face distract from occasional vocal lapses.

Charlie Hunnam, Britain

Jax on "Sons of Anarchy"
C-
He's so good, you want to forget the fact that his accent comes and goes like the wind.

Ed Westwick, Britain

Chuck Bass on "Gossip Girl"
B
He doesn't come across as a Brit or an American. His Chuck sounds more like a universal hissing snake.

Anna Paquin, New Zealand

Sookie Stackhouse on "True Blood"
A-
She invents a fake Southern accent that is endearing and campily funny in its fakeness.

Damian Lewis, Britain

Charlie Crews on "Life"
A-
Most of his performance takes place in his wry eyes, but he has the accent down pat, too.

Rufus Sewell, Britain

Jacob Hood on "Eleventh Hour"
C+
You can feel words getting caught in his mouth as he works to shape them.

Jason Clarke, Australia

Tommy Caffee on "Brotherhood"
B
He tries too hard to sound like a Kennedy, but his tense performance is diverting.

Jason Isaacs, Britain

Michael Caffee on "Brotherhood"
A-
His De Niro is on the money.

Jason O'Mara, Ireland

Sam Tyler on "Life on Mars"
B-
He's dynamic, but -- poor guy! -- his New York pales next to costars Michael Imperioli and arvey Keitel.