In the new Fox series "Touch" (which previews January 25 before officially launching March 19), we're treated to a subtle performance by a child actor who has to serve as the centerpiece of an emotional, complex series ... without ever saying a single word. But 10-year-old David Mazouz, who plays Jake, the autistic son of Kiefer Sutherland's character, effortlessly brings his role to life. It's a challenge, but he's not the only young actor who is turning out a scene-stealing performance. Here are the other kids and tweens who have already captured our attention and hopefully have bright futures ahead of them. — Television Without PityTuesday, January, 24, 2012, 10:24 PM

Maisie Williams, 14 (Arya, "Game of Thrones"): "Game of Thrones" has a large ensemble cast of adult and child stars, but Williams more than holds her own. She's fantastic as our favorite little tomboy in all of Westeros. She's convincing with her wide-eyed stare and pretty talented at wielding a weapon, to boot. Once "Thrones" ends, maybe she can be in the next version of "Nikita" or play a butt-kicking spy.HBO/Nick Briggs - Tuesday, January, 24, 2012, 10:24 PM

Nolan Gould, 13 (Luke, "Modern Family"): Manny gets all the attention for his too-mature-for-his-age attitude, but Gould actually succeeds in playing a realistic kid. He's not all that smart -- except when he surprises us with an amazing insight -- and Gould's adorable and really sells the character in his own subtle style. His scenes with Ty Burrell are some of the best this show has to offer, and with those curly tresses and affable personality, he might be the next Jason Segel or Seth Rogen.ABC/Rick Rowell - Tuesday, January, 24, 2012, 10:24 PM

Tyree Brown, 8 (Jabbar, "Parenthood"): The kid is mostly stuck with plotlines where he plays dumb to the tension between his parents, Crosby and Jasmine, but he's pretty adorable while doing it. Most important, when Jabbar didn't want to constantly hang out with his cousin Max, Brown acted his little heart out as a tyke coming to understand how important maintaining a healthy relationship with your family members is, even if they can annoy the heck out of you (a lesson the entire Braverman clan can use). Given that Brown's too cute to not get acting work, we can easily picture him a few years down the road starring in a MTV teen drama as the sensitive, soul-pining hero who's after the head cheerleader.NBC/Florian Schneider - Tuesday, January, 24, 2012, 10:24 PM

Kiernan Shipka, 12 (Sally Draper, "Mad Men"): Most normal child actresses don't have to play drunk, convincingly sell a scene about getting caught exploring her body, and go from adoring daughter to obnoxious brat. And none of them usually have to do it while maintaining a period-appropriate sensibility. It's quite impressive. We've got a feeling that Shipka can take over the world when this series ends, but we hope she stays on cable where she can keep pushing the boundaries, instead of heading to the Disney Channel.AMC - Tuesday, January, 24, 2012, 10:24 PM

Atticus Shaffer, 13 (Brick, "The Middle"): Back in the day on "Malcolm in the Middle," people were gaga for Frankie Muniz, but we always had a soft spot for the dimwitted Dewey. So we fell instantly for Brick, who has a similar look and is a lot smarter -- but flighty. When he whispers, we get totally creeped out and want more of his oddball brand of humor. And there's always room for awkwardly weird characters on comedies -- just look at Sheldon on "Big Bang Theory" or Abed on "Community."ABC/Craig Sjodin - Tuesday, January, 24, 2012, 10:24 PM

Jared Gilmore, 11 (Henry, "Once Upon a Time"): There's a lot of flip-flopping between worlds, but Gilmore's Henry is centered firmly in "our" universe (though if he has a fairy-tale alter ego, we'd bet it is equally adorable). He's the only decent person in Storybrooke who has a clue about what is going on, and all the constant harping about his book could get quickly grating in the hands of a less-capable actor. He was great on "Mad Men" (as Don's son) and works really well here, so he'll likely have a successful career so long as he maintains that impish grin.ABC/Sergei Bachlakov - Tuesday, January, 24, 2012, 10:24 PM

Bayley and Rylie Crecut (Hope, "Raising Hope"): We don't usually give baby actors a lot of credit, since they mostly just have to look cute, but after we've seen how bad a toddler actress can be (we're talking about you, Lily on "Modern Family"), we have newfound respect for the twins that bring the utterly captivating Hope to life. We're so grateful that the producers found a clever way to age her, without taking away from the humor of the show. Not sure what Bayley and Rylie will do in the future, but we're hoping it's more along the lines of Tia and Tamara and less like the Olsen twins.FOX/Matthias Clamer - Tuesday, January, 24, 2012, 10:24 PM

Skai Jackson, 8 ( Zuri, "Jessie"): There are a lot of cookie-cutter kids on the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon, so we mostly ignore them until they get a clothing line at Target or start having singles on the airwaves. But Skai Jackson is quite the little charmer, reminding us of Raven-Symone from back in her "Cosby Show" days, with sassy one-liners and a grin from ear to ear. We just want to squeeze her, and if she sticks with Disney, she'll likely have a solid career for years to come.Disney Channel/Adam Taylor - Tuesday, January, 24, 2012, 10:24 PM

Donis Leonard Jr., 12 (Roscoe, "House of Lies"): This show is filled with outlandish behavior and so much sex and impropriety that it's shocking that a child is allowed within a thousand feet of the set. But Roscoe is the heart and soul of this show as a kid who likes to dress in drag, has a crush on both a guy and a girl, and would have made a fantastic Sandy in "Grease" (though he rocked it as Rizzo). He grounds Cheadle's smarmy management consultant and gives him a heart, which we might otherwise have thought didn't exist. So far, Leonard is better than most of the cast on "Glee," so maybe he could bring some life to that show in a few years -- assuming it hasn't been canceled by then.Showtime/Richard Cartwright - Tuesday, January, 24, 2012, 10:24 PM

Chandler Riggs, 12 (Carl, "The Walking Dead"): The kid got shot and had to lie still in bed for the majority of the show's fall season, and yet he still exhibited more emotion than half the adult actors that are on this series. He's got expressive eyes, and we're glad he wasn't turned into a zombie. Maybe for his next gig, he can find something a little more lighthearted.AMC/Matthew Welch - Tuesday, January, 24, 2012, 10:24 PM

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