Written by The theme this time: Greatest TV characters of all time. The shows can be off the air, on the air, doesn’t matter. Pick somewhere between five or ten characters you feel deserve to be on this list and why. Here are some of mine:
-Dexter Morgan, Dexter: Dexter has been an up and down show, there is no doubt that some of the seasons have been a complete miss (the season with Jimmy Smits anyone?) One thing that has remained consistent throughout its run is the acting of Michael C. Hall, playing a doting dad and a chilling serial killer.
-Liz Lemon, 30 Rock: Before Leslie Knope, there was Liz Lemon. Goofy, ridiculous, perpetually single, seeing Liz Lemon in action from week to week is like reading a comic book you never want to end.
-Ron Swanson, Parks and Recreation: Right now, in my opinion, Parks and Rec is hands down the funniest show on television. That being said, this show would be nothing without Ron Swanson. Amy Poehler is great, but Ron steals the show every week.
-Lorelai Gilmore, Gilmore Girls: I realize that many of you have never watched this show, any probably only know it because the characters talk insanely fast. While Lorelai is a young mom, she’s kind of like a cool older sister you’d want to hang out with rather than task master.
-Sterling Archer, Archer: This was a tough choice for me, because there are many cartoons that I love. Family Guy, South Park, Futurama, they are all great. Archer has recently become my new favorite animated series, maybe it’s a combination of Archer’s freakish mom fetish or his overall assholeness, but he never fails to bring a smile to my face.
Those are my picks. What be yours?
Um, you could just have typed Ron Swanson, because you had it right there.
Also, Artie: the Strongest Man in the World, from Pete and Pete. And Coach McGuirk. But really, Ron Swanson.
I thought a lot about this one, even though I’m not really a ‘TV guy’, I guess I have ended up watching a lot of TV over the years. So here are my top five:
5- Spock from Star Trek. It’s pretty obvious that he was the standout star of the show. As heroic as Kirk was, and as ornery as McCoy was, Spock was just all out cool and (dare I say it) fascinating.
4- Al Swearengen from Deadwood. Probably the best thing on a show that had a lot of really good things. I had a hard time fishing out this clip on Youtube. It’s my favorite, but pretty much every episode has something from Al that was equally great.
3- Daria Morgendorffer from MTV’s Daria. She’s the girl I wish I knew in real life. Not just back in high school either. I’d fucking marry Daria.
2 & 1- It’s a tie for first place with me, because these two characters are inseparable. They both have very amazing arcs that they go through during the course of the show’s 2 seasons. There has never been a better portrayal of friendship onscreen in my opinion. I’m talking of course about Titus Pullo and Lucius Vorenus from Rome. (note for Jared, the Titus Pullo video I linked to is a pretty good taste of how baddass this show was). (and a note for everyone else reading this, I’d fucking jump in the ring to save any of you any day of the week).
Honorable mentions who didn’t quite make my top five:
Tyrion Lannister- because he is a book character first and not a TV character
Mal Reynolds- from firefly, he’s great and all, but also pretty similar to other Joss Whedon characters, plus only 1 season soo, he’s more of a miniseries character just like…
Major Richard Winters- from Band of Brothers. Really great character, but from a miniseries so he’s DQed
Abed- from Community. I’ve only really started watching this in the last few months, so I feel I need to let it stew a little in my brain before I can rank it accurately.
Batman- from Batman The Animated Series. This made comming home from school as a kid FUCKING AWESOME, and redefined Batman for a generation. But it’s based on a comic book and movies and blah blah blah.
I havn’t watched many episodes of Parks and Rec, but Ron Swanson is pretty good. He might make my list if I saw more episodes. Coach McGurk too if I didn’t think that that’s just the way H. Jon Benjamin acts in real life. Also, Artie: the Strongest Man… IN THE WORLD is a real person. Pete and Pete was a documentary.
I’m really going to hold myself to 5. I really agree with Geoff that Batman of Batman:TAS deserves mention. I also have a hard time not giving a spot to Walter White (Bryan Cranston) of Breaking Bad. And how can I do a list without either Homer/Bart Simpson?
For that matter, how do you decide who goes on the list? Character you’d most rather be? Character you’d most rather hang out with? Do you draw a line between the character and the actor? Tough questions…
Just 5. Here goes…
5) Dexter Morgan, Dexter: Dexter barely edged out Walter White. It’s probably because I’ve spent a couple years mulling over Dexter, while I spent a few months with Breaking Bad. Michael C. Hall plays the character with such intensity, that it’s difficult to distinguish the actor from the character he’s playing.
4) George Costanza, Seinfeld: Seinfeld still holds up remarkably well more than 15 years later. But it’s George Costanza who delivered the biggest laughs for me. This portly bald man full of insecurities and neuroses made for some big laughs.
3) John Locke, Lost: Jules, how did you make a list without a single character from Lost? I’ve long felt that John Locke was a litmus test for Lost. Whether you were on board with the crazier aspects of the show was largely tied into how invested you were in John Locke’s story. He ran the gamut from helpless puppet on strings, to ruthless puppet master, from hero, to villain. He was a man with his heart in the right place, but ambitions that led him into trouble.
2) Ron Swanson, Parks and Recreation: I don’t really agree with Jules that the show would be nothing without Ron. Parks and Rec would still be a GREAT show without Ron. But Ron catapults the show from great to EXCEPTIONAL. The best episodes heavily feature Ron. Ron has many of the best lines. Ron Swanson has surpassed the show to become an indelible part of pop culture. It’s truly a case of a single character eclipsing the entire show. Actor Nick Offerman knows what makes this character “work” and continually delivers the goods with incredible bravado.
1) Phillip J Fry, Futurama: Is there any surprise here? Futurama may be my favorite show of all time. I’ve often insisted that Futurama holds a special place in my heart in much the same way as other people get invested in Star Trek. He’s a dim witted, lovable goof of an everyman, who’s very much out of his element in a very bizarre future. At his core he’s a guy trying to fit in, and can be remarkably self aware of the fact that he doesn’t. He is THE character I most identify with on television.
I would be the only other person here that knows the glory of Lorelei Gilmore. And I’d put my list and why but I’m on the bus and it sucks typing and thinking on the phone too.
Ron Swanson is also the ultimate American and Aubrey plaza @evilhag is the most wonderful woman to watch. Also rob Lowe kicks ass at his super freak out runner role.
But real quick for tv
Peter Griffen – everything I want to be in a dad. Even if I have to have my own “Meg”.
Macgyver- he could make this a list for top 10 tv characters with paper and pen
Pikachu – seriously the best animated being. (Peter doesn’t count you’ve all seen that side-by-side pic floating on the net)
Lafayette – my hbo contribution. Epitome of the most gangster, drug dealing, flamboyantly gay nig there is. To a show with so much Anna paquin screaming and topless. This black man is the comedal rock.
Britanny – she makes glee win. Her lines of dialogue belong in a collection of books much akin to chuck Norris and his jokes. She’s also a great dancer.
I purposely didn’t put any star trek in this post but then remembered that true blood is based on a book series first so I’d easily swap Dr. McCoy in such a distinction were necessary. I been watching tos from pilot to now season 2 in broadcasts order and they are so great and bones is wonderful. First ep he’s in and he points out that “he’s dead Jim”
Also there’s so many “allusions” to what would be Borg mentality, future movie plots, and recurring characters. It’s awesome to see that history.
But yeah Bones is awesome and so is the Fox show bones bc both deschenal sisters are hot
I can’t believe I forgot to include a Lost character! Thanks for calling me out on that one, Miles. It was needed. Replace Lorelai Gilmore then with John Locke as well. While this was also a difficult decision because I am such a Hurley fan, John Locke was a stone cold bald badass.