My Cup Of Tea.... (Top Ten TV Characters)

Member Name: shroud

Product:	Top Ten TV Characters
Date:	16/07/07 (109 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: These characters increase my enjoyment of the programs they are in

Disadvantages: Not everyone's cup of tea!

I seem to be doing a lot of fluffy type reviews lately. Ok, so is everyone else, but hey, during the summer slowdown it is quite fun to use the time we DO get with fellow Dooyooers to get to "know" each other better.

Some of my favourite top 10 TV characters are from shows on my Top 10 TV shows list. Others are not, but if we had had a top 25, the shows would have been there! They are, in no particular order:

10. LaCroix, "Forever Knight". Nigel Bennet plays a seriously deliciously wicked vampire sire to Nicholas Knight, a vampire turned policeman from 1989's Canadian TV series. Brooding vampires seeking love and atonement was NOT a Whedon invention, and this character raised the stakes from mildly campy drama premise to a show with real edge. At turns menacing, mysterious, and sexy in a somewhat malevolent way, this character added some spice to what could have otherwise been a rather bland dish!

9. Frank Burns, "MASH". Bet you are not surprised to see that entry, huh? This guy provided a good bit of the laughs as the perfect foil for Alda's Hawkeye. Larry Linville was perfect as the snivelling, vindictive major and managed to portray his over the top anti-everything except Army, government, whites, and heterosexuals without rendering the character unsympathetic, one dimensional, or a caricature I sorely missed his character after it left, and while his replacment was good, some of the ripostes lost their edge.

8. Samantha Stephens, Bewitched. I am betting those of you who have been reading my old reviews are not shocked at this entry either. I admire this character for her inner strength and determination. She shows determination, creativity, and strong family commitment despite those who work against her, including her close family, but without alienating all involved. I also admire the way she gets tucked in learning to do things properly herself, from cooking, sewing, odd jobs, gardening, you name it, without letting herself feel a huge failure. She just keeps trying and as the series' progress, we see she has mastered these things over time. I admit she was my inspiration to teach myself sewing, and I did it the Samantha Stephens' way...I got a book on sewing, sat down with a few simple patterns and projects, and just kept plugging away!

7. Agent Jethro Leroy Gibbs, "NCIS". Sexy, slightly enigmatic and a bit of a hardnose. Still a marine in the reserves, he has a dogged tenacity to always get his man. he also has a thing for making certain its the right man, and if he feels someone is innocent, will go all out to prove it while he catches the bad 'un(s). His wry interplay with the gothic lab tech, Abby, and his other team members provide a bit of humour as their personalities bounce gently against his and they try to please "the boss". It would not be the same show without him.

6. Scooby Doo. Go ahead, laugh, I don't care. Scooby is the most gormless, loveable mutt ever. I still watch this with my kids, and still laugh at the antics he goes into trying to get away from the spookies! Also, his food combos that he scarfs up with Shaggy are too bizarre to be believed and I just love to go ew.......

5. Captain Kangaroo from the self titled series. Most of you will have NO idea who that is. Played by Bob Keeshan, Captain Kangaroo, Moose, and Mr Green Jeans helped teach literacy, and made learning fun. I love this show and his character so much, I keep bugging people to vote to have the series moved to DVD. He was warm, grandfatherly, and made children feel he was speaking TO them, rather than AT them. A rare quality.


4. Dr. Huxtable, "The Cosby Show". Well meaning, rational , cultured parent full of foibles. He makes mistakes with his kids, but puts them right. Tries to listen to what his children are saying, and knows where his kids are. More people could aspire to being such a reasonable parent! I also admire the standards he holds his family to, and the kids growing up knowing personal responsibility. I also like the way he makes time for his wife, and respects her. Overall, he is the driving focus of the show, but the rest of the family are also good role models.

3. Gomer Pyle, from "Gomer Pyle". Lovable, well meaning, but not very bright young man who wants to be one of the few and the proud of the US Marine Corps. if he can screw it up, he does. Poor Sgt. Carter has his work cut out for him. I love the way the character always makes me laugh, and the honestness of the character. Gomer may not be bright, but he has personal integrity, something lacking all too much in way too many people.

2. Mona, in "Mona the Vampire". This is one seriously cool little girl! Dressing up as a vampire, with her friends dressed as a bug and a ballerina, Mona and her black cat go out of their way to solve puzzles and delve deep into the odd. I like the way the character explores her slightly dark side, and embraces hr individuality with her friends, despite the "popular" crowd. She IS popular, with her OWN friends. A great little role model!

1. Mal, "Firefly". This guy gets his butt kicked so many times, it is laughable. Truly, it IS. But he keeps on plugging away, and his crew get their own back. Only mal could get hitched and not know it, take on a crew member who is man named Jayne (and who has the stupidest hat you ever loved to gawp at!). Make no mistake, this guy is king of the underdogs that make up his ship and crew, and I simply HAVE to root for them. Now if Whedon could just get off his butt and stop sulking and bring the willing crew back together for more!

Summary: I like what I like, and these are what I like...