Twenty of the best (Top Ten TV Characters)

Member Name: Wezzo

Product:	Top Ten TV Characters
Date:	27/07/07 (103 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Memorable characters a-plenty

Disadvantages: You run out of superlatives when writing about so many greats..; I watch too much US TV

As something of a television nut (I collect over 100 TV series on DVD - clearly I have an addiction that requires some kind of intervention) I thought I'd share with you my thoughts on some of the greatest characters to ever grace the small screen. I've gone for a top twenty instead of the stated top ten as I couldn't bear to miss off so many of my favourites. Be warned: like my top TV show list, this is heavily weighted towards the US side of things.

-#20 - Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernand, "24")

The character who most frequently appears in "24" other than Jack Bauer, Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard) is one of the show's most interesting characters; a principled, authoritative man who manages to retain a friendly, likeble streak. A problematic counterfoil for Jack in earlier seasons and a great partner later on, Tony develops thoroughly throughout the series and he is one of the most watchable agents of the Counter Terrorist Unit.

His marriage (to whom, I won't say) later on is one of the show's most enjoyable "personal" storylines of any season, and his role in the fifth season is perfectly judged and sees Bernard acting at his most accomplished.

-#19 - Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell, "Veronica Mars")

The ultimate TV heroine, Veronica Mars is one of the best female characters on TV. Mystery-solver extraordinaire, something of a latter-day Nancy Drew, she is a sharp, witty and remarkably intelligent teenager yet completely believeable thanks to Kirsten Bell's superb realisation of the complex-but-gripping scripts and her uncanny ability to act like a 17-year-old.

Sadly cancelled after just three seasons in the USA due to poor ratings, "Veronica Mars" remains one of the best shows of recent years and this is due in no small part to the irresitible lead.

-#18 - David Brent (Ricky Gervais, "The Office UK")

The definitive representation of middle management on television, Ricky Gervais's David Brent is shameless, hypocritical and delusional; he thinks his employees love and respect him, but nothing could be further from the truth. Gervais portrays him brilliantly - and his natural ability to fit the role, when combined with the "mockumentary" style of the show, almost makes you forgot you're watching a scripted sitcom here.

Brent also bounces brilliantly off of the other characters around the titular Office, his reactions to Gareth Keenan's (Mackenzie Crook) adoration of him provoking some of the most amusing reactions in sitcom history.

-#17 - Detective Holland "Dutch" Wagenback (Jay Karnes, "The Shield")

Perhaps the most inherently likeable character on controversial FX drama "The Shield", "Dutch" Wagenbach is a police detective who, despite an exterior that suggests a social ineptitude and a certain air of nerdiness, is actually remarkably effective at questioning witnesses.

He is perhaps the most morally consistent character on the show, but is also perhaps the least happy with the decisions he makes. Jay Karnes portrays him wonderfully, balancing his social dis-ease and sexual frustration with his unique ability to profile offenders and force them to confess in questioning. A fine example of great characterisation.

-#16 - Dr. Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards, "ER")

A few months ago I probably wouldn't have considered Mark Greene for this list. Sure, he's a fine enough character: the "ER" team had allocated him some nice storylines throughout his tenure - some lighthearted, some not so - and he was the star of season 1's outstanding "Love's Labour Lost"; but he wasn't really an "all-time best" candidate.

Then I saw seasons 7 and 8 of the show on DVD. Without revealing too much for those who haven't seen those seasons, it's safe to say that Greene's story arc throughout those forty-four episodes is among the most tearjerking, heartbreaking, emotional and intense plotlines ever to have been featured on TV. Anthony Edwards plays the doctor to perfection throughout, giving the character's trials an added layer of realism, and things culminate in what is perhaps the all-time greatest episode of television, "On the Beach", which sees Edwards put in what can only be described as the performance of a lifetime.

Immensely likeable, optimistic and realistic through and through, Dr. Mark Greene may start off as the series' token "level-headed bloke" but soon evolves into a superbly well-rounded, well-acted character, and he is impossible to overlook after seeing the likes of "Love's Labour Lost", "Orion in the Sky" and "On the Beach".

-#15 - Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer, "Frasier" and "Cheers")

There is surely no-one in the Western world who hasn't heard of Frasier Crane - in terms of ubiquity, he's right up there with the Simpson family. On television for a record-breaking twenty consecutive seasons (the last nine of "Cheers" and the eleven of "Frasier"), he is undoubtedly the world's funniest psychiatrist.

From his beginnings as the Boston-residing barfly on "Cheers" to his lovably pompous demeanour on "Frasier". Snobby, pretentious and intelligent, he remains a very likeable character thanks to his well-meaning personality and kindly heart. Grammer is fabulous from the very beginning of his character's run in "Cheers", and deserves copious amounts of praise for injecting so much life and love into the character for twenty years.

-#14 - Hal Wilkerson (Bryan Cranston, "Malcolm In The Middle")

The quirkiest character on "Malcolm In The Middle", Hal is the yin to wife Lois' yang. Able to switch from open-minded and relaxed to uptight and mysterious at the drop of a hat, much of his life is a mystery and remains so throughout the series - though there's never any doubting his good intentions, his motives are often questionable: case in point, the finest Hal-focused episode "Rollerskates", where he will only allow son Malcolm to rollerskate if he follows his strict, extensive training regime.

Bryan Cranston is perfectly suited to the role, and helps to make Hal one of the finest comic creations of recent years.

-#13 - Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham, "Gilmore Girls")

Endearingly bubbly, wonderfully witty and sparkling in personality, Lorelai Gilmore (played effortlessly by Lauren Graham) is one of the loveliest characters on television. Her wonderful relationship with daughter Rory and the difficult one she has with her parents contrast wonderfully and make for one of the most emotionally complex women on television.

Graham delivers the character's shining dialogue at rollercoaster speeds, yet it sounds oh-so-natural regardless; while her relationships with several men throughout the series prove sufficient fodder for a look at the deeper Lorelai.

-#12 - Dr. John Carter (Noah Wyle, "ER")

The de facto main character for much of "ER"'s run, Noah Wyle's Med Student (later Dr.) John Carter is an immensely likeable, endearing portrait of life fo a young man thrown in at the deep end with a job at a Chiacgo county hospital. We really grow with Carter over his eleven years on the show - from his humble beginnings as intimidated, deer-in-the-headlights student afraid even to insert an IV; through his acquisition of his "MD"; his fight for his life after being stabbed; right through to his battle with drug addiction and his eventual status as County General's longest-serving doctor.

It's a great journey, made all the more effective - as so many of the best characters are - by the superb decision to cast the remarkable Noah Wyle in the role. Wyle gives the character a wonderfully subtle frailty and nervousness that gradually fades throughout his eleven-year tenure.

-#11 - Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry, "Friends")

Mr. Chandler Bing (or "Mrs. Chanandler Bong", as his TV Guide subscription is addressed) is probably the most consistently funny character on "Friends", a show that has no shortage of amusing cast members, every one of the six main ensemble characters managing a good joke or two every episode. He is a brilliantly sarcastic, wise-cracking character; his consistently sardonic attitude is unrelentingly hilarious, episode after episode. His relationships with each member of the ensemble - be they romances or friendships - are brilliantly played out, and there's a great dynamic between Matthew Perry and the rest of the core cast

Much like almost every aspect of the show, Perry's character went downhill somewhat from around seasons six to nine, but in the first five (and final) seasons, Chandler was consistently among the very funniest characters on TV.

-#10 - Hank Hill (voice of Mike Judge, "King of the Hill")

Hank Hill is your archetypal Texan. God-worshipping, beer-loving, tax-paying and football-watching, he is awkward socially, conservative in values and sells "propane and propane accessories". He's also one of the best nimated creations in history.

His values often conflict with those of both his naive, open-minded wife Peggy and anarchic comedy-loving son Bobby, providing much of the show's comedic fodder. Voiced to perfection by Mike Judge, he is more three-dimensional and realistic in conviction than many a live-action character. His character is acutely believable and he is one of the most subtly funny characters on the box.

-#9 - Derek "Del Boy" Trotter (David Jason, "Only Fools and Horses")

The finest Britcom character of all-time, portrayed by one of the finest Britcom actors of all-time, David Jason's Del Boy is among the most well-known and well-loved characters on the box. Semi-legal Peckham trader, he works and lives alongside brother Rodney and his Grandad (and later, Uncle Albert) getting them into all manner of trials and tribulations. The archetypal "loveable rogue", he has reached icon status in Britain, with good reason - forever living each day as it comes, he believes "he who dares wins" and is all to happy to attempt to prove this hypothesis.

Consistently sharp and witty, yet kind-hearted and emotional when called for, Del Boy is my favourite British TV character.

-#8 - Ned Flanders (voice of Harry Shearer, "The Simpsons")

A devout Christian and moral center of The Simpsons' Spingfield, Ned Flanders is perhaps the finest portrayal of your "morally upstanding citizen" on American television. Voiced by the incredibly adept Harry Shearer, he sometimes something of a pushover and is seen as insecure on occasion (in particular, .

He owns "The Leftorium". He believes he's "meek, but could probably stand to be meeker". And of course, those geniuses behind the show go and make him the Devil in a classic "Treehouse of Horror" episode. What's not to love?

Oh, and who hasn't inserted "Hi-diddily-ho, neighbourino!" into everyday conversation at one point or another? It can't be just me, surely..

-#7 - Denny Crane (William Shatner, "Boston Legal")

Who'd've thought it? William Shatner was, just three years ago, resigned to breakfast cereal and DVD player promotion. No-one would have bet that he'd get a lead role in super David E. Kelley dramedy "Boston Legal" - and even fewer would've bet he'd be a resounding success that brought his cult reputation to the fore once again.

Denny Crane is hotshot lawyer at prestigious law firm "Crane, Pool and Schmidt". Unfortunately he is reluctant to face the fact that his best days are behind him, but his age - he's a full-blown septuagenerian, much like Shatner himself - doesn't stop his serial womanising, his subversion of the justice system, or indeed his penchant for stating his name - "Denny Crane." - with all manner of vocal inflections upon wishing to reassert his authority or resputation.

He's another legendary character Shatner should be pleased to add to his CV.

-#6 - George Costanza (Jason Alexander, "Seinfeld")

Somewhere between Larry David of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (indeed, Costanza was partially based on David) and Victor Meldrew ("One Foot in the Grave"), George Costanza of "Seinfeld" (played by the inimitable Jason Alexander) is the original sitcom cynic. Described by his character in the show as a "short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man", he is neurotic, self-loathing, dishonest and stingy, and isprone to questioning and criticising social customs he deems to be unnecessary or unfair. Like the entire "Seinfeld" core cast, he's also not particularly likeable - a trait that, fo this character, only adds to the effect.

Jason Alexander was a superb choice to play the man, and he works really well with Jerry Seinfeld, Michael Richards and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Costanza is the standout of the "Seinfeld" universe.

-#5 - Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie, "House")

The first of two consecutive grumpy docs on my list, Hugh Laurie's House is the main draw to the show named after him. Sure, the medical side is good and fun, and the supporting cast are standout, but Hugh Laurie is absolutely brilliant as the cynical, sarcastic, pill-popping doc - delivering razor-sharp wit in a realistic American accent with disconcerting ease. His romantic history is intriguing, and his back-and-forths between he and all of the supporting cast is engaging and engrossing.

The embittered House is another in my line of embittered yet endearing characters, which probably says a lot about my taste in television - nonetheless, even among such esteemed competition, House is a true winner, and Hugh Laurie deserves all the acclaim he gets - which is, rightfully, an awful lot.

-#4 - Dr. Perry Cox (John C. McGinley, "Scrubs")

The "other" grumpy doc, Perry Cox of the stellar "Scrubs" shares many personality traits with House - the disregard for others' feelings, the sarcastic cynicism - but just marginally wins out over him thank to his hilarious, impassioned and bitter rants.

To wit, when talking about another character (JD)'s last week of residency: "I suppose I could riff a list of things that I care as little about as our last week. Let's see... low carb diets, Michael Moore, the Republican National Convention, Kabbalah & all Kabbalah-related products, Hi-Def TV, the Bush daughters, wireless hotspots, "The OC", the UN, recycling, getting "Punk'd", Danny Gans, the Latin Grammys, the real Grammys, Jeff that Wiggle that sleeps too darn much, the Yankees payroll, all the red states, all the blue states, every hybrid car, every talk show, everything on the planet, everything in the solar system, everything, everything, everything, everything, everything, everything, every everything that exists past present & future, in discovered and undiscovered dimensions! ..Oh, and Hugh Jackman." Says it all, really!

-#3 - Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland, "24")

The definitive television superhero - and no, I'm not talking about Claire Bennet ("Heroes") - Kiefer Sutherland revived his flagging career with his superb portrayal of Counter-Terrorist Agent Jack Bauer, all-around real-life Action Man extraordinaire. Bauer blurs the lines between right and wrong, rather similar to "The Shield"'s strike team - the advantage Bauer has is the marginally superior acting ability of Sutherland, and the epic, intense plots that get Jack involved and refuse to let go - much like what the show does to the viewer.

The quick-thinking, passionate and risk-taker with conviction we all wish we were, Jack Bauer is "24"'s main draw and rates among television's all-time greatest.

-#2 - Niles Crane (David Hyde Pierce, "Frasier")

David Hyde Pierce is perhaps the finest comic actor of our time. The character of Niles Crane is incontrovertable proof of that. Frasier's younger brother in "Frasier", he has been forced to live in his older brother's shadow for his entire life - and to add to his problems, the has an unrequited crush on Frasier's housekeeper, Daphne.

Truthfully, though, the inimitable Niles Crane's appeal cannot be described in words. Everything about him, and his portrayal, adds to his appeal: the fabulously funny facial expressions, the inicisive wit, the pompousness, the awkwardness, the pretension. He is an exaggeration of Frasier himself in many ways, but he is never a simple carbon copy; the writers - not to mention Hyde Pierce - made sure that didn't happen.

Niles Crane is without doubt the funniest real-life character to grace the small screen.

-#1 - Homer Simpson (voice of Dan Castellaneta, "The Simpsons")

Let's face it, no list is complete without Homer Simpson. The very definition of "loveable oaf", he is incompetent, overweight, unintelligent and crass - yet everyone and their aunt adores him. Why? I have no real philosophical insight here; I think it's really down to everyone, everywhere, having a little "Homer Simpson" in them - that inner glutton who wants another doughnut, who can't be bothered to go work today, who secretly longs for another pint of Duff beer..

Despite his seemingly horrendous emobodiment of so many negative working-class stereotypes, Homer is also a man we respect. He has integrity; he loves his family and when push comes to shove he truly does care about their wellbeing. He is a character that has been ridiculously well developed throughout his 20 year on-screen; it's been a long journey from humble beginnings on crudely-animated shorts made for "The Tracey Ullman Show" to the world's most famous cartoon character, but he's been there a while now and shows no signs of giving up his place.

Voiced by the supremely talented Dan Castellaneta, Homer Simpson is the definitive TV character in my book.

And finally, a few honourable mentions:

-# Alan Shore (James Spader, "Boston Legal"), witty lawyer
-# Raymond Barone (Ray Romano, "Everybody Loves Raymond"), loveable family man and sportswriter
-# Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub, "Monk"), detective with an unfortunate case of OCD
-# Father Dougal McGuire (Ardal O'Hanlon, "Father Ted"), the rather stupid priest companion to Ted on Craggy Island
-# Norm Peterson (George Wendt, "Cheers"), witty barfly extraordinaire
-# John Locke (Terry O'Quinn, "Lost"), the most intriguing of the "Lost" bunch
-# David Fisher (Michael C. Hall, "Six Feet Under"), a most effective portrayal of the trials being a closet homosexual can bring about

Summary: No-one's going to agree with all my picks, but I hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts