While the Gossip Girl contingent grows at my work, so do the number of links that get passed back and forth about my new favorite show. Last week, a co-worker sent me a link to Chuck Bass quotes. When I thanked her for the link later on, she yelled, “Best character on TV!†as she breezed by.
I told that to Greg, who said, “Now that can’t be right.†And we spent the rest of the evening discussing who the best character on TV is. We seem to love the deliciously wicked (Ben Linus: Lost, T-Bag: Prison Break, Dexter: Dexter, and of course, Chuck Bass), the bad asses (President Bartlett: The West Wing, Dr. Cox: Scrubs, Tony Soprano: The Sopranos) and the funny (Michael Scott: The Office, Earl Hickey: My Name is Earl). Greg argues some of these choices, as his personal criteria requires a well-rounded character that shows depth and weaknesses.
That’s where you, the readers, and some bracketology comes into play! Who is the best character on TV? Greg and I discussed that including reality show stars and cartoon characters were out of bounds, as reality show stars are not “fictional†and you don’t want to get trapped with Meatwad (Aquateen Hunger Force) and Cliff Huxtable (The Cosby Show) squaring off.
Who will it be? And where are all the good women characters? Post your suggestions in the comments section!
Ooooh fun!
Well, clearly, I’m gonna vote for Benjamin Linus as the most compelling, complicated, layered, unpredictably, and awesomely badass dude on television right now.
Can we include only current characters, or past ones too?
My faves: Ben Linus, Fox Mulder, Dexter, CJ from the West Wing (I wanted to be her when I grew up), Carrie Bradshaw, Amanda on Melrose, Jack Donaghy, Barney Stinson, Seth Cohen, Gregory House.
Just a short list.
Suit up! This bracket is going to be legendary!
Al Swearengen from Deadwood is the biggest badass of all time. My other faves are definitely Dexter and Doug Wilson (Kevin Nealon) from Weeds.
What’s tripping me up right now is the fact that Six Feet Under is my favorite show of all time, but there isn’t one character that jumps out at me as being “great.”
YAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!
Oh- Seth Cohen! Stef, good call… I’m done- that’s my final answer right there : )
S, we are including characters present and those no longer with us?
I’m assuming yes, since you included Pres. Bartlett.
Okay, so because I get mental blocks when the pressure is on to pull out these types of things, I turned to Google and searched “kickass female tv characters” : )
I found a neat transcript of a COMICON panel (great, just up my dork factor a few notches) but it only had like one tv reference (C.J. Cregg, BTW- hope she is quickly earning a healthy spot in ths bracket.)
But, I did also find someone else’s top 100 ranking of this same variety:
http://www.411mania.com/movies/columns/68288/411/s-Top-100-Movie-TV-Characters:-100—91.htm
It does include a lot of movie characters, but still a good reference, and well put-together. I was pretty happy with the top 10!
Anyway… still came up very short on females. I’m waffling, and I know I’ll get crap, but I really think (depending how large this bracket is) I’d have to include Phoebe Buffay. If you want reasons, I can provide. She just has so many dimensions!
411Mania is where Wrasslin’ re I used to go to get my Wrasslin’ recaps.
Stupid Wordpress butchered my comment, I meant to say “411Mania is where I used to go to get my Wrasslin’ recaps.” but I stopped following WWE and 411 a few years ago now.
Selena pointed out that I have my own criteria, and I thought I would share it.
My standard is not just that we find the character compelling, but that we also have seen a full range of the character.
- T-Bag on Prison Break is a hideous individual, but we’ve seen him strong and weak, conniving and naïve.
- Jeb Barlett showed us every side of her personality from jovial to angry to frustrated to patriotic.
- Even Michael Scott who is practically a caricature of everyman-boss surprised us every once in a while with a humblingly real moment that gets past the façade and shows the individual hiding behind it.
That’s what made me question how Chuck Bass could be put on the top of the list, he’s good, but I don’t know that we’ve seen enough range of his character yet.
WHAT???? In just the first two episodes, we’ve seen him almost rape two people, and yet, somehow GG has been able to give him enough dimension and depth to turn all that around to become the character you love the most on that show! That’s a sign of really smart writing and incredible character structure for me!
AND I would argue that he has shown even more dimensions that some of the other peeps mentioned. I really think Michael Scott is one-dimensional, and T-bag has a one track mind, where he does whatever he can to survive. Whereas Chuck started off seeming like he was just going to be the evil leacherous guy, but in recent episodes, he’s taken care of Nate, fallen for Blair, taken care of Serena, had to prove himself to dad, and stepped into a support role with Eric to provide him something he can’t get from those closest to him.
PLUS can Jeb Bartlett pull off a shark sweater? Boo-yah!
Onyah-I also think we can pull some of the female contingent from Weeds, because Nancy and Celia are both pretty fantastic too!
Greg-I think Jeffrey and Richard from Slings and Arrows need to go on there. Sadly, I can’t pick just one person from Arrested Development. But Gob might be my favorite by a teensy bit!
As a TV aficionado, I look no further for the best female character than Buffy from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She can kick your ass with her jujitsu and tear you to shreds with her wit. She is especially funny and heart warming in the first few seasons.
For the best male character, I have to go with Hawkeye Pierce from MASH. The man cake walks through meatball surgery and manages to steal the hearts of nurses in the same breath all the while making your guts hurt with laughter (back when comedic writing was genuine).
I have to agree on POTUS Bartlett though his character was lame in later seasons and Seth for just geeky fun points. I would also like to add Lorelei Gilmore and Dr. David House, both walking contradictions.
Oh golly, how could I forget Jack Bauer? Maybe because we have wait SO DAMN LONG for 24 to return?
Oooh! Y’all are right, we need more female characters. So, while we could argue that Buffy did it better, I’ll add Veronica Mars. And definitely Nancy Botwin from Weeds, which is funny to me cuz I freakin’ hated MLP so much when she was on the West Wing. But I love her on Weeds!
One more, one more! Titus Pullo from “Rome.” He was the best part of an awesome series, IMHO.
Alright, I’m gonna have to seriously brainstorm and come up with some more suggestions, or I’m going to be really unhappy with this bracket!
No offense intended to anyone else’s suggestions- I’ve just never even seen a lot of those shows!
And just for the record: I agree with Selena’s points on CB wholeheartedly. I don’t even think we’ve seen the half of his character yet, as Greg sort of suggested, but still I think he has much more depth and dynamic than plenty of other characters, whether mentioned here or not. I disagree with Greg that because he hasn’t necessarily realized his full potential as a character yet, he should be counted less on this list– it’s all the more intriguing!!
I’m surprised J-Lo didn’t weigh in with a Battlestar character.
I’m giving some love to the ladies here:
Miranda Hobbes – Sex in the City. She’s difficult, uptight, and a pain in the ass and she still gets the guy.
Miranda Bailey – Grey’s Anatomy (do I have a Miranda thing?)
Irina Derevko – Alias. Yes she puts the Q in questioning for me.
Rory Gilmore – Gilmore Girls seasons 1-3. I loved that she had a great relationship with her parents, grandparents and any other adult figures in her life, enjoy reading and studying and still didn’t come off as a stereotypical nerd. The less said about her decision to take time off from Yale, the better.
Kelly Kapoor – How can you not like Kelly? She’s the most entertaining spaz you’ve ever met.
Julia Sugarbaker – Designing Women. Come on folks, the complete articulate haranges!
OMG, Irina Derevko! She totally puts the Q in questioning for me, too.
No contest – Starbuck from Battlestar Galactica – Katie rules!
So, when is this bracket happening? The original contestant who started it all only continues to build his case… in reruns. Damn, if the awesomest moment of GG wasn’t on again last night to relive as if it was all happening for the first time- Chuck & Blair, post-uptight, uptown-girl’s breakout burlesque act rebellion-therapy, blow the roof off the predictable facade of the show with their backseat-of-the-private-car action. (Unpredictable, at least to me… but I’m super-gullible, so who knows : )
He says, almost trepidatiously: “Are you sure?”… TOTALLY leaves her in control!!! When else has that ever happened in the life of Chuck Bass, as we know it? When on earth has he cared about a girl’s feelings- especially one he’s about ravage? Fantastic moment. Un-believable.
Also, exciting because I didn’t even realize they were airing reruns right now. The simple fact that the time slot hasn’t been temporarily filled with some horrific example of unadulterated camera-whoring (aka the latest brand of ‘reality’ tv), or even a legitimate attempt at a new summer breakout series, must mean that this show is more than meets the eye.