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The CHUD TV All-Stars: 250 Greatest Characters

post #1 of 707
Thread Starter 
Same rules as before, but with a twist.

In interests of fostering discussion rather than just making a random list, you HAVE to provide an explanation of at least two sentences or 50 words or your selection is invalid. It's a lot more fun for everyone if we get a dialogue going rather than just listing back and forth.

Also, since the actor and show are important, let's make sure we list those too. Like this:

1. Al Swearengen - Ian McShane - DEADWOOD

Because in a town without law, he is the word and he is God. Al is the glue that held both the town--and the show--together for three masterful seasons. Remember how everything went to shit when Al was laid up in bed with kidney stones in season 2? There should be enough proof there for you, but if not, I point you to almost every other scene in the three years of Deadwood. (Oh, one more: The opening scene to Deadwood's finest hour, "E.B. Was Left Out" where Al gets the "sum up the show" scene when he tells newspaper editor Merrick: "Pain, or damage, don't end the world. Or despair. Or fuckin' beatings. The world ends when you're dead. Until then, you've got more punishments in store. Stand it like a man, and give some back.")

Al was intelligent, he was scary, he was sympathetic, fatherly, and, of course, he was fucking funny as hell. After Tony Soprano, it didn't seem like HBO could come up with a more murderous, profane character--but David Milch did, and Ian McShane needs to be handed sympathy Emmy after sympathy Emmy for being ignored so egrariously over the last two years. You've got one more chance to do right by him, you Academy cocksuckers--I implore you not to fuck it up.

I think Silas Adams said it better than I ever could when he said in the finale, "When he ain't lyin', Al's the most honorable man you'll ever meet." A-fuckin-men to that.
post #2 of 707
Lucy.

The queen of the Golden Age sitcoms, Lucy was cute, funny, outrageous, and trend-setting. She updated the Gracie Allen ditzy character for the television age, and she did it with style. Anyone who disagrees has some serious 'splainin' to do.
post #3 of 707
Whats up with these boards lately? seems I dubble post quite often these days....
Sorry
post #4 of 707
Killer Bob - Twin Peaks

Maybe the scariest character that ever came across the screen. His mere presence gave me goosebumps. He isn´t the greatest talker, but he is the definition of gravitas. As a character there is nobody in the same league.
What´s up with the season 2 DVD anyway? Paramount, bring it on already!
post #5 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers

Perhaps one of the finest sitcom characters ever created, John Cleese had him fully-formed from the get-go. Brilliantly blustery to those who he thinks beneath him yet snivelingly sucking up to the upper crust he desperately wants to think he belongs to, yet Cleese often imbues him with a layer of sympathy for a man whose life hasn't gone exactly the way he planned it, which is key -- you can't laugh with Basil if you think he's a complete bastard. Add in Cleese's brilliant comic timing and physical comedy skills and you have an enduring character who, although appearing in only 12 episodes, stands as one of the greatest comedic creations of all time.
post #6 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi

Danny DeVito created one of the funniest, most obnoxious characters ever in the show 'Taxi'. There were many great characters on this show, but his was the standout. He was a combination boss from hell, skirt chaser, and loudmouth...and you could tell that Danny had a ball playing him. It's still one of my all time favorite shows.
post #7 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children

Assuming these are in no particular order, you can't omit the great comedic work Ed O'Neill did on what pretty much is a send up of the family sitcom. Stepping away from the Ralph Kramden model and just going about it as a man who has been defeated, won't stop reliving high school and despite the BS continues to wade thru it for no good reason.
post #8 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing

Originally the character was only to appear in a few episodes with the primary focus of the show being on the West Wing staff. However Martin Sheen made such a impact with Bartlet that there was just no way that the President couldn't be a main part of the show......And his speech to God in Two Cathedrals will probably go down as one of the greatest moments in TV history.
post #9 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing

8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development

Gob was a great character because he worked on several different levels. He was a great asshole; the guy who would set fire to a woman's car if it meant he would get to sleep with her. What was great about him was that even though the show never dwelled on it, all his actions were as a result of his frustration at never receiving the love of his parents (who made it no secret that they hated him) and his feeling of betrayal that Michael was the favorite son even though he was oldest. And even though he was given gold to work with, Will Arnett was able to make it even better. His delivery was flawless every time and he had more charisma than an entire roster of WWE wrestlers, which he used to elevated Gob to one of the all time great comedic characters.
post #10 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield

Not only is Vic a crooked cop who took bribes from drug dealers and gangsters
but he is also a cold blooded murderer. In the first episode of The Shield, Vic murders an undercover cop investigating his unit. At that point you'd think that there is nothing this character could do to redeem himself but by the end of the first season you can't help but sympathize for Vic. He steals for his family including 2 autistic children. He does what he does for a good cause but his actions are going to destroy him sooner or later.
post #11 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield

10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show

The sitcom traditionally has a sidekick for the main character, but the thing that set Hank Kingsley apart was the fact that he was a sidekick to Larry Sanders, both on the late-night show and in the storylines. His vanity and idiocy was both unnerving and adorable. Whether he was trying to garner more attention while sitting on the couch, being the butt of the jokes for Larry and Artie, requesting a particular brand of jerk-off lotion or claiming to be an innocent victim of the OJ Simpson murder case due to dropping property values, Jeffrey Tambor's performance of Hank Kingsley was one of the greatest television characters of the 1990s.
post #12 of 707
I was just about to add Hank Kingsley to this list but I guess you beat me to it. There is no better TV character as far as I'm concerned.
post #13 of 707
11. Adam Schiff - Steven Hill - Law and Order.

Maybe the greatest actor to ever appear on TV, period - and doing justice to a complex part. He rarely appeared for more than five minutes a show during his ten years, opposite the excellent pre-meltdown Michael Moriarty and very good Sam Waterston, but he was so strong, his replacements - the wonderful Dianne Weist and the authoritative Fred Dalton Thompson - seemed mere shadows in the role. Hill could be sympathetic, empathetic, humourous, and insightful, all in the same escene. Robert Duvall called him the best actor alive, and he showed why - every episode. Of all the excellent Law and Order actors to leave the show - Moriarty, Noth, Brooks - he was the strongest to go.
post #14 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier

This started being about Frasier, but thinking about it, Niles is the more remarkable creation. What could have been simply a clone of Frasier became a fully developed character in his own right, and the superb comic timing of David Hyde-Pierce made him a perfect foil for Kelsey Grammer.
post #15 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier

13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company

Arguably the greatest sit-com character of the 1980's, John Ritter's Tripper is by far my favorite television character. Ritter was the stand-out performer on the self-proclaimed "first show about nothing." Between his insane pratfalls, to his ability to crack you up with just a look, Ritter took what was on paper a blah character and made Jack Tripper one of television's most beloved citizens.

God, I miss John Ritter.
post #16 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company

14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin

Played by Leonard Rossiter, this was a three season British Comedy in the mid 70s. Reggie was, and is today, a very identifiable character. Bored and frustrated at what his life has become, he has Walter Mitty-like fantasies of what he would REALLY like to do in situations (usually involving nailing his secretary, or thinking of his mother-in-law as a hippo). Through the course of the series, he fakes his death a few times in order to try out new lives, usually ending up back with is family to try and make a go of a 'normal life'. The best story arc comes in the second season when he creates, as a joke against society, a store called 'Grot' that only sells guaranteed absolutely useless items...and makes a fortune.

If you're a fan of British comedy, I highly encourage you to seek this series out.
post #17 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company
14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin

15. Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek:TOS

Played by the Shatner. Captain Kirk is over the top, cheesey, hammy and yet iconic. The first space mysogonist, and a man that got more alien tail than you can shake a stick at. You can make a very good arguement that Mr.Spock would be a better choice, but how many comedians would be SOL if they didn't have their pitch perfect impression of Captain Kirk's staggard speaking style.
post #18 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company
14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
15. Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek:TOS


16. Jack Bauer - 24

No matter how outlandish or profoundly dumb this show gets, there's always one constant: Jack Bauer's fucking great, and the show very rarely fails him. The guy's the hero we all wish was actually out there, fighting for the safety of the free world for all the right reasons by any means necessary. Yet, we've got Superman for that. What makes Bauer special is that he manages to be an all-encompassing badass without sacrificing vital humanity in the process. He might push the envelope of it once in a while, but the fact that at the end of the day, he's still that guy that climbed into his SUV, dropped his defenses, and had a breakdown earns hium way more credit as a great character than your average neck-snapping government agent.
post #19 of 707
Thread Starter 
Remember, you got to post your reasoning otherwise it doesn't count.
post #20 of 707
17. Peter Dragon- Jay Mohr- ACTION!

At the start of ACTION! Dragon is becoming a washed-up has-been who no longer calls upon as many yes-men as originally. And Mohr plays him with a pathetic mean streak that displayed a moneymaker in steep decline, but one who wouldn't go down without flames. He was endearingly passionate about the business of making films, even though he'd toss off asides like, "When are women going to realize that 'No' is one letter short of 'now'?" And even struggled with his own humanity when he sold out his prostitute lover for the rights to "Beverly Hills Gun Club". Much of the stuff in "Thank You For Smnoking" is territory already tred by Dragon.
post #21 of 707
18 - Tony Soprano.

Tony definitely should be in the top 20. He's the lead character on a show that really changed the quality of dramas on television (though it might not be the best anymore). His season 1 interactions with Melfi were some of the best scenes I've ever seen on television. And not to be cliche', but it really is great how you have a Television father that really is dealing with two families. Plus, you gotta love the accent, the heavy breathing, and how the guy gets laid by some of the hottest chicks I've ever seen in a tv show, while still being a fat ass. I guess you could call him The Biggest Fat Ass, Bad Ass
post #22 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company
14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
15. Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek:TOS
16. Jack Bauer - 24
17. Peter Dragon - ACTION!
18. Tony Soprano - The Sopranos

19. Number 6 - The Prisoner

I regret not posting this as my first choice. The main character, played by Patrick McGoohan, is never given a name beyond that of 'Number 6', but many assumptions have been made that he's the Jonathan Drake character from McGoohan's previous series, 'Danger Man'. As a British agent who is held prisoner in an isolated village, he is intelligent, arrogant, witty, and violent. Fighting the efforts of those that want information from him, he fights against a society that wants to control and predict his every move. A truly great show.
post #23 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company
14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
15. Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek:TOS
16. Jack Bauer - 24
17. Peter Dragon - ACTION!
18. Tony Soprano - The Sopranos
19. Number 6 - The Prisoner

20. David Brent - The Office (UK)


Ricky Gervais went from unknown (at least to those of us in the USA) to quite possibly the funniest man alive in a short time and his role as David Brent on "The Office" got that ball rolling. As Brent, he played maybe the worst boss ever, someone who cared more about appeasing his fragile ego than the betterment of the company or its employees. He constantly made an ass out of himself yet never seemed to learn from his mistakes. Gervais' ability to go from boisterous lout to mock disapproval in an instant (like when an employee or boss is offended by a comment he and Finchy might make) brought me rolling out of my chair, along with many of his other antics. The fact that he created the show with friend Stephen Merchant only bolsters him in my eyes. Surprisingly, my favorite Brent moment is near the end of the Christmas episode that wrapped up the series. David showed that he might be maturing (maybe 1 step at a time, though) when he defended his blind date to the ribbing of Neil and Finchy.
post #24 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company
14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
15. Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek:TOS
16. Jack Bauer - 24
17. Peter Dragon - ACTION!
18. Tony Soprano - The Sopranos
19. Number 6 - The Prisoner
20. David Brent - The Office (UK)
21. Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman - The West Wing

If the President was the word of God and Toby was the conscience, Josh was the heart of the Bartlett administration. Nobody took the lows harder or the highs higher than Josh did, and you could always get a feel for the mood of the West Wing by looking at how he was doing. It certainly didn't hurt that they had Bradley Whitford in the role -- just look at the wordless expression he gives to Sam in the flashback in "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen" when he comes to retrieve Sam from corporate hell, it's perfection, and his breakdown after the shooting is just as good. And while it was strange seeing him with the Santos campaign in the final seasons, it was still the same idealistic Josh Lyman, still plugging away with everything he had.
post #25 of 707
I just wanted to throw in my 2 cents and say that, so far, this is an excellent list. I can't disagree with any of the choices made so far. We have great comedic and dramatic characters represented. I think that, perhaps, we might want to consider looking at more female characters as we make our future selections; to have only Lucy in the top 20 is a disservice to many great actresses.
post #26 of 707
I agree. More women and less Jay Mohr.
post #27 of 707
Thread Starter 
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company
14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
15. Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek:TOS
16. Jack Bauer - 24
17. Peter Dragon - ACTION!
18. Tony Soprano - The Sopranos
19. Number 6 - The Prisoner
20. David Brent - The Office (UK)
21. Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman - The West Wing
22. Detective John Munch - Richard Belzer - Homicide: Life on the Street

Any discussion of "Homicide" has to include the iconic Frank Pembleton, and while Andre Braugher's performance on the Baltimore cop drama is the stuff of legend, there's something about Richard Belzer's sarcastic, cynical cop that's made the character one of the most ubiquitous faces on tv over the last decade.

While SVU and the like have offered a Munch that's become slowly defanged over the years (though his recent partnership with Ice-T is one of TV's most amusing odd couples), Munch at his best and his most pure can be found on Homicide. The character was often the comic relief, but like all the detectives on that show, he was given moments of great darkness and drama (After the cop shooting in season three, it was implied--but never stated--that Munch was the one responsible for gunning down the suspected shooter, played by Steve Buscemi). In a way, Munch was like the angrier, funnier second cousin to Lennie Briscoe on the more successful "Law & Order"--a fact the writers seemed to acknowledge during one of the crossovers when it was revealed that Briscoe had stolen away one of Munch's many ex-wives.

While my favorite Munch episode is "All Through the House", where the detective is forced to baby-sit a young boy whose father may be dead, I think the reason this character has endured over four networks and nine television shows can be found in his first ever appearance. Upon interrogating an obviously lying suspect, Munch says:

"You're saving your really good lies for some smarter cop, is that it? I'm just a donut in the on-deck circle. Wait until the real guy gets here. Wait until that big guy comes back. I'm probably just his secretary. I'm just Montel Williams. You want to talk to Larry King...I've been in murder police for ten years. If you're going to lie to me, you lie to me with respect. What is it? Is it my shoes? Is it my haircut? Got a problem with my haircut? Don't you ever lie to me like I'm Montel Williams. I am not Montel Williams. I am not Montel Williams."

That's why.
post #28 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company
14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
15. Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek:TOS
16. Jack Bauer - 24
17. Peter Dragon - ACTION!
18. Tony Soprano - The Sopranos
19. Number 6 - The Prisoner
20. David Brent - The Office (UK)
21. Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman - The West Wing
22. Detective John Munch - Richard Belzer - Homicide: Life on the Street
23. President Laura Roslin - Battlestar Galactica

Going from Secretary of Education to the presidency in fell swoop, Roslin imbues the office with both humanity and pragmatism ("We need to start having babies."). She can be the caring mother-figure one moment and then toss a Cylon out the airlock the next. She's also the perfect complement to Admiral Adama, there to urge him on or hold him back as needed, and while they've been at odds before, they always come back to where they were before. And of course, it doesn't hurt that Mary McDonnell gives the character so much charm and grace that's impossible not to like her even when she's campaigning for genocide.
post #29 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company
14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
15. Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek:TOS
16. Jack Bauer - 24
17. Peter Dragon - ACTION!
18. Tony Soprano - The Sopranos
19. Number 6 - The Prisoner
20. David Brent - The Office (UK)
21. Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman - The West Wing
22. Detective John Munch - Richard Belzer - Homicide: Life on the Street
23. President Laura Roslin - Battlestar Galactica
24. Dr. Perry Cox - Scrubs

I love Zach Braff as much as the next guy, but the SCRUBS' success story is John C. McGinley finally getting a crack at a character that matches his ability. Cox's snark is a thing of beauty, and it's a testament to McGinley's charisma and ability that he manages to make the character's longwinded rambling reproaches hilarious every time.
post #30 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company
14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
15. Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek:TOS
16. Jack Bauer - 24
17. Peter Dragon - ACTION!
18. Tony Soprano - The Sopranos
19. Number 6 - The Prisoner
20. David Brent - The Office (UK)
21. Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman - The West Wing
22. Detective John Munch - Richard Belzer - Homicide: Life on the Street
23. President Laura Roslin - Battlestar Galactica
24. Dr. Perry Cox - Scrubs
25. Lt. Columbo - Columbo

Peter Falk's quintessential detective, some call it formulaic - bad guy underestimates scruffy looking cop, thinks he can outsmart him, Columbo gets him in the end - but the fun is watching Falk and figuring out when his Columbo knows the suspect committed the crime and seeing him lay the trap. Other than a couple of exceptions, the ABC episodes from the 70s are more satisfying than the later ones.. mostly for the handful of episodes where Columbo geniunely likes the murderer, but still does his job.
post #31 of 707
Gotta keep this alive.

1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company
14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
15. Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek:TOS
16. Jack Bauer - 24
17. Peter Dragon - ACTION!
18. Tony Soprano - The Sopranos
19. Number 6 - The Prisoner
20. David Brent - The Office (UK)
21. Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman - The West Wing
22. Detective John Munch - Richard Belzer - Homicide: Life on the Street
23. President Laura Roslin - Battlestar Galactica
24. Dr. Perry Cox - Scrubs
25. Lt. Columbo - Columbo

26. Detective Frank Pembleton (Andre Braugher) - Homicide: Life on the Street

Television can produce some scary and horrifying places, places none of us would ever want to be. One of the most terrifying would be in The Box at the Baltimore PD Homicide Unit with Frank Pembleton staring down at you. He could get a Maryknoll nun to admit to killing a busload of school children. Andre Braugher's commanding and dominating performance as the perfectionist, never wrong, doesn't-want-a-partner detective was the standout of quite possibly the best detective/crime show on TV in the 90s. After years of being passed over, he was finally recognized for his great work with an Emmy...unfortunately those things are useless anyways.
post #32 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company
14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
15. Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek:TOS
16. Jack Bauer - 24
17. Peter Dragon - ACTION!
18. Tony Soprano - The Sopranos
19. Number 6 - The Prisoner
20. David Brent - The Office (UK)
21. Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman - The West Wing
22. Detective John Munch - Richard Belzer - Homicide: Life on the Street
23. President Laura Roslin - Battlestar Galactica
24. Dr. Perry Cox - Scrubs
25. Lt. Columbo - Columbo
26. Detective Frank Pembleton - Homicide: Life on the Street

27. Bender Bending Rodriguez- Futurama

Proving a great character doesn't have to be made of flesh and blood, or even exist in three dimensions, Bender is the comic heart and soul of Futurama. No matter how funny the moment was, Bender could always be counted on to take it just the little bit further needed to make it a classic. John DiMaggio found the perfect voice for the character, a sarcastic, know-it-all tone that could also let on that Bender was more of a softy than he cared to admit. His finest moment was probably the "Godfellas" episode, where Bender becomes a god to the microcivilization that develops on his body as he drifts through space. It was a tour-de-force episode for the character and ample proof he could carry an entire show on his own. Hopefully the new episodes on the way will carry on in the same tradition.
post #33 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company
14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
15. Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek:TOS
16. Jack Bauer - 24
17. Peter Dragon - ACTION!
18. Tony Soprano - The Sopranos
19. Number 6 - The Prisoner
20. David Brent - The Office (UK)
21. Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman - The West Wing
22. Detective John Munch - Richard Belzer - Homicide: Life on the Street
23. President Laura Roslin - Battlestar Galactica
24. Dr. Perry Cox - Scrubs
25. Lt. Columbo - Columbo
26. Detective Frank Pembleton - Homicide: Life on the Street
27. Bender Bending Rodriguez - Futurama

28. George Costanza - Seinfeld

Of the show's four principal characters it might seem tough to choose which to honour, but to me it's an obvious choice. Kramer was wacky, Jerry was the star, and Elaine was, well, Elaine. None of the three worked themselves into quite as hilarious a lather over the little things in life as George did. In some ways he was the closest thing Seinfeld had to the stereotypical sitcom Everyman; but to describe him that way doesn't do justice to the demented genius with which the character went about his daily life, nor the endearing idiocy that Jason Alexander laced his performance with.
post #34 of 707
Choosing someone from Seinfeld to honor isn't even remotely tough. There's George, then there's George's dad, and then there's everyone else.
post #35 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company
14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
15. Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek:TOS
16. Jack Bauer - 24
17. Peter Dragon - ACTION!
18. Tony Soprano - The Sopranos
19. Number 6 - The Prisoner
20. David Brent - The Office (UK)
21. Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman - The West Wing
22. Detective John Munch - Richard Belzer - Homicide: Life on the Street
23. President Laura Roslin - Battlestar Galactica
24. Dr. Perry Cox - Scrubs
25. Lt. Columbo - Columbo
26. Detective Frank Pembleton - Homicide: Life on the Street
27. Bender Bending Rodriguez - Futurama
28. George Costanza - Seinfeld

29. Omar Little - The Wire

Much in the same way Homicide has many many characters that deserve being on this list. The Wire could be a show in which every major character deserves mention on this list and especially Omar Little. Where else could you have a character who robs drug dealers, never uses profanity, has everyone run from him when he goes out walking and happens to be gay.
post #36 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company
14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
15. Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek:TOS
16. Jack Bauer - 24
17. Peter Dragon - ACTION!
18. Tony Soprano - The Sopranos
19. Number 6 - The Prisoner
20. David Brent - The Office (UK)
21. Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman - The West Wing
22. Detective John Munch - Richard Belzer - Homicide: Life on the Street
23. President Laura Roslin - Battlestar Galactica
24. Dr. Perry Cox - Scrubs
25. Lt. Columbo - Columbo
26. Detective Frank Pembleton - Homicide: Life on the Street
27. Bender Bending Rodriguez - Futurama
28. George Costanza - Seinfeld
29. Omar Little - The Wire

30. Homer Simpson - The Simpsons

Forget the fact that he has been on TV for 18 years and doesn't look liked he aged a bit, Homer has become one of the iconic father figures on television. From his trademark "D'oh!", his unusual and ineffective parenting skills (I mean Bart still acts up, no matter how much he gets choked), and his hair-brained ideas (he's Mr. Plow and you're not) Homer has become one of the most recognizable faces on TV. It should also be mentioned that he was initially created as a side character to the show's star, Bart, but has not only become a bigger star; but usually the focus of the familys zany adventures
post #37 of 707
Quote:
Originally Posted by Schwartz
Choosing someone from Seinfeld to honor isn't even remotely tough. There's George, then there's George's dad, and then there's everyone else.
So you'd think. I have several associates who would fight to the death on behalf of Kramer.
post #38 of 707
Must...not...make...racial...joke...uuuh...

Kramer's more of a cartoon than Bender. His primary function was to set up ridiculous situations, George was the one who made them funny.
post #39 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company
14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
15. Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek:TOS
16. Jack Bauer - 24
17. Peter Dragon - ACTION!
18. Tony Soprano - The Sopranos
19. Number 6 - The Prisoner
20. David Brent - The Office (UK)
21. Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman - The West Wing
22. Detective John Munch - Richard Belzer - Homicide: Life on the Street
23. President Laura Roslin - Battlestar Galactica
24. Dr. Perry Cox - Scrubs
25. Lt. Columbo - Columbo
26. Detective Frank Pembleton - Homicide: Life on the Street
27. Bender Bending Rodriguez - Futurama
28. George Costanza - Seinfeld
29. Omar Little - The Wire
30. Homer Simpson - The Simpsons

31. Cliff Huxtable - The Cosby Show

Two shows helped bring NBC back to dominance: "Cheers" and "The Cosby Show". On the latter, Bill Cosby created the prototypical father figure for 1980s television. His know-it-all wisdom fused with a great sense of humor made it possible for a show about a rich black family in New York to become one of the most popular shows on television and create such an iconic figure. Cliff Huxtable is the kind of father many people wish they had.
post #40 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company
14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
15. Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek:TOS
16. Jack Bauer - 24
17. Peter Dragon - ACTION!
18. Tony Soprano - The Sopranos
19. Number 6 - The Prisoner
20. David Brent - The Office (UK)
21. Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman - The West Wing
22. Detective John Munch - Richard Belzer - Homicide: Life on the Street
23. President Laura Roslin - Battlestar Galactica
24. Dr. Perry Cox - Scrubs
25. Lt. Columbo - Columbo
26. Detective Frank Pembleton - Homicide: Life on the Street
27. Bender Bending Rodriguez - Futurama
28. George Costanza - Seinfeld
29. Omar Little - The Wire
30. Homer Simpson - The Simpsons
31. Cliff Huxtable - The Cosby Show

32. Commander Ed Straker (S.H.A.D.O.) - UFO

The coolest boss of a super secret government organization ever. This show along with Doctor Who, The Wombles, and Blake's 7 made my childhood.
post #41 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company
14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
15. Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek:TOS
16. Jack Bauer - 24
17. Peter Dragon - ACTION!
18. Tony Soprano - The Sopranos
19. Number 6 - The Prisoner
20. David Brent - The Office (UK)
21. Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman - The West Wing
22. Detective John Munch - Richard Belzer - Homicide: Life on the Street
23. President Laura Roslin - Battlestar Galactica
24. Dr. Perry Cox - Scrubs
25. Lt. Columbo - Columbo
26. Detective Frank Pembleton - Homicide: Life on the Street
27. Bender Bending Rodriguez - Futurama
28. George Costanza - Seinfeld
29. Omar Little - The Wire
30. Homer Simpson - The Simpsons
31. Cliff Huxtable - The Cosby Show
32. Commander Ed Straker (S.H.A.D.O.) - UFO
33. The Doctor - Doctor Who

The sheer fact that the character appeared consistently for over 25 years is enough to merit inclusion on this list, but when you consider the brilliant plot device of his regeneration allowing for multiple actors to play the role and therefore multiple interpretations of the character, he could very well top the list. From William Hartnell's cranky grandfather to John Pertwee's almost Mod take to Tom Baker's iconic turn to David Tennant's current excellent portrayal, even the lesser Doctors have each been unique versions. Add in one of the richest rogues galleries of any medium as foils (the Daleks, the Cybermen, the Master) and a central conceit (time and dimensional travel) that allows virtually ANY kind of story to be told, and even with his lengthy history this character's potential has barely been tapped.
post #42 of 707
Son of a BITCH. That was totally my next pick.
post #43 of 707
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ian Challis
Son of a BITCH. That was totally my next pick.
Saw Burke mention the show in his last post and thought he needed to be next.
post #44 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company
14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
15. Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek:TOS
16. Jack Bauer - 24
17. Peter Dragon - ACTION!
18. Tony Soprano - The Sopranos
19. Number 6 - The Prisoner
20. David Brent - The Office (UK)
21. Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman - The West Wing
22. Detective John Munch - Richard Belzer - Homicide: Life on the Street
23. President Laura Roslin - Battlestar Galactica
24. Dr. Perry Cox - Scrubs
25. Lt. Columbo - Columbo
26. Detective Frank Pembleton - Homicide: Life on the Street
27. Bender Bending Rodriguez - Futurama
28. George Costanza - Seinfeld
29. Omar Little - The Wire
30. Homer Simpson - The Simpsons
31. Cliff Huxtable - The Cosby Show
32. Commander Ed Straker (S.H.A.D.O.) - UFO
33. The Doctor - Doctor Who

34. Det. Lenny Briscoe - Law and Order

Always with a smart ass comment or quip at the ready right before the opening credits. Lenny was the best part of the flagship for a long time. Plus he was a badass pool shark. Survived through three partners and 2 lieutenants.

(sorry my explinations are kinda short...I suck at writing these things)
post #45 of 707
How long can this list go before someone cracks and posts Buffy, I wonder.
post #46 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company
14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
15. Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek:TOS
16. Jack Bauer - 24
17. Peter Dragon - ACTION!
18. Tony Soprano - The Sopranos
19. Number 6 - The Prisoner
20. David Brent - The Office (UK)
21. Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman - The West Wing
22. Detective John Munch - Richard Belzer - Homicide: Life on the Street
23. President Laura Roslin - Battlestar Galactica
24. Dr. Perry Cox - Scrubs
25. Lt. Columbo - Columbo
26. Detective Frank Pembleton - Homicide: Life on the Street
27. Bender Bending Rodriguez - Futurama
28. George Costanza - Seinfeld
29. Omar Little - The Wire
30. Homer Simpson - The Simpsons
31. Cliff Huxtable - The Cosby Show
32. Commander Ed Straker (S.H.A.D.O.) - UFO
33. The Doctor - Doctor Who
34. Det. Lenny Briscoe - Law and Order

35. Londo Mollari - Babylon 5

I wish I had more straight drama picks. But this show along with Firefly, Space Above and Beyond, Andromeda (seasons 1 & 2), and Battlestar Galactica was a pivotal part of the transition from "Pie-in-the-Sky" Sci-Fi in the vein of Star Trek, to the grittier "no flying car, no safety net" science fiction this culture actually needs. Sadly Stargate is sliding us all back into the Trek cesspit.
post #47 of 707
I'd considered Londo as well. He started off as your stock villian, but evolved into a really deep, complex character.
post #48 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company
14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
15. Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek:TOS
16. Jack Bauer - 24
17. Peter Dragon - ACTION!
18. Tony Soprano - The Sopranos
19. Number 6 - The Prisoner
20. David Brent - The Office (UK)
21. Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman - The West Wing
22. Detective John Munch - Richard Belzer - Homicide: Life on the Street
23. President Laura Roslin - Battlestar Galactica
24. Dr. Perry Cox - Scrubs
25. Lt. Columbo - Columbo
26. Detective Frank Pembleton - Homicide: Life on the Street
27. Bender Bending Rodriguez - Futurama
28. George Costanza - Seinfeld
29. Omar Little - The Wire
30. Homer Simpson - The Simpsons
31. Cliff Huxtable - The Cosby Show
32. Commander Ed Straker (S.H.A.D.O.) - UFO
33. The Doctor - Doctor Who
34. Det. Lenny Briscoe - Law and Order
35. Londo Mollari - Babylon 5

36. Winnie Cooper - The Wonder Years

I will probably take some crap for this one considering she isn't even my favorite character from the show, but Danica McKeller's character symbolized much more than the love interest of Kevin Arnold. Winnie Cooper represented that perfect girl in your life when you were a kid. She was the girl you befriended and always wanted to be with. She was who you wanted your first kiss to be with, and you hoped you were her first kiss as well. Winnie Cooper is probably one of the most iconic female characters of the 1980s.
post #49 of 707
Quote:
Originally Posted by MoNkaholic
How long can this list go before someone cracks and posts Buffy, I wonder.
not long. Are there any women on tv?

1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company
14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
15. Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek:TOS
16. Jack Bauer - 24
17. Peter Dragon - ACTION!
18. Tony Soprano - The Sopranos
19. Number 6 - The Prisoner
20. David Brent - The Office (UK)
21. Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman - The West Wing
22. Detective John Munch - Richard Belzer - Homicide: Life on the Street
23. President Laura Roslin - Battlestar Galactica
24. Dr. Perry Cox - Scrubs
25. Lt. Columbo - Columbo
26. Detective Frank Pembleton - Homicide: Life on the Street
27. Bender Bending Rodriguez - Futurama
28. George Costanza - Seinfeld
29. Omar Little - The Wire
30. Homer Simpson - The Simpsons
31. Cliff Huxtable - The Cosby Show
32. Commander Ed Straker (S.H.A.D.O.) - UFO
33. The Doctor - Doctor Who
34. Det. Lenny Briscoe - Law and Order
35. Londo Mollari - Babylon 5
36. Winnie Cooper - The Wonder Years

37. Elizabeth Anne Summers(Buffy)-Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Created to be iconic and was. Still is. Buffy redefined what a female action hero could be. Smart, funny, sexy, and an infinate supply of puns. She kicked ass and looked good doing it.
post #50 of 707
1. Al Swearengen - Deadwood
2. Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy
3. Killer Bob - Twin Peaks
4. Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers
5. Louis DePalma - Taxi
6. Al Bundy - Married...With Children
7. President Jed Bartlet - The West Wing
8. Gob Bluth - Arrested Development
9. Vic Mackey - The Shield
10. Hank Kingsley - The Larry Sanders Show
11. Adam Schiff - Law and Order
12. Niles Crane - Frasier
13. Jack Tripper - Three's Company
14. Reginald Perrin - The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
15. Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek:TOS
16. Jack Bauer - 24
17. Peter Dragon - ACTION!
18. Tony Soprano - The Sopranos
19. Number 6 - The Prisoner
20. David Brent - The Office (UK)
21. Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman - The West Wing
22. Detective John Munch - Richard Belzer - Homicide: Life on the Street
23. President Laura Roslin - Battlestar Galactica
24. Dr. Perry Cox - Scrubs
25. Lt. Columbo - Columbo
26. Detective Frank Pembleton - Homicide: Life on the Street
27. Bender Bending Rodriguez - Futurama
28. George Costanza - Seinfeld
29. Omar Little - The Wire
30. Homer Simpson - The Simpsons
31. Cliff Huxtable - The Cosby Show
32. Commander Ed Straker (S.H.A.D.O.) - UFO
33. The Doctor - Doctor Who
34. Det. Lenny Briscoe - Law and Order
35. Londo Mollari - Babylon 5
36. Winnie Cooper - The Wonder Years
37. Elizabeth Anne Summers(Buffy)-Buffy The Vampire Slayer

38. Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli - Happy Days

Shark-jumping aside, "The Fonz" was the epitome of coolness in a time period desperately aching for it. Gained immediate popularity despite a one-trick opening (Aaaaayyyyy!) and ended the run of the show as probably the most developed characters overall in the series. 35 years later, is still one of the most identifiable TV characters ever.
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