Hi all!

Today I am sharing my top ten favourite television characters of all time. This list may seem controversial, but I have my reasons. You’ll probably notice a theme with my choices. I tend to gravitate towards the anti-heroes. Those we love to hate. The type you start off disliking but by the end, cannot get enough of seeing them on your screen. Before we begin, I want to shout-out Dave Santia and Nick Lacke Art for allowing me to use their awesome artwork. Please check them out. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

1.) Benjamin Linus – LOST

My absolute favourite television character is Benjamin Linus (Michael Emerson) in LOST. He doesn’t appear until halfway through Season 2, but when he does, the story really takes off. Emerson was made a series regular after playing Ben so successfully, intriguing the fans. In 2009, he won a Primetime Emmy for the role and was nominated in 2010 at the Golden Globe Awards for Best Supporting Actor, but lost to John Lithgow for Dexter. Furthermore, Benjamin Linus was named the number one greatest villain in television history, according to Rolling Stone magazine. He is the ultimate master manipulator, skilled in game theory and reading people. Ben is not afraid to use everybody around him to get what he wants; continuously exploiting various characters of the show, with his extensive background knowledge of them. Why is he so likable then? Aside from his charisma, deep down he has a heart, which we get to witness in fleeting moments. We are also given an episode of his backstory, outlining what made him this way. If you don’t feel sorry for him after watching it, you never will. The saddest moment however, is when he realises the ruler of the island, Jacob, never cared for him. In a blind rage, mixed with heartache, he stabs the powerful figure to death. LOST is my second favourite television series of all time and he is a good 95% of why. 

2.) Will Truman – Will & Grace 

My favourite television show in the entire galaxy is Will & Grace. It always will be. I can quote every single line. In short, I’m a super fan. I love all the characters, but Will Truman (Eric McCormack) has my heart. He’s highly neurotic, controlling and uptight, but when the chips are down, he always comes through for his friends. This series follow the close relationship between a gay man and a straight woman. Will’s entire life revolves around his best friend Grace. He even refuses to date anybody without her approval first. As is expected, when Grace begins to pull away to pursue a serious relationship, he struggles to let go of her. I cannot watch their fight (see bel0w) without tearing up. It’s quite serious for a sitcom. Will learns to grow as a person, when he is forced to grow apart from Grace. I can relate to him in a lot of ways. He’s truly one in a million.

3.) Naomi Clarke – 90210

Naomi Clarke (AnnaLynne McCord) is the only woman I would turn gay for. Fact! She is the stunningly beautiful Queen B of 90210 (the remake). Once again, she is a character you love to hate. Our introduction to her is not a particularly favourable one. She’s portrayed as conceited and quite nasty. However, she ends up becoming one of the best and most likable characters in the show. This character is the definition of growth. She makes plenty of mistakes, but always recovers from them. Furthermore, she has an incredible wardrobe and an infectious sense of confidence. She is why the show is so incredible. Honestly, the first three seasons are the absolute best. I’ve re-watched them so many times. Every scene with Naomi will have you wanting more. 

4.) Logan Echolls – Veronica Mars 

Veronica Mars fans will agree that Logan (Jason Dohring) was the best boyfriend she ever had. They will also shed a tear thinking about his very last moments, when the show was rebooted several years ago. I’m still not over it! As is the running theme in my list, he is not very likable in the beginning. He’s sarcastic, spoiled and insensitive. However, that is just a mask he wears. We learn that behind closed doors, he is physically abused by his own father. Logan and Veronica share a bond born out of tragedy, after somebody very close to them was murdered. Through the search for answers, they fall in love, thus hitting the charts as one of the best television couples in history. Even when Logan shows his softer side, he still retains his dry sense of humour. I honestly live for him. He makes me excited to re-watch the series and believe me, I’ve done so many times. 

5.) Emily Gilmore – The Gilmore Girls 

This may be a controversial opinion but Emily Gilmore (Kelly Bishop) is the best part of The Gilmore Girls. I sound like a broken record here, but she’s a character you love to hate. You want to slap and hug her at the same time. She is the mother of Lorelai Gilmore and proud grandmother to Rory Gilmore (who in my opinion, is a very unlikable character). Emily has some brilliant one-liners. My absolute favourite quote is when her husband Richard says: “only prostitutes have two glasses of wine at lunch” to which she responds: “well, then buy me a boa and drive me to Reno, because I am open for business!” Like any anti-hero, you warm to them overtime, especially when you realise why they behave in the manner they do. Emily struggles to maintain a relationship with her daughter because they are from two completely different worlds. When teenage Lorelai ran away from home to have Rory, it broke Emily’s heart. She spends a lot of the series trying to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Granted, her methods are not great, but we see the intention and that’s what matters.

6.) Marie Barone – Everybody Loves Raymond

There are so many lovable characters in Everybody Loves Raymond, but none make me chortle quite as hard as Marie Barone (the late Doris Roberts) – the matriarch of the family. She loves her children – Raymond and Robert – to death, (albeit, one more than the other), can’t stand her husband Frank and possesses a strong rivalry with her daughter-in-law, Debra, who will never truly be good enough for her son. My favourite moment is when she ironically doles out marriage advice, which turns out to be unexpectedly wise. I honestly believe Doris may have been one of the greatest actors in sitcom history. She received five Emmy Awards for her role as Marie and honestly, five wasn’t enough! 

7.) Dexter Morgan – Dexter 

I recently ranked the entire series of Dexter (click here). This dark comedy television show follows a “lovable” serial killer named Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) whose victims (in his opinion) deserve to die. Masking as a law-abiding citizen, whilst working as a forensic analyst at Miami Metro PD, Dexter spends his spare time indulging in his deadly addiction. He’s the antihero we cannot help but root for. I adore his sarcastic, internal monologue and dark sense of humour. I always found it ironic that he referred to himself as a monster, when he’s the exact opposite. He is such a complex, interesting character and one of the most iconic in television history. 

8.) Randall Pearson – This Is Us 

This Is Us is a very rare series in television history, that I don’t believe will come around again. The characters are so deeply flawed and real. We cannot help but love them with all our hearts. Randall Pearson (Sterling K. Brown) in particular, is lovable from childhood to adulthood. In short, he’s the perfect man. The way he speaks, moves, cares for his family, strives to do better and lives, is truly admirable. He’s an important character, not just because of his race, but because he is a heterosexual black male, unafraid to show his emotions. He has anxiety, panic attacks, cries openly, pushes for perfection and feels with his entire being. I’m proud of this show for sharing that with the world. He is extremely relatable, but also the type that could only ever exist in fiction, because who is that well-rounded? Nobody! 

9.) Sam Gardner – Atypical 

Atypical is an incredibly underrated series. It’s definitely one that deserves more attention. The protagonist, Sam Gardner (Keir Gilchrist) is autistic and the show revolves around his life, family, school and relationships. Aside from the fact that Keir’s acting is worthy of winning multiple awards, his character’s growth is incredibly significant. Sam is lovable just as he is. He’s blunt, intelligent, curious, introspective and passionate. I love that Atypical doesn’t make light of autism, but rather, highlights the positives of being neurodivergent. Please check out his incredible graduation speech below, which serves to show just how far he has come from the first season. I hope all those with autism are given the compassion and understanding they deserve. It seems that people only have the time of day for them, if they are romanticised and presented in this way, but in the real world, their struggles are typically dismissed or misconstrued. It’s a sad fact. I’m forever grateful for this program’s representation.

10.) Tommy Egan – Power 

Last, but not least, we have Tommy Egan (Joseph Sikora) from the Power franchise. You may also recognise him from Ozark. He’s a smooth-talking drug dealer and gang leader from Queens, that gets a little trigger happy when things spin out of control. He’s reckless, hilarious and somehow, always finds himself at the wrong place, at the wrong time. He would be such a fun character to play. Joseph does it perfectly. This show is 100% worth watching. It’s excellent.

TOP 10 HONOURABLE MENTIONS…

1.) George Costanza – Seinfeld 

2.) Louis Litt – Suits 

3.) Niles Crane – Frasier 

4.) Zahid Ahmed – Atypical 

5.) Ruth Langmore – Ozark 

6.) Chandler Bing – Friends 

7.) Tyrion Lannister – Game of Thrones 

8.) Dorothy Zbornak – The Golden Girls 

9.) CC Babcock – The Nanny 

10.) Tony Johnson – Afterlife

Who are some of your favourite television characters? Thanks for reading! 

Peace & Love xoxo