Okay, so Scott's already got in on the act and Lisa looks like she's raring up to do her own posting elsewhere, but here's a list of some of my favourite TV characters in response to Jess Whedon's. In no particular order.
- Neil Burnside, The Sandbaggers. Lots of explanation over here.
- David Creegan, Touching Evil (US version). Lots of explanation over here.
- Stringfellow Hawke, Airwolf. Because he was just so hard
- Callisto, Xena: Warrior Princess. One of the few villains to have a good - and sympathetic - motivation. Plus how many characters get to die yet end up a god?
- Chandler, Friends. Fantastic until he got neutered by Monica.
- Lieutenant Castillo, Miami Vice. Even harder than Stringfellow Hawke. That's how hard he was. The less he said, the harder he got.
- House, House. Do I really need to explain this one?
- The President, The West Wing. Moral, dynamic, powerful and a complete nerd who speaks Latin. We need more characters like this. He made me want to be American, anyway.
- Turlough, Doctor Who. Slippy, weasly and great fun - for three stories. Then he went off the idea of killing the Doctor. Oh well.
- Anya, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Just endlessly entertaining.
- James T Kirk, Star Trek. Well, he was great, wasn't he?
- Spock, Star Trek. And so was he.
- Lynda Day, Press Gang. And so was she. Pretty much like most editors you'll meet, in fact.
- DI Rosie Campbell, The Paradise Club. I just loved this posh, Oxford-educated police officer trying to spew out police slang, be street and it all going pear-shaped, every time.
- Chloe Sullivan, Smallville. Smart, funny, loyal, brave, and willing to put up with a constantly broken heart for the sake of friendship - the best sidekick a superhero could want
- Tony Hancock, Hancock's Half Hour. The funniest man who ever lived.
- Avon, Blake's 7. Seriously, just watch any episode and you'll understand.
- Jarod, The Pretender. A genius who could be anyone he wanted to be. Great character, shame the show got silly.
- Nasir, Robin of Sherwood. Britain's answer to Lieutenant Castillo.
- Austin James, P.R.O.B.E. Another genius, this one scientific. From the brain of Isaac Asimov and pretty much like all his other characters, James was the proto-House of his day
I've left a load out, I'm sure of it. But that's a good crop to be getting on with. Depressingly few women in there, though. How do we up the quota? Give me suggestions!
UPDATE: And Stringer Bell from The Wire! He's a drug-dealer, but he goes to economics classes in the evening. You've got to love that.
Updates and related entries
August 28, 2006: Don't forget Liz Shaw or Cathy Gale!
August 29, 2006: I've come up with number 25 now.
August 25, 2006 | Reply
Yep mine is equally flawed but it's over at my place...
August 25, 2006 | Reply
Yee Gods, how could I forget Avon! My mum and I worshipped that character!
August 25, 2006 | Reply
I've just read your list and there were loads I left out, too! I almost included Ilya Kuryakin and Father Dougal, but how could I forget Dr Cox and Niles Crane??
August 25, 2006 | Reply
Oh I'll definitely be doing mine!
You up the female character quote by having male sceenwriters write better female characters or (better yet) get more female screenwriters writing who don't seem to have as many issues with writing for women. Too many great actresses are languishing in dull, underwritten girlfriend roles. Still, having said that, there will probably be more birds on my list. My West Wing character will be CJ, for example.
August 25, 2006 | Reply
Yeah, but it can just spiral out of all control. I mean I even started thinking about Brian and Kurt from Teachers (who were the main thing that got me watching that pretty awful show...)
August 25, 2006 | Reply
Marie, I wanted to have more women on the list but I went with instinct and will settle for embarrassment at who I forgot in terms of great women characters. I was always fond of Ros from Frasier though...
August 25, 2006 | Reply
Struggling: Joss Whedon, who set all this in motion of course, did do a lovely speech on that very subject. Unfortunately, it's case of working with what we've got and there aren't as many great female characters as there should be.
Even when you think "Okay, how about her?", there's always something that mucks her up. Take Servalan off Blake's7: strong, powerful, great character. But she was potty and went wibbly at the knees over dominant men ("First, there is the matter of that degrading and primitive act you subjected me to in the control room... I would like you to do it again.")
So I ran out of women. Curses.
August 25, 2006 | Reply
Great reading, Rob, thanks! I'll do this, despite the fact I should be getting on with my Rock n Roll review, no doubt :D
August 25, 2006 | Reply
Why is Stewie Griffin not on ANYONE'S list? I think, after Dr Cox from Scrubs, he may be the funniest character ever invented!
August 25, 2006 | Reply
Because we forgot! Thank you!
Yes, Stewie is fantastic and must immediately be added to any list. Assuming we're allowed cartoon characters. Don't think Whedon had any cartoon characters.
Ah screw it. Let's put him on anyway.
August 25, 2006 | Reply
Just wasted an enjoyable hour doing mine...
August 25, 2006 | Reply
I noticed. WIll Scarlet, Callan (not sure I'd agree he's a sociopath - he cares too much to be one) and Steel would fit in my list somewhere. I'm not sure Scarlet's a great character, but he's played by a great actor. And Steel doesn't really have much of a character: he's almost anti-character.
Emma Peel almost, but she was always getting captured and tied up, trapped inside things, etc.
August 25, 2006 | Reply
Anyone else fond of Ainsley on The West Wing, BTW? Always preferred her to CJ.
August 25, 2006 | Reply
Ainsley's best moment was always her first one: when she kicks Sam into touch ("Ginger, get the popcorn!") and then gets hired and knocks back her bitching Republican friends over dinner/drinks. That and her endless appetite (see "17 People"). But they didn't know what to do with her character and then Emily P 'got a better offer' as second lead for CSI:Miami. Though why she would have wanted to spend time with woodentop man, heaven only knows. Even Sorkin-less West Wing had to be better than ginger-boy's shades moments.
August 25, 2006 | Reply
Sorkin also forgets what to do with characters, particularly female ones. They start off strong, they end up embarrassed.
Procter took the job on CSI: Miami because Jorja Fox told her to! They've been pals since they appeared in a movie together and when Procter got offered the job, she rang Fox for advice. "Do it. You'll like it," said Fox (I'm paraphrasing).
Jorja Fox is to blame.
August 26, 2006 | Reply
I'm not sure whether this is a common nickname (and it certainly doesn't need an Ecclescake-like copyright), but ginger woodentop is known by my mates as Carusobot.
August 26, 2006 | Reply
A couple of other classics
1.Barry Hercules from Starfleet (what a dude)
2.Villa (Blakes 7) The best coward ever!
3.Dr Phlox (Enterprise) Sorry but the ONLY reason to watch Enterprise.
4.Morden (Babylon 5) Evil, Evil and a slive of Evil on top!
5.Abbey Grant (Survivors) Great but only in series 1. ;(
6. Tee-Bag (Prison Break) I mean come on you know you love to hate him.
7.Willow. (Buffy) She rocked our world.
8. Number 6. (BSG) Ok she pipped Giaus Balthar at the post man she is wickedly evil but also more than human.
9.Christian Troy (Nip/Tuck) Total Vanity!
10. Arnold Rimmer (Red Dwarf) Self serving idiot! Classic character
August 28, 2006 | Reply
And by picking Callisto and Castillo, two of your choices are anagrams of each other :-)
August 28, 2006 | Reply
Ooh, good anagram spot!