Favourite TV character

pickarooney

Bit of a difficult one this, as to pick one character from out of thousands of programmes spanning decades is quite a tall order. Nonetheless, I'd be interested in seeing what people consider to be a good character - love them or hate them.

I had a think about it and my choice eventually came to two who, in many ways are very similar and just beating Tony Soprano to the line is The Shield's Vic Mackey. Such is the ambivalent reaction this guy inspires in the viewer that even half-way through the seventh season I still can't make up my mind if I love him, hate him, want him to succeed or get brought down like a Wildebeest in hungry lion country. Michael Chiklis has done a phenomenal job with Mackey over the years, always managing to walk that thin line between good guy with a heart of gold and slimy, immoral bastard. A lesser actor, or indeed a less complex character could never get away with alternatively lying through his teeth and pouring his heart out, week in, week out, without the audience ever really knowing which is which, what his angle is, where it's all leading. It helps that Chiklis' imposing physique contrasts with his baby-blue eyes and his voice manages to mix gruff and suave in equal measure.

While I may never know just exactly how I feel about Vic Mackey, I sure as hell will miss him when he's gone.

Xavi6

Horribly tough decision so I'm going to split it between one past and one present.

Past - Father Ted Crilly

Dermot Morgan's portrayal of a priest is in my opinion the greatest comedic performance of all time. His delivery of a range of emotions was flawless. Admittedly there were some fantastic writers on Father Ted but I don't think any old actor could have done the script justice. His on screen relationship with Ardal O'Hanlon was brilliant to watch. I could honestly sit down and watch the boxset back to back for weeks on end.

Present - Ari Gold

Entourage is a show I have gotten into in the last while and Jeremy Piven steals every episode for me. Even when he isn't the main character in the scene you have to keep watching him out of the corner of your eye as his facial expressions are constantly changing based on what is going on around his. His relationship with Lloyd is great because even though Ari makes jokes about his sexuality, there are plenty of moments where he shows compassion to his assistant. His loose tongue makes for some hilarious scenes and I love the way he swears blindly no matter the situation. Deserves all the words bestowed on him.

pickarooney

Xavi6 wrote: »

Present - Ari Gold

Entourage is a show I have gotten into in the last while and Jeremy Piven steals every episode for me. Even when he isn't the main character in the scene you have to keep watching him out of the corner of your eye as his facial expressions are constantly changing based on what is going on around his. His relationship with Lloyd is great because even though Ari makes jokes about his sexuality, there are plenty of moments where he shows compassion to his assistant. His loose tongue makes for some hilarious scenes and I love the way he swears blindly no matter the situation. Deserves all the words bestowed on him.

Ari was also on my short shortlist

Boo-yah

GOB - Arrested Development
Homer Simpson & Monty Burns - The Simpsons (old)

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

I have a soft spot for good old Eddie Blackadder.... All of them...

And Duffman. Oh, yeah!

keane2097

+1 for Blackadder.

Also Homer and Cartman.

Mr.Nice Guy

Good topic! I'm going to adopt Xavi's approach and do one from the past and present.

Past - Del Boy

For me Del Boy is the greatest ever sitcom characters. David Jason brought a real warmth to the character and made him someone you couldn't help but root for. What I always admired about Only Fools and Horses was that it was able to bring real emotion to the episodes. I remember John Sullivan remarking on the episode where Rodney marries Cassandra and near the end Del is left by himself realising his relationship with Rodney has changed. Sullivan asked the producer why the audience had gone so quiet and he replied it was because they were crying. There aren't many sitcom characters that can garner that kind of reaction from people. I still find myself loving the repeats of O.F.A.H. and I still feel very fond of the little git.

Here's one of my favourite moments from the episode 'Sleeping Dogs Lie' that isn't always mentioned, where Del discovers that Rodney has been giving Albert's sleeping pills to Boycie and Marlene's dog Duke, and the dog's vitamin supplements to Albert. It's about 7:28 in...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBMNO2di3pE

Always cracks me up how they laugh at Albert and Del's line at the end is priceless.

Present - John Locke

One of the reasons I'm a huge fan of Lost is because it has characters you care about and identify with. I like so many of them but John Locke would still be top of the list. John Locke in my opinion is one of the greatest TV creations of recent times. You never quite know what he's thinking about but you can't help but be drawn in by the guy. I remember one episode where he got shot and was left for dead and I was gutted! I was so shocked at the idea he could be killed off. Alive or dead I'm sure he will continue to be a big part of the show and he's one of the reasons I plan on continuing to watch. Terry O'Quinn does a great job with the role. Locke also features in probably my favourite Lost moment when at the end of the episode 'Walkabout' we discover Locke has been in a wheelchair before crashing on the island:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNyGAXV3N_I

I love that theme of his. Gives me goosebumps every time. :cool:

ziedth

Very good idea,

Its hard to pick so i'm going to split into different sections,

Cartoon: Stewie Griffin closely followed Eric Cartman
comedy: I'll have togo for Rimmer in red Dywarf
New: Close but i'll pick Saywer in Lost over T-Bag in prison Break
Action; Kellerman in prison break (No contest)
Old: I'll also go with Fr. Ted

worst: that twat from CSI Miami heratio is it?

tonc76

Clay Davis from The Wire .... shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit

K4t

Christopher Moltisanti - The Sopranos

Homer Simpson - The Simpsons

Omar Little & Jimmy McNulty - The Wire

Josh Lyman - The West Wing

Ari Gold of course - Entourage (There's a vid on utube of all his best bits. Well worth watching!)

Pigman II

Dwight Schrute

LadyMayBelle

Old : Father Ted, can't beat him

New: McNulty from The Wire

KombuchaMshroom

dougal from father ted
stewie from family guy
barney from how i met your mother
dexter from dexter
scofield from prison break
lois from smallville

Mr. K

Past - Father Ted Crilly

There isn't much else that can be said about this man!

Present - Jack Bauer

Season 6 of 24 was pretty poor, but the Jack-centric episodes were great. His return was delayed by the writer's strike, but the TV movie is on this month and the series is back in January. It's hard to say much about Jack without spoiling the show, so I'm just gonna suggest you pick up Season 1. Trust me!

leprehaungirl

Payton Sawyer - One tree hill

445279.ie

Xavi6 wrote: »

Present - Ari Gold

Entourage is a show I have gotten into in the last while and Jeremy Piven steals every episode for me. Even when he isn't the main character in the scene you have to keep watching him out of the corner of your eye as his facial expressions are constantly changing based on what is going on around his. His relationship with Lloyd is great because even though Ari makes jokes about his sexuality, there are plenty of moments where he shows compassion to his assistant. His loose tongue makes for some hilarious scenes and I love the way he swears blindly no matter the situation. Deserves all the words bestowed on him.

Agree 100%

SoupyNorman

Paul Gualtieri



If unsure watch the 'Pine Barrens' episode of the Sopranos.

HalloweenJack

There'd be a million but I'll have a go...

Elliott in L&W:SVU
Frank in Everybody Loves Raymond

Marie: "Don't you tell me to be quiet! I have a mind of my own you know! I can contribute! I'm not just some... trophy wife!"
Frank: "You're a trophy wife? What contest in hell did I win?"

Niles in Frasier

Her lips said "no" but her eyes said "read my lips".

Randy in South Park

[after ****]It was a ghost...this is just ectoplasm.

George in Seinfeld

I always get the feeling that when lesbians look at me, they're thinking, 'That's why I'm not a heterosexual.'

Hal in Malcolm in the Middle

Every year that guy waits to see what Christmas decorations I put out and then finds a way to top it. I string lights, he strings better lights. I put out Frosty, he puts out an elf village. I put out Dracula, he does nothing and I look like a jackass!

Arthur in King of Queens

I couldn't help but overhear because I was eavesdropping.

Dick in 3rd Rock From The Sun

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1ZZWhSvOMI

445279.ie

HalloweenJack wrote: »

Arthur in King of Queens

Love him

ironictoaster

Ari Gold and Dwight Schrute

Creature

Alan Partridge, Basil Fawlty from Fawlty Towers, the Cigarette Smoking Man from The X-Files Hal from Malcolm In The Middle and Homer Simpson.

Charlie

This bloke



/thread.

ziedth

HalloweenJack wrote: »

Dick in 3rd Rock From The Sun

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1ZZWhSvOMI

God good choice,

I'd nearly put him in my comedy choice. At times that show really couldn't be topped.

raven136

Sam Seaborn from the West Wing.Based on george stephanopoulos and makes you hope that people like him were actually in real politics.

Doug Heffernan and Arthur from king of queens.Hilarious show and very funny together.

Bobby"fearless"Smith from Boomtown.A damn fine show and a great cop in it

anotherlostie

Dr Greg House - always ready with a caustic comment or four.

RastaRed

omar(the wire)
vic mackey(the shield)
bunk(the wire)
paulie(sopranos)
dexter(dexter)

KnifeWRENCH

Aw man, narrowing down to one character is almost impossible! My shortlist at the moment looks like this:

Tobias Funke - Arrested Development (absolute legend!)
Monty Burns - The Simpsons (exxxxcellent)
Sheila Jackson - Shameless (brilliantly written, brilliantly acted)
Bob Kelso - Scrubs (often gets overlooked, but always gets the best lines imo.)
Karen Walker - Will & Grace (the only reason I ever watched that show)

Unfortunately, I can't pick one of the 6 main characters from Friends because, although they were all brilliant in the first four seasons, the show went completely downhill after that.

Xavi6

leprehaungirl wrote: »

Payton Sawyer - One tree hill

How?! She's an absolute bitch and a binafide homewrecker at every opportunity.

Oh, and she's nowhere near as hot as Brooke :cool:

pickarooney

If you could write a short description of why you like the characters (other posters may not know them or their shows) rather than just lists, that'd be cool.

dodgyme

pickarooney wrote: »

If you could write a short description of why you like the characters (other posters may not know them or their shows) rather than just lists, that'd be cool.

present day - 'alf'
old - alf
action - alf

reason- alf

pickarooney

dodgyme wrote: »

present day - 'alf'
old - alf
action - alf

reason- alf

Flamin' galah Alf or I eat cats Alf?

dodgyme

pickarooney wrote: »

Flamin' galah Alf or I eat cats Alf?

ok I go for Joe Lynch in Bracken

ShagNastii

Butters/Cartman: south park Both to great extreme in character

K4t

bravestarr082 wrote: »

Paul Gualtieri



If unsure watch the 'Pine Barrens' episode of the Sopranos.

+1 Most of hbest moments are with 'Chrissy'. With the Russian in the woods and Christopher's intervention. Some of the best tv moments ever!

Also +1 for whoever mentioned Nialls from Fraiser. You could quote him all day long. Brilliant.

pickarooney

Dreams<

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>Reality
Characters<

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>Actors
Interesting post<

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>Pointless list

Estella

I'm going with Homer Simpson.

Because his response to a life disaster was '' I'll hide under some coats, and hope that somehow everything will work out''.

Mental Mickey

Del Boy or Trigger.

Ash.J.Williams

papa lazarou and randy marsh

herobear

the last 10 or so years of my life:

Xander Harris
(Allen Francis) Doyle
Philip J. Fry
Logan Echolls

currently:
Dean winchester

lostexpectation

comedy connections is a great shows and intersting to see how all those shows came about with the producer guy etc.

MagicMarker

I'm just going to run down a few that stick in my mind rather than the more obvious ones like Homer and Father Ted.

No. 1 - Tobias Beecher - Oz.

One of my favourite characters ever, you couldn't help but root for him, even when he was being bad! He was innocent(ish) when went to prison and turned from Bitch to Badass in the process.

To be honest i could list about 10 characters from that show in this thread, it's quite easily one of the finest ever tv shows.

No. 2 - House - House MD

Really, does this even need an explanation?

No. 3 - Jack Bauer - 24

Simply because he kicks ass and breaks every human rights law there is.

Gratuitous violence ensues...

No. 4 - Doakes - Dexter

Youtube clips says it all...

Heckler

Frank Black - Millennium

ronnie3585

Omar Little - The Wire

Frank Costanza - Seinfeld

Larry David - Curb Your Enthusiasm

Randy Marsh - South Park

Ryan O'Reily - Oz

Fr. Fintan Stack - Fr. Ted

ShagNastii

Alot of Randy Marsh fans? Pure greatness from the man himself

rochie16

Omar Little : +1
Ari Gold : +1
Janitor - Scrubs

Al Swearengen - Deadwood - Just about takes it. Morally ambiguous, undeniably ingenious, extremely funny, and what puts him above the rest : Definitely the best acting performance ever seen on television (Ian Mcshane).

LordSutch

Simon Templar

Roger Moore 62-69
Ian Ogilvy 1978-79

tony1kenobi

Mike Watt from Spaced.

Particularly when he rocks out to the A team theme at the rave.

That'd be the past.

Present.

Charlie Kelly from It's always sunny in Philadelphia.

Standout for me is when he eats the urinal cake to prove how clean the bathroom is.......right after Mac took a piss on it.

gene hunt from ashes to ashes / life on mars + the other 2 cops ray and chris.

alot of the simpsons characters, homer, dr hibbert, mr burns, flanders, bart, dr nick, ralph, chief wiggum and the other cops, apu.

family guy - peter, stewie brian,

'im on setanta sports' - all bar capello. rooney in puppet form is a absolute legend -"cssshipp buuuttty with brown shhhaucee!!"

camel toe

randy marsh