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.
