My 5 All-Time Favourite TV Characters

I do like a bit of escapism into a TV show. Whether it be a drama, thriller, horror or comedy, if it grabs me and entertains me, I am content.

I don’t watch any daytime TV or any of the soaps. In fact, when I think about what I do watch, it tends to be shows from the US, with a sprinkling of British programmes.

At the moment, I am loving Travel Man: 48 Hours in.. – I just laugh my entire way through this one. It’s brilliant. I’m watching Britain’s Bloody Crown which is both fascinating and gripping to me, and all serves as useful revision for my history degree. A new series of Bones has just started and I believe Elementary returns next week, too, so I’ll be watching those, along with Supernatural which is a firm favourite though I think this season is not it’s best. We have also just discovered Penny Dreadful, thanks to our NOW TV, and though we’re only a couple of episodes in, I can see it drawing me in.

Anyway, my TV pondering got me thinking about my favourite characters of all-time. You know, the ones that just stay with you. The ones you may love, hate, relate to or are just unable to look away from. A fair few sprung to mind, but when I decided to stick with just five, it had to be these men that made the list…

michael schofieldMichael Schofield – Prison Break

This was one of the first US dramas that I really got in to. I recall eagerly waiting for the second series to come out on DVD to the extent that I had the day off so that I could just sit and watch it all back to back. Ah, the days before kids when that was actually possible! The first season was the best, and how they managed to go that many episodes without him actually breaking out, yet thinking he might every time was genius! He was a hero, yet a prison breaker, friendly, yet ruthless when he needed to be. Fabulous.

gregory houseDr Gregory House – House

How grumpy, how rude, how smart? The character made the show, and he made for compulsive viewing. I remember first watching this many years ago, stumbling across it by accident one night when the Husband was out. It sucked me in from the first and I then rambled on about it to the Husband so he watched the next one with me, and that was that. We were both House fans. When I think about the ending, I’m still not sure how I feel about it. Probably perfect, quite unexpected and clever, just as you’d expect.

Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan

Dexter Morgan – Dexter

Who would have thought that they could make a series about a serial killer, and make no mistake, he definitely is and we see him kill a lot of people through the seasons, and that he could be likeable? You find yourself rooting for the man who kills someone in pretty much every episode, hoping that the Bay Harbor Butcher gets away with it all and this is a man that works within the police department, with his sister. It was brilliant. The Husband still laments that it’s all ended, this is probably his favourite show of all time. Dexter was a wonderful character.

phil-dunphyPhil Dunphy – Modern Family

The entire cast are funny, the plotlines perfect and I’d say this is my favourite current comedy. But though I enjoy all of the characters, there’s just something about Phil that sets him apart. So many one-liners, looks to the camera, cringe-worthy dad moments and his eternal optimism all serve to make him irresistible. My favourite quote? ‘I’m cool dad, that’s my thang. I’m hip, I surf the web, I text. LOL: laugh out loud, OMG: oh my god, WTF: why the face…’ Oh, Phil.

Tyrion Lannister

Tyrion Lannister – Game of Thrones

I mentioned my addiction to Game of Thrones a few weeks ago here, and this was the very first thing we decided to see when I started working with NOW TV. It had me hooked after a couple of episodes and though I was unsure of Tyrion during the first season, by the end of season two, I absolutely adored him. I think the Battle of Blackwater and subsequent injustices cemented it, and how can you resist his intellect and charm mixed with vulnerability and his own brand of honour. Now, as it is Game of Thrones I know that anyone could die next, so I am hoping that Tyrion makes it through at least one more season, but who knows with that show?!

We do like our TV and films here and are always on the lookout for more to entertain us, so do feel free to recommend.

What are you enjoying watching at the moment? Do you have all-time favourite characters?

Disclosure: I am a NOW TV ambassador

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8 thoughts on “My 5 All-Time Favourite TV Characters”

  1. Ahh! I loved Prison Break! They’re bringing it back and I can’t wait!
    I am going to start watching Game of Thrones soon….I actually managed to catch it starting on Sky Atlantic again and I’ve been recording it. hehehe
    My favourite character is Walter White from Breaking Bad 😀 x

  2. Kimberlye Richardson

    I adore Supernatural and have watched it since it started so many years ago. I find it surprising that it has lasted so long in comparison to other series I began watching around the time this series first started, but there is always something that pulls you back. I’m no sure it will last much longer and perhaps the season is a wrap-up for the many years it has been on television in the U.S. I also discovered Penny Dreadful this summer thanks to On Demand here in the U.S. and recommendations from a friend. It is a mix of everything, and curious at the same time. I do like Elementary, but I cannot help but compare it to the BBC’s Sherlock, which is definitely a favorite (except for the 2 year gaps between the 2 hour long, few episodes we get to keep us hooked). Benedict Cumberbatch is fantastic as Sherlock and probably on my list of favorite actors. I think your list of all-time favorites for shows that we get here in the U.S. is definitely a noteworthy list and the shows are addicting. We did start watching Game of Thrones, but when we moved, we no longer had access to the channel. A show that my husband and I had really enjoyed before the main actor was disclosed as being ill and the story line rearranged (which caused us to lose interest) was Spartacus. It was definitely more graphic than I like, but Dexter was graphic as well. Two shows we really enjoy (and I will tell you it took me some time to get hooked on one because I did feel it was so redundant when it began, and I did not yet connect with the characters) is the Walking Dead and Vikings. On my childish side, I absolutely love Once Upon A Time. There are others I enjoy fir a while and then lose interest, but there have been many that I’ve been hooked on and then they drop the shows. It’s interesting to find out what people like to watch, the characters they become connected with (I was a huge fan of House as well) and the ones that people love and you have no idea why. I definitely enjoyed your post today and look forward to more.

    1. It is surprising how long a run Supernatural has had, though those Winchesters are difficult to resist! Ah yes, Sherlock is brilliant, but there are too few of them, as you say, a bit like Luther. My husband loves The Walking Dead though it’s kind of passed me by, and we’ve not tried Vikings – will look out for that, thanks. It is annoying when the shows get dropped like that, just as you’re getting into them, too. I enjoyed a series years ago now, called Moonlight, which was a bit of fun, but they dropped that one and I still miss it! Thank you very much.

  3. I think I have very different tv tastes to you but I always regret not getting into Game of Thrones, or even Bones as I love David Boreanaz! I remember watching Dexter and Prison Break but never getting hooked. I feel like I’m missing out now!

    1. You are!! Game of Thrones only has ten episodes in a series so is quite easy to catch up, as we’ve done. My brother and his wife are just getting into Bones now, but they’ve a couple hundred episodes to get through!

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