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Best Characters of the past Decade, what say you?

Discussion in 'TV, Music and Movies' started by ToddPhin, Jul 26, 2014.

  1. ToddPhin

    ToddPhin Premium Member Luxury Box Club Member

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    Best TV Characters of the past Decade, what say you?

    .....not just because of the actors who played them but also b/c of the character's overall level of allure and magnetism.

    [for shows and mini-series]
     
  2. VanDolPhan

    VanDolPhan Club member Club Member

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    In no particular order:

    Captain Malcolm Reynolds & Kaylee Frye - Firefly
    Jax & Gemma Teller - Sons of Anarchy
    Louis Litt - Suits
    Omar - The Wire
    Admiral William Adama & Captain Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace - Battlestar Galactica
    Captain Jack Harkness (guilty pleasure pick) - Doctor Who/Torchwood
    10th Doctor (David Tennant) - Doctor Who
    Veronica Mars - Veronica Mars
    Tyrion Lannister - Game of Thrones
    Sherlock Holmes/Dr. John Watson - Sherlock (BBC)
    Daryl Dixon - Walking Dead
    Eric Northman - True Blood
    Dr. Walter Bishop - Fringe
    Dexter Morgan - Dexter


    Probably forgetting a couple and I'm sure folks will disagree with half of it but then there are great characters but I just didn't like the show (ie: House)
     
  3. Deerless Dice

    Deerless Dice Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Gaius Baltar - Battlestar Galatica. Admiral William Adama and Saul Tigh get special mentions
     
  4. Limbo

    Limbo Mad Stillz

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    3 Favorite Leading Types
    Jesse Pinkman
    Deb Morgan
    Rust Cohle

    Smaller Role Types (who are imo very dynamically written)
    Bobby Hill
    Arya, Varys & Littlefinger (GoT strength is fascinating smaller characters)
    I also find Casey Klein very 'alluring'...
     
  5. MikeHoncho

    MikeHoncho -=| Censored |=-

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    Does Al Swearingen fall in the last decade?

    Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk 4
     
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  6. pocoloco

    pocoloco I'm your huckleberry Club Member

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    1. Walter White
    2. Michael Scott
    3. Al Swearingen
    4. Dexter Morgon
    T5. Larry David
    T5. Ari Gold

    I'm also partial to both characters on True Detective
     
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  7. Clark Kent

    Clark Kent Fighter of the Nightman

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    Yes, **** sucker.
     
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  8. Colorado Dolfan

    Colorado Dolfan ...dirty drownin' man?

    Can't believe no one has mentioned Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham who, while technically being older characters, have been given new life in the NBC series.
     
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  9. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Heisenberg
    Tony Sporano


    Drops mic
     
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  10. MikeHoncho

    MikeHoncho -=| Censored |=-

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    I think you mean Sparano, 'kay.
     
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  11. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

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    In no order:

    - Dr. House
    - Tyrion Lannister
    - Crazy Eyes
    - Arya Stark
    - Luther
    - Everyone from Firefly
    - Everyone from Breaking Bad except Skylar & Walt Jr.
    - Barney Stinson
    - Ichabod Crane
    - The preacher form Carnivale
    - Sam Axe
    - Sherlock & Watson (BBC)
    - Deb Morgan
     
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  12. NaboCane

    NaboCane Banned

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    That's a really damn good list. Minor quibbles here and there and a couple I haven't watched, but very minor.

    I would definitely add Olivia/Fauxlivia Dunham; President Roslyn was so central to BSG, and so pitch-perfectly-portrayed, that I can't see it ever reprised even if there's a remake.

    Johnny Miller's Sherlock is light-years better than TinTin's. Miller's portrayal is iconic, yet vulnerable and terribly flawed, like the literary character himself.

    I didn't know Captain Jack Harkness came from Dr. Who! I knew both shows were made by the same people.

    EDIT: No Stringer?
     
  13. TiP54

    TiP54 Bad Reputation

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    I'd put Mouzone before Stringer. Not sure he qualifies because very limited screen time he got.

    Side note, my WiFi is called "Omar Comin"
     
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  14. VanDolPhan

    VanDolPhan Club member Club Member

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    Really? There's a bit of crossover between them also. ie: That hand in the glass container he had is the 10th Doctor's hand. Martha was a doctor's companion. Also the entire Torchwood team appeared in a couple episodes of Doctor Who.

    You might want to go back to season 2/3 of the rebooted Doctor Who. He only does 11 episodes but you see how he became immortal........and you see when/how he actually dies.

    First appearance of Captain Jack in typical Captain Jack manner.
    [video=youtube;MYkCdnZi_x4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYkCdnZi_x4[/video]
     
  15. ToddPhin

    ToddPhin Premium Member Luxury Box Club Member

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    It's difficult for me to give a short list since I've seen so many shows, so I'll just break mine down into tiers I guess.

    Tier 1

    Hannibal Lecter, Hannibal
    Daniel Holden, Rectify
    Al Swearingen, Deadwood
    Sterling Archer, Archer
    Walter White, Breaking Bad
    Dexter (early seasons)
    Iceman (Alexander Skarsgard), Generation Kill
    Hank Moody (David Duchovny), Californication
    Frances & Claire Underwood, House of Cards

    Tier 2 (best supporting characters)

    Louis Litt, Suits
    Rudy Wade, Misfits
    Joe Gatto, Impractical Jokers
    Saul Goodman, Breaking Bad
    Stringer Bell (Idris Elba), The Wire
    Hank, Breaking Bad
    Crazy Eyes, Orange is New Black

    Donna, Suits
    Murr, Impractical Jokers
    Charlie Runkle, Californication
    Nathan, Misfits
    Glenn Quagmire, Family Guy
    Doug Wilson (Kevin Nealon), Weeds
    Arby (Neil Maskell), Utopia
    Steven Linder (Thomas M. Wright), The Bridge

    Tier 3

    Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht), Suits
    Tony Soprano
    Cleaver Green (Richard Roxburgh), Rake
    LutherSpartacus(Andy Whitfield only. The show died when he died as far as I'm concerned.)Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels), The Newsroom
    Will Graham, Hannibal
    Eddie Izzard, The Riches
    Sarah, Orphan Black
    Paul Spector, The Fall
    Ray, Ray Donovan
    Dr Tom Jackman, Jeckyl
    NPH, How I Met Your Mother
    Christian Troy, Nip Tuck
    Detective Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis), The Shield

    Tier 4

    Sal and Q, Impractical Jokers
    Nancy Botwin, Weeds
    Jackie (Edie Falco), Nurse Jackie
    Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson), The Fall
    Sonya Cross (Diane Kruger), The Bridge
    Sloan Sabbith (Olivia Munn), The Newsroom
    Thad Castle, Blue Mountain State
    Bill Haverchuck (Martin Starr), Freaks and Geeks
    Lucas Hood, Banshee
    Selena Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), Veep
    Carl, Aqua Teen Hunger Force
    Marty Kaan (Don Cheadle), House of Lies
    Jeanie Van Der Hooven (Kristin Bell), House of Lies
     
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  16. ToddPhin

    ToddPhin Premium Member Luxury Box Club Member

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    Debra Morgan annoyed the s*** out of me after the first couple years once the distraction of her potty mouth wore off and the terrible acting shone through.
     
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  17. NaboCane

    NaboCane Banned

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    Billie! Great bottom, indeed.

    I wouldn't know what to look for in Doctor Who. The whole thing just confuses me, it's all so very foreign and unlike anything else. I've tried to watch, but no-go.
     
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  18. Clark Kent

    Clark Kent Fighter of the Nightman

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    Tyrion, Tywin, Jamie, and Cersei Lannister, Arya Stark (GoT)
    Omar Little, Stringer Bell (The Wire)
    Sherlock Holmes, Moriarty (Sherlock)
    Dixon brothers (The Walking Dead)
    Ben Linus, John Locke, Sawyer (Lost)
    Walter Bishop, Olivia Dunham (Fringe)
    Hannibal Lector (Hannibal)
    Eric Northman, Russell Edgington (True Blood)
    Eric Cartman, Randy Marsh (South Park)
    Daniel Holden (Rectify)
    Walter White and everyone else from... (Breaking Bad)
    Dexter Morgan (Dexter)
    Al Swearengen (Deadwood)
    Titus Pullo, Lucius Vorenus, Mark Antony (Rome)
    Charlie, Dennis, Mac, Dee, Frank (It's Always Sunny)
    Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
    Carrie Mathison (Homeland)
    Dr. House (House, MD)
    Barney Stinson (How I Met Your Mother)

    That's all I can think of for now.
     
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  19. NaboCane

    NaboCane Banned

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    You're now the creepy guy with whom no one wants to make eye contact.

    So...nothing's changed.

    WAAAAAAAAAAT?!
     
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  20. NaboCane

    NaboCane Banned

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    I can't leave this alone.

    Debra was the only fully fleshed-out character in that series. Even Dexter was caricaturish, made relatable only by sheer volume of screen time plus the narration of his inner voice, plus Harry. THAT'S what it took to make him halfway believable.

    LaGuerta (what a moronic, made-up name) was the absolute worst; but all of the rest of the cast was little more than cardboard cutouts. I couldn't have cared less if any of them lived or died.
     
  21. Limbo

    Limbo Mad Stillz

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    Seriously??
     
  22. ToddPhin

    ToddPhin Premium Member Luxury Box Club Member

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    yeah I think the combined cast of It's Always Sunny is worthy of a nod. I could get behind some of the Lost cast as an honorable mention.

    Eric Cartman is a good one I forgot.
    Ditto for Batiatus (John Hannah) from Spartacus. One of the greatest users of profanity ever.
     
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  23. ToddPhin

    ToddPhin Premium Member Luxury Box Club Member

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    I hated most of the cast of Dexter. Thought it was second rate. Debra's acting style was cute and fresh at first but just annoyed me after a while.
     
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  24. Fin-Omenal

    Fin-Omenal Initiated

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    Thee...Ohio State University
    Ronnie (jersey shore)
    Farrah (Teen mom)
     
  25. NaboCane

    NaboCane Banned

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    If I had to choose one character from 'South Park,' it would be Randy Marsh. Easily, of of the all-time greatest oblivious jesters on any TV court.
     
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  26. Clark Kent

    Clark Kent Fighter of the Nightman

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    Huge oversight on my part. Randy Marsh is GOAT. Use to be my avatar too lol.
     
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  27. NaboCane

    NaboCane Banned

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    How is Don Draper not a single one of these lists?
     
  28. VanDolPhan

    VanDolPhan Club member Club Member

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    I find most people that get on board these days starts with Matt Smith as the Doctor (because it doesn't hinge on many story lines from prior except some River Song back story). It's also the point when Doctor Who stepped up their game and went high def and got a real solid budget. That starts with Season 5. You can pretty much catch up (Season 8 starts Aug 23rd) that way and then go back to season 1 of the reboot if you get hooked.
     
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  29. ToddPhin

    ToddPhin Premium Member Luxury Box Club Member

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    BTW, anyone who HASN'T seen the mini-series Generation Kill should immediately grab a sturdy belt, walk into the nearest closet, and hang yourself.

    C'mon, the best character on True Blood [Alexander Skarsgard] in the performance of his lifetime; from the creator of The Wire [Ed Burns]; winner of 3 Emmy's and nominated for an additional 8? WTF is holding you idiots up?
     
  30. TiP54

    TiP54 Bad Reputation

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    Which you should absolutely do, because Christopher Eccleston was a fantastic doctor, albeit being around for only one season, and David Tennant was born to the The Doctor. No, seriously. David Tennant was a very hard act to follow, but I think Matt Smith did an excellent job.

    Problem is getting past the corny special effects. If you get past that, you are in for a ride of a lifetime.
     
  31. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    yessir, and his Boss, hanging out on a hippie commune, peeling pappas, smoking ganja,

    Don Draper has "BMF" tatt'd on his johnson
     
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  32. MikeHoncho

    MikeHoncho -=| Censored |=-

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    Inspiring me to change mine to "Reelect Frank Sobotka" or "Sheeeeeeeeeeit"
     
  33. NaboCane

    NaboCane Banned

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    True; Roger Sterling for President.
     
  34. NaboCane

    NaboCane Banned

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    That's what threw me off when I've tried to jump in before; that clip, with Billie Piper and the Tom Cruise guy was the best-produced bit of DW I've seen to date. The tractor beam was hokey, but it is BBC, after all.

    So, start w/ S5; but doesn't the series go back to — literally —the 1950s?
     
  35. NaboCane

    NaboCane Banned

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    Diego "Doc" Soto — Alcatraz
    Frylock —ATHF
    Carl Brutananadilewski — ATHF
    Sterling Archer — Archer
    Lana Kane — Archer
    Gaius Baltar — BSG
    Laura Roslyn — BSG
    Kara Thrace — BSG
    Bill Henrickson —Big Love
    Barb Henrickson —Big Love
    Margie Heffman —Big Love
    Nicki Grant —Big Love
    Bob Belcher — Bob's Burgers
    Tina Belcher — Bob's Burgers
    Walter White — Breaking Bad
    Hank Moody — Californication
    Rebecca Moody — Californication
    Charlie Runkle — Californication
    Gil Grissom —CSI
    Greg Sanders —CSI
    Horatio Caine —CSI: Miami
    Calleigh Duquesne —CSI: Miami
    Danny Messer —CSI: New York
    Al Swearengen — Deadwood
    Debra Morgan — Dexter
    Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham — Downton Abbey
    John Bates — Downton Abbey
    Johnny Miller — Elementary
    Joan Watson — Elementary
    Brian —Family Guy
    Peter Griffin —Family Guy
    Lois Griffin —Family Guy
    Stewie Griffin —Family Guy
    Mal Reynolds — Firefly
    Olivia/Fauxlivia Dunham — Fringe
    Walter/Walternate Bishop — Fringe
    Tyrion Lannister — Game of Thrones
    Hannibal Lecter — Hannibal
    Will Graham — Hannibal
    Beverly Katz — Hannibal
    Alana Bloom — Hannibal
    Bedelia Du Maurier — Hannibal
    Carrie Matheson — Homeland
    Francis Underwood — House of Cards
    Claire Underwood — House of Cards
    Jack Taylor — Jack Taylor
    Garda Kate Noonan — Jack Taylor
    Sam Waterston — Law & Order
    Robert Goren — Law & Order: Criminal Intent
    John Luther — Luther
    Don Draper — Mad Men
    Roger Sterling — Mad Men
    Sally Draper — Mad Men
    Betty Draper/Francis — Mad Men
    Pete Campbell — Mad Men
    Peggy Olson — Mad Men
    Bert Cooper — Mad Men
    Joan Holloway/Harris — Mad Men
    Layne Pryce — Mad Men
    Megan Draper — Mad Men
    Ryan O'Reily — Oz
    Simon Adebisi — Oz
    Chiwetel Ejiofor — The Shadow Line
    Vic Mackey — The Shield
    Jon Kavanaugh — The Shield
    Jax Teller — Sons of Anarchy
    Tig Trager — Sons of Anarchy
    Jennifer Melfi — The Sopranos
    Sylvio Dante — The Sopranos
    Paulie Walnuts — The Sopranos
    Joe Pantoliano — The Sopranos
    Steve Buscemi — The Sopranos
    Junior Soprano — The Sopranos
    Tony Soprano — The Sopranos
    Gloria Trillo — The Sopranos
    Randy Marsh — South Park
    Robin Griffin — Top of the Lake
    Rust Cohle — True Detective
    Selina Meyer —Veep
    Gary Walsh —Veep
    Jed Bartlet — The West Wing
    CJ Cregg — The West Wing
    Leo McGarry — The West Wing
    Donna Moss — The West Wing
    Charlie Young — The West Wing
    Josh Lyman — The West Wing
    Omar Little — The Wire
    [FONT=&amp]Stringer [/FONT][FONT=&amp]Bell[/FONT][FONT=&amp] — The Wire[/FONT]
     
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  36. Clark Kent

    Clark Kent Fighter of the Nightman

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    Added Randy Marsh and Stringer Bell. Stringer was another massive oversight. In fact, Stringer Bell might be the most important black character in the history of television. How come none of the other Lannister's are making these lists besides Tyrion?
     
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  37. VanDolPhan

    VanDolPhan Club member Club Member

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    You'll pretty much catch on. The stories tend to be mostly confined to each doctor and they tend to usually explain things along the way. I started with season 1 of the reboot and there's no need to go back before it. All it does show would be the transformation to Matt Smith and the actual introduction of one of the companions River Song (which is important but can wait till your caught up). Plus if you enjoy British actors.......nearly every Brit does Doctor Who at some point ;p

    [video=youtube;WVVVFFPt_oA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVVVFFPt_oA[/video]

    This is the preview of season 5 which started Matt Smith. As you can see visually it looks much improved at that point.
     
  38. ToddPhin

    ToddPhin Premium Member Luxury Box Club Member

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    alphabetized? feel like I can't even look you in the eyes right now.



    Why don't you add the hotdog vendor from Madmen while you're at it. :lol:
     
  39. ToddPhin

    ToddPhin Premium Member Luxury Box Club Member

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    I should've added Malory and Cheryl from Archer as well..... and Marcy Runkle from Californication.

    Speaking of Top of the Lake, as good as Elizabeth Moss was as Robin, I thought Peter Mullan (Matt) was equally as good. Best performance of Holly Hunter's career as well IMO.
     
  40. NaboCane

    NaboCane Banned

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    In coming years, exactly how extraordinary a visionary Matt Wiener is will blow people's minds.

    Part of his genius is: every character gets moments to shine in the brilliance of the writing; the other part is that he has chosen actors—one when she was only five years old—who are up to every challenge, and more.
     
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