Who Was the Best Television Character of All Time?

[Cachoo]

Who has impacted the television audience the most? Who has impacted YOU the most?

 

[BaileyCatts]

hmmmmm ....... Walter White?

 

[Yehudi]

Ben Linus.

 

[VALuvsMKwan]

Some for consideration:'

Doctor Who

From various Star Trek series:
Mr. Spock
Nyota Uhura
Jean-Luc Picard
Data

Lucy Ricardo (I Love Lucy)
Donna Stone (The Donna Reed Show)
Ann Marie (That Girl)
Mary Richards (Mary Tyler Moore Show)
Julia Baker (Julia)
Marshal Matt Dillon (Gunsmoke)
Archie and Edith Bunker (All in the Family)
Edina Monsoon/Patsy Stone (AbFab)
J.R. Ewing (Dallas)
Alexis Carrington Colby etc. (Dynasty)
Emma Peel (The Avengers)
Tony Soprano
Miss Jane Pittman (The Autobiography of...)
Kunta Kinte (Roots)
Sophia Burset (Orange is the New Black)

 

[mrinalini]

Dana Scully, and Gillian Anderson is a goddess (by the way, she just turned 50 two days ago!).

 

[moebius]

Homer Simpson
Fave Homerism: 'Trying is the first step to failure.'

 

[once_upon]

I'm not sure, but @VALuvsMKwan list of: Ann Marie, Emma Peel and Mary Richards resonated with me. The characters showed me that strong women could be successful without being a wife or mother. (Yes, Emma Peel was Mrs. Peel but never saw or heard about him.)

Role models are important.

 

[attyfan]

Raymond Burr was given an obituary in the Los Angeles Daily Journal (a professional publication for lawyers) because so many were inspired by "Perry Mason" to enter the legal profession

 

[KatieC]

Dr Hawkeye Pierce

 

[Aimless]

Homer Simpson
Fave Homerism: 'Trying is the first step to failure.'

My favorite: Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand.

 

[taf2002]

My husband still raves about Lt. Uhura. I would pick Carol Burnett.

 

[WillyElliot]

Elaine Benes

 

[meggonzo]

Lisa Simpson

 

[screech]

Veronica Mars - going through so much shit, fighting back, and persevering.
Leslie Knope - positivity in the face of EVERYTHING!

 

[tony]

Yeah, anything that Julia Louis-Dreyfus has been over the years. Selina or Elaine, I’ll take either.

Also- Sydney Andrews from Melrose Place circa season 3-4. Still some of the best TV I’ve seen

 

[Cachoo]

For me the two names that first came to mind were Mary Richards and Archie Bunker. I often wonder how the Brits would answer this question.

 

[manhn]

Chandler Bing. His vocal tics are found everywhere, among young actors and the general audience. Can it BE anyone else?

 

[VALuvsMKwan]

My husband still raves about Lt. Uhura. I would pick Carol Burnett.

Whoopi Goldberg has stated on multiple occasions that seeing Nichelle Nichols appearing on "Star Trek" (the original series) as Lt. Uhura, a highly capable member of the core command team of the Starship Enterprise, was a seminal event in her young life and an inspiration to her career.

I adore Carol Burnett, but the person who started the post mentioned characters, not performers - so I will be happy to add Eunice from "The Family" sketches, as well as Vicki Lawrence as the ultimate Southern Mama.

 

[VALuvsMKwan]

I'm not sure, but @VALuvsMKwan list of: Ann Marie, Emma Peel and Mary Richards resonated with me. The characters showed me that strong women could be successful without being a wife or mother. (Yes, Emma Peel was Mrs. Peel but never saw or heard about him.)

Role models are important.

I included them for just that reason.

And in that spirit, because I also adore Kate Mulgrew, I will add as personal favorites Mary Ryan from "Ryan's Hope" and Captain/later Admiral Kathryn Janeway from "Star Trek: Voyager".

Perhaps not politically as correct these days, but also Claire Huxtable from "The Cosby Show".

 

[TheGirlCanSkate]

Grover from Sesame Street. You can make mistakes, try harder, and still make mistakes, but you keep on going. And you deserve a hug.

 

[annie720]

Alf.

 

[quartz]

I always wanted to be Elly May Clampett. She was so gosh darn pretty, constantly surrounded by critters who adored her, and could wrassle any dude that picked on her.

 

[Desperado]

I'm seconding Veronica Mars and adding Christine Cagney and Murphy Brown.

 

[Wyliefan]

Dr Hawkeye Pierce

I'm partial to Radar, myself. Cute, cuddly, AND sharp as a tack.

 

[peibeck]

I love, love, love Carol Burnett and all her characters from "The Carol Burnett Show." That was my Saturday night pleasure as a young kid.

Ed Asner as Lou Grant, both on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and then "Lou Grant," which was such a totally opposite kind of program (comedy vs. drama) was one of my favorite TV characters ever, and he was brilliant in both.

 

[puglover]

For me - Archie Bunker and family. That show was very revolutionary in it's day and impacted greatly on me. Archie was such a narrow-minded bigot but still understandable. Taught you about hate without making you hate.

 

[Japanfan]

I doubt many here remember or have ever watched the British comedies Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister from the 70s.

My vote goes to Nigel Hawthorne, who played Humphrey, the conniving, pedantic and loquacious civil servant.

 

[PeterG]

I love Lucy.

 

[Meredith]

Dr. Hawkeye Pierce

 

[VALuvsMKwan]

I'm seconding Veronica Mars and adding Christine Cagney and Murphy Brown.

How could I have forgotten Christine and Murphy (and I will add Mary Beth Lacey as well)?