Top 10 Television Characters

The recent death of Matthew Perry got people thinking about how great he was as Chandler Bing on ‘Friends’.

He’s certainly in the conversation of top ten television characters of all-time.

Here’s my list. For what it’s worth!

10). Gregory House from ‘House’. 

A terrific show and a wonderful character - played great by Hugh Laurie. He was so brilliant. So funny and so sarcastic. 

9). Hawkeye Pierce - ‘M*A*S*H - hysterical - especially when he was pranking Frank Burns, or cracking wise with B.J. - he was also well-developed. He was in a war and life and death was at the forefront.

8). Michael Scott - Steve Carrell was the perfect choice and played the hell out of the role in ‘The Office’. When he burns his foot, or drives the car into the lake. He was so sad and so dumb and so like so many suck ups I’ve met in my life. Awesome character.

7). Fonzie - I spent a couple of hours signing books next to Henry Winkler in NYC - he has a reputation as the nicest guy in Hollywood. He is! Great guy!! He was also the biggest star in the country when ‘Happy Days’ was at the top of the heap. We all wanted to be that cool.

As an aside, I whispered a question in Henry’s ear:

“Did you DO Pinky Tuscadero?”

He laughed and hugged me. He also blushed, and whispered:

“I can’t say anything about her!”

6). Harry Bosch - we love, love, love the Bosch series and Titus Welliver is terrific in the lead role. The series is well-written. Bosch explains that ‘Everyone Counts’.

His character lives it.

5). Jeff Daniels - ‘Newsroom’ - Will McAvoy was one of the best written characters in television history - from his speech about why America isn’t the greatest country in the world - in episode one - through every single scene he’s in - Daniels is amazing.

4). Carmela Soprano - My all-time favorite show and there were so many amazing characters, but Edie Falco was so great. She sold it all to me each week - a loving mother, a woman who tried to reconcile God and her love of the money she was being handed. She deserved every award she ever received.

3). Oscar Madison - I have so many memories of watching ‘The Odd Couple’ with my Mom. I wanted to be a writer like Oscar. In fact, I was interviewed by the ‘Buffalo News’ when ‘Waldorf & Juli’ came out - I mentioned to the reporter that ‘I wanted to be Oscar Madison. I wanted to eat like a pig, dress like a slob, and write things people like to read. I’ve done two of three and my writing career is picking up steam.’

The ‘News’ printed that quote under my photo - such a proud moment. 

Loved Oscar.

2). Walter White - Bryan Cranston is my favorite living actor and he absolutely destroyed in the role of the teacher, dying of cancer, who becomes a drug kingpin. I would also put Aaron Paul way up on a list of great television characters as Jessie Pinkman.

A nearly perfect show.

Cranston should be number one and would be if…

1). Tony Soprano - James Gandolfini - Walter White would be #1 but there was just no way I could place him above Gandolfini on this list.

Perfect television.

A superb actor who had expressions and language that I recognized from members of my own family.

Tony Soprano was a flawed man. He was a killer, a cheater. He lied, stole and murdered and I rooted for him every stop of the way.

I was so sad when the series ended.

I’m still not over Gandolfini’s death.

I’m not sure there will ever be a better show or character.

So, there you have it!