You can have the best script, the most acclaimed director, and a huge budget, but when it comes to TV, you need a magical actor to bring a show to life. Let’s look back at some of the most significant TV characters who have made a show of their own.
Mads Mikkelsen, Hannibal
Mads Mikkelsen’s portrayal of legendary character Hannibal should have been second-rate to that of Anthony Hopkins. It should have flopped. But it wasn’t, and it didn’t, and it was easy to see how his victims were sucked in by his charming demeanor and devilish good looks. Our minds were blown.
David Duchovny, Californication
Fans of Californication unite to celebrate the legend of Hank Moody. His endless relationship flitting, countless bad decisions, dubious writing career, and deep-rooted love for his ex-wife made us love him all the more.
Kiefer Sutherland, 24
Winner of multiple Emmys, 24’s renegade agent Jack Bauer will go down in TV history as the US government’s worst nightmare, CTU’s most unreliable employee, and Kim Bauer’s impossibly fickle father. Kiefer Sutherland proved he could produce TV gold on par with any of his movie characters.
Elizabeth Montgomery, Bewitched
Bewitched taught us that witches aren’t evil, and Elizabeth Montgomery delivered a scatty, wholesome, loveable wife who could teleport a glass of lemonade across the room. Few could master the famous nose wiggle, though Nicole Kidman nailed it for the 2005 movie remake.
Peter Falk, Columbo
It’s rare to see a cop show without brutality, but Columbo only needed his brilliant brain to bring perpetrators to their knees. The show’s success rested on the existence of one man, Peter Falk.
Sarah Michelle Gellar, Buffy The Vampire Slayer
It was the role that catapulted her to fame, and rightly so. Teenagers worldwide saw the girl-next-door-come-vampire slayer as an inspirational icon, and when she later cut back on acting to spend time with her family, there was a universal ‘aww.’
Travis Fimmel, Vikings
Vikings actor and ex-Calvin Klein supermodel Travis Fimmel proved to us that his acting talent was every bit as remarkable as his well-greased six-pack! Ragnar Lothbrok gave us bloodshed, humor, and razor-sharp wit, with Fimmel boldly stealing the show—ironic, considering he doesn’t want to be an actor.
Katey Sagal, Married With Children
Who can forget the legendary Peggy Bundy in Married With Children? Katey Sagal played an eccentric, lazy housewife who refused to cook and clean and had a penchant for stealing purses. The hairdo was as famous as the character.
Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
He won the Oscar for his blinding portrayal of rock icon Freddie Mercury, but Mr. Robot showed us his talent for quirky, troubled characters. His portrayal of dissociative identity disorder was entirely believable, and we couldn’t get enough of those huge, glazed eyes.
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad’s Walter White has been voted the best character of all time, and it’s all thanks to Bryan Cranston’s flawless performance as a chemistry teacher turned meth cook from a socially awkward geek to notorious drug lord Heisenberg. We still pine for him now.
Cillian Murphy, Peaky Blinders
It might be a British series, but the US took to Peaky Blinders as much as the Brits, including Snoop Dog and Brad Pitt. Cillian Murphy’s portrayal of the real-life gang member, Tommy Shelby, showed his versatility as an actor, and his Birmingham accent was as good as it gets.
Steven Yeun, The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead filmmakers denied Glenn much character growth until ‘that scene.’ But he clearly did something right, as fans of the show refused to watch after his demise. His death scene was eerily terrifying enough to knock us sideways, and that alone must be applauded.
Naya Rivera, Glee
While the series was considered a hit, many claimed that the late Santana Lopez was the only saving grace in Glee. She refused to conform to modern belief systems, belted out the hits, and became a gay icon and teenage role model in the process. The girl never went down without a fight.
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Saul Goodman initially hit the screens as Walter White’s corrupt lawyer in Breaking Bad. The spin-off series didn’t disappoint when we met Jimmy McGill, the real, broken man behind the mayhem. He delivered both sides of his character impeccably and delicately, and in the end, we were all rooting for him.
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Jim Parsons catapulted The Big Bang Theory to enormous heights with his portrayal of Sheldon Cooper. He’s socially awkward, obsessive-compulsive, inappropriate, and likely autistic, but his idiosyncracies have made us love him. We can all relate on some level.
Matthew Perry, Friends
Famed for the role of Chandler Bing in the much-loved Friends series, the late actor undeniably stood out as a great comedic actor. Funny, generous, and delightfully sarcastic, he was ranked as the Best Friend’s Character and second funniest character of all time.
Henry Winkler, Happy Days
Think of the iconic Happy Days series; one character springs to mind, Fonzie ‘The Fonz’ Fonzarelli. With his spoof-like characteristics and goofy catchphrases that stayed with us for over a decade, Henry Winkler became the show’s breakout star.
Hugh Laurie, House MD
We all had a wobble when the quintessential British ‘Fry and Laurie’ star, Hugh Laurie, announced his shift to American TV. We didn’t think he’d pull it off. He did. And Dr Gregory House became a household name. Obnoxious and brilliant, he nailed it, even if he did find the role too grueling.
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Ugly Betty was the antithesis of any modern TV show in an industry where on-screen beauty is deemed the key to success. America Ferrera’s brace-wearing, bushy-browed, quick-witted Betty Suarez delved far beyond the superficial and gave us a hit TV series.
