TT Top Characters Telly Talk's Favourite TV Characters of the 2000s - The Vote / The Result

[Ome]

Thanks

It’s easily done especially when we’re trying not to forgot some great characters for each decade. Lennie came 25th in the last mission.

 

[Karin Schill]

We've entered the decade of seriously good television.

I disagree. I think the best decades of TV was in the 1980s and 1990s before reality TV changed the tv landscape for the worse. Also by the 2000s the tv landscape had become very fragmented and there was very few shows that everyone watched. The audience was also less likely to watch something when it was being broadcast and discuss it the next day.

 

[Willie Oleson]

before reality TV changed the tv landscape for the worse

Looking at my own list, there's only series that used reality TV for a storyline, but the series as a whole was about a new breed of celebrities.
But even so, it was fictional reality TV.

Also by the 2000s the tv landscape had become very fragmented and there was very few shows that everyone watched

I wouldn't call Breaking Bad, Dexter or The Tudors "niche" or "obscure".
Besides, quality isn't defined by its popularity. That's like saying that the music by, say, Queen or David Bowie was only great because they sold many records.

I think the 80s shows I didn't like outnumber the ones I did like. And as with the current wave of reality TV it's just a matter of ignoring them.

 

[Karin Schill]

This is my list of characters from the 2000s:

1. Claire McLeod from the Australian TV-series McLeod's Daughters (2001-2004)
2. Darla from Angel (2000-2004)
3. Gabrielle Solis from Desperate Housewives (2004-2012)
4. Joan Burton from Army Wives (2007-2013)
5. Seeley Booth from Bones (2005-2017)
6. Adriana Tate-Duncan from 90210 (2008-2013)
7. Dawn Summers from Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2000-2003)
8. Gwen Williams from Titans (2000-2001)
9. Mike Hannigan from Friends (2002-2004)
10. Sarah Walker from Chuck (2007-2012)
11. Stephen Logan from The Bold and the Beautiful (2006-2011)
12. Burt Landau from Nip/Tuck (2006)
13. Tru Davies from Tru Calling (2003-2005)
14. Gina Tribbiani from Joey (2004-2006)
15. Freddie Moreno from Freddie (2005-2006)

 

[the-lost-son]

I disagree. I think the best decades of TV was in the 1980s and 1990s before reality TV changed the tv landscape for the worse. Also by the 2000s the tv landscape had become very fragmented and there was very few shows that everyone watched. The audience was also less likely to watch something when it was being broadcast and discuss it the next day.

I once read that the nostalgia of the 80s runs longer now than the decade itself. I wonder why not more shows are set in that decade (like Stranger Things). I'm sure the outline was promising.

Personally I prefer the 80s to 90s, but I think in 2010s there was a giant leap regarding in quality of TV series.

But it's hard to compare. There is hardly any social experience there in TV entertainment now in this fragmented society (TV and in general btw). The watercooler discussions, the excitement and frustrations... It's reduced now to mostly individual experience.

I'm glad to have this board though.

 

[colbyco]

oh please can somebody add to my list:
Claire McLeod from McLeod's Daughters
Martin Ellingham from Doc Martin

 

[colbyco]

I disagree. I think the best decades of TV was in the 1980s and 1990s before reality TV changed the tv landscape for the worse. Also by the 2000s the tv landscape had become very fragmented and there was very few shows that everyone watched. The audience was also less likely to watch something when it was being broadcast and discuss it the next day.

- I feel the same way. Quality got much better later but I nearly love all the US 80´s shows that aired on German television. My 80´s list could have had 100 characters ... but for 2000 it was really hard to find and remember anybody ...

 

[Mel O'Drama]

oh please can somebody add to my list:
Claire McLeod from McLeod's Daughters
Martin Ellingham from Doc Martin

'Tis done.

I've added them following on from the others, so just let me know if you wanted them somewhere else in the list.

 

[Ome]

there was very few shows that everyone watched.

Isn't this down to the fact people had more channels, leading to more choices?

The audience was also less likely to watch something when it was being broadcast and discuss it the next day.

Apart from sport, I never watch anything live. When a new series starts, I like to build up the episodes and binge-watch them.




I think you are confusing the way viewers watch drama as opposed to the quality or the mass choices we have compared to the 80s and the 90s.

I

 

[Marika]

Again some though choices ...

1. Alex Karev – Grey's Anatomy
2. Bree Van de Kamp – Desperate Housewives
3. Naomi Clark – 90210
4. Nora Walker – Brothers & Sisters
5. Sun Kwon – Lost
6. Karen Darling – Dirty Sexy Money
7. Paris Geller – Gilmore Girls
8. Julie Cooper – The O.C.
9. Claire Fisher – Six Feet Under
10. Kimber Henry – Nip/Tuck
11. Celia Hodes – Weeds
12. Lenore Bernard – Hung
13. Harry Senate – Boston Public
14. Phil Dunphy – Modern Family
15. Sue Heck – The Middle

 

[James from London]

Phew, this was the toughest round. It's only when you try to whittle it down to twenty that you realise how many remarkable series there were during the 00s. I'm tempted to say that of course this was the best decade for TV thus far. But one isn't necessarily gonna feel massively nostalgic about it if one grew up during an earlier period. It's that old complaint: "It's not like it was in my day." Of course it isn't -- that's because it was your day, when one was more open and susceptible to new stuff. Doesn't mean things are automatically worse just because one's gotten older and less receptive.

My list is roughly chronological cos otherwise I'd be here all week:

1. Sydney Bristow ALIAS
2. Billy Chenowith SIX FEET UNDER
3. D'Angelo Barksdale THE WIRE
4. Gaius Baltar BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
5. Tim THE OFFICE (UK)
6. Shane Vendrell THE SHIELD
7. Danny Baldwin CORONATION STREET
8. Ralph Cifaretto THE SOPRANOS
9. Tobias Fünke ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT
10. Charles Logan 24
11. Lady Honoria Dedlock BLEAK HOUSE
12. Max Branning EASTENDERS
13. Debra Morgan DEXTER
14. Pete Campbell MAD MEN
15. Wilfred Mott DOCTOR WHO
16. Matt Saracen FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
17. Tracy Jordan 30 ROCK
18. Gina Toll IN TREATMENT
19. Jesse Pinkman BREAKING BAD
20. Cary Agos THE GOOD WIFE

 

[Emelee]

I think the production quality has improved insanely much. A series like Game of Thrones would have looked ridiculous if made in the 80s. But in the last century, it feels like all series had more of a long-term plan. A number of the new series of the 00s, 10s and 20s don't always feel completely planned for an entire season. Just "write as we go along" where I find myself asking if the writers have a set vision for their series or if they just came up with a good premise.

That being said, I struggled most with my favourite characters lists for the 1990s and the 2010s (which is eagerly waiting to be published). I had to kill a lot of darlings.

 

[Willie Oleson]

A series like Game of Thrones would have looked ridiculous if made in the 80s.

But in the 1980s we didn't know any better.

 

[Emelee]

11. Stephen Logan from The Bold and the Beautiful (2006-2011)

80s character. Introduced in 1988, played by Robert Pine.

 

[Toni]

Voilà my list! Thanks to all of you who have posted your choices, it´s been really helpful.

1- Patty Hewes (Damages)
2- Lynette Scavo (Desperate Housewives)
3- Dexter Morgan (Dexter)
4- Santana López (Glee)
5- Debbie Novotny (Queer As Folk USA)
6- Starbuck (Battlestar Galactica-remake)
7- Michael Scofield (Prison Break)
8- Kalinda Sharma (The Good Wife)
9- Joan Harris (Mad Men)
10- Holly Harper (Brothers & Sisters)
11- Brenda Chenowith (6 Feet Under)
12- Kit Porter (The L Word)
13- Nicolette Grant (Big Love)
14- Lex Luthor (Smallville)
15- T'Pol (Enterprise)
16- Anne Boleyn (The Tudors)
17- Jack Bauer (24)
18- Olivia Dunham (Fringe)
19- Gwen Williams (Titans)
20- Letitia Darling (Dirty Sexy Money)

 

[Seaviewer]

Starbuck (Battlestar Galactica-remake)

Now there's an interesting dilemma. The original Battlestar was in the 70s, but a strong argument could be made that this Starbuck is quite a different character. I'm glad I don't have to adjudicate.

 

[Barbara Fan]

I think the best decades of TV was in the 1980s and 1990s before reality TV changed the tv landscape for the worse. Also by the 2000s the tv landscape had become very fragmented and there was very few shows that everyone watched. The audience was also less likely to watch something when it was being broadcast and discuss it the next day.

Im with @Karin Schill here

I struggled to out 13 names down let alone 20 and have realised there aren't any US TV shows in my list. I think during that decade I found things to do and spent far less time watching TV and avoided fake canned laughter type of shows

The time I did have I was probably on wonderful Ultimate Dallas - my new found friend

 

[Daniel Avery]

"Life got in the way" for me during the 2000s as well, mostly in the form of my then-job which had me going to bed by 7pm in order to get up at 4am---oh, I do NOT miss those days. I also found that once my schedule changed to something more humane, I had fallen out of the habit of watching lots of primetime television, and other than that one year I got HBO for free, I didn't see the offerings of pay-cable channels because I thought it was overpriced (still do) for what they offer.

 

[Long Lashes]

1. Soames Forsyte - THE FORSYTE SAGA
2. Gene Hunt - LIFE ON MARS
3. Rob Lake – BODIES
4. Brian Potter – PHOENIX NIGHTS
5. Jack Bauer – 24
6. Karen McDonald – CORONATION STREET
7. Miss Matty Jenkyns - CRANFORD
8. Eddie - EARLY DOORS
9. David Brent – THE OFFICE

 

[James from London]

Rob Lake – BODIES

BODIES, of course! And that reminds me of CONVICTION, another brilliant BBC3 drama series from the same period, and GETTING ON, which was kind of a sitcom version of BODIES. Okay this changes everything. @Ome, please ignore my previous list in favour of this one (not that it's gonna make any difference to the overall outcome, but democracy is democracy - people threw themselves in front of horses for this sort of thing.)

1. Sydney Bristow ALIAS
2. Billy Chenowith SIX FEET UNDER
3. D'Angelo Barksdale THE WIRE
4. Gaius Baltar BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
5. Roger Hurley BODIES

6. Tim THE OFFICE (UK)
7. Shane Vendrell THE SHIELD
8. Danny Baldwin CORONATION STREET
9. D.C. Joe Payne CONVICTION

10. Tobias Fünke ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT
11. Charles Logan 24
12. Lady Honoria Dedlock BLEAK HOUSE
13. Sean Slater EASTENDERS
14. Debra Morgan DEXTER
15. Pete Campbell MAD MEN
16. Kim Wilde GETTING ON

17. Wilfred Mott DOCTOR WHO
18. Matt Saracen FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
19. Tracy Jordan 30 ROCK
20. Gina Toll IN TREATMENT