TV Gal Plays Favorites

TV Gal logo ()

We know they're not real.

Of course when we watch a TV series we know it's make-believe. We know Burke is really not operating with a hand tremor. We know that Grissom and Sara aren't really having a clandestine affair. And we certainly know that Bree Van de Kamp didn't just actually fall in love with another homicidal man.

No person could survive what most TV characters endure. Seriously, if Veronica Mars were a real person, she would be institutionalized by now.

But sometimes great writing fuses with a brilliant performance to form a perfect television character. Ones who we so believe in that we're sad when they're sad, happy when they're happy, root for them to find true love as if they were our best friends, and are heartbroken for them when things don't work out as planned. Or it could be the complete opposite -- characters who we fear as if they were a real person. Would anyone want to spend any quality time with T-Bag? But he's the absolute epitome of a character we delight in disliking.

These characters pop off the screen and command our attention. They can make a mediocre show good ("Boston Legal" would be nothing without Alan Shore and Denny Crane) a good show great (Kyra Sedgwick is "The Closer"), and a great show exceptional (two words: Jack Bauer).

You know the rules by now. All characters on my list are from a television shows at least in their second season and still on the air (so I say a heartfelt goodbye to Bright on "Everwood" and GOB from "Arrested Development"). This season has offered up some terrific characters (Hiro is so turning out to be my hero) but great characters evolve over time. Perhaps, we'll see you next year, Kevin Walker and Betty Suarez. I also stuck to the rule of only one character per show (if I didn't, the castaways on "Lost" would make up half the list).

And don't forget that Dennis Franz's Andy Sipowicz, John C. McGinley's Dr. Cox (even with his bad hairstyle this season) and Kelly Bishop's Emily Gilmore are all in the TV Gal Hall of Fame. They have set the standard.

Once again I agonized over this list as if it really mattered. Would the boys of "Entourage" ever speak to me again if they didn't make the list? Will Old Christine truly know how much I've been enjoying her show this season if she doesn't make the cut?

But without further ado, here are my top ten characters for 2006:

1. Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Johnson on "The Closer": To Sedgwick, I say thank you, thank you so much for creating such a fantastic female character. Brenda is full of idiosyncrasies. Her lilting Southern accent can move in for a laser-sharp attack in the interrogation room. She has a love/hate relationship with processed sugar. Sedgwick's trick is that she makes all these eccentricities, even the exaggerated Southern drawl, work.

2. Sandra Oh as Cristina Yang on "Grey's Anatomy": Oh you know I have my frustrations with this show, but the show's absolute best moments this past year have come from Oh. Cristina's pain, her utter drive to succeed, and her fierce loyalty is palpable. It's a tossup between Cristina and Miranda Bailey -– last year I picked Bailey -- but this was definitely Cristina's year.

3. John Krasinski as Jim Halpert on "The Office": With so many fabulous characters, it's hard to pick just one employee of Dunder Mifflin. Especially since this past year really brought many of the background characters to the forefront and introduced some great new office mates. With his deadpan looks and impish grin, Krasinski could go an entire episode without a line of dialogue and we would know exactly what he was thinking.

4. Jason Dohring as Logan Echolls on "Veronica Mars": What makes "Veronica Mars" is that every actor brings an unexpected complexity to his or her character. Weevil is more than just a thug. Mac is more than just a computer geek. And Logan is more that just a bad boy with a heart of gold. Played wrong, we would never want our Veronica with him, but my heart broke for Logan in last week's episode.

5. Neil Patrick Harris as Barney on "How I Met Your Mother": Suit up because his character is -– come on, indulge me -- legendary. I've voiced my concern that the parts of this show are better than its whole, and Barney is the show's best part. Harris unabashedly embraces the role with an infectious zest. There's a danger that Barney could become too cartoon-like, but even amid his ridiculous behavior (loved finally seeing Barney's apartment), he never crosses over into the over-the-top preposterous.

6. Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer on "24": Sweetheart, listen to me: I'm going to go ahead and patch my list of top ten characters into your handheld. Don't let Karen Hayes see what I'm doing. Jack is "24." In what was arguably the show's best season, it truly was hard to pick a "24" character (especially when both Gregory Itzin and Jean Smart gave career-defining performances), but if I didn't believe Jack, I wouldn't believe the show.

7. Terry O'Quinn as Locke on "Lost": Trying to pick my favorite "Lost" character is a little bit of an exercise in futility. It changes from week to week –- Sun is the best character. No, Sayid. Last year I picked Jin (he has my favorite backstory) so I'm just trying to spread the love around. Amid all the mysteries, the one I'm most curious about is, how did Locke end up in a wheelchair?

8. Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo on "Desperate Housewives": Huffman has been able to achieve something the other leading ladies haven't. I always, always believe Lynette.

9. Sarah Wayne Callies as Dr. Sara Tancredi on "Prison Break": The only female character in TV's biggest boys club, Dr. Tancredi believably went into action-hero mode this season.

10. Maura Tierney as Abby Lockhart on "ER": After all these years, I still love her.

Those are my favorite television characters of 2006. Who are yours? Talk about it on the TV Gal Message Boards.

Related topic galleries: NBC, New York City Police Department, Dennis Franz, Conan O'Brien, Rape, Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick

• ENGINEER

• DESKTOP PUBLISHING

• ENVIRONMENTAL

• HVAC

• HOME DELIVERY MANAGER

• View all Top Jobs