TV

M over at redrighthand.net had this meme which actually takes more effort than a contemplative navel-gazing blog post, so I decided to use it, too. It was started by James Gunn (married to the lovely Jenna Fischer (Pam on The Office) and writer/director of the awesome Slither, and then continued by Joss Whedon.

25 Favorite Television Characters

The rules:
* Does not have to be a show currently airing
* No puppets or cartoons
* No reality show people
* All characters must be regulars on the show
* No mini-series

And my choices, in no particular order, but just numbered so I can easily see how many I came up with:

1. Jack McCoy - Law and Order: A perennial favorite of mine. Sam Watterston just kicks ass as this hard-as-nails District Attorney. The day he leaves the show is the day I stop watching.
2. Xander Harris - Buffy the Vampire Slayer: What can I say? I relate to him. He saved the world in season six with a story about a yellow crayon.
3. Pam Beesly - The Office: I love Jenna Fischer. She is just perfect in this role.
4. Wash Washburne - Firefly: The smartass pilot of Serenity can't help but be a great character even if he doesn't get as much screen time as some of them.
5. Mal Reynolds - Firefly: Han Solo for a new generation. If only the idiots with Nielsen boxes had better taste.
6. Joy (Hickey?) - My Name is Earl: She is just perfect - you love her and hate her.
7. Charlie Kelly - It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Hard to explain this one - he is just a crazy motherfuckin' drunk.
8. Veronica Mars - Veronica Mars: She's tough, vulnerable, smart, savvy, and still growing up all at once.
9. Keith Mars - Veronica Mars: Best dad ever.
10. Eliot Reid - Scrubs: She calls her vagina a "bajinko". What's better than that?
11. Perry Cox - Scrubs: While his shtick has gotten a bit old recently, he has begrudgingly grown as a person since the show started and you just love his reactions to everything.
12. Michael Bluth - Arrested Development: His humility is paired very well with his arrogance, which always bites him in the ass.
13. Lindsay Bluth - Arrested Development: She's just a perfect spoiled rotten foil to Michael's sacrifice.
14. Sydney Bristow - Alias: She can kick your ass without even trying, and you fucking believe every minute of it!
15. Remington Steele - Remington Steele: If Bond ran a detective agency poorly.
16. Lorelai Gilmore - Gilmore Girls: The sharpest tongue and best ass on television.
17. Frasier Crane - Frasier: His pomposity has always made me laugh.
18. Denny Crane - Boston Legal: Just a great character that is fun to watch every time he's on screen.
19. Natalie Teeger - Monk: Traylor Howard is cute and spunky and is a good partner with Adrian Monk. Did you know that she's 40?
20. Krista Starr - Blade the Series: More of a cheesecake favorite, but I love watching her as a vampire.
21. Lewis Kiniski - The Drew Carey Show: Ryan Stiles owns this role. I think he should be a movie star.
22. Kate O'Brien - The Drew Carey Show: If you didn't watch Christa Miller on this show and laugh, you are dead inside. She was perfect!
23. Doug Ross - ER: Dr. Ross was the best thing about ER in the early years, and sometimes I'm sad that George Clooney left.
24. Cosmo Kramer - Seinfeld: Michael Richards made the role his own and we were entertained for many years as a result. Nobody will ever reach his heights again.
25. Larry David - Curb Your Enthusiasm: Snarky, angry, hateful, selfish, rude, but he manages to be married to a beautiful wife. Sometimes I think I'm looking in a mirror.

And there they are. Anyone who wants the challenge might find it to be a little more difficult than they thought. If you're going to do it, leave me a comment and let me know so I can come mock you for your choices.

And if anyone's going to take up six slots with Chandler, Joey, Rachel, Monica, Ross, and Phoebe, don't tell me. I'll just hate you forever.