After analyzing over 70 years of television and evaluating hundreds of characters, I can definitively say that great TV characters do more than entertain – they become part of our cultural DNA.
The best TV characters of all time combine exceptional writing, unforgettable performances, and profound character development that resonates across generations – with Walter White, Tony Soprano, and Don Draper leading our definitive rankings.
Our team spent three months rewatching classic series, analyzing character arcs, and debating which personalities truly deserve legendary status.
You’ll discover not just who made the cut, but exactly why these 25 characters stand above thousands of others in television history.
Top 5 Most Iconic TV Characters at a Glance
⭐ Quick Rankings: Our top 5 characters who revolutionized television
| Rank | Character | Show | Why They’re Iconic |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Walter White | Breaking Bad | Complete transformation from protagonist to villain |
| 2 | Tony Soprano | The Sopranos | Created the modern antihero template |
| 3 | Don Draper | Mad Men | Complex identity and American Dream deconstruction |
| 4 | Tyrion Lannister | Game of Thrones | Wit, intelligence, and unexpected heroism |
| 5 | Omar Little | The Wire | Moral code within criminal world |
These five characters didn’t just appear on our screens – they fundamentally changed how we think about television storytelling.
Each represents a different aspect of what makes characters unforgettable: transformation, complexity, cultural commentary, defying expectations, and moral ambiguity.
The 25 Greatest TV Characters of All Time
25-21: Rising Legends and Modern Icons
25. Eleven – Stranger Things
Eleven burst onto our screens in 2016 and immediately redefined what a young protagonist could be in genre television.
Millie Bobby Brown’s mostly wordless performance in season one conveyed more emotion than pages of dialogue ever could.
Her journey from laboratory experiment to teenager learning about friendship, love, and waffles resonates with audiences across age groups.
24. Saul Goodman – Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul
Jimmy McGill’s transformation into Saul Goodman represents one of television’s most patient character studies.
Bob Odenkirk turned what could have been comic relief into a tragic examination of compromise and self-destruction.
Better Call Saul proved that prequels can enhance rather than diminish a character’s legacy.
23. Fleabag – Fleabag
Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s creation broke the fourth wall and our hearts simultaneously.
In just 12 episodes, Fleabag delivered a masterclass in vulnerability, grief, and the messiness of modern life.
Her direct addresses to camera created an intimacy that made millions feel personally understood.
22. Michael Scott – The Office
Steve Carell transformed a potentially unlikeable boss into one of comedy’s most beloved characters.
Michael’s desperate need for love and acceptance turned cringe comedy into genuine pathos.
His departure in season seven left a void the show never quite filled, proving his irreplaceable nature.
21. Arya Stark – Game of Thrones
Maisie Williams grew up on screen, taking Arya from noble daughter to faceless assassin.
Her list of names became one of television’s most satisfying revenge arcs.
Despite controversial final seasons, Arya’s journey from child to warrior remains compelling.
20-16: Genre-Defining Personalities
20. Rust Cohle – True Detective
Matthew McConaughey’s philosophical detective redefined what a procedural protagonist could be.
His nihilistic monologues about time being a flat circle entered popular culture immediately.
True Detective’s first season proved that A-list film actors could find equally rich roles in television.
19. Carrie Bradshaw – Sex and the City
Sarah Jessica Parker’s columnist changed how television portrayed single women in their thirties.
Love her or hate her, Carrie’s influence on fashion, dating culture, and female friendship narratives is undeniable.
She asked questions about relationships that mainstream television had previously avoided.
18. Dexter Morgan – Dexter
Michael C. Hall made us root for a serial killer through eight seasons of moral complexity.
Dexter’s code provided a fascinating framework for exploring justice versus vengeance.
His internal monologue created unprecedented intimacy with a character who struggled to feel anything.
17. Liz Lemon – 30 Rock
Tina Fey’s head writer became the patron saint of professional women who prefer night cheese to nightclubs.
Liz’s combination of professional competence and personal chaos felt revolutionary in its honesty.
She proved female characters could be flawed, funny, and feminist simultaneously.
16. Sherlock Holmes – Sherlock
Benedict Cumberbatch’s modern interpretation made Victorian detective relevant for the digital age.
His rapid-fire deductions and social awkwardness created a new archetype: the high-functioning sociopath as hero.
The show’s visual representation of Sherlock’s thought process influenced countless other series.
15-11: Cultural Phenomena
15. Olivia Pope – Scandal
Kerry Washington’s fixer redefined what a female lead could be in political drama.
Olivia’s white hat symbolism and complicated relationship with power sparked countless discussions.
She handled Washington’s dirtiest secrets while wearing the best wardrobe on television.
14. Bojack Horseman – BoJack Horseman
An animated horse became one of television’s most honest depictions of depression and addiction.
Will Arnett’s voice work conveyed depths of self-loathing that live-action might have made unwatchable.
BoJack proved animation could tackle mental health with more nuance than most prestige dramas.
13. Peggy Olson – Mad Men
Elisabeth Moss portrayed the evolution of women in the workplace across the 1960s.
Peggy’s rise from secretary to creative director paralleled real social change.
Her final walk down the McCann Erickson hallway remains one of television’s most triumphant moments.
12. Jesse Pinkman – Breaking Bad
Aaron Paul transformed Jesse from planned early death to moral center of the series.
His struggle between loyalty and self-preservation created Breaking Bad’s emotional core.
The character’s evolution from “Yeah, science!” to broken survivor showcased television’s long-form storytelling power.
11. Carmela Soprano – The Sopranos
Edie Falco’s mob wife complicated our understanding of complicity and compromise.
Carmela knew exactly where Tony’s money came from but chose comfort over conscience.
Her therapy session about accomplices going to hell provided the series’ moral framework.
10-6: All-Time Greats
10. Buffy Summers – Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Sarah Michelle Gellar’s slayer revolutionized female action heroes on television.
Buffy balanced apocalyptic responsibilities with teenage problems, creating a new genre blend.
Her influence extends far beyond genre television into mainstream cultural consciousness.
The character proved that strength and vulnerability weren’t mutually exclusive traits.
Joss Whedon’s creation spawned countless imitators but none captured Buffy’s unique blend of humor, horror, and heart.
9. Homer Simpson – The Simpsons
Dan Castellaneta’s everyman has been making us laugh for over three decades.
Homer represents American excess and ignorance while remaining fundamentally loveable.
His “D’oh!” entered the Oxford English Dictionary, cementing his linguistic legacy.
The character’s longevity proves that animated characters can become cultural institutions.
Homer’s influence on animated comedy created a template that Adult Swim and others still follow.
8. Cersei Lannister – Game of Thrones
Lena Headey created one of television’s most complex villains through subtle performance choices.
Cersei’s love for her children humanized actions that might otherwise seem purely evil.
Her walk of atonement showcased how great acting can create sympathy for unsympathetic characters.
The character challenged audiences to understand rather than simply condemn.
Cersei proved that female antagonists could be as compelling as any male antihero.
7. Captain Jean-Luc Picard – Star Trek: The Next Generation
Patrick Stewart elevated science fiction television through Shakespearean gravitas.
Picard represented humanity’s best qualities: intelligence, diplomacy, and moral courage.
His speeches about human rights and Federation values resonated beyond genre audiences.
The character demonstrated that action heroes didn’t need to punch first and ask questions later.
Make it so became a catchphrase that transcended Star Trek fandom.
6. Daenerys Targaryen – Game of Thrones
Emilia Clarke’s dragon queen evolved from victim to conqueror to tyrant.
Daenerys represented the corruption of power and danger of messianic thinking.
Her journey from Khaleesi to Mad Queen sparked intense debate about character development.
The character’s arc questioned whether anyone could wield absolute power responsibly.
Despite controversial ending, her impact on fantasy television remains undeniable.
5-1: Legendary Status Characters
5. Omar Little – The Wire
Michael K. Williams created television’s most memorable stick-up artist with a strict moral code.
Omar’s whistle striking fear into drug dealers became one of TV’s most iconic sounds.
His testimony against Bird showcased how intelligence trumped violence in David Simon’s Baltimore.
The character challenged stereotypes about sexuality, criminality, and heroism simultaneously.
Barack Obama called Omar his favorite character, demonstrating The Wire’s cultural reach.
His death in a convenience store emphasized The Wire’s commitment to realistic storytelling.
Omar proved that complex morality made for more interesting television than simple good versus evil.
4. Tyrion Lannister – Game of Thrones
Peter Dinklage transformed a supporting character from George R.R. Martin’s novels into the show’s heart.
Tyrion’s wit provided levity during Game of Thrones’ darkest moments without undermining dramatic stakes.
His trial speech about being on trial his entire life ranks among television’s greatest monologues.
The character used intelligence and words as weapons in a world that valued strength and swords.
Dinklage won four Emmys, more than any other Game of Thrones cast member, reflecting Tyrion’s centrality.
His journey from rejected son to Hand of the Queen explored themes of prejudice and acceptance.
Tyrion demonstrated that physical limitations need not limit one’s impact on the world.
“I drink and I know things – that’s what I do.”
– Tyrion Lannister’s perfect self-summary
3. Don Draper – Mad Men
Jon Hamm’s advertising executive embodied American masculinity’s promises and failures.
Don’s dual identity as Dick Whitman explored reinvention and authenticity in post-war America.
His Kodak Carousel pitch remains television’s finest example of nostalgia as narrative device.
The character’s alcoholism and infidelity never felt glamorized despite the show’s stylish aesthetic.
Matthew Weiner created a protagonist who was simultaneously enviable and pitiable.
Don’s meditation retreat ending divided audiences but perfectly captured his endless search for meaning.
His influence extended beyond television into real-world advertising and fashion trends.
The character proved that period dramas could feel urgently contemporary.
2. Tony Soprano – The Sopranos
James Gandolfini revolutionized television by making a mob boss the protagonist of a prestige drama.
Tony’s therapy sessions with Dr. Melfi created a new framework for exploring character psychology.
His panic attacks humanized a character who could order murders between family dinners.
The Sopranos proved that television could match cinema’s complexity and ambition.
Gandolfini’s performance influenced every antihero that followed, from Walter White to Succession’s Logan Roy.
Tony’s relationship with his mother provided psychological depth rarely seen in crime narratives.
The character’s final scene sparked debates that continue years after the show ended.
His mix of brutality and vulnerability created cognitive dissonance that defined prestige television.
✅ Cultural Impact: Tony Soprano didn’t just change television – he changed how we think about morality in storytelling.
1. Walter White – Breaking Bad
Bryan Cranston’s transformation from Mr. Chips to Scarface represents television’s greatest character arc.
Walter’s cancer diagnosis provided a ticking clock that drove five seasons of mounting tension.
His justification that everything was for his family gradually revealed itself as pure ego.
The character’s chemistry knowledge made intelligence a weapon as dangerous as any gun.
Cranston’s previous role as Hal on Malcolm in the Middle made Walter’s darkness even more shocking.
His confession video framing Hank showcased manipulation at its most calculating.
Walter proved that television could sustain a Shakespearean tragedy across 62 episodes.
The character’s journey from sympathetic to monstrous happened so gradually that audiences barely noticed.
His admission that “I did it for me” provided catharsis after seasons of self-deception.
Heisenberg became a cultural phenomenon, from Halloween costumes to actual drug dealer copycats.
Walter White stands as television’s most complete character study of power, pride, and moral decay.
What Makes a TV Character Truly Great?
Great TV characters share five essential qualities that elevate them above mere entertainment.
Character development stands as the primary factor – they must evolve meaningfully across their series run.
- Complexity: Great characters contain contradictions that mirror real human psychology
- Consistency: Their actions flow logically from established personality traits
- Relatability: Audiences connect emotionally even with morally questionable characters
- Impact: They influence both their show’s narrative and television as a medium
- Memorability: Their quotes, actions, and moments remain culturally relevant
The distinction between character and performance matters significantly in our rankings.
While Bryan Cranston’s acting elevated Walter White, the character’s writing provided the foundation for greatness.
Character Arc: The transformation or journey a character undergoes throughout a series, showing growth, decay, or revelation of their true nature.
We evaluated each character’s cultural impact beyond their original broadcasts.
Characters who spawned imitators, influenced other shows, or entered common parlance ranked higher.
The best characters work on multiple levels: entertainment, artistic merit, and cultural commentary.
How These Characters Changed Television?
These 25 characters didn’t just appear on television – they fundamentally transformed the medium.
Tony Soprano’s 1999 debut proved cable television could compete with cinema for serious dramatic storytelling.
The antihero trend he initiated continues dominating prestige television two decades later.
Character-driven narratives replaced plot-driven procedurals as television’s gold standard.
Streaming platforms now develop shows specifically around complex character studies rather than episodic formats.
These characters proved audiences would commit to long-form storytelling requiring years of investment.
Their success convinced A-list film actors that television offered equally challenging roles.
The golden age of television that critics celebrate exists because these characters proved TV’s artistic potential.
When considering the evolution of entertainment formats, these TV personalities stand alongside the best TV documentaries in demonstrating television’s power to captivate and educate audiences through compelling storytelling.