How about some palate-cleansing war fuzzies with the 11 most loved TV characters of all time?
We’ve all been in this situation, no matter the genre: Every show has characters that some people love and some people hate. The 10 Most Hated Television Characters of All Time we already brought to you. This topic has launched a billion emails and Facebook debates. But there are also many widely beloved characters. We care so much about our favorite character — we root for him and react viscerally to his setbacks.
But how do you define “most loved”? We combined internet polls and brackets that sussed out the TV characters people love and think are the all-time best: Ranker, College Humor, and Empire Magazine. Apparently people love characters from 20 or even 30 years ago — and animated characters.
We assigned points to characters based on their places on each list, and each character had to appear on two of the three lists to be considered. So, these are the most loved TV Characters of all time we’ve found:
11. Dr. Who, 14 points
In a combined 35 seasons, titular Dr. Who has been played by a dozen different actors, but his time traveling and world-saving never change.
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10. Cosmo Kramer, 15 points
Eccentric next-door neighbor Cosmo Kramer wasn’t even given a first name until the sixth season of Seinfeld. His likeness adorns thousands of dorm walls, sparking discussion of shower salads and Kenny Rogers Roasters.
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9. Buffy Summers, 15 points
Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s stroke of brilliance was in using literal monsters as stand-ins for the figurative monsters of high school. Buffy was so relatable because she was vulnerable and self-conscious despite her near superpowers.
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8. Sheldon Cooper, 15 points
Big Bang Theory‘s resident supergenius stands out even among his brilliant group of friends. He’s awkward and brusque, but devoted to his friends and the life they share — even if strangely.
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7. Eric Cartman, 17 points
You could make a case that the crudest South Park character is an early example of the “Antihero Era” in America TV, predating the next character on this list by two years.
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6. Tony Soprano, 18 points
The fervor with which we love Tony Soprano has launched countless academic research careers. Tony is a cold-blooded murderer with a rage problem — but he also sees a therapist and drives his kids around. Like Buffy, Tony’s extraordinary life is an extreme version of the problems we face every day, which is why this character has found its place among the most loved TV characters of all time.
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5. Dr. House, 26 points
Inspired by a long-running New York Times column (and a real doctor!), Hugh Laurie’s Dr. Gregory House was an absolute misanthrope. He tolerated people only as the carriers of complex and rare diseases for him to diagnose. And he lived on a steady diet of prescription drugs and jazz piano.
4. Stewie Griffin, 31 points
Family Guy boasts the least baby-like baby of all time in Stewie. Similar to family dog Brian, Stewie is funny because he goes against everything we know about babies. He plots and schemes and his evil brilliance is interrupted by, well, baby stuff.
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3. Walter White, 36 points
Breaking Bad is often called the best TV show ever made, and a lot of the credit goes to its apex antihero, Walter White. Like Tony Soprano before him, “Heisenberg” operates in an immoral universe. But unlike Tony, he didn’t grow up that way.
2. Tyrion Lannister, 37 points
Tyrion is basically a miniature Dr. House, including the brilliance, drinking, foul language, and prostitutes. He turns his challenges into fuel and constantly works to ignore how other people perceive him.
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1. Homer Simpson, 46 points
There’s no more deserving character than beloved Homer Simpson — a walking GIF factory long before we knew what GIFs would be. His haplessness and kind heart combine into one incredibly lovable package. Plus, he’s a pretty good bowler. It comes as no surprise that Homer Simpson is the most loved character of all time.
