Bravo has completed a comprehensive five-part series that focused on famous television characters who have become a part of the fabric of American pop culture: Bravo’s The 100 Greatest TV Characters.
These TV characters broke out of the pack to emerge as pop icons. I, like I’m sure many others, played Monday morning quarterback and noticed who didn’t make the list.
For example,
Number 78 was Rob & Laura Petrie, but there was no Buddy & Sally.
Number 58 was Barney Miller, but there was no Fish.
Number 42 was Laverne & Shirley but, there was no Lenny & Squiggy.
Here is my list of characters that I think should have made the Top 100:
The Mertzs (William Frawley & Vivian Vance) from I Love Lucy. The Ricardos needed them so much that they took Fred & Ethel with them when they moved to Connecticut.
Carlton the Doorman (The Voice of Lorenzo Music) from Rhoda. Perhaps there should be a special category for disembodied voices that would include Charlie (John Forsythe) from “Charlie’s Angels” and K.I.T.T. (William Daniels) from Knight Rider. In the same theme...
Robot (Bob May) from Lost in Space. More people quote this character, “Danger Will Robinson” than have seen the show. Speaking of artificial life forms...
Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) from Star Trek: The Next Generation. The most human character on the show was an android. Since I listing non-human characters...
Arnold Ziffel (Arnold the Pig) from Green Acres. I chose Arnold to represent all of the citizens of Hooterville in Green Acres and Petticoat Junction none of who made the list. Nor did the characters from another Paul Henning show...
The Clampetts (Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas and Max Baer Jr.) from The Beverly Hillbillies. Good, bad, or indifferent to urbanites this family put a face on rural America.
Article comments
1 - The Proprietor
A few egregious omissions on that list, IMSHO. Tops would be Toody and Muldoon from "Car 54 Where Are You". Where are Boris and Natasha? What about The Prisoner (I hesitate to call him John Drake although the inference is there)?
2 - Richard Porter
Since this is honorable mention, how about MAX HEADROOM? ALF?
3 - Keith Sikora
Though there may not be room for the neo-classics, there is always room for Ren and Stimpy.
4 - robb
Two comments
1) It's scary that I knew of 97 of the top 100 (even if I did not know or watch the TV show). The characters I didn't know are Artie(96), Caine(91) and Agent Dale Cooper(92). I've since researched that Agent Cooper is from Twin Peaks but I still don't know about the other two.
2) Some characters that I'd add to the list:
Arnold (Gary Coleman)
Huggy Bear and Baretta
Mama (Vicky Lawrence)
Walter "Radar" O'Reilly
The "Bag Lady" (Ruth Buzzi)
I assume there needs to be an entire category for variety shows as Carol Burnett, Milton Burle, Sid Ceasar, Lilly Tomlin and Goldie Hawn are not listed. Some of these names can't be excluded from advent of TV.
5 - robb
I should have included
Larry, Darryl and Darryl (Newhart)
Elvira
Liza Douglass (Green Acres)
King Tut (Steve Martin: SNL)
Buckwheat (Eddie Murphy: SNL)
Rosanne Rosannadanna (Gilda Radner: SNL)
6 - Kacie
Were the characters of Home Improvement featured at all? Tim and Jill or the kids?