There's a lot of characters on TV like that, and although they're across the board all entertaining (hence why they stuck around), the success of their storylines varies. Here is a list of the best used - and the worst.
THE BEST
1. Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins), JUSTIFIED
Justified is one of the best shows on TV. Most of the people that I know that watch it are older (my parents and my uncle, for example), which is a bummer for the young folks because they're missing out on some crazy good television. And considering there is a SHIT TON OF AWESOME (Raylan Givens, Ava Crowder, Mags, Quarles, Limehouse - hell, they even got rid of the one weak element in the show, Winona, going into season 4) in this show, it's saying a lot when I declare, with no reservations, that Boyd Crowder the best thing about Justified.
Boyd and Raylan's complicated relationship is the centerpiece of the show by this point - something of a mix of respect, dislike, distrust, brotherhood, and an underlying need of the other (mostly for information). And Walton Goggin OWNS this role. Justified is great without Boyd, but it's on an entirely better level with him.
Also he and Ava are super cute together.
2. Opie Winston (Ryan Hurst), SONS OF ANARCHY
Sons of Anarchy is one of the more entertaining shows on this list (although stretches of it can be frustrating - see the finale of an otherwise awesome season 4). However, Opie's development has consistently made for good storytelling and good television. Only supposed to be a in a few episodes of season 1, Ryan Hurst has created one of the more multi-dimensional characters on this show.
From dealing with the (spoilerss) death of his wife, to his romance in season 2, to his relationship with his father, to his relationships with Jax and Clay (and Clay's complete manipulation of him to get to Jax), Opie has become a necessary and fascinating character - a character I'm interested in, a character I want only good things for even as I know it's unlikely.
And god damn did I love his confrontations with Stahl. TEAM OPIE.
3. Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), BREAKING BAD
Obviously Jesse Pinkman is on here. In Gilligan's first draft of the pilot, he wasn't even Jesse - he was Dupree, a dumbass name that I'm glad got corrected. And Jesse became integral to the show, as his relationship with Walter White deepened, and his relationship with Mike and Gus became more and more complicated. Jesse's character development is just as fascinating as Walter White's, as he started off as a twenty-something not sure of his identity, spiraling further and further into a web of drugs, lies, and mortal danger, and Aaron Paul plays him to a T. Jesse is the man.
I put him behind Boyd because nobody beats Boyd, and behind Opie because at this stage of either show, Opie has more to do than Jesse. I trust the writers of Breaking Bad, and I'm sure he'll come back swinging next season, but right now there's not much for him to do.
4. Cheryl Tunt (Judy Greer), ARCHER
Cheryl was supposed to be the first casualty in an ongoing joke, where Sterling Archer sleeps with one of his mother's assistants after another. But then they cast the great Judy Greer, and that all changed.
What started as a funny but cliched joke turned into one of the craziest characters on TV today, and Judy Greer plays that shit like no one else could. Crazy rich, psychotic, a glue drinker, and into all sorts of weird sex stuff, Cheryl is a gem, and her character gets better every season.
5. Niklaus "Klaus" Mikaelson (Joseph Morgan), THE VAMPIRE DIARIES
Okay, I love The Vampire Diaries. I know it's on the CW, but it's my favorite vampire show (Buffy gives it a run for its money, True Blood isn't even close to as good). The characters are all great, the storylines are all interesting. There's enough critical love of this show (except for the first couple episodes) where I don't have to defend myself any further.
Klaus came on to the scene in season 2 and was a force to be reckoned with. The Big Bad. They were supposed to kill him off, but they liked Joseph Morgan so much they kept him around. Which honestly? Understandable. Joseph Morgan is fantastic.
But now this evil vampire of evil, bent on world domination and destruction, has been written as some kind of demi-god who can never die without killing off the main characters as well. We're in a bind here.
I'm keeping him here under best, though, because I love his love of Caroline (seriously, I LOVE Caroline), because of the twist in the season 3 finale, and because he's really goddamn sexy. I mean, look at him. And when he talks? Oh god. Oh man. I love Klaus.
THE NOT SO BEST
5. Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis), TRUE BLOOD
True Blood isn't very good anymore. This makes me sad to say, because the first three seasons were damn entertaining. But between throwing every storyline possible in the mix to see what fits (werepanthers will always be my least favorite storyline of all time, although the Iraqi ifrit story tried its damndest to best it) and the awkward pacing of the main storylines due to too many other storylines crowding the episodes and some truly unlikeable characters (Tommy, Arlene, Mrs. Fortenberry), it's not a good show. Although season 5 was pretty damn entertaining.
Lafayette, who is killed at the beginning of book 2, stayed in the show around because he was a fan favorite and because Nelsan Ellis is amazing. He's still a fun character to watch, but his storylines haven't been great, making him feel somehow misused.
Keep your chin up, Lafayette - they saved Tara, maybe they can save you too.
4. Andy Bernard (Ed Helms), The Office
Andy was only supposed to be on for a season, but they combined his character with another to make him recurring. Fair enough - Ed Helms is a masterful man, and a very funny actor. I like him as boss much more than I ever liked Michael Scott (still not sure why people ever liked Michael Scott, one of TV's most overrated characters despite how awesome Steve Carrell is).
However, The Office blows now, and I don't care about any of the characters. Unfortunately, that includes Andy.
3. Spike (James Marsters), BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER
Oh Spike. I love Spike. Only supposed to be on for a couple episodes, Spike (and James Marsters) proved too entertaining to not bring back again and again, eventually making him a series regular.
And in the beginning, it was great. Spike was a bad guy. He fell in love with Buffy. That's fine too. Until he started to become a weaker character, and less of a bad guy, until finally there was a screwed up romance between the two, and Spike became a total wimp. Love killed any sex appeal and awesome Spike formerly had.
Which is too bad. Because Spike, before he was a love interest, was awesome. If they had figured out what else to do with him, he'd still be on the awesome list.
2. Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch), GLEE
If you don't love Jane Lynch then you can just get right out of here. She's funny in literally everything she's in.
Except maybe Glee.
That's not her fault. Signed as a recurring character because her other show PARTY DOWN was on the fence for another season (sadly canceled), Jane Lynch has done everything she can with a character that, originally, showed a lot of promise. A hard-ass over-the-top villain that played a foil to the Glee Club, Jane Lynch owned every scene she was in.
However, Ryan Murphy can't for the life of him create a consistent character, and attempts to humanize Sue came out muddled and weird. Jane Lynch did what she could with the material, but I was mostly left trying to understand how one character could have so many conflicting traits in such an unbelievable way.
Still, better than Rachel. Seriously, I hate Rachel. I don't even watch the show anymore and I still hate Rachel.
1. Dean Pelton (Jim Rash), COMMUNITY
Full disclosure: I never liked the dean the way everyone else did. I thought he was funny enough in small doses, but even in season 1 I was confused by and kind of over his shtick. Jim Rash is very funny, and everyone else likes the dean, so maybe I'm wrong.
Bumping him up from regular to recurring I think weakened the show, because a lot of his whole thing is "oh my god he's weird and creeptastic and totez in love with Jeff" and I don't find that entertaining. That said, he looks rather dashing in this picture.
It was between him and Senor Chang for this coveted position of worstest, but I liked Senor Chang for longer than a lot of other people, and I think they stopped using him as much anyway as Ken Jeong became busy with other obligations.
Anyway this is my list. I know Ben Linus from LOST is missing from this list but I still never got around to that show, and don't intend to.
Now let's all get excited for Sons of Anarchy THIS TUESDAY so we can forget how lost we are without Breaking Bad.
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