Though there have been countless characters who have made their mark in television history, Ranker has highlighted those voted as the all-time best.
Throughout the history of television, there have been certain characters who have come to define the medium. Though everyone has their own personal favorites from the shows they loved, Ranker has highlighted the characters that rank the highest in television history.
From modern icons of current television shows to characters who have been around as long as television itself, the list is a fascinating look at the kind of figures audiences look for in their television viewing. And while some may feel there are names omitted from these top selections, there is no denying these character made their mark on television history.
10 Arya Stark - Game Of Thrones (2011-2019)
There have been many young television characters who audiences have been able to watch grow over the run of a series, but few of them have had a journey as exciting as Arya Stark in Game of Thrones.
Arya began the show as a little girl trying to find her own path in the world and ended up becoming perhaps the greatest warrior in Westeros. Even when Arya was stuck in some disappointing storylines, she was always a badass character who fans were ready to cheer for. Few young characters have been shown to have the strength and power of Arya.
9 Bugs Bunny - Looney Tunes
Cartoons have been a very important part of television history since its early days and there are few cartoon characters as iconic as Bugs Bunny. As the face of the Looney Tunes, Bugs is one of the greatest comedic characters in pop culture history and he has remained as such for several decades.
Within the world of Looney Tunes, Bugs was capable of anything, but it was most fun to see him mess with his enemies. His confident and clever ruses made for some of the most famous moments in cartoon history and endeared him as a surprisingly relatable laidback hero who was always the smartest one in the room.
8 Sherlock Holmes - Sherlock (2010-2017)
The character of Sherlock Holmes has been around for well over a century, but the combination of Benedict Cumberbatch and a modern take brought new life to the famous sleuth. Sherlock imagined Holmes operating as an eccentric detective in the 21st century.
While the show had a lot of fun with Sherlock's brilliance and his unique way of solving crimes, it was most interesting examining how a character like that would work in modern social settings. Seeing Sherlock reimagined as an outcast and somewhat unlikeable hero was a real thrill.
7 Joker - Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995)
Even with one of the most iconic heroes of all time, sometimes it is just more fun to be the villain. Batman: The Animated Series not only delivered one of the most acclaimed takes on the Caped Crusader but also his arch-nemesis with Mark Hamill's portrayal of Joker.
This take on the character was able to be all the things that make him such a great villain. He was frightening, funny, and seemed to operate in his own mad world. As terrific as the series was, it always got a little more special whenever he appeared.
6 Jesse Pinkman - Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
While Breaking Bad was mostly seen as Walter White's gradual transformation to the dark side, it was just as much about Jesse Pinkman revealing himself to be a decent person. Early in the series, he served as the amazing comedic relief as an immature and reckless drug dealer. However, as the show went on, he revealed a very kind heart.
Jesse also suffered greatly over the course of the series and by the end, fans just wanted to see him get a happy ending. It was yet another way Breaking Bad showed its brilliance in subverting expectations with such a character.
5 Michael Scott - The Office (2005-2013)
As much as the original The Office was a terrific show, the US remake dwarfed its success in some ways. Part of the reason for its success was due to the painfully yet hilarious awkward boss Michael Scott.
From the very first episode, Michael was endlessly entertaining for always knowing the wrong thing to say at the absolute worst time. He brought the mundane office world to life with his wild ideas and cringe-worthy behavior. Though he could also be sweet and surprisingly smart, fans love Michael for always making them laugh.
4 Chandler Bing - Friends (1994-2004)
Though Friends was very much an ensemble show about the six central characters, Chandler Bing seemed to stand above the rest in the eyes of many fans. His sarcastic and quippy sense of humor would be mimicked in endless future sitcoms without ever being quite as good.
Chandler became an even more interesting character with his fan-favorite relationship with Monica which showed a softer side to him. But he could most be counted on to deliver some of the best one-liners in the series.
3 Tony Soprano - The Sopranos (1999-2007)
It's clear that The Sopranos was a game-changing show in television history and Tony Soprano was a protagonist that was unlike any viewers had seen before. The show asked fans to care about this man as they witnessed him commit all sorts of crimes, including murdering a man with his bare hands in an early episode.
Yet Tony proved that audiences want to watch complex and flawed characters so long as their journeys are interesting. It was in no small part due to James Gandolfini's iconic performance that Tony became such a fascinating television figure.
2 Tyrion Lannister - Game Of Thrones (2011-2019)
With such a massive cast, Game of Thrones features many fan-favorite characters, but Tyrion Lannister emerged as the show's most popular very early on. He was an outcast in this dangerous world yet somehow managed to survive thanks to his considerable intellect.
Tyrion delivered some of the best lines in the show, some of them hilarious and others heartbreaking. While there are fans who feel the character was done a disservice by the end of the series, that didn't erase the many seasons of entertainment Tyrion gave them.
1 Walter White - Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
While fans were compelled by watching a seemingly evil lead character like Tony Soprano, it was perhaps even more interesting to gradually watch a good character turn that way. Breaking Bad delivered one of the greatest character journeys in television history as Walter White traveled further down his destructive path.
Walt was a deeply sympathetic character in the beginning and it was hard not to see some validation in his actions. But as his empire and his ego grew, it became clear he was becoming a monster and it was impossible to look away. But even as he did such terrible things, fans were still rooting for him to get away with it.
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