The 50 best characters of the 21st century series

Some of them are so well written that they remain in the collective imagination even if they haven’t appeared on the screen for years. We have asked 50 professionals -critics, specialists, professors, analysts and journalists from different national media- to choose the best characters from series broadcast in the 21st century. The most emblematic, the most unique, the most charismatic. The indisputable characters. And the list has come out of the most varied.

During the first years of the 21st century, which in television are known as the third golden age of series, productions revolving around a male figure proliferated. They were anti-heroes, imperfect beings but with enormous magnetism, protagonists with all kinds of edges that we were not used to seeing on screen.

They appear at the top of the list, although surprisingly at the top is a younger woman.

Profiles of all kinds are cited on the list, from seasoned federal agents to sergeants about to retire, mothers of conventional families and fathers merciless with the feelings of their children, members of the monarchy or traffickers from the most dangerous streets.

Names from recent titles coexist, such as Logan (15th) and Kendall Roy (10th) from ‘Succession’, with other more historic ones such as Dana Scully (44th) or Dale Cooper (33rd), associated with phenomena of the 90s such as ‘The X Files’ ‘ or ‘Twin Peaks’, which have made it onto this list because both were resurrected in the 21st century with unpublished seasons.

When drawing up the classification, the professionals consulted could choose between eight and ten names of productions released from 2000 or that were being broadcast at least in that year and in subsequent years (even if they began earlier, in the 1990s). And it was allowed to include titles from any country, and of the genre and with whatever duration.

The series with the most presence are ‘Game of Thrones’ -Tyrion (9th) and Cersei Lannister (25th) and Daenerys Targaryen (45th) have been selected-, ‘The Wire’ -with Omar Little (11th), Jimmy McNulty (24th) and Stringer Bell (49th)- and ‘Mad Men’ -with Don Draper (4th), Peggy Olson (8th) and Betty Francis (40th)-.

Others, with a more choral cast, do not achieve sufficient relevance, surely because the vote is more distributed, as is the case of ‘Friends’ (without representation), ‘Lost’ (only John Locke appears, 41st) or ‘There is no one here live’ (with Belén López, 50th, entering by the hair). In the case of ‘Sex and the City’, Samantha Jones (12th) wins by a landslide.

Names such as Saul Goodman (16th) and Diane Lockhart (7th) stand out, who are part of the list for double merit, since both have been protagonists of two different proposals. The first of ‘Breaking bad’ and ‘Better call Saul’ and the second of ‘The good wife’ and ‘The good fight’.

By the way, there are more women than men on the list. They are 28 of 50, 56% of the total.

The range of women on the list includes everything from desperate housewives to presidents of governments. Diversity characterizes this selection in which there is room for more conservative roles such as Lorelai Gilmore (32nd) or Betty Francis (40th) and other more committed and demanding roles such as Hannah Horvath (5th), Arabella Essiedu (25th) or Diane Lockhart (7th).

Paquita Rooms 360

The Spanish character 360 is that of Paquita Salas (13th), the manager played by Brays Efe, who the Javis devised first for Flooxer and later for Netflix.

His phrases have been repeated ad nauseam and continue to be used for all kinds of memes, which confirms how he has permeated viewers.

And they have more aspects in common: sometimes they are cruel, and other times pathetic. I like that intermediate point.

American industry sweeps

Despite the fact that notable titles of different nationalities have been released in recent years, American characters are the ones that continue to receive the best reception.

The British escape this rule, who also manage to dot the list with examples as varied as Sergeant Catherine Cawood (18th) from ‘Happy Valley’, the different queens Elizabeth II (48th) presented by ‘The Crown’, or the vindictive Arabella (23rd) from ‘I Could Destroy You’.

They are joined by the unclassifiable Malcolm Tucker from ‘The thick of it’. Only two protagonists, not counting the Spanish, do not speak English: the Danish Prime Minister Birgitte Nyborg and the Swedish inspector Saga Noren.

the yellow clan

Despite the fact that some critics included animated titles such as ‘BoJack Horseman’ or ‘Family Guy’ among their choices, only characters from ‘The Simpsons’, the quintessential adult cartoons that have been entertaining us since 1989, have slipped into the list.

Father and daughter have imposed themselves on the rest of the family and the rest of the residents of Springfield and find no competition in the numerous animated productions released in recent years.

Comedies have a hard time appearing

It is more difficult for comedy to win prizes and all kinds of awards. The drama has historically had better press.

Even so, they manage to highlight the director of scriptwriters of ’30 Rock’, the manager of the branch of ‘The Office’, the deputy director of the department of ‘Parks and recreation’, the communication director of ‘The thick of it’ and the crazy White House inhabitant Selina Meyer.

They all represent positions of responsibility but are treated on the screen with a lot of humor. They are joined by a professional comedian, the wonderful Mrs. Maisel.