20. Captain Ray Holt (Andre Braugher) on Brooklyn Nine-Nine 2013-2014 Rank: UNRANKED There was a shake up in the precinct dynamic this past season as Captain Holt (and Gina) was transferred to a different position. It was not what Holt expected as he was forced to work under his nemesis and she kept things awful for him. Eventually he was able to come back thanks to some help from Peralta, and he knew that the Nine-Nine was where he belonged. |
19. Stewart Lipinski (Karan Soni) 0n Other Space 2013-2014 Rank: New Show Yahoo! Screen came onto the scene last year thanks to the acquisition [saving] of Community, and a couple of original comedies. Unfortunately things didn't work out for Yahoo! and the return of the shows don't look good, but let's not dwell on that now. Other Space was about a group of ragtag astronauts (plus a robot and a digital A.I.) who on their first mission into space ended up crossing into another dimension...or "space" as is indicated in the title. The crew was led by Captain Stewart Lipinski, who beat out his sister for the position and now commands over her. Stewart struggled between being a Captain and being friends with his small crew...especially his crush Tina Shukshin. The season (and probably series) was much fun thanks to all of the characters, but he definitely led the comedy charge. |
18. Winston Bishop (Lamorne Morris) on New Girl 2013-2014 Rank: UNRANKED As has always been the case, Winston finds himself at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to the main characters of New Girl. It has always seemed the writers just didn't know what to do with him and therefore he is just there. This past season they finally put him on some sort of definitive path as Winston became a police officer. He still is pretty strange and sometimes hard to cope with, but he is amusing and on some occasions can be the real heart of an episodes. Though those are few and far between. |
17. Jerry/Larry/Terry/Garry Gergich (Jim O'Heir) on Parks And Recreation 2013-2014 Rank: UNRANKED Jerry (I'll stick with the name he's had for much of the series) has been an integral part of the Parks and Rec office throughout the entire series, though usually as an afterthought or minor character. When dealing with a brilliant ensemble cast, somebody is going to be on the bottom (just as I mentioned in the previous entry for Winston Bishop). Jerry ends up being the center of many laughs, often from the characters around him. It generally seems that no one really respects Jerry which sometimes is sad. But they have done such a great job of curating it that you can't help but laugh. And it isn't all bad for Jerry. He is married to a beautiful wife and has a few beautiful daughters. Plus we find out in the last season that he becomes mayor of Pawnee and is so for many years until his death. There is something funny about the fact that this name has changed over the years because of typos or mistakes that lead to everyone around him appointing that his new name. Jerry is truly a kind person and always has been on the show, and he did have a happy ending in the series' final season. |
16. Mac (Rob McElhenney) on It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia 2013-2014 Rank: 29 (+13) It's always difficult to rank the guys of Sunny as they are all generally terrible people who make a lot of bad decisions. They each have special qualities that make them who they are and Mac is no exception. He has always been "the muscle" of the group, even when he got fat. They have even been slowly making him more and more ambiguously gay, sort of like Tobias on Arrested Development, and it has been fun to watch. |
15. Jonas/Gene (Chirstopher Meloni) on Wet Hot American Summer: First Day Of Camp 2013-2014 Rank: New Show Wet Hot American Summer returned with a Netflix-produced prequel series portraying the "First Day Of Camp." The series received mixed to negative reviews, but I did enjoying returning to camp with the hilariously too old cast from the 2001 film. All the characters are fun, but I had a specifically fun time watching Christopher Meloni's character. We learn some backstory about the mysterious cafeteria cook that gives us more reasons to enjoy him. Maybe the best part about the whole character is that he is played by Christopher Meloni, who is best known as a serious actor in the long-running Law and Order: SVU. Either way, it's a good time watching him. |
14. Coach (Damon Wayans Jr) on New Girl 2013-2014 Rank: UNRANKED Why can't Coach just stick around!? After having appeared in the pilot episode of New Girl, Wayans left the show to continue his other series Happy Endings (previously appearing on my lists). When the show ended, it gave him a chance to return to New Girl as Coach, a character we barely got to know and mostly forgot about. Coach returned late in the previous season and was a main cast member this entire season. He added a new dynamic to the group which gave the writers more things to play around with. In the end, he decided to leave the show yet again. Maybe he'll return again in the future. |
13. Erlich Bachman (T.J. Miller) on Silicon Valley 2013-2014 Rank: UNRANKED We're through two seasons of Silicon Valley now and all of the characters have really had their chance to settle into themselves. I find every main character on the Pied Piper team to be funny in different ways, but Erlich tends to stand out as the outsider of the group. Erlich rents out his home to upstarts in Silicon Valley for a percentage of the company. He has however become more, whether the rest of Pied Piper likes it or not. He thinks he has good business skills but he is more of a wild card than anything else. |
12. Jeff Winger (Joel McHale) on Community 2013-2014 Rank: 13 (+2) We are up to number 12 and find the first male character that was on last year's Top 25! That's seven faces not on the list last year (Mac returned after previously being on the list then dropping off). Anyway...Community returned thanks to Yahoo! saving the show after a nearly certain death. The show brought on a couple new faces, but the core of remaining original characters (Jeff, Abed, Annie, Britta, Dean) really kept the show feeling like its old self. Jeff has seen a lot of development over the six seasons and has truly matured. He became a teacher at Greendale to remain there after graduating and by the end of the season (and probably series) he had to imagine a life at Greendale without Annie, who deep down he loves. It was sad, but good to see the next potential steps if there were to be another season. Chances are they'll end the show (especially with Yahoo!'s cancellation of their original programming feature) and move into the movie that they predicted early in the series ("Six seasons and a movie"). |
11. Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott) on Parks And Recreation 2013-2014 Rank: 11 (-) Adam Scott turned what started as a short-term role into a role pivotal to the series. Ben Wyatt came in as a state accountant and left as Mr. Leslie Knope and would eventually become either president or first husband in the White House. It was left ambiguous in the series finale. Ben was such a great character to the Parks and Rec ensemble cast. He was the resident nerd who was probably smarter and more responsible then most of the rest of the characters, but just as lovable. He helped make Leslie an even more likable character and the two of them became a great couple. I'm not saying Ben & Leslie are Jim & Pam (April and Andy would be a closer comparison from within the show), but they were a wonderful couple that will be missed. And I will forever thank Ben for the awesomeness that is Cones of Dunshire. |
10. Charlie Kelly (Charlie Day) on It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia 2013-2014 Rank: 12 (-) Charlie really had some key moments this season on Sunny, as he should. He won their Boggs challenge where the gang tried to drink 71 beers on a cross-country flight. The gang went on a Family Feud style game show and the final answer of every category was a far out answer that Charlie kept guessing, prompting him to remember taking the survey ("We surveyed 100 people") in the previous weeks. The two best moments however were when Charlie were at his most mature. In an episode that found the gang splitting up to hang out separately, Charlie and Dee bonded over always being forced to do things they don't want to do from the other guys. In the end they ended up hooking up!...then quickly swept it under the rug. And in one of the most entertaining Charlie episodes in a long time, a health inspector abruptly comes to the bar and in a brilliant one-shot long scene Charlie keeps everything from going wrong by chaotically getting the rest of the gang to do a bunch of tasks behind the inspector's back. I would definitely recommend that episode. |
2013-2014 Rank: 24 (+15)
Tom was always known as someone who desperately wanted to be a successful business owner. He tried over and over again with very questionable products. Actually, here's a great list of his many ideas...
- Entertainment 720 - Pawnee's first and only entertainment media conglomerate
- Disco Dairy - Butter with glitter in it..."Spread the party"
- Toddler Cologne - "Baby you smell good"
- Snail Mail - Escargot delivery service
- Yogurt Platinum - A gourmet alcoholic yogurt
- Tommy Fresh - Cologne
- Sparkle Suds - Laundry detergent with glitter in it..."Dress loud"
- LASIK for fingernails - You only need to cut your fingernails once
- SnakeJuice - High end Kalhua-styled liqueur
- H2Ho - A new brand of bottled water
- A tuxedo line for babies
- Snakehole Lounge - "Pawnee's sickest nightclub"
- Tommy and the Foxx - Raunchy animated series based on the imaginary friendship between Tom and Jamie Foxx
- Homes constructed in private jets, for investors who want to "buy a Gulfstream G4 jet, take the wheels off, turn the jet into an apartment building
- Talking Tissues - Every time you pull one out, you get a little message to hype you up..."Blow that nose playa!'
- White Fur Earmuffs - "For men"
- A scented phone - "That smells good"
- Club-A-Dub-Dub (or Clubmarine) - "Sort of a submarine-themed club"
- Know Ya Boo - "A dope new game show where I ask couples scandalous questions and they have to guess what the other one answered"
- Saltweens - Saltines for tweens
- VIP department store - "A department store with a guest list"
- Rent-a-Swag - "high-end clothes rentals for teens, tweens and everything in betweens"
- Eclipse - "A nightclub that's only open for one hour two times a year. Cover charge? $5,000!"
- Contact lenses that display text messages
But Tom did finally find success however. After a brief successful stint with Rent-a-Swag, Tom eventually turned one dream into a reality. Tom's Bistro, which was originally thought up as a nightclub based on the idea that "the word bistro is classy as shit." But he ended up landing on a restaurant and it worked out for him. Now he can have a Treat Yo Self day whenever he likes. |
8. Nick Miller (Nick Johnson) on New Girl 2013-2014 Rank: 25 (+17) Even though it was fun to experience the will they, won't they between Nick and Jess the first couple of seasons, I much more enjoy them apart. Nick dated Tran's granddaughter for a while, which is tough for him considering she is rich. Highlights include Nick's post-breakup Valentine's Day bar crawl and his business venture with Schmidt...the doomed Swuit (suit made with sweatpant material). |
7. Sergeant Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews) 6. Detective Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) 5. Detective Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio) on Brooklyn Nine-Nine 2013-2014 Rank: 15 (+8), 5 (-1), 7 (+2) Just like the women of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the men get grouped together yet again. I have a hard time separating these three as they each bring so much to the show. After two seasons, I still enjoy these characters very much. They're only outranked by some long-time members of this list. But with three of them not coming back next season, maybe they will find themselves sitting up top. |
4. Andy Dwyer (Chris Pratt) on Parks And Recreation 2013-2014 Rank: 8 (+4) After Parks and Rec jumped ahead a few years going into their final season, we find that Andy has found local success. Not for being the front man of the band Mouse Rat, but as the host of a children's TV show called The Johnny Karate Super Awesome Musical Explosion Show. Andy truly is a child at heart (and maybe brain), so he really worked out as a children's show host. Since the show jumped ahead, we didn't really get to see the series run of his show, but we did enjoy a full Parks and Rec episode acting as a Johnny Karate farewell show due to his moving to Washington DC for April's job opportunity. I will miss Andy, the first opportunity I had to fall in love with Chris Pratt. Of course he is somewhat of a Hollywood leading man now (Guardians of the Galaxy, Jurassic World) so it should be an easy transition. |
3. Abed Nadir (Danny Pudi) on Community 2013-2014 Rank: 4 (+1) Community has always walked a fine line of cancellation/renewal throughout its six season run. But it was Abed prophetic "Six seasons and a movie" comment that kept fans pushing for more. Now that it has completed a sixth season with yet more uncertainty looming, Abed may have been quite accurate. Every character on Community has their quirks and unique character traits, but it has always been Abed that has felt like the center of the show. Jeff appeared to be portrayed in that role, but Abed has always had a certain connection with the show (both within and breaking through the 4th wall). Another character I will miss, if the show is actually over. I was fortunate enough to meet him and do his special buddy handshake he had with Troy. |
2. Schmidt (Max Greenfield) on New Girl 2013-2014 Rank: 10 (+8) Schmidt and CeCe found themselves in reverse roles this past season. After Schmidt screwed up his chance with CeCe, he eventually accepted defeat and moved on. He found himself dating a local government official. He was able to take part in fancy functions and be more like a professional adult which he enjoys, though she had all of the power in the relationship. While Schmidt seemed quite happy, CeCe fell into despair as she realized how much she couldn't live without Schmidt. By the end of the season, Schmidt and his girlfriend broke up and he would find himself back with CeCe. I love Schmidt and I much prefer him as the nice guy instead of the position he was put in previously when he was trying to date two women. Welcome back nice Schmidt! |
1. Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) on Parks And Recreation 2013-2014 Rank: 1 (-) Every once in a great while, a character comes along that is something special. Ron Swanson has been just that. He is unique, likable (no matter what he does) and incredibly quotable. He is, dare I say, "legen...wait for it...dary!" This is a fortunate description as I find the last person to be of this classification was Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother. In fact, Ron sort of took the torch from him on my lists. They spent four years overlapped on my list. Barney was #1 in my first two lists (2010/2011 and 2011/2012) while Ron was #4 those two years. The 2012/2013 season was when the torch was officially passed as Barney fell to #3 for the final two seasons of How I Met Your Mother and Ron took his place at #1. Since then, Ron has been #1 for three straight years to close out his run now that Parks and Rec is done. |
Ron was what you would call a man's man. He is skilled in most things manly (i.e. steaks, woodworking, hunting, etc). He puts up a wall and tries not to let people in, but throughout the course of the series has shown his true colors. He has shown heart and devotion to his closest friends and family and proves that he is genuinely a great man.
In honor of Mr. Swanson, here are some great quotes...
-"You had me at 'meat tornado'"
-"There must be a mistake. You've accidentally given me the food my food eats."
-"Clear alcohol are for rich women on diets."
-"Crying: Acceptable at funerals and the Grand Canyon."
-"Never half-ass two things. Whole-ass one thing."
-Chris: "Ron, would you like some salad?"
Ron: "Since I am not a rabbit, no I do not."
-"When people get a little too chummy with me I like to call them by the wrong name to let them know I don't really care about them."
-"Shorts over six inches are capri pants, shorts under six inches are European."
-"Only women shave beneath the neck."
-"Strippers do nothing for me...but I will take a free breakfast buffet anytime, anyplace."
-"I call this turf 'n' turf. It's a 16 oz T-bone and a 24 oz porterhouse. Also, whiskey and a cigar. I am going to consume all of this at the same time because I am a free American."
-"Just give me all the bacon and eggs you have. Wait, wait, I worry what you just heard was 'give me a lot of bacon and eggs.' What I said was 'give me all the bacon and eggs you have.'"
-"When I eat, it is the food that is scared."
-"There is a hot, spinning cone of meat in that Greek restaurant next door. I don't know what it is, but I want to eat the whole thing."
-"Fishing relaxes me. It's like yoga, except I still get to kill something."
Next 20:
21. Titus Amdromedon (Titus Burgess) on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
22. Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) on Big Bang Theory
23. Bertram Gilfoyle (Martin Starr) on Silicon Valley
24. Dinesh Chugtai (Kumail Nanjiani) on Silicon Valley
25. Andy (Paul Rudd) on Wet Hot American Summer: First Day Of Camp
26. Ben Chang (Ken Leung) on Community
27. Donald 'Jared' Dunn (Zach Woods) on Silicon Valley
28. Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) on Big Bang Theory
29. Zalian Fletcher (Joel Hodgson) on Other Space
30. Rodrigo (Gael Garcia Bernal) on Mozart In The Jungle
31. Phil Miller (Will Forte) on Last Man On Earth
32. Dean Pelton (Jim Rash) on Community
33. Dennis Reynolds (Glenn Howerton) on It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
34. Kent Woolworth (Neil Casey) on Other Space
25. Frank Reynolds (Danny DeVito) on It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
26. Elroy Patashnik (Keith David) on Community
27. Raj Koothrapali (Kuyal Nayyar) on Big Bang Theory
28. Leonard Hofstedler (Johnny Galecki) on Big Bang Theory
29. Jim Stansel (Michael Cera) on Wet Hot American Summer: First Day Of Camp
30. Victor (Ken Marino) on Wet Hot American Summer: First Day Of Camp