Source: http://www.afterelton.com/tv/2012/02...haracters-list

The results are in! We asked readers to name their favorite TV characters of all time and thousands responded. This year, for the first time, we weren't just asking about favorite gay TV characters. Folks could vote for characters of either gender - and all persuasions. Of course, this being AfterElton we expected gay characters to figure prominently on this list - and they do - but it is interesting to see what female and straight TV roles also resonated with the AfterElton readership.

Before we get to the actual rankings, here are a few statistics.

First, the top fifty came from a broad range of TV shows. Thirty programs were represented, and the two that made the best showing (Glee and Modern Family) placed only four characters each in the rankings.

Second, female characters nabbed 15 of the top 50 spots, or 30%.

Third, obviously a poll like this favors characters from current shows - but our readers did a very good job of reaching back and giving recognition to enduring characters of the past. In fact, exactly half (25) are from shows that are no longer in production.

Finally, while gay characters were well represented here with 20 or 40% of the Top 50, characters of color made a disappointing showing. Only four ranked: two African American men and two Latina women.


50. Phil Dunphy, Modern Family (Ty Burrell)
49. Jack MacFarland, Will & Grace (Sean Hayes)
48. Patsy Stone, Absolutely Fabulous (Joanna Lumley)
47. Mary Richards, The Mary Tyler Moore Show (Mary Tyler Moore)
46. Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek Voyager (Patrick Stewart)
45. Lafayette Reynolds, True Blood (Nelsan Ellis)
44. Rose Nylund, Golden Girls (Betty White)
43. Gloria Pritchett, Modern Family (Sofia Vergara)
42. Dana Sculley, The X-Files (Gillian Anderson)
41. Dexter Morgan, Dexter (Michael C. Hall)
40. Omar Little, The Wire (Michael K. Williams)
39. Julia Sugerbaker, Designing Women (Dixie Carter)
38. Burt Hummel, Glee (Mike O'Malley)
37. Dr. Gregory House, House (Hugh Laurie)
36. Dorothy Zbornak, Golden Girls (Bea Arthur)
35. Chandler Bing, Friends (Matthew Perry)
34. Neal Caffrey, White Collar (Matt Bomer)
33. Castiel, Supernatural (Misha Collins)
32. Jamie Summers, The Bionic Woman (Lindsay Wagner)
31. Luke Dunphy, Modern Family (Nolan Gould)
30. Damon Salvatore, The Vampire Diaries (Ian Somerhalder)
29. Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch)
28. Leslie Knope, Parks and Recreation (Amy Poehler)
27. Lucy Ricardo, I Love Lucy (Lucille Ball)
26. Noah Mayer, As the World Turns (Jake Silbermann)
25. Sam Winchester, Supernatural (Jared Padalecki)
24. Eric Northman, True Blood (Alexander Skarsgård)
23. Justin Taylor, Queer as Folk (US) (Randy Harrison)
22. Veronica Mars, Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell)
21. Dr. Reid Oliver, As the World Turns (Eric Sheffer Stevens)
20. Scotty Wandell, Brothers & Sisters (Luke Macfarlane)
19. Cameron Tucker, Modern Family (Eric Stonestreet)
18. Max Blum, Happy Endings (Adam Pally)
17. Barney Stinson, How I Met Your Mother (Neil Patrick Harris)
16. Kevin Walker, Brothers & Sisters (Matthew Rhys)
15. Sheldon Cooper, Big Bang Theory (Jim Parsons)
14. Spike, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (James Marsters)
13. Luke Snyder, As the World Turns (Van Hansis)
12. Ianto Jones, Torchwood (Gareth David-Lloyd)
11. Willow Rosenberg, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Alyson Hannigan)

10. Santana Lopez, Glee (Naya Rivera)

9. Captain Jack Harkness, Torchwood (John Barrowman)

8. Dean Winchester, Supernatural (Jensen Ackles)

7. Liz Lemon, 30 Rock (Tina Fey)

6. Buffy Summers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Sarah Michelle Gellar)

5. Doctor Who, Doctor Who (Various)

Quote:

[On Air: 1963 - present] In some ways it isn't fair. Doctor Who has been played by no less than eleven different actors since the character was first introduced by the BBC back in 1963. That's eleven potential nominees for a favorite character list. Everybody has their favorite Doctor, be it the original crotchety version played by William Hartnell, or the iconic Tom Baker Doctor of the seventies with his multicolored knit scarf, or one of the most recent three iterations: Tom Eccleston, David Tennant or the current Tardis occupant, hottie Matt Smith. So many of you failed to specify which Doctor was your favorite, so ultimately we had to lump all the votes together. But if you're interested, the Doctor most mentioned by actor name? David Tennant.

4. Karen Walker, Will & Grace (Megan Mullally)

Quote:

[On Air: 1998-2006] The world’s best “hag,” worst designer’s assistant and Candice Bergen’s “archenemy-slash-best friend,” omnisexual Karen Walker is also known by her alias: Anastasia Beaverhausen — when certain situations warrant it. Jack McFarland’s best gal pal, Karen tells it like it is — at least in her deranged mind. Whether it’s critiquing Grace Adler’s fashion choices (“Great dress. Where are Fred and Ethel?”), berating her loyal, long-suffering maid Rosario (“In this country, you wash my bras”) or name-dropping her famous friends (“If I gave in to every persuasive argument, I’d be in some crazy three-way marriage with Maury Povich and Connie Chung”), only Will & Grace’s Karen Walker could get away with these moments and these zingers. We wish we’d done that or said that … every time! And that’s why we love her.

3. Brian Kinney, Queer as Folk (US) (Gale Harold)

Quote:

[On Air: 2000 - 2005] It's just a law of nature that Queer As Folk's resident bad boy Brian Kinney will always show up at or near the top of any favorite TV character list we ever do. Remarkable, since the sexy rogue has been off the airwaves since 2005! No doubt we'll take another favorite TV character poll in the year 2050 - and he'll still be right there in the top ten. People just never can forget Brian. He's the king of all gay scoundrels, the patron saint of unapologetic homo hookups. For a brief period he made puka shell bracelets cool. (No mean feat). And, well, he's played by Gale Harold and so he's just ineffably hot. Once on the show he was described as "the love child of James Dean and Ayn Rand." That fits, though thankfully he takes after Dean in the looks department.

2. Kurt Hummel, Glee (Chris Colfer)

Quote:

[On Air: 2009 - Present] Kurt strikes a chord with many gay viewers because he reminds us of our own high school experience: the social outcast, loner or misfit. A groundbreaking TV character on a one-of-a-kind series, Kurt has been slowly evolving out of the victim role (being thrown in a dumpster in the pilot, multiple Slushies to the face) into a more mature, stronger mentor. Witness his recent forgiveness and friendship with former bully, Dave Karofsky (Max Adler) for proof. While many of Kurt’s storylines in the first two seasons of Glee revolved around his sexual orientation (and they sometimes still do) his character has become more well-rounded and is currently looking hopefully toward the future — life after high school. Kurt is a hopeful sign of the future for many of today’s gay teens: It may be a long, rough journey, but it will get better.

1. Blaine Anderson, Glee (Darren Criss)

Quote:

[On Air: 2009 - Present] We fell in love with him from his first appearance on the show, where he shimmied and crooned the sweetest confection of a Glee number ever, serenading Kurt Hummel with Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream." That smile, those moves, that voice, and a navy blazer with red piping. We were instantly hooked. The song was perfect for him because Blaine really is a teenage dream. Young girls and boys alike crush on him. Like the perfect Tiger Beat cover boy, he's both cute and yet completely non-threatening at the same time. Another part of his appeal? Blaine seems completely unaware of precisely how hot he is. (A personality trait he seems to inherited from actor Darren Criss.)