Characters I Like

Scripted sitcoms are becoming a dying commodity. But, there are those shows that will forever mean something to me. I love a greatly written show with wonderful actors who portray well rounded characters. A question was asked in a group I'm in about our favorite characters. And, also why we liked them. It got me to thinking about the shows I've loved and the reasons behind it. So, I wanted to share with you guys my favorite characters of the last few years.



It is no secret that I am a huge fan of "The Wire." In my opinion, it was one of the most realistic pieces of cinematic gold in the last decade. You know a show is good when you find yourself wishing for the "bad guys" to win. Russell "Stringer" Bell was definitely a bad guy. He was the second in command in a multi-million dollar drug gang. He took his lofty ambitions of wealth to another level. He turned himself into a businessman. He was legitimizing their money. I loved that aspect of him. It does not hurt that Idris Elba is not hard on the eyes at all. I loved Stringer Bell, still do. I was sad to watch his demise but I knew it was all in the game.



A new favorite has to be Olivia Pope of "Scandal." She is portrayed by Kerry Washington and she is brilliant at it. Pope is a former attorney turned political fixer in the DC arena. She is smart, charming, witty and super slick. I like how tough and strong she is while still being vulnerable. The show is brand new, there have only been 5 episodes so far. I am excited to see where this show goes in the next season. I am even more excited about where Olivia goes and how she develops. IT is easy to see why she is a favorite of mine.



From the first episode of "Sex & the City," I was a Carrie Bradshaw fan. I loved how into love she was and the fact that she was a writer. I adored her fashion and her immense shoe collection. More than all of that, I loved the way that she saw life. Through all the loving and losing, she never became a cynic. She grew so much from season one to the end of the second movie. I was always a fan, even when she did things I didn't like or approve of. The show was a distinct part of my life as well as my friends. I saw myself in certain aspects of Carrie.



"Living Single" was my absolute favorite show. And, Maxine Shaw was my absolute favorite person on it. She was this no nonsense, brass, witty attorney in Brooklyn. She was sarcastic, intelligent, strong and funny as hell. She was amazing to me. I thought she was the most complete character on the show. She always knew who she was and what she wanted. I admired that about her character.



"Law and Order: SVU" has been a staple in my life for 13 seasons. Olivia Benson & Elliott Stabler are my absolute favorites. I loved their partnership. Especially the fact that they have never been romantically linked. They have just always been great friends and partners. This show is just amazing to me. I really miss Stabler though. I haven't been that into it this season. These are just some of my favorite characters on television. Who are some of yours? Let's dish!

It's A Black & White World

I really miss those old family sitcoms that were a staple on Nick at Nite. Most of them were in black & white. I think that was a part of the appeal for me. There was something nostalgic about them. I loved how family oriented the shows were. That is clearly missing on present day television. I found myself thinking about the nights I spent watching them. I would stay up so late watching the reruns. I loved them that much. I used to make all my friends watch if they were at my house or on the phone with me. I was hooked.

My absolute favorite was "The Patty Duke Show." It was about these identical cousins with different personalities. I loved those girls. I would make sure I was home and up just to see them. It was almost always followed by another favorite "Bewitched." Sam was so amazing to me. Tabitha was adorable. That show was also a fan of "Dobie Gillis," "Green Acres," "I Love Lucy," & "Mister Ed." All of these shows made me laugh. Everything was always so simple for them. Simple can be very good. The ills of the world did not seem to permeate their sitcom world. It could be seen as unrealistic. But I always liked that aspect of the shows.

I wonder who made the decision to off these shows from Nick at Nite. I miss them. I'm sure I could find them on dvd. But, it's just not the same. I think some wholesome programming could do the world some good. Or maybe it's just wishful thinking. I guess I've just been in a reflective mood. Thinking about things from my childhood. These shows are a great memory. Can I just get them back? If only for a little while?