Last Updated on 9 January 2025

The following list is the Official Definitive List of the 300 best TV show characters of all time.

I found 15 different ranked lists online of “best TV show characters of all time” and pulled them all into Excel and merged them all to get this definitive compilation. See my Methodology page for the research process that was used, including links to the 15 lists that were averaged. Below is the ranked list, with links to IMDb.

  1. Tony Soprano – The Sopranos
  2. Walter White – Breaking Bad
  3. Tyrion Lannister – Game of Thrones
  4. Lucy Ricardo – I Love Lucy
  5. George Costanza – Seinfeld
  6. Spock – Star Trek: The Original Series
  7. Eric Cartman – South Park
  8. Homer Simpson – The Simpsons
  9. Fonzie – Happy Days
  10. Chandler Bing – Friends
  11. Michael Scott – The Office
  12. Buffy Summers – Buffy the Vampire Slayer
  13. Del Boy Trotter – Only Fools and Horses
  14. Sherlock Holmes – Sherlock
  15. Peter Griffin – Family Guy
  16. Dwight Schrute – The Office
  17. Saul Goodman – Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul
  18. Cosmo Kramer – Seinfeld
  19. Sheldon Cooper – The Big Bang Theory
  20. Dr. Gregory House – House
  21. David Brent – The Office (UK)
  22. Bugs Bunny – Looney Tunes
  23. Joey Tribbiani – Friends
  24. Ralph Kramden – The Honeymooners
  25. Al Bundy – Married… With Children
  26. Larry David – Curb Your Enthusiasm
  27. Columbo – Columbo
  28. Archie Bunker – All in the Family
  29. Dexter Morgan – Dexter
  30. Benjamin ‘Hawkeye’ Pierce – MASH
  31. Poussey Washington – Orange Is the New Black
  32. Fox Mulder – The X-Files
  33. Elaine Benes – Seinfeld
  34. The Doctor – Doctor Who
  35. Barney Fife – The Andy Griffith Show
  36. Daenerys Targaryen – Game of Thrones
  37. Eddie Haskell – Leave It to Beaver
  38. Roseanne Conner – Roseanne
  39. Frasier Crane – Frasier, Cheers
  40. Mary Richards – The Mary Tyler Moore Show
  41. Louis DePalma – Taxi
  42. Murphy Brown – Murphy Brown
  43. Emma Peel – The Avengers
  44. Eleven – Stranger Things
  45. Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable – The Cosby Show
  46. The Wild and Crazy Guys – Saturday Night Live
  47. Andy Sipowicz – NYPD Blue
  48. Daryl Dixon – The Walking Dead
  49. George Jefferson – The Jeffersons
  50. SpongeBob SquarePants – SpongeBob SquarePants
  51. Mork – Mork & Mindy
  52. Thomas Magnum – Magnum, P.I.
  53. Ted Baxter – The Mary Tyler Moore Show
  54. Kermit the Frog – The Muppets
  55. Ron Swanson – Parks and Recreation
  56. Alex P. Keaton – Family Ties
  57. Carrie Bradshaw – Sex and the City
  58. Batman – Batman: The Animated Series
  59. Father Ted Crilly – Father Ted
  60. Roseanne Roseannadanna – Saturday Night Live
  61. Doogie Howser – Doogie Howser, M.D.
  62. Tommy Shelby – Peaky Blinders
  63. Don Draper – Mad Men
  64. J.R. Ewing – Dallas
  65. Barney Stinson – How I Met Your Mother
  66. Phoebe Buffay – Friends
  67. Jean-Luc Picard – Star Trek: The Next Generation
  68. Samantha Jones – Sex and the City
  69. Rachel Green – Friends
  70. Glenn Rhee – The Walking Dead
  71. Dana Scully – The X-Files
  72. Will Smith – The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
  73. Jim Ignatowski – Taxi
  74. Steve Urkel – Family Matters
  75. C.J. Gregg – The West Wing
  76. Father Guido Sarducci – Saturday Night Live
  77. Jesse Pinkman – Breaking Bad
  78. Kimmy Schmidt – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
  79. Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson – Orange Is the New Black
  80. Sam Malone – Cheers
  81. Omar Little – The Wire
  82. Dean Winchester – Supernatural
  83. Dr. Mark Craig – St. Elsewhere
  84. Dale Cooper – Twin Peaks
  85. Jim Rockford – The Rockford Files
  86. Ray Barone – Everybody Loves Raymond
  87. Rick Grimes – The Walking Dead
  88. Sgt. Ernie Bilko – The Phil Silvers Show
  89. Selina Meyer – Veep
  90. Angus MacGyver – MacGyver
  91. Blanca Rodriguez-Evangelista – Pose
  92. Samuel “Screech” Powers – Saved by the Bell
  93. Xena – Xena: Warrior Princess
  94. Charlie Kelly – It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
  95. Artie – The Larry Sanders Show
  96. Edith Bunker – All in the Family
  97. Jon Snow – Game of Thrones
  98. Rick Sanchez – Rick and Morty
  99. Sophia Petrillo – The Golden Girls
  100. Ted Lasso – Ted Lasso
  101. James T. Kirk – Star Trek: The Original Series
  102. Samantha Stevens – Bewitched
  103. Lenny Briscoe – Law & Order
  104. Mick Belker – Hill Street Blues
  105. Ed Norton – The Honeymooners
  106. Moira Rose – Schitt’s Creek
  107. Julia Baker – Julia
  108. Nick Miller – New Girl
  109. Jessica Fletcher – Murder, She Wrote
  110. Maxwell Smart – Get Smart
  111. Sterling Archer – Archer
  112. Perry Mason – Perry Mason
  113. Adrian Monk – Monk
  114. Niles Crane – Frasier
  115. Negan – The Walking Dead
  116. Tobias Funke – Arrested Development
  117. Peggy Olson – Mad Men
  118. Dan Fielding – Night Court
  119. Diane Chambers – Cheers
  120. Lorelai Gilmore – Gilmore Girls
  121. Tom and Jerry – Tom and Jerry
  122. Annalise Keating – How to Get Away with Murder
  123. Fiona Gallagher – Shameless
  124. June Osborne – The Handmaid’s Tale
  125. Sam Winchester – Supernatural
  126. Dr. Richard Kimble – The Fugitive
  127. Dr. Robert Ford – Westworld
  128. Data – Star Trek: The Next Generation
  129. Fleabag – Fleabag
  130. Josiah “Jed” Bartlet – The West Wing
  131. Edina Monsoon – Absolutely Fabulous
  132. Frank Pembleton – Homicide: Life on the Street
  133. Fred Flintstone – The Flintstones
  134. Boyd Crowder – Justified
  135. John Locke – Lost
  136. Monica Geller – Friends
  137. Norm Peterson – Cheers
  138. Scooby Doo – Scooby Doo!
  139. Gil Grissom – CSI
  140. Lurch – The Addams Family
  141. Kwai Chang Caine – Kung Fu
  142. Mr. Bean – Mr. Bean
  143. Britt Reid – The Green Hornet
  144. David Rose – Schitt’s Creek
  145. James “Sawyer” Ford – Lost
  146. Steve Harrington – Stranger Things
  147. Stewie Griffin – Family Guy
  148. David Addison – Moonlighting
  149. Hanna – Girls
  150. Kato – The Green Hornet
  151. Dick Solomon – 3rd Rock from the Sun
  152. Maynard G. Krebs – The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
  153. Leslie Knope – Parks and Recreation
  154. Doug Ross – ER
  155. Mike Ehrmantraut – Better Call Saul, Breaking Bad
  156. Morticia Addams – The Addams Family
  157. Jack Bauer – 24
  158. William Adama – Battlestar Galactica
  159. Harley Quinn – Batman: The Animated Series
  160. Oscar the Grouch – Sesame Street
  161. Lilly Harper – I’ll Fly Away
  162. Theo Kojak – Kojak
  163. Michael Scofield – Prison Break
  164. Phil Dunphy – Modern Family
  165. Sheriff Andy Taylor – The Andy Griffith Show
  166. The Joker – Batman
  167. Fred G. Sanford – Sanford & Son
  168. Artemus Gordon – The Wild Wild West
  169. Crow T. Robot – Mystery Science Theater 3000
  170. Jessica Jones – Jessica Jones
  171. Gilligan – Gilligan’s Island
  172. Peggy Bundy – Married… With Children
  173. Jack McFarland – Will & Grace
  174. Miss Piggy – The Muppets
  175. Bass-O-Matic – Saturday Night Live
  176. Betty Suarez – Ugly Betty
  177. Norman Buntz – Hill Street Blues
  178. Zack Morris – Saved by the Bell
  179. Herman Munster – The Munsters
  180. Squidward Tentacles – SpongeBob SquarePants
  181. Big Bird – Sesame Street
  182. Dennis Finch – Just Shoot Me!
  183. Maxwell Klinger – MASH
  184. Arya Stark – Game of Thrones
  185. Cameron Tucker – Modern Family
  186. Wilson Fisk – Daredevil
  187. Jack Tripper – Three’s Company
  188. Amy Farrah Fowler – The Big Bang Theory
  189. Hayden Fox – Coach
  190. Joker – Batman: The Animated Series
  191. Michonne – The Walking Dead
  192. Butt-head – Beavis & Butt-head
  193. Mr. Rogers – Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood
  194. Paladin – Have Gun – Will Travel
  195. Basil Fawlty – Fawlty Towers
  196. Malcolm Reynolds – Firefly
  197. Charles Ingalls – Little House on the Prairie
  198. Rosa Diaz – Brooklyn Nine-Nine
  199. SkekTek – The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance
  200. Yoda – Star Wars: The Clone Wars
  201. Ross Geller – Friends
  202. Frank Underwood – House of Cards
  203. Joe Friday – Dragnet
  204. Anthony DiNozzo – NCIS
  205. Bullwinkle J. Moose – Rocky & Bullwinkle
  206. Jim Hopper – Stranger Things
  207. Karen Walker – Will & Grace
  208. Ann Marie – That Girl
  209. Bill McNeal – NewsRadio
  210. Violet Crawley – Downton Abbey
  211. Carol Peletier – The Walking Dead
  212. Mitch Buchannon – Baywatch
  213. Oscar Madison – The Odd Couple
  214. Quinn Fabray – Glee
  215. Robert Barone – Everybody Loves Raymond
  216. Al Swearengen – Deadwood
  217. Bart Simpson – The Simpsons
  218. Lucille Bluth – Arrested Development
  219. Frank Barone – Everybody Loves Raymond
  220. Garnet – Steven Universe
  221. Rust Cohle – True Detective
  222. Gustavo ‘Gus’ Fring – Breaking Bad
  223. Olivia Benson – Law & Order SVU
  224. Kevin Arnold – The Wonder Years
  225. Angela Abar – Watchmen
  226. Doug Heffernan – The King of Queens
  227. Cersei Lannister – Game of Thrones
  228. Maverick – Maverick
  229. Nostradamus “Bull” Shannon – Night Court
  230. Merle Dixon – The Walking Dead
  231. Micheal Bleuth – Arrested Development
  232. Howard Wolowitz – The Big Bang Theory
  233. Hawk – Spenser: For Hire
  234. Mimi Bobeck – The Drew Carey Show
  235. Snoopy – Peanuts
  236. Cristina Yang – Grey’s Anatomy
  237. Optimus Prime – The Transformers
  238. Eleanor Shellstrop – The Good Place
  239. Jane Hathaway – The Beverly Hillbillies
  240. Jim Halpert – The Office
  241. Lou Grant – Lou Grant
  242. Lowell Mather – Wings
  243. Carla Tortelli – Cheers
  244. Jarod – The Pretender
  245. Wile E. Coyote – Looney Tunes
  246. Oliver Queen – Arrow
  247. Felix Unger – The Odd Couple
  248. Alexis Carrington – Dynasty
  249. Goku – Dragon Ball Z
  250. Jim Dangle – Reno 911!
  251. Marcus Welby – Marcus Welby, M.D.
  252. Marshal Matt Dillon – Gunsmoke
  253. Ralph Wiggum – The Simpsons
  254. Jaime Sommers – The Bionic Woman
  255. Beaver Cleaver – Leave it to Beaver
  256. Cookie Lyon – Empire
  257. Bill Bittinger – Buffalo Bill
  258. John “J.D.” Dorian – Scrubs
  259. Dr. Johnny Fever – WKRP in Cincinnati
  260. Adam – Northern Exposure
  261. Spider-Man – The Amazing Spider-Man
  262. Abed Nadir – Community
  263. Aang – Avatar: The Last Airbender
  264. Christopher Moltisanti – The Sopranos
  265. Jane Tennison – Prime Suspect
  266. Guy-Am-I – Green Eggs and Ham
  267. Laverne DeFazio – Laverne & Shirley
  268. Douglas Wambaugh – Picket Fences
  269. Michelle Tanner – Full House
  270. Shirley Feeney – Laverne & Shirley
  271. Statler and Waldorf – The Muppets
  272. Daredevil – Daredevil
  273. Donald Duck – Disney’s Mickey Mouse
  274. Matt Murdock – Daredevil
  275. Miles Drentell – Thirtysomething
  276. Elliot Carlin – The Bob Newhart Show
  277. Jack Shephard – Lost
  278. Jackie Peyton – Nurse Jackie
  279. Alex Russo – Wizards of Waverly Place
  280. Eddard Stark – Game of Thrones
  281. Maurice “Buddy” Sorrell – The Dick Van Dyke Show
  282. Clark Kent – Smallville
  283. Amy Duncan – Good Luck Charlie
  284. Red Forman – That ’70s Show
  285. Loki – Loki
  286. Fiona Goode – American Horror Story
  287. Mickey Milkovich – Shameless
  288. Carmella Soprano – The Sopranos
  289. Manny Delgado – Modern Family
  290. R2-D2 – Star Wars Saga
  291. Barry Allen – The Flash
  292. Detective Jake Peralta – Brooklyn Nine-Nine
  293. Maude Findlay – Maude
  294. Nikita – La Femme Nikita
  295. Sabrina Spellman – Sabrina the Teenage Witch
  296. Sandor Clegane – Game of Thrones
  297. Patrick Star – SpongeBob SquarePants
  298. Sydney Bristow – Alias
  299. Dylan McKay – Beverly Hills, 90210
  300. Rose Nylund – The Golden Girls

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