Last Updated on 8 January 2025

I searched the Internet for lists of the best TV show characters of all time. Criteria included being ranked, not just listed; covering all time, not just a decade; and generally created by groups, whether teams or committees or based on general public voting (like Ranker.com).

I was able to find 15 lists. I took the 15 lists and added all their content into a spreadsheet, noting the rank of every character. I ended up averaging the rankings each one got (there were 179 that were on at least 2 lists) and dividing that average by a factor of the number of lists that character was on. The lowest score meant a high ranking average on many lists. The complete spreadsheet is attached at the bottom.

The game shows that were on the most lists (out of 15) were:

  • Tony Soprano – The Sopranos – 12 lists
  • Homer Simpson – The Simpsons – 11 lists
  • George Costanza – Seinfeld – 8 lists
  • Buffy Summers – Buffy the Vampire Slayer – 8 lists
  • Lucy Ricardo – I Love Lucy – 7 lists
  • Spock – Star Trek: The Original Series – 7 lists
  • Eric Cartman – South Park – 7 lists
  • Chandler Bing – Friends – 7 lists
  • Columbo – Columbo – 7 lists

Here are links to the lists I used along with dates the lists were created:

Best TV Characters of All TimeDownload

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