Some TV characters are so wonderful it’s hard to believe they’ve only been in my life for a year. These are my choices for the best new TV characters of 2015.
15. Frankie Dart (Community)
Frankie put it best herself when she said that she’s an outsider who came in and nailed it. Comedy veteran Paget Brewster was a perfect choice to join Community’s ensemble.
14. Rebecca Bunch (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend)
Rebecca Bunch is reminiscent of both Ally McBeal and Felicity Porter, but she’s also a unique and fresh character in her own right. It’s always fun watching her misguided musical adventures.
13. Carol Pilbasian (The Last Man on Earth)
Don’t let the title of the show fool you, Kristen Schaal’s Carol Pilbasian is a fundamental driving force to this show, both comedically and emotionally.
12. Titus Andromedon (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)
Titus is a comedic treasure thanks to Titus Burgess’ consistent knock-out punchline deliveries. He’s also possibly the most relatable character on the show. (“But I already did something today!”)
11. Jamal Lyon (Empire)
Jamal is a handsome, charming, likable person, but he still has enough flaws to be compelling. The core of his conflict with Lucious is one of the most dramatic elements of the show.
10. Karen Lipinski (Other Space)
Karen is an uptight control freak who always dreamed of being a space captain. She’s the one who sucks us into the world of Other Space with her intensity and distaste for the rest of the crew.
9. Ravi Chakrabarti (iZombie)
Ravi is the one person who’s consistently there for Liv. His kindness to Liv and endless enthusiasm are what keep iZombie from getting too depressing.
8. Dev (Master of None)
What makes Dev so captivating is his willingness to listen to others and to act questions. While it’s a common archetype for leading men in sitcoms to be stubborn and oblivious, Dev is the polar opposite and it’s incredibly refreshing.
7. Trish Walker (Jessica Jones)
Trish’s bubbly enthusiasm is in stark contract with Jessica’s bitter sarcasm. But, Trish is much more than a foil or sidekick. Throughout the show, she’s active in pushing the story forward and is a genuine scene stealer.
6. Simon Asher (Quantico)
Look, I don’t know exactly what Simon’s deal is, I’m just along for the ride. He’s an intriguing character who had me counting down the days until Sunday every week.
5. Tina Shukshin (Other Space)
Tina is a terrible navigator with very little interest in space travel. She’s one of the funniest parts of the show.
4. Chuck McGill (Better Call Saul)
Throughout the course of Better Call Saul, we see Jimmy sacrifice over and over for a brother who fundamentally doesn’t believe in him. Its’ an incredibly compelling story with several heartwrenching moments as we come to understand Chuck’s character and his relationship wit Jimmy.
3. Jessica Huang (Fresh Off the Boat)
Constance Wu’s Jessica Huang was a comedic force to be reckoned with right out of the gate. She immediately became one of the funniest characters on television.
2. Kimmy Schmidt (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)
Kimmy Schmidt’s writing walks an amazing line between naivety and strength. Her positivity comes from the fact that, as she puts it, “the worst thing that’s ever gonna happen to me has already happened.” She’s seen a lot of darkness in the world and it’s only made her more loving.
1. Liv Moore (iZombie)
Liv is a fantastic heroine. Her life was taken away, but she found a way to continue on and dedicate herself to helping others. It’s impossible not to root for her.