m_emerson_news

December 29, 2006

Top 10 TV Characters of 2006

Remember the college application question that asked if you could have dinner with anyone – who would it be? The standard answers included Jesus, grandparents, Abe Lincoln, etc. But we skipped that question and chose another because we couldn’t think of anyone interesting enough, at age 17 anyway, to keep our attention span during the dinner hour.

But now we’re older and wiser, living in LA and addicted to the TV shows constantly stored on our DVR. So we finally decided on 10 people who we’d like to have dinner with. Of course, all these “people” are interesting fictional TV characters from this season, but they’d sure keep us entertained while passing the green bean casserole:

Dexter Morgan: Showtime’s serial killer (played by Michael C. Hall) is one of the most complex characters on TV right now. On Dexter, he works as a blood spatter expert for the Miami-Dade police by day – while killing the bad serial killers at night. More cranberries, anyone?
Dr. Christian Troy: He’s the amoral Miami plastic surgeon on Nip/Tuck with a penchant for sleeping with almost anything that moves. But because Julian McMahon is so nice to look at -- who'd need dessert?

Michael Scott: The Office. Steve Carell's alter ego could regale dinner guests with war stories from the trenches of Scranton's Dunder Mifflin. Then Dr. Troy would offer to care of his nose for him.

Barney Stinson: When did Doogie Howser, M.D., become funny? Neil Patrick Harris is excel—wait for it—lent as a suit-wearing womanizer on How I Met Your Mother. Which he is definitely not.

Hiro Nakamura: On Heroes, Hiro’s (Masi Oka) English is a bit spotty right now, but his time shifting-transporting powers are kick ass in any language. Can you imagine the party tricks?

Dr. Greg House: Sure, he’s the Vicodin-addicted jerk on Fox's House, but if you suddenly develop a case of an Ebola-like disease after dinner, you’ll probably want House (Hugh Laurie) and his crack team giving you the once-over.

Cristina Yang: Sure, Sandra Oh's doc can be bitchy and moody. And self-centered. And emotionally clueless. But that’s what we love about her. She’s hands-down the best character on Grey’s Anatomy.

Henry Gale/Benjamin Linus: Whether he’s on Lost as the leader of “The Others” or the serial killer William Hinks on The Practice, Michael Emerson plays bug-eyed and creepy to a T.

Horatio Caine: David Caruso’s wooden portrayal of Det. Horatio Caine is always entertaining and nothing short of sheer genius on CSI: Miami. Besides, we could all gather ‘round the table and play a live version of the Horatio Caine drinking game.

Nancy Botwin: Mary-Louise Parker plays Agrestic’s favorite suburban mom/pot dealer on Showtime's Weeds. Her expressive eyes can say more in a second than a dozen pages of dialogue. Plus, you know she’d bring the best brownies for dessert.