1. Walter White (Breaking Bad) - The epitomy of a changed man, Bryan Cranston continually impresses with his deep and wholly relatable character.
2. Omar Little (The Wire) - Another paragon of ambiguity, he turned "The Farmer In The Dell" into a death rattle. Chilling, effective and with a very real touch.
3. Tobias Funke (Arrested Development) - Choosing one of the actors only from this show is sort of a tragedy but make no mistake, if there is one clear standout it's Tobias.
4. Admiral Adama (Battlestar Galactica) - Edward James Olmos' career defining role, without question. His character's arc is absolutely sublime, and his characterization is so methodical and precise that even on multiple re-watches the series gains an air of class with his mere presence.
5. Tyrion Lannister (Game of Thrones) - Yes, he gets a lot of praise, but Dinklage deserves it. He makes the Imp come alive in a way few could.
6. George Costanza (Seinfeld) - Here's another situation where all four leads are pitch perfect, but George inches above them all. The way Alexander makes you feel for this horrible, pathetic, roundabout despicable human being is absolutely hysterical and a perfect balance of what comedy should be all about.
7. Monty Python (Monty Python's Flying Circus) - I know this is cheating but there isn't one piece of the Pythons that isn't absolutely necessary and brilliant. From the fish slapping dance to the dirty fork sketch, this is the gold standard for comedy.
8. Number Six (The Prisoner) - Prior to this show, I knew Patrick McGoohan as Edward the Longshanks from Braveheart and loved his evil character in that. The Prisoner proved to me that he was a natural talent. Number Six is someone who will not conform to whom he sees as the enemy at any cost. Some elements of the show come across as a little hokey, but the core themes of control and freedom in the face of oppression are clearly grounded in Number Six's journey, and I love him for that.
9. Ari Gold (Entourage) - While his character and the show as a whole really were betrayed by the ending, I absolutely loved Ari despite the shit situations and plot devices he had to navigate near the end. Ari's quips and cracks are the stuff of legend, weaving a "tapestry of obscenity" that is both beautiful and hilarious.
10. Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm) - Simply put, Larry David is a character unto himself. His ability to mine comedy from topics ranging from Michael J. Fox's Parkinson's Disease to having children mistake his water bottle for a bulge demonstrates a range of skill and writing that is mostly unheard of nowadays.
you didn't like Tintin? Why not?
still gotta see Red State... heard mixed things about it so far