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Earlier this month, Entertainment Weekly celebrated its 20th anniversary with a list of the top 100 fictional characters -- movies, television or books -- in the last 20 years.
Lists are always fun, because they stir up a healthy debate about who was included, who was excluded and who was too low or high.
First of all, take a look at the list.
Done?
Okay, first let's talk about number one Homer Simpson. Um, really! I know he's a pop icon, but I gave up on The Simpsons years ago, partly because Homer was just too much of a buffoon. Talk about giving dads a bad name -- though, given how many BlogHers mentioned Homer in last week's "My Dad's a Character" contest, I might be in the minority with this.
But pop culture writer Shelley Fralic of the Vancouver Sun agrees:
It's not so much that Homer is a too-real doppelganger for the average middle American -- a spendthrift booze-addicted buffoon lacking manners -- but more that he's just not as interesting or entertaining -- much less admirable or, dare we say it, likeable -- as we are constantly told he is. He's not smart. He is tactless. He's an idler. He's a lousy role model, no matter how you look at him.
There are several of my favorite characters on the list, but most of those should have been higher up. Homer should have been out of the number one slot and way, way down. Buffy is the true number one and Harry Potter the true number two.
Then The Bride, Miranda Priestley, Shrek, Patty Hewes, Kara "Starbuck" Thrace, Don Draper, Thelma and Louise, Jack Bauer, Miranda Priestly, Dr. Gregory House and Sydney Bristow should all have been higher.
Tony Soprano, Rachel Green, Medea, Felicity, Bridget Jones, Forrest Gump, Lara Croft, and Ally McBeal should all have been lower.
Lorelai Gilmore should have had her own slot and been in the top ten, because Rory was barely interesting enough to make the list. Wilhelmina Slater's spot, much as I loved her, should have been taken by Ugly Betty herself, Betty Suarez.
What Bloggers Think Are the Top 100 Fictional Characters
Irma La Douche at Doucheblog gave her opinion on all 100. Here's a sample:
100. Tim Riggins from Friday Night Lights- never watched it, probably won't
99. The Bride from Kill Bill- Hell Yeah!!! xoxoxo Beatrix Kiddo!
98. Lisbeth Salander from The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and its sequels- want to read it
97. Violet Weston from August: Osage County -Absolutely no idea what this is
96. Bernie Mac from The Bernie Mac Show - love Bernie Mac RIP
95. Wilhelmina from Ugly Betty -never watched it
94. Truman from The Truman Show- meh that movie was okay but I don't think I would watch it again. My favorite Jim Carrey movie is Me Myself and Irene if that tells you anything BOING!
Ru at And Then She Was Like Blah, Blah, Blah also gave her opinion of all 100. This is what she said about the top five:
5. The Joker from The Dark Knight
Again, The Joker didn't originate in 2008, even as great as Heath Ledger's performance was.
4. Tony Soprano from The Sopranos
No objection.
3. Buffy from Buffy the Vampire Slayer
No objection.
2. Harry Potter from the Harry Potter series
No objection. Slight qualm at the No. 2 spot, since Harry sustained his badassery for seven books, six movies and ...
1. Homer Simpson from The Simpsons
... sigh. Seek to clarify that the nominee is Homer Simpson from seasons 3 - 12, and you shall have no objection.
Amy at Amy-Wong.Com Blog had some serious questions about the list:
As much as I love Sue Sylvester (and Jane Lynch), I think she should be lower than characters like House or Dexter. Also ... Rachel Green on the Top 10? Over guys like Jack Bauer from 24? And Edward Cullen from Twilight over freaking Don Draper from Mad Men???? Really? Or even Miranda Priestly from Devils Wears Prada?
Who would you add to Entertainment Weekly's list and why?
