It’s easy to look back at all the iconic characters of the golden era of TV and assume that all the best TV is behind us. This is especially true now that cult shows like Game of Thrones, Mad Men, and Breaking Bad have come to an end. But make no mistake, just because these kinds of shows are few and far between doesn’t mean we’re not seeing “cult personalities” in the making in the TV shows that are airing right now!
Tyrion Lannister — Game of Thrones
We’ve seen show runners and screenwriters work with these kinds of characters before, but never as well as the creators of Game of Thrones did with Tyrion Lannister. He is proof that physical power is not a prerequisite for greatness. A cunning wit and superior intellect can take you just as far (if not further) than the ability to know your way around a sword fight.
Rick — Rick & Morty
He’s rude, and he lacks basic table etiquette (what with all the burping and stuff). Nevertheless, Rick is going to going to go down in the history books of good TV as an accurate portrayal of a nihilistic character who manages to make small steps towards embracing life and understanding that nihilism is more of a defense mechanism than a way of life.
Morty, too, could make it on the list, but just as Rick uses him for his own gain, it seems like the creators of Rick & Morty are using him as a counterpart to help flesh out Rick as a character.
Fleabag — Fleabag
Would I be going too far if I said that Fleabag is the most honest depiction of a female character in all of TV? It’s almost like they took the conversations of Sex and the City, the humor of Amy Schumer, the wit of Tina Fey, and the ridiculousness of Broad City and wrapped it nicely in one package. Fleabag the show and Fleabag the character are perfect depictions of the messy and complicated process of trying to live your life as a modern woman.
0 Comments