The Blue Room cannot resist a challenge of this nature – especially one where it involves making a list within an interest area. So when Age regular David Dale constructed his on the subject – well this blog just had to follow suit. There was no alternative – it was a given.
Compiling such lists as I do, particularly at the end of a calendar year, can be, in DD’s words, ‘…intensely painful, but deeply pleasurable’, especially when excruciating decisions have to be made. What DD was attempting to do was a response to an American publication’s (‘Entertainment Weekly’) top characters on television ‘right now’. That revered mag duly ruminated and ultimately made its considered and weighty pontification. The ‘right now’ is a loose term as the resulting product encompassed the last twelve months or so – as did DD in his contribution. Our local scribe went on to break his down, as I will, into two sections – International and Australian. It seems it is implicit that only one protagonist from each small screen show can put in an appearance, thus DD’s angst. His quandary was whether to include Arya Syark or Tyrion Lannister from the monolithic ‘Game of Thrones’. I also enjoy that juggernaut – but it does not figure for me as a vehicle for idiosyncratic character. No, my ponderings were between the two leads in ‘The Bridge’ – the Scandinoir version of course. In the end I went with the Sara Norgen role – mainly because her partner-in-crime (solving), Kim Bobnia, who plays Rohde, in this tele-gem, didn’t like what was to happen to his character in the third season, so pulled up stumps. It remains to be seen how Ms Helin copes without her sidekick.
So – in your opinion, does what the Blue Room has produced measure up to DD’s? What would you, dear peruser, add and delete? Those list-addicted, like myself, might try your own hand at such a compilation. For those who know me, the first few are givens:-
International
1. Don Draper Mad Men Jon Hamm
2. Hank Moody Californication David Duchovny
3. Sara Norgen The Bridge Sofia Helin
4. Birgitte Nyborg Borgen Sidse Babette Knudsen
5. Alec Hardy Broadchurch David Tennant
6. Frank Underwood House of Cards Kevin Spacey
7. Christopher Foyle Foyle’s War Michael Kitchen
8. Frank Tagliano Lilyhammer Steven Van Zandt
9. Lorne Malvo Fargo Billy Bob Thornton
10. Nucky Thompson Boardwalk Empire Steve Buscemi
Home Grown
1. Nina Proudman Offspring Asher Keddie
2. Cleaver Greene Rake Richard Roxburg
3. Janet King Janet King Marta Dusseldorp
4. Lucian Blake Dr Blake Mysteries Craig Maclachlan
5. Lewis Crabb House Husbands Gary Sweet
6. Luce Tivoli The Time of Our Lives Shane Jacobson
7. Jack Duncan A Place to Call Home Craig Hall
8. Ted McCabe Old School Sam Neill
9. Clarke Clarke and Dawe John Clarke
10. Cora Benson The Moodys Jane Harber
David Dale article – Part 1 = http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/blogs/the-tribal-mind/these-are-the-best-international-characters-on-australian-tv-20140816-3dsxx.html
Does it have to be characters on TV now? I reckon in a couple of weeks Capaldi will be my top international one. And, locally, I’d have to go with Josh from Please Like Me at the moment!
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