My Favorite TV Law Enforcers & Crimesolvers

[Gideon58]

Fighting and nailing criminals has been a television staple for a long time so I thought a list of my favorite TV cops, lawyers, and private detectives would be fun to do. As always, these are television characters that I like, not necessarily the ones from the best shows or the actors who won the most Emmys. Get ready for my favorite TV cops, lawyers, and private detectives:

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100.
Honey West, Honey West

http://www.theimproper.com/film/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/anne-francis-HoneyWest1.jpg

Almost a decade after starring in the film classic Forbidden Planet, Anne Francis made television history as the first female private detective. West had a partner named Sam Bolt (John Erickson), a pet ocelot, and a sexy mole on her cheek.

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99.
Detective Mick Belker, Hill Street Blues

http://theredlist.com/media/database/films/tv-series/police-and-crime/1980/hill-street-blues/001-hill-street-blues-theredlist.jpg

I will confess that I never considered Hill Street Blues appointment television, but I loved this guy for one reason and one reason only...he was nuts!

[Camo]

I'm looking forward to this, but I laughed when I read the title and expected 30 max lol.

[Gideon58]

I'm looking forward to this, but I laughed when I read the title and expected 30 max lol.
Sorry to disappoint...I've been thinking about a thread on outstanding achievement in movie makeup and that will probably only have about 30, but cops and lawyers? No, there's a lot of ground to cover here.

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98.
Abby Carmichael, Law & Order

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/48/Abbie_Carmichael_-_SVU.png

Abby was one of the many assistants who worked with Assistant DA Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) and the fact that she was played by the drop dead gorgeous Angie Harmon with the raspy Demi Moore voice only worked in her favor.

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97.
Joe Friday, Dragnet

http://media.liveauctiongroup.net/i/5736/8632574_2.jpg?v=8CE70FDFAF1B540

Can't talk about TV cops without mentioning this guy...Jack Webb was not much of an actor as evidenced by his stone-faced line delivery, but Joe Friday was a no-nonsense cop who was all about the job and that was OK..."Just the facts, Ma'am."

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96.
Christie Love, Get Christie Love

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/Teresa_Graves_Get_Christie_Love_1974_DB.jpg

OK, this was definitely a guilty pleasure of mine. Former Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In regular Teresa Graves was a lot of fun as TV's first female black police detective who whenever she caught the bad guy, utilized her signature tag-line "You're under arrest, sugah!" Not exactly steeped in realism, but a lot of fun.

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95.
Arnie Becker, LA Law

http://www.virginmedia.com/images/la-law-arnie-becker-290x400.jpg

Corbin Bernsen became a major TV 1980's heartthrob through his role as the flashy ladykiller who was more concerned about how his hair looked than whether or not his client was innocent. Ironically, as much as Arnie was a womanizer, the best relationship he ever had with a woman on the show was with his devoted secretary Roxanne (Susan Ruttan).

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94.
Detective James Martinez, NYPD Blue

http://www.snakkle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/nicholas-turturro-NYPD-Blue-tv-show-1993-2005-photo-GC.jpg

Nicholas Turturro made a strong impression as the impassioned young detective who worked hard to make his mark on the squad, but always felt neglected and underestimated.

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93.
Detective Ron Harris, Barney Miller

http://media1.break.com/breakstudios/2011/9/16/barney%20miller%20harris.jpg

Yes, we're covering comic cops here too...Ron Glass brought a touch of class to the 13th precinct as Detective Harris, the only black officer on the squad and hated to be reminded of that, but it really wasn't the issue Harris thought it was because, if the truth be told, Harris was the smartest guy in the squad room and being a detective was not exactly a passion for him. Among other things, Harris loved writing and even produced a book at one point.

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92.
Eli Levinson, Civil Wars

http://wwwcdn.channel5.com/assets/images/000/003/376/full_left_column_rosenberg.jpg?1288182579

Alan Rosenberg was the best thing about this short-lived legal series about a small firm struggling for acceptance. Rosenberg was riveting as Eli Levinson, a lawyer with some mental health issues whose behavior in the courtroom was completely unpredictable and kept bosses Sydney (Mariel Hemingway) and Charlie (Peter Onorati) worried when they weren't fighting their attraction to each other.

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91.
Shirley Schmidt, Boston Legal

http://images.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/Shirley-Schmidt-boston-legal-336595_445_593.jpg

Candice Bergen stole more than her share of scenes as one of the name partners of a Boston law firm that specialized in civil lawsuits...at times, some truly bizarre civil lawsuits.

[Camo]

Sorry to disappoint...I've been thinking about a thread on outstanding achievement in movie makeup and that will probably only have about 30, but cops and lawyers? No, there's a lot of ground to cover here.

Not sure why you always take offence to everything I say.. whatever. Maybe I need to word things differently :shrug: . Anyway I'm enjoying this so far and looking forward to the top half of the list.

[Gideon58]

Not sure why you always take offence to everything I say.. whatever. Maybe I need to word things differently :shrug: . Anyway I'm enjoying this so far and looking forward to the top half of the list.
I wasn't offended, I'm sorry if it came off that way.

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90.
Joe Mannix, Mannix

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/photopost/data/1997/1connors1_1wm7.jpg

Mike Connors was the epitome of 70's TV cool as private eye Joe Mannix. Joe lived in a gorgeous LA duplex where his office was on the ground floor and he lived on the second floor. He also had a very hot black secretary named Peggy Fair (Gail Fisher).

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90.
Captain David Aceveda, The Shield

http://cdn.movieweb.com/img.news/NEhAHoiiv1bXkl_1_1.jpg

Benito Martinez brought a stone-faced authority to this unorthadox cop series as the newly appointed chief of an inner city LA police squad where his primary focus becomes more on what's happening inside his squad rather than out on the streets...his obsession to nail dirty cop Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) often interfered with real police work and made Aceveda drop the ball on occasion. On one memorable episode, Aceveda was actually raped.

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89.
Jackie Chiles, Seinfeld

http://images.onset.freedom.com/ocregister/gallery/lhv9xi-b78768005z.120110310161016000g2dtt7fe.1.jpg

See my favorite recurring character thread for details on this character.

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88.
Ben Matlock, Matlock

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XZmLRXAIKlA/UhihkYiwUuI/AAAAAAAAElg/adWz3igjFHA/s640/1296772229_2.jpg

The show had a cookie-cutter predictability to it, but Andy Griffith deserved credit for reinventing his TV persona as this slick country lawyer who was a lot sharper than he seemed on the surface. His staff changed throughout the seasons, but Griffith was the constant and that's all that mattered.

[Cole416]

Matlock is great, and "You're under arrest, sugah." is one of the cheesiest but funnier lines in a detective show haha.

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87.
Randolph Dworkin, Law & Order

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/Peter_Jacobson_at_the_2009_Tribeca_Film_Festival.jpg

Peter Jacobson was a scene stealer as Randolph Dworkin. Dworkin was a slick smart-ass attorney who was one of Jack McCoy's most cunning courtroom opponents...he liked to pretend that he had just stumbled onto a case when he had secretly been working on it for months and he lived for any case where anti-semitism might be an issue since he wore being Jewish on his sleeve.

[Camo]

Aceveda was an excellent character. Someone like him could get old very quickly but he managed to stay fresh.

[Miss Vicky]

I don't watch any of these shows.

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86.
Kay Howard, Homicide: Life on the Streets

http://www.chicagonow.com/hammervision/files/2011/06/ertetertetertertert.jpg

Long before winning an Oscar for The Fighter, Melissa Leo was riveting as this hard-as-nails police detective.

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85.
Mike Longstreet, Longstreet

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RaZKwtL1_PA/UvrncmJLx2I/AAAAAAAACek/Kuyh5sSqsNc/s1600/james-franciscus-longstreet-stills-126.JPG

I watched every episode of this short-lived ABC drama about a blind insurance investigator. The idea of a blind person doing any kind of detective work was fun to me, even though this was a TV character I genuinely worried about because even though I was about 11 years old at the time, I thought James Franciscus played blind very convincingly. Longstreet had a secretary named Nikki (Marlyn Mason) and a seeing eye dog named Pax.

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84.
Alexandra Cabot, Law & Order: SVU

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/02/26/article-0-184B0584000005DC-987_634x422.jpg

Stephanie March commanded the screen as Alexandra Cabot, the assistant DA who would never bring a case in front of a judge without rock solid evidence. Alex would do whatever it took to put and keep a perp behind bars and didn't care who she pissed off to do it. Alex's obsession with justice got her in so deep that when the actress left the show, the character was written as having to go into witness protection.

[honeykid]

I think I'm going to like this countdown a lot. Plenty of stuff here and quite a bit I'll have seen, I hope. :)

[Gideon58]

I think I'm going to like this countdown a lot. Plenty of stuff here and quite a bit I'll have seen, I hope. :)
Glad you're enjoying it so far Honeykid, I had a feeling you might be from all the reps.

[honeykid]

I've not seen Longstreet, but it sounds quite interesting. If I ever see it's on I'll give it a look. :)

[gbgoodies]

I like the original "Law & Order" better than SVU, but they're both great shows. Hopefully there will be more characters from both of these shows on your list.

I'm glad to see you included Harris from "Barney Miller" on your list. That's one of my favorite shows. I hope there will be more characters from that show closer to the top of the list.

[Gideon58]

I've not seen Longstreet, but it sounds quite interesting. If I ever see it's on I'll give it a look. :)
It was only on one season, so if you can find it, it wouldn't take too long to get through it, but finding it would probably be work.

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83.
Captain Holt, Brooklyn Nine Nine

http://www.eurweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/andre-braugher-brooklyn-nine-nine-1024x732.jpg

One of Hollywood's most versatile actors, Andre Braugher has once again reinvented himself in this hysterical police comedy as the humorless gay Captain of the precinct...with this character, Braugher has elevated the art of delivering punch lines with a straight face to an entirely new level.

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82.
Pepper Anderson, Police Woman

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2006/04/16/arts/16deca.650.jpg

Another guilty pleasure that had me glued to NBC on Friday nights at 9:00 pm...let's face it, Dickinson was about as credible as a policewoman as Adam Sandler was as a football player in the remake of The Longest Yard, but it didn't stop me from tuning in every week. I love female cops and PI's because I love watching a woman kick a guy's ass, but those scenes never came here...Pepper must have missed the self-defense classes at the Academy because she never laid a hand on anyone in the four seasons the show was on the air. Whenever she got in a jam, Pepper was always rescued by Lt. Crowley (Earl Holiman) or Detective Royster (Charles Dierkop), but what Pepper lacked in police skills, she made up for in sex appeal...Pepper always looked AMAZING!

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81.
Detective Shane Vendrell, The Shield

http://s3.media.squarespace.com/production/465215/5339598/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/shield-goggins25.jpg

Walton Goggins created a memorably complex character in Shane, right hand man to Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) and the only officer privy to all of Vic's dirt, which caused more than its share of conflict with Mackey over the years. Shane was also a serial womanizer which resulted in an unplanned pregnancy at one point and yeah, Shane was pretty easy on the eyes.

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80.
Dan Fielding, Night Court

http://media.hollywood.com/images/638x425/2086992.jpg

John Larroquette won four Emmys for his work as the prosecutor on this classic NBC sitcom. If you were a fan of the show, you know why Dan made the list, if not, maybe you need to check it out for a master class in comic timing.

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79.
Harriet Korn, Harry's Law

http://tellyaching.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/HARRY.jpg

Kathy Bates won an Emmy for her work on this short-lived NBC drama about an attorney returning to private practice who opens her office in a storefront shoe store. Despite the unique office setting, this was pretty much run-of-the-mill legal stuff, but what made it worth watching was the brilliant work of Kathy Bates in the lead role. Bates and Bates alone made this drama appointment television.

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78.
Danny Reagan, Blue Bloods

http://22dakika.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Blue-Bloods-Donnie-Wahlberg-Interview-16x9-1.jpg

Donnie Wahlberg commands the screen as the hot-headed police detective who is part of a family of cops and lawyers including his police commissioner dad (Tom Selleck), his assistant DA sister (Bridget Moynihan) and his uniform cop little brother (Will Estes). Wahlberg has created an intense character who somehow manages to be to be all about the job but a devoted family man to wife, Linda (Amy Carlson) and his two sons.

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77.
Diane Lockhart, The Good Wife

http://www.gracieopulanza.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/christine-baranski-8.jpg

Emmy winner Christine Baranski has found a character that fits her like a glove in the crisp, business-like and impeccably dressed name partner at Lockhart/Gardner who, if I had one complaint about her, had no personal life, but was given one last year with her marriage to a gun lobbyist (Gary Cole).

[honeykid]

I love Christine Baranski. I think she's great in everything I've seen her it. When I eventually get round to season 3 of The Good Wife, she's one of the reasons I'll be doing so. Still never better than when in Cybil, though.

I only know Night Court because it used to be in the middle of the night in the early/mid 90's over here. No idea if they were shown in order or from when, but I used to quite like it.

[Gideon58]

I love Christine Baranski. I think she's great in everything I've seen her it. When I eventually get round to season 3 of The Good Wife, she's one of the reasons I'll be doing so. Still never better than when in Cybil, though.

I only know Night Court because it used to be in the middle of the night in the early/mid 90's over here. No idea if they were shown in order or from when, but I used to quite like it.
Yeah, Baranski is fabulous, she's in Stockard Channing territory...the woman is incapable of doing anything wrong onscreen.

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76.
Gabriel Bird, Gabriel's Fire

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Emz%2BsIVdL._SX342_.jpg

The iconic James Earl Jones won an Emmy for the one season that this show was on the air. Jones played an ex-police officer who went to jail for killing his partner and upon being released by a lawyer (Laila Robins), is hired by said lawyer to be her private investigator. Like Harry's Law, Jones was the only reason to watch this show and he made it worth tuning in. Despite Jones' Emmy win, the show was never given a chance to find an audience. No accounting for taste, I guess.

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75.
Terry Jeffords, Brooklyn Nine Nine

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/2013/10/terry_crews_brooklyn_nine_nine.jpg

Crews garners more laughs here than he did as Chris' dad on Everybody Hates Chris and he got more than his share of laughs there. Crews plays a tough police officer on the squad but one with a heart, a conscience, a sense of humor, and awesome pecs. Jeffords is a by-the-book cops who is serious about getting the job done but seems to be very serious about being liked while he does it. He often finds himself torn between Captain Holt and the rest of the crew and hates when he has to choose, but my favorite thing about Jeffords is the way he turns into a big pile of goo whenever he talks about his family, his wife, his twin girls, and the one that's on the way. No matter what's going on in the precinct, Jefford's family ALWAYS comes first.

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74.
John Kelly, NYPD Blue

http://ilarge.lisimg.com/image/4120929/968full-nypd-blue-photo.jpg

The show and character that put David Caruso on the map. Caruso was an eye-opener as an unconventional detective with an equally unconventional partner (Dennis Franz) and a tendency to be involved with the wrong women as well. Caruso officially became a star with this role and was so full of himself that he left the show after the very first season. He was nominated for an Emmy that he lost to co-star Franz, had a brief fling at a movie career and then didn't work for years until CBS brought him back to television with CSI: Miami.

[honeykid]

Yeah, Baranski is fabulous, she's in Stockard Channing territory...the woman is incapable of doing anything wrong onscreen.

I was thinking of mentioning Stockard Channing when I made that post. :)

[gbgoodies]

John Larroquette was hysterical in "Night Court". He won four consecutive Emmy Awards, and probably the only reason he didn't win a fifth was because he asked to be removed from the ballot the following year.

[Gideon58]

I like the original "Law & Order" better than SVU, but they're both great shows. Hopefully there will be more characters from both of these shows on your list.

I'm glad to see you included Harris from "Barney Miller" on your list. That's one of my favorite shows. I hope there will be more characters from that show closer to the top of the list.
You will definitely be seeing more characters from Law & Order and Barney Miller.

[Gideon58]

John Larroquette was hysterical in "Night Court". He won four consecutive Emmy Awards, and probably the only reason he didn't win a fifth was because he asked to be removed from the ballot the following year.
I wrote on my Larroquette thread that he had won five for Night Court...just went to the IMDB and realized the fifth was for The Practice...I will make the change, thanks for alerting me to it.

[Gideon58]

73.
Detective John Munch, Law & Order: SVU

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c0/John_Munch_in_Law_%26_Order-_Special_Victims_Unit.JPG

This television character has made history as being the only character who has been a regular on four different television shows. Originally introduced on Homicide: Life in the Streets, Richard Belzer probably made his strongest impression on SVU as the relationship-challenged and conspiracy theory nut John Munch, who spent a lot of time butting heads with partner Fin (Ice-T).

[Miss Vicky]

Huge thumbs up for Dan Fielding. I used to watch that show religiously when I was a kid and still love it. Larroquette was far and away the best part of the show.

Still haven't watched anything else on this list, though.

[Gideon58]

72.
Detective Phil Fish, Barney Miller

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/attachment.php?attachmentid=159908&stc=1&d=1279047502

Abe Vigoda stole every scene he was in a s Fish, the elder statesman of the squad room who wanted to retire, but that would have meant spending even more time with his wife, Bernice (Florence Stanley). Fish made such a strong impression with audiences that he was spun off into his own series.

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71.
Murray, The Odd Couple

http://www.wearysloth.com/Gallery/ActorsM/tve12189-19710219-253.jpg

OK, let's be honest here, Murray wasn't much of a cop as a matter of fact the only time I think we saw him do actual cop work was when Oscar was making fun of him, so he arrested Oscar and his poker buddies for gambling, but Al Molinaro was funny and sweet as Murray.

[AdamUpBxtch]

78.
Danny Reagan, Blue Bloods

http://22dakika.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Blue-Bloods-Donnie-Wahlberg-Interview-16x9-1.jpg

Donnie Wahlberg commands the screen as the hot-headed police detective who is part of a family of cops and lawyers including his police commissioner dad (Tom Selleck), his assistant DA sister (Bridget Moynihan) and his uniform cop little brother (Will Estes). Wahlberg has created an intense character who somehow manages to be to be all about the job but a devoted family man to wife, Linda (Amy Carlson) and his two sons.

Donnie never get's love like his brother Mark does, I was fairly surprised how good Donnie was on Blue Bloods when I first saw it

[Gideon58]

70.
Danielle Melnick, Law & Order

http://www.tvweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/tovah-feldshuh-law-order.jpg

See my favorite recurring characters thread for details on this character.

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69.
Christine Cagney, Cagney and Lacey

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/photopost/data/1162/Cag218.jpg

Sharon Gless won two Emmys for her work as the less flashy half of this classic pair of female detectives. After Tyne Daly had won four Emmys for her Mary Beth Lacey, the writers decided to have Christine revealed to be an alcoholic and that storyline paid off with Emmy love for Gless as well.

[Gideon58]

68.
Detective Claudette Wyms, The Shield

http://www.fun-ludo.fr/sites/default/files/images_news_interieur_grande/cch-pounder.jpg

CCH Pounder played the detective who refused to turn a blind eye to what Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) was doing but apparently was powerless to do anything about it as well. She tried to do what she could when she briefly ran the squad but by that time, Mackey had his tracks covered so efficiently he could not be stopped.

[honeykid]

They're showing Cagney & Lacey on BBC2 in the afternoons over here atm. I've seen a few of them, but I used to watch it every week back when it was first broadcast. I loved that programme.

[Camo]

Claudette is brilliant. Should be higher :up:

[Gideon58]

67.
Dr. Spencer Reid, Criminal Minds

http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/35700000/Spencer-Reid-criminal-minds-35794876-1024-768.png

Matthew Gray Gubler plays an FBI psychologist and human encyclopedia who can read a 500 page book in about 10 minutes and has a website for a brain. This guy has statistics in his head that I didn't even know there were statistics on.

[honeykid]

One of only two characters in that entire show that I wouldn't have wanted to see replaced when I watched it. Penelope being the other one.

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66.
Russ Agnew, Battle Creek

http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.2131989!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_635/battle-creek.jpg

Dean Winters (Oz; SVU; 30 Rock) has already made an impression during the freshman year of this CBS police drama. Winters alone is the reason I keep watching, despite the presence of eye candy Josh Duhamel.

[gbgoodies]

67.
Dr. Spencer Reid, Criminal Minds

http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/35700000/Spencer-Reid-criminal-minds-35794876-1024-768.png

Matthew Gray Gubler plays an FBI psychologist and human encyclopedia who can read a 500 page book in about 10 minutes and has a website for a brain. This guy has statistics in his head that I didn't even know there were statistics on.


I think Spencer Reid is a very underrated character. I've been thinking about giving up on the show "Criminal Minds" recently. but he's one of the main reasons that I keep watching it each week.

[Gideon58]

65.
Adam Schiff, Law & Order

http://cdn.okcimg.com/php/load_okc_image.php/images/0x0/0x0/0/5486814840715383507.jpeg___1_500_1_500_cb94de6a_.png

Steven Hill brought a quiet intensity to the role of Law & Order's first DA, who was one of the few people who had any control over assistant DA Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston).

[Gideon58]

64.
Miles Banyon, Banyon

http://autographmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Forster-Banyon.jpg

Robert Forster had his first significant role in this detective drama that was given a little originality by being set in the 1930's. Banyon charged $20 a day and expenses for his services and had a new pretty secretary every episode, courtesy of the secretarial school located in the same building as his office, run by a Peggy Revere (Joan Blondell).

[AdamUpBxtch]

67.
Dr. Spencer Reid, Criminal Minds

http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/35700000/Spencer-Reid-criminal-minds-35794876-1024-768.png

Matthew Gray Gubler plays an FBI psychologist and human encyclopedia who can read a 500 page book in about 10 minutes and has a website for a brain. This guy has statistics in his head that I didn't even know there were statistics on.

Reid is definitely my fav on CM, Morgan and Rossi being the others I really like

but Gideon was the man
sad they killed his character off

[Gideon58]

63.
Detective Bobby Simone, NYPD Blue

http://img.movieberry.com//static/photos/94139/3_midi.jpg

After David Caruso's head got so big after the freshman season of this show, the producers decided to tap Jimmy Smits, fresh off his Emmy-winning work on LA Law, to become Andy Sipowicz' new partner and by the end of his first season on the show, people were saying "David who?"

[Gideon58]

62.
Barney Miller, Barney Miller

http://images.playbill.com/photos/halbarn.jpg

Hal Linden served the same position on this show as Mary Tyler Moore did on her classic 70's sitcom...the calming center and flawless straight man to all of the insanity that went on inside his precinct. Barney rarely raised his voice, was keenly aware of each his squad member's weaknesses and strengths, and cared about the work.

[Camo]

Reid is definitely my fav on CM, Morgan and Rossi being the others I really like

but Gideon was the man
sad they killed his character off

They didn't.

[honeykid]

Plus
He asked to leave. As he always does.

[AdamUpBxtch]

They didn't.

they just did kill Gideon off in the new season in the most half ass'd way possible, I didn't like the episode they didn't even bring back mandy patinkin

[Camo]

they just did in the new season in the most half ass'd way possibly

Fair enough. I gave up on that show a long time ago.

[gbgoodies]

Reid is definitely my fav on CM, Morgan and Rossi being the others I really like

but Gideon was the man
sad they killed his character off

They didn't.


Yes they did, but not when he left the show.

[Gideon58]

61.
Penelope Garcia, Criminal Minds

http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/35900000/Penelope-Garcia-criminal-minds-35921906-800-600.jpg

Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness) is the computer genius behind CBS' most famous FBI unit. Love her relationship with agent Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore) and will never give up hope that something happens between them. Without Garcia, this crime fighting unit would be nothing.

[Gideon58]

60.
Rosa Diaz, Brooklyn Nine Nine

http://assets.wornon.tv/uploads/2014/01/rosas-quilted-shoulder-leather-jacket.jpg

Stephanie Biatriz is very funny as the humorless cop who buries all emotions and feelings, though she does seem to have an unspoken respect for Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg).

[honeykid]

Nice to see Penelope here. As I've already said, she's one of the two character who actually mean anything in that programme.

[Gideon58]

59.
Lt. Anita Van Buren, Law & Order

http://www.eurweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/s-epatha-merkerson.jpg

This would probably get my vote for "Best Actor playing the Most Thankless Character". The gifted S. Epatha Merkeson spent two decades playing the head of the precinct who handed out assignments to various detectives over the years while she never went anywhere. Van Buren rarely got more then 10 minutes of screentime an episode but did get a chance to shine in one episode where Van Buren shot someone who attempted to rob her at an ATM. In latter years on the show, attempts were made to give her a personal life by giving her a husband (Ernie Hudson) and son and by giving the character cancer.

[Gideon58]

Nice to see Penelope here. As I've already said, she's one of the two character who actually mean anything in that programme.
You seriously didn't think I would post Spencer, but leave Garcia out, did you? Garcia rocks!!!!

[Gideon58]

58.
Tony Baretta, Baretta

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/07/12/article-2172598-140923B6000005DC-433_634x491.jpg

Robert Blake created one of TV's most unconventional police detectives in this gritty drama series which found our hero sometimes donning disguises and often throwing the rule boook out the window to get what he wants. He did have Billy and Rooster working on the streets for him as CIs and he also was the owner of a cockatoo named Fred. The show also featured a kick ass theme song sung by Sammy Davis Jr.

[honeykid]

You seriously didn't think I would post Spencer, but leave Garcia out, did you? Garcia rocks!!!!

I was hoping not, but I don't know anyone who prefers Penelope to Spencer, so it was a bit of a worry.

[gbgoodies]

I was hoping not, but I don't know anyone who prefers Penelope to Spencer, so it was a bit of a worry.


I like Penelope, but Spencer would definitely be higher on my list.

[Gideon58]

57.
Will Truman, Will & Grace

http://images.amcnetworks.com/wetv.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/wg_eric_mccormack_bio_460x460.jpg

It was kind of easy to forget that Will was a lawyer but he was a lawyer and a really good one.

[Gideon58]

56.
Derek Morgan, Criminal Minds

http://images.hitfix.com/photos/774233/Shemar-Moore-Criminal-Minds_gallery_primary.jpg

In addition to being drop dead gorgeous, Shemar Moore brings a quiet strength and surprising sensitivity to this serious-minded FBI agent and as I mentioned before, I'm still hoping against hope that someday something will happen between Derek and Garcia.

[Gideon58]

55.
Detective Brian Cassidy, Law & Order: SVU

http://images.bwwstatic.com/upload10/473401/tn-1000_10.jpeg

See my favorite recurring characters thread for details on this character.

[Gideon58]

54.
Perry Mason, Perry Mason

http://www.authortonypiazza.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/MasonPerry7.jpg

Raymond Burr played the granddaddy of all lawyers who is alleged to have never lost a case, but I looked it up a few years ago and Perry actually did lose one case.

[Gideon58]

53.
Lt. Donald Cragen, Law & Order: SVU

http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/2600000/Capt-Don-Cragen-law-and-order-svu-2671634-720-480.jpg

Dann Florek brings strength and a touch of class to the show as the recently departed head of the SVU unit. Cragen was by the book most of the time but could be flexible regarding working around the periphery of the law if it would get the job done. He knew Elliott Stabler (Christopher Meloni) and Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) better than anyone and had no problem telling them when they needed to step away from a case that was getting too personal. On the other hand, he always had their back with IAB and other superiors when it had been determined that they had crossed a line.

[Gideon58]

52.
Detective Diane Russell, NYPD Blue

http://www.snakkle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/kim-delaney-NYPD-Blue-tv-show-1993-2005-photo-GC.jpg

Kim Delaney was the serious detective who had a star-crossed romance with Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits). Diane also found a friend and confidente in Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) when it was revealed that, like Andy, Diane was an alcoholic.

[honeykid]

Never watched NYPD Blue because of that ginger muppet, but rep because Kim Delaney is just that sexy.

[Gideon58]

51.
Lilly Rush, Cold Case

http://www.post-gazette.com/image/2013/10/17/Kathryn-Morris.jpg

Kathryn Morris proved to be more than a pretty face as the serious minded agent who specialized in cases 20 years or older. I loved this show, it was like a complete and original motion picture every week.

[Gideon58]

50.
David Rossi, Criminal Minds

http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/35700000/David-Rossi-criminal-minds-35794388-1024-768.png

Joe Montegna is wonderful as the romantically challenged detective who put the crew at ease when he made it clear that he wasn't trying to replace Gideon (Mandy Patinkin). This show has always been good about giving its characters personal lives and they finally got around to Rossi recently when it was revealed early this season that he has a daughter and grandson he never knew about.

[honeykid]

I have to admit that I'm slightly surprised at the amount of Criminal Minds characters on here. I shouldn't be, but I always am whenever anyone actually cares about any of the characters in programmes like that or the CSI series. With a few exceptions, I could change the cast/characters every week and it'd make no difference to me.

Maybe it's just because it's a list of 100? I suppose if I were to do the same thing I'd probably include them, too.

[gbgoodies]

I have to admit that I'm slightly surprised at the amount of Criminal Minds characters on here. I shouldn't be, but I always am whenever anyone actually cares about any of the characters in programmes like that or the CSI series. With a few exceptions, I could change the cast/characters every week and it'd make no difference to me.

Maybe it's just because it's a list of 100? I suppose if I were to do the same thing I'd probably include them, too.


I'm not surprised. "Criminal Minds" is one of the few shows that I watch that almost every character is great. Most shows have at least one or two characters that I'd like to see replaced, but "Criminal Minds" is the exception to the rule.

It's seems to be getting more and more graphic as the show goes on, so I would have stopped watching it already if it wasn't for the characters.

[Gideon58]

I'm not surprised. "Criminal Minds" is one of the few shows that I watch that almost every character is great. Most shows have at least one or two characters that I'd like to see replaced, but "Criminal Minds" is the exception to the rule.

It's seems to be getting more and more graphic as the show goes on, so I would have stopped watching it already if it wasn't for the characters.
It's interesting the buzz including characters from Criminal Minds has generated because I debated on whether to include them at all because they aren't private detectives they are federal ones, but the show is so good, appointment television for me, the stories are strikingly original, and I have really grown to care about these characters over the years and leaving them off this list just seemed wrong.

[Gideon58]

49.
Barnaby Jones, Barnaby Jones

http://movieactors.com/photos-stars/buddy-ebsen-beverlyhillbillies-1.jpg

Show biz icon Buddy Ebsen, who was originally cast as the Tin Man in the movie classic The Wizard of Oz but had an allergic reaction to the makeup, surprised everyone after nine seasons on The Beverly Hillbillies when he returned to CBS in 1973 as a retired private detective who came out of retirement to find out who murdered his son and decided to just continue working. No one thought the idea of a generic private eye would have audience appeal but the show actually ran for seven seasons. Lee Meriwether co-starred as Barnaby's secretary and daughter-in-law Betty.

[Gideon58]

48.
David Addison, Moonlighting

http://theredlist.com/media/database/films/tv-series/comedy-drama/1980/moonlighting/003-moonlighting-theredlist.png

OK, I know there are a few of you who didn't expect to see this guy appear so soon, but there's just so much ground I have to cover here. Bruce Willis became an instant star as the sexy, slick, and fast-talking Addison who kept new boss/partner Maddie Hayes (Cybill Shepherd) on her toes and eventually on her back. And to put you out of suspense right now, Maddie will not be on this countdown because I am of the opinion that Bruce Willis was Moonlighting and that he and the writers are what made this show work.

[gbgoodies]

48.
David Addison, Moonlighting

http://theredlist.com/media/database/films/tv-series/comedy-drama/1980/moonlighting/003-moonlighting-theredlist.png

OK, I know there are a few of you who didn't expect to see this guy appear so soon, but there's just so much ground I have to cover here. Bruce Willis became an instant star as the sexy, slick, and fast-talking Addison who kept new boss/partner Maddie Hayes (Cybill Shepherd) on her toes and eventually on her back. And to put you out of suspense right now, Maddie will not be on this countdown because I am of the opinion that Bruce Willis was Moonlighting and that he and the writers are what made this show work.


David Addison from "Moonlighting" is my favorite Bruce Willis role. :up:

[Gideon58]

47.
Victor Sifuentes, LA Law

http://www.actuserie.fr/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/1343463415_emmy-jimmy-smits.jpg

Yes, Jimmy Smits is making the list again...his portrayal of the first latino attorney to break the color barrier at the lily white Mackenzie/Brackman deserves mention here. And I think he was the only character other than Michael Kuzak (Harry Hamlin) who got to have an affair with Grace Van Owen (Susan Dey).

[Gideon58]

46.
Detective Ed Green, Law & Order

http://por-img.cimcontent.net/cms/data/assets/bin-201408/f5fdaaf6cba0b64484eabc9ec34a251f_600x400.jpg

Jesse Martin was sexy and charismatic as the first detective of color on the show who had a wonderful chemistry with both Jerry Orbach and S, Epatha Merkeson. It was fun watching Ed educate Lenny on certain aspects of technology like cell phones and the internet.

[honeykid]

I'm not surprised. "Criminal Minds" is one of the few shows that I watch that almost every character is great. Most shows have at least one or two characters that I'd like to see replaced, but "Criminal Minds" is the exception to the rule.

It's seems to be getting more and more graphic as the show goes on, so I would have stopped watching it already if it wasn't for the characters.
Lots of people think this way it seems. I'm just always surprised because most of the characters don't have one as far as I'm concerned. I mean, Derek? He's the most vanilla one of the lot. Even Hotch has more personality than him and he has nothing about him at all. That means Derek has negative personality. He'd have to have some personality, just to have no personality. :D

I think I started to really only watch out of habit about season 6. Then the budgets were cut and every other scene seemed to be in darkness. Then they went through a period where every third episode seemed to be about a kidnapper(s) taking young women and keeping them somewhere and torturing them.

[Gideon58]

45.
Serena Southerlyn, Law & Order

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/lawandorder/images/e/e2/Serena_Southerlyn.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110508200003&path-prefix=de

Serena probably spent more time working with Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) than any of his other assistants and also spent more time arguing with him than anyone else. Jack and Serena butted heads on a lot of personal issues as well as with the law and Serena never held her tongue when she felt Jack was crossing fuzzy legal lines. The highlight of Serena's tenure on the show was when she averted a hostage situation that almost got her disbarred.

[Gideon58]

44.
Dr. Emil Skoda, Law & Order

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/21/Emil_Skoda_-_SVU.png

At the same time he was playing Schillinger on the HBO series Oz, Oscar winner J K Simmons was also playing a criminal psychologist who always interviewed suspects whose fitness to stand trial was in question. Skoda only needed about five minutes with a suspect to determine their sanity and he was rarely wrong.

[Gideon58]

43.
Detective Stan Wojciehowicz, Barney Miller

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/photopost/data/706/BM0151.jpg

Max Gail played my favorite detective in the squadroom. I loved Wojo because being a good cop was more important to him than anything in the world and was also aware that he wasn't the best cop he could be. He was surprisingly sensitive and extremely proud of his Polish heritage. One of the most beautifully human sitcom characters ever.

[Gideon58]

42.
Mary Beth Lacy, Cagney and Lacy

http://s3.amazonaws.com/img.goldderby.com/images/20110814_9_03tynedaly.jpg

Tyne Daly won four Emmys for her powerhouse work as one of the most important female characters on network television. Mary Beth Lacy was a wife, mother, police officer, and cancer victim and one of television's greatest female role models. No matter what she has done in her amazing career, I have the feeling that for most people, Daly will always be Mary Beth Lacy.

[Gideon58]

41.
Grace Van Owen, LA Law

http://www.virginmedia.com/images/la-law-grace-van-owen-290x4.jpg

Susan Dey made a strong impression as the fiery lady lawyer who eventually became a judge while juggling romances with Michael Cuzak (Harry Hamlin) and Victor Sifuentes (Jimmy Smits).

[Gideon58]

40.
Keegan Deane, Rake

http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1577709/images/o-RAKE-facebook.jpg

Greg Kinnear stars as one of TV's most unique lawyers. Keegan Deane is a divorced dad, penniless, and lives with his best friend (John Ortiz) and his family. He has massive gambling debts and gets periodic visits from loan shark muscle to remind him of said debts. He is dating a prostitute but won't commit to her or pay for her services. But he's also a shark in the courtroom and is known for defending the indefensible. Kinnear's enormous onscreen charisma makes watching this living on the edge character appointment television because every time you think the guy is going under, he slithers out from underneath the muck thanks to his charm and skill in the courtroom.

[Gideon58]

39.
Robert T. Ironside, Ironside

http://a.scpr.org/i/385916026225684651b570e77d1546c7/69466-full.jpg

How could you not love a detective who solved major crimes in San Francisco without ever getting out of his wheelchair? The fact that he was played by the same guy who played Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) didn't hurt.

[Gideon58]

38.
Jason Gideon, Criminal Minds

http://www.cinemablend.com/images/sections/69741/_1422566541.jpg

There is life after Chicago Hope and Mandy Patinkin proved it when he became the head of this FBI crime unit. Jason was strong, serious, sensitive, and had a keen sense of being lied to...even though the actor left the show a few seasons ago, the character was only killed off this season.

[Gideon58]

37.
Michael Knight, Knight Rider

http://davidhasselhoffonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/KnightOfThePhoenixPhoto58.jpg

David Hasselhoff was totally cool as Michael Knight, a detective who drove a really awesome car that actually talked to him and had a voice that sounded just like actor William Daniels.

[Gideon58]

36.
Sabrina Duncan, Charlie's Angels

http://images.sodahead.com/polls/004151603/1222206961_kate_jackson_aka_sabrina_duncan_answer_2_xlarge.jpeg

The show may have made Farrah Fawcett a star but Kate Jackson's Sabrina was the heart and brains of the trio.

[Gideon58]

35.
Frank Pembleton, Homicide: Life on the Street

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ADeQRTqjCQI/maxresdefault.jpg

Andre Braugher put himself on the map and won an Emmy in the process playing the arrogant, hard-nosed Baltimore detective whose specialty was breaking the perp in "the box"...you know that little interview room where the cop tries to get the bad guy to confess to the crime. Nobody worked "the box" better than Frank.

[Gideon58]

34.
Detective Ray Curtis, Law & Order

http://icydk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/18090900.jpg

Don't let the flawless looks fool you...Ray Curtis (Benjamin Bratt) worked very hard at being a cop and being accepted by his partner Lenny (Jerry Orbach). Women were constantly throwing themselves at this married father of three girls but he never strayed. He was tempted by a witness (Julia Roberts) he was protecting and by a Hollywood executive (Lauren Graham) who offered him a job as a movie tech consultant paying him three times what he made as a cop even though he wouldn't sleep with her.

[honeykid]

Nice to see an Angel on the list. I was hoping there'd be at least one.

[Gideon58]

33.
David Lee, The Good Wife

http://www.zachgrenier.info/TGW_ZGC.mov.Still001.jpg

Zach Grenier is appropriately greasy as one of the more entertaining lawyers at Lockhart/Gardner. David Lee's specialty is domestic law, but his number one priority is lining his own pockets and if something good for Lockhart/Gardner will do that for him, he's all for it. David doesn't speak with a lot of filter and was very vocal regarding Alicia's affair with Will Gardner (Josh Charles) and her decision to open her own firm. Grenier provides laughs and/or hisses every time he's onscreen.

[Gideon58]

32.
Ellenor Frutt, The Practice

http://mpmedia410.video.cyworld.com/img/001/7C/00/04/B_20090502110500752720981001.jpg

Camryn Manheim won an Emmy for her consistently fascinating work as this Boston law firm's most passionate attorney.

[Gideon58]

31.
Theo Kojak, Kojak

http://i2.cdnds.net/12/46/618x462/tv_kojak_1.jpg

"Who Loves ya Baby?"

[Gideon58]

30.
Louis Canning, The Good Wife

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/2014/02/michael_j_fox_the_good_wife.jpg

See my favorite recurring characters thread for details on this characters.

[Gideon58]

29.
Jim Gordon, Gotham

http://cdn.movieweb.com/img.news.tops/NEMeeSdsdXvVQO_1_b.jpg

He was pretty much just eye candy on The O. C., but Benjamin McKenzie is proving to be an actor of substance in this epic re-thinking of the Batman legend, which just completed its freshman season. Jim Gordon is a straight-shooter who somehow manages to rise above the corruption around him and do his job, though it has definitely had repercussions on his personal life.

[Gideon58]

28.
Ellery Queen, Ellery Queen

http://munk.org/typecast/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/jim-hutton-as-ellery-queen.jpg

The late Jim Hutton lit up the screen in this old fashioned detective series based on the classic literary detective, even utilizing the period setting. My favorite part of the show each week was right before Queen would announce who the murderer was, he would speak directly to the camera and ask the audience if they know who the killer is and then reviews the clues. Hutton received solid support from David Wayne as his dad, but Hutton was really the show here.

[Camo]

Gideon, David Lee and Louis Canning are all fantastic. I really thought there who I'd rate higher out of David and Louis and couldn't decide, so I think both of them being so close is fitting. I'll have to go back and read the parts I've missed, but I'm wondering if Elsbeth has turned up yet or if she's higher. I've always liked that the best Lawyer in the Good Wife Universe is a recurring character like Elsbeth, rather than the main character.

[Camo]

I've just went through the parts I missed. As expected I haven't seen either any or enough of these to comment. From the ones I have I love Garcia my favourite CM character and the only one with a consistent and interesting personality from what I've seen (S6 or 7). Diaz is OK but I think she's predictibally lost a lot of steam since Boyles obsession storyline finished.

Other than that I agree with HK. Rossi and Morgan are incredibly bland, Morgan slightly lifts himself from the rubble of blandness with his worn out conversations with Garcia. Still I have to disagree that there is a worse character than Hotch on the show, at first I thought it was the writers trying to save future storylines for his character, and that this personality was from direction. That was until the whole Boston Reaper storyline :facepalm:

[honeykid]

Love Kojak. If I had a list (I don't think I could do 100) I'd be slightly surprised if he wasn't top 10. Certainly not lower than 15th.

[Gideon58]

I've just went through the parts I missed. As expected I haven't seen either any or enough of these to comment. From the ones I have I love Garcia my favourite CM character and the only one with a consistent and interesting personality from what I've seen (S6 or 7). Diaz is OK but I think she's predictibally lost a lot of steam since Boyles obsession storyline finished.

Other than that I agree with HK. Rossi and Morgan are incredibly bland, Morgan slightly lifts himself from the rubble of blandness with his worn out conversations with Garcia. Still I have to disagree that there is a worse character than Hotch on the show, at first I thought it was the writers trying to save future storylines for his character, and that this personality was from direction. That was until the whole Boston Reaper storyline :facepalm:
Hotch is the one character on that show who does nothing for me...he's such a stuffed shirt.

[Gideon58]

27.
Elspeth Tascioni, The Good Wife

http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130430120806/thegoodwife/images/b/b4/Tascioni.jpg

Carrie Preston won an Emmy for her beautiful realization of one of television's truly original characters. We've seen the scatterbrained attorney who is really brilliant before, but Preston brings an original layer to this character that I've never experienced before and I can't even put my finger on what it is about her that makes her so terminally unique...maybe it's the fact that Preston never seems to be following a script , she sounds like every word and action that comes from the character is being created on the spot in front of a rolling camera. The delicious unpredictability of the character keeps the other characters and the viewers on their collective toes and I was so pleased when the Television Academy recognized what a truly unique character Preston has created...yes, she is following a script, but something tells me Preston brings an element to this character that isn't on the written page.

[Gideon58]

26.
John Steed, The Avengers

http://i49.tinypic.com/1zyexpi.jpg

Patrick Macnee carved a place for himself in television history as this stylish English detective with the bowler and a deadly umbrella. Steed had a few leading ladies throughout the show's run (with one particular standout), but he was the constant...elegant, refined, charming, and a true gentleman.

[Gideon58]

25.
Cary Agos, The Good Wife

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/thegoodwife/images/5/59/Cary_Agos.png/revision/latest?cb=20130113043131

More than a pretty face, Matt Czuchry has come into his own as Alicia's law partner in her new firm. Agos has worked on both sides of the courtroom (defending and prosecuting) and has carried a torch for the firm's investigator Kalinda Sharma (Archie Panjabi) for years despite Kalinda being bisexual. Cary's involvement with drug kingpin Lamonde Bishop (Mike Cutler) almost got him a seven year jail sentence, but was released due to Kalinda falsifying some evidence for him. I hope they can make this go away, because Cary is WAY too interesting a character to have languishing in a jail cell.

[Camo]

Thank you for including Elsbeth :up: . Personally I'd have her a lot higher than Cary, IMO he's the least consistently well charectarized.

[Camo]

Also I'd suggest using spoiler tags on Cary's entry.

[Gideon58]

Also I'd suggest using spoiler tags on Cary's entry.
How do I do spoiler tags?

[Gideon58]

24.
Jessica Fletcher, Murder She Wrote

http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/18900000/Angela-Lansbury-as-Jessica-Fletcher-murder-she-wrote-18910780-640-480.jpg

The show wasn't flashy or unpredictable and really never pushed the dramatic envelope, but it attracted a lot of big name guest stars and there's one reason why...Angela Lansbury. Stage, screen, or television, Lansbury is an actress that everybody wants to work with and this show was no exception. Lansbury played a novelist who solved murders on the side and was nominated for six Emmys and seven golden globes for her efforts. She did win a Globe but never won an Emmy for some reason.

[Gideon58]

23.
Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, Hart to Hart

http://a.abcnews.com/images/Entertainment/gty_robert_wagner_stefanie_powers_hart_to_hart_thg_131016_16x9_608.jpg

Talk about guilty pleasures...technically, Jonathan and Jennifer weren't detectives...they were wealthy, jet-setting socialites who sort of accidentally "happened" upon crimes (usually murders) and ended up getting to the bottom of things. Solving murders was a hobby of the Harts and if you can accept that, this show was a whole lot of fun. The chemistry between Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers burned a hole through the screen and was so palpable that a lot of people thought were a couple IRL (they were not). The Harts had a chauffeur named Max (Lionel Stander), a dog named Freeway, and more money than God.

[Gideon58]

22.
Maxwell Smart, Get Smart

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/DonAdams.jpg

Mel Brooks and Buck Henry created this hysterically funny James Bond satire that made a star out of Don Adams. Adams' Maxwell Smart, Agent 86, was not the sharpest tool in the drawer, but he somehow managed to get the job done with the help of Agent 99 (Barbara Feldon), whose relationship eventually blossomed into a romance. Edward Platt played the Chief of CONTROL, the organization that 86 and 99 worked for and they occasionally got an assist from a robot named Hymie (Dick Gautier).

[Gideon58]

21.
Casey Novak, Law & Order: SVU

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/lawandorder/images/c/ce/Novak.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20100906201842&path-prefix=de

Casey became the new Assistant DA after Alexandra Cabot (Stephanie March) went into witness protection. Casey worked a little more on instinct than Alex...she didn't always have rock solid evidence going into court, but she liked to go with her gut and sometimes her emotions would get the best of her and she was often butting heads with Judge Elizabeth Donnelly (Judith Light) because of it. Casey also had no problem waking up judges in the middle of the night or interrupting a judge's weekly poker game to obtain a signature on a search warrant. Diane Neal, the actress who played Casey, made her initial appearance on the show as a defendant, one of three women accused of raping a male stripper and then returned to the show as Casey Novak.

[Gideon58]

20.
Kalinda Sharma, The Good Wife

http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1427023/images/o-ARCHIE-PANJABI-facebook.jpg

Ice, ice, ice baby...this bisexual investigator for Lockhart/Gardner redefines the word "cool". Archie Panjabi has already won an Emmy for her work on the show and has chemistry with every single person she has ever done a scene with.

[Gideon58]

19.
Ray Fiske, Damages

http://www.cheese-magnet.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/2007_damages_004.jpg

One of the industry's most underrated actors, Zeljko Ivanek won an Emmy for his superb work as the personal attorney for billionaire Arthur Frobisher (Ted Danson) who tirelessly toiled for his biggest client without question or complaint until his moral compass could no longer be compromised.

[Camo]

Not a big fan of Murder She Wrote, but I like Angela Lansbury. Ray Fiske was excellent, one of the best things about Season 1 IMO. I must admit I liked Kalinda a lot more in the earlier seasons, not that I dislike her now but she's just changed in a way I can't really describe.

[Gideon58]

18.
Will Gardner, The Good Wife

http://images.buddytv.com/btv_2_400002804_1_434_593_0_/josh-charles-photos.jpg

Josh Charles found the role of his career as Will Gardner, the other name partner who went to law school with Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) and hired her at Lockhart/Gardner. Will's brief affair with Alicia had all sorts of repercussions to both of their lives and careers but Charles created a lawyer who could be flashy in and out of the courtroom.

[Miss Vicky]

More shows that I don't watch.

I know I watched Hart to Hart when I was a kid, but the only thing I remember about it was that they had a dog named Freeway.

[Camo]

Will was great :up: .

[Camo]

I was just going through the first pages and noticed I missed Diane Lockhart, Captain Holt and Shane. Love them all especially Shane who would make my top 5. Walton Higgins is one of my favourite actors :)

[dadgumblah]

Well, Gideon, another great thread from you. I'm really jazzed because I've watched most of these characters (except for a certain few---just not enough time in the world) and I'm hoping a certain handful will be in the Top Ten. Here are some of my favorites that you've posted so far:
Honey West, Mick Belker, Abby Carmichael, Joe Friday, Christie Love, James Martinez, Ron Harris (loved the title of Harris' book, "Blood on the Badge" :)), Joe Mannix, Jackie Chiles, Ben Matlock, Kay Howard (Homicide: Life on the Street is a particular favorite), Mike Longstreet (another special guest on the show, none other than Bruce Lee as Mike's self-defense trainer, although I can't remember for how many episodes), Captain Holt, Dan Fielding, Terry Jeffords, John Kelly, John Munch, Phil Fish, Claudette Wyms (love CCH Pounder---she's now on CSI: New Orleans), Bobby Simone, Barney Miller, Donald Cragan, Diane Russell, David Addison, Ed Green, Stan Wojciehowicz (poor Wojo, always telling people, "It's spelled like it sounds," serving only to confuse people more), Grace Van Owen, Frank Pembleton (one of my all-time favorite characters. He lived to tear suspects apart in the Box, and struggled between his job and his Catholic upbringing), John Steed (grew up with The Avengers and especially loved the particular female partner I hope you're referring to), Casey Novak: Diane Neal is now a semi-regular on the original CSI show), Ray Fiske (just an outstanding job by Ivanek).

Looking forward to the rest of the list!

[Gideon58]

Donnie never get's love like his brother Mark does, I was fairly surprised how good Donnie was on Blue Bloods when I first saw it
I've been blown away by Donnie's work on Blue Bloods since the pilot. If the truth be told, I think he's a better actor than his brother, Mark.

[Gideon58]

OMG, I can't believe you remembered the name of Harris' book and as for Steed's best partner, she is coming up and I'm pretty sure we're on the same page here.

[Gideon58]

17.
Gina Linetti, Brooklyn Nine Nine

http://assets.wornon.tv/uploads/2013/10/ginas-floral-graphic-sweater.jpg

Chelsea Peretti cracks me up every week as the wise-ass secretary to Captain Holt (Andre Braugher) who pretty much has venom toward everyone in the squad room except for Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews), about whom I'm sure she has regular sex dreams. She reserves most of her venom for Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio) despite accidentally stumbling into bed with him leading to a brief affair and the marriage of their parents and for Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero) whose obsession with being the apple of Captain Holt's eye provides Gina with constant material.

[Gideon58]

16.
Sylvia Costas, NYPD Blue

http://www.snakkle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/sharon-lawrence-NYPD-Blue-tv-show-1993-2005-photo-GC.jpg

Sharon Lawrence registered as the tough but fair assistant district attorney who had a long and rocky relationship with Detective Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz).

[Gideon58]

15.
Claire Huxtable, The Cosby Show

http://d1o2xrel38nv1n.cloudfront.net/files/2014/10/clair.jpg

Yes, for those who may have forgotten Claire (Phylicia Rachad) was an attorney. I only remember actually seeing her in court once, defending daughter Sondra (Sabrina Le Boeuf) in some civil suit against a mechanic and I do remember a scene in her office with another attorney played by Mercedes Ruehl. Claire's most memorable work as an attorney came when she set up a mock trial at the house to get the truth regarding Theo coming home very late from school one day and her motherly/attorney instincts weren't buying Theo's story.

[Gideon58]

14.
Lt. Al Giardello, Homocide: Life on the Street

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rY0jRzsUYiw/UJf4iudj8gI/AAAAAAAAGrY/ctoR5WW1YkA/s1600/Yaphet_Kotto-400w.jpg

Yappet Kotto's larger than life screen presence perfectly inhabited the no-nonsense chief of TV's most famous Baltimore police district.

[Gideon58]

13.
Denny Crane, Boston Legal

http://boston-legal.org/6-object/images/4x6-boston-legal-denny-punctuates-3.jpg

William Shatner became a TV star all over again with this strikingly original character from the mind of David E. Kelley. Denny Crane is a name partner in the firm, but he is a partner in name only, a figurehead if you will, because his mental health has been an ongoing issue for years that has actually kept him out of the courtroom. He is a homophobic bigot who keeps a gun in his office drawer and sexually harassed just about every female client who waltzed through the doors. His reputation even got his name on a "no fly" list direct from Washington DC. No matter what he did, best friend and co-attorney Alan Shore (James Spader) always had his back, getting Denny out of more than his share of cringe-worthy situations. Every episode ended with Denny and Alan sitting on the terrace outside of Denny's office sipping scotch and smoking cigars.

[Gideon58]

12.
Jake Peralta, Brooklyn Nine Nine

http://assets.wornon.tv/uploads/2014/03/jakes-red-blue-check-shirt1.jpg

I always felt Andy Samberg was being wasted on SNL and was proved wrong when he was handed this gem of a role in this laugh-out loud Fox comedy. Andy's Jake Peralta is a detective who wants to be the kind of detective that you see on TV and in the movies and forgets sometimes that he's an actual cop. He finds the humor in almost any situation and is quick to read everyone in the squad room even though he is in deep denial about his attraction to Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero) or the man crush that Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio) seems to have on him. He also seems to have made it his personal mission to make Captain Holt (Andre Braugher) laugh out loud...someday. One of the funniest characters on prime time television right now.

[honeykid]

Claire is a fantastic choice. :)

[nebbit]

Loving this thread :yup: great stuff :)

[gbgoodies]

I couldn't get into "Brooklyn Nine Nine", but this thread is making me wish I watched "The Good Wife". There have been a bunch of characters from "The Good Wife" listed here, so it's probably a good show.

[Camo]

You should GBG its a great show. I was the only who voted for it in the TV countdown. I like both Gina and Jake from this page.

[honeykid]

I didn't get along with Brooklyn Nine-Nine either, gbg. I would recommend The Good Wife, though. I've only seen the first two seasons, but I really liked it.

[Gideon58]

I couldn't get into "Brooklyn Nine Nine", but this thread is making me wish I watched "The Good Wife". There have been a bunch of characters from "The Good Wife" listed here, so it's probably a good show.
The Good Wife has flashes of brilliance at times...superb writing, flawed and fascinating characters and some scorching performances, it is appointment television for me. If you decide to watch it, you need to watch from the beginning and have yourself a marathon, it's the only way to appreciate what's going on now.

[Gideon58]

11.
Vic Mackey, The Shield

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/theshield/images/8/8c/Shield_Season_7-_Vic's_demands.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20140203063336

Michael Chiklis created one of TV's most enigmatic and fascinating characters in Vic Mackey. Vic Mackey works for a small inner city police squad referred to as "The Barn", but Vic was anything but a conventional cop. Vic was as dirty as they come, protecting drug dealers for the proper compensation among other things and keeping a huge cache of money that he split with his crew, four or five fellow officers who assisted Vic in his dirt. Vic and his crew even hijacked a "money train" once that was carrying millions. Boss David Aceveda (Benito Martinez) and co-worker Claudette Wyms (CCH Pounder) were on to Vic, but were never able to prove anything. As expected, Vic had a questionable moral compass that was hard to track at times...he was married and the father of a special needs child, whose care was one of the primary motivations for Vic's dirty money. He did have an affair with fellow officer Danni Sofer (Catherine Dent) and unceremoniously dumped her. He used a heroine addict and mother as an informant and would take care of her child when she was in jail or rehab. Vic did a lot of bad things for the right reasons...he was tough, serious-minded, insensitive, and yes, I'll say it...sexy.

[Camo]

Mackey would be an easy top five for me.

[Gideon58]

10.
Detective Lenny Briscoe, Law & Order

http://ileenieweenie.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Briscoe_Coma1.jpg

The late Jerry Orbach created a character that became the heart and soul of this show for over a decade. Lenny was a world weary, alcoholic, old school detective, divorced multiple times and the father of a daughter he has no relationship with. Lenny liked doing things the old fashioned way, he had to be coached on how to use a cell phone and don't even talk to him about the internet. Lenny got along great with Van Buren (S. Epatha Merkeson) and with medical examiner Elizabeth Rodgers (Leslie Hendrix), but had little patience for the "order" part of the job...Lenny would get really pissed when a perp he had worked so hard to nail would be found not guilty in court.

[Gideon58]

9.
Alicia Florrick, The Good Wife

http://rack.0.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDE0LzEwLzI3L2Y2L2FsaWNpYWZsb3JyLmNjMDg4LmpwZwpwCXRodW1iCTk1MHg1MzQjCmUJanBn/b9d3677c/d64/alicia-florrick-old-spice.jpg

Alicia (Julianna Margulies) is a great lawyer and mother...see my Favorite Moms thread for further details on this character.

[Gideon58]

8.
Alan Shore, The Practice/Boston Legal

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef01543385eb18970c-800wi

James Spader won three Emmys for his work as this flawed and fascinating character originally introduced on The Practice but then spun off onto Boston Legal. Alan Shore was a shark in the courtroom and was not above using underhanded tactics to win a case. He was completely unpredictable in the courtroom, but something he never wavered on was his friendship with Denny Crane (William Shatner). Alan would do anything for Denny and did. For me, the best part of each episode of the show was Alan's closing statement at the end of the trial... always brilliantly written and flawlessly performed.

[Camo]

Alicia would be very high on mine also. Great character.

[gbgoodies]

The Good Wife has flashes of brilliance at times...superb writing, flawed and fascinating characters and some scorching performances, it is appointment television for me. If you decide to watch it, you need to watch from the beginning and have yourself a marathon, it's the only way to appreciate what's going on now.


Other than sitcoms, I rarely watch TV shows from the middle. Once I miss the first few seasons, I try to watch for a good price for the DVDs, starting with season one. I'll have to start watching for "The Good Wife". Hopefully someone will have it on sale around Black Friday. That's usually when I splurge on multiple DVD box sets at low prices.

[gbgoodies]

10.
Detective Lenny Briscoe, Law & Order

https://thenypost.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/orbach.jpg

The late Jerry Orbach created a character that became the heart and soul of this show for over a decade. Lenny was a world weary, alcoholic, old school detective, divorced multiple times and the father of a daughter he has no relationship with. Lenny liked doing things the old fashioned way, he had to be coached on how to use a cell phone and don't even talk to him about the internet. Lenny got along great with Van Buren (S. Epatha Merkeson) and with medical examiner Elizabeth Rodgers (Leslie Hendrix), but had little patience for the "order" part of the job...Lenny would get really pissed when a perp he had worked so hard to nail would be found not guilty in court.


Lenny Briscoe would probably be higher on my list.

[Funny Face]

I guess I don't watch too many law or crime shows. Haven't see very many from this list. Bummed that Forever got cancelled because I'd watch that with my mom and I liked the characters.

Might have to check out Gotham since I'm a fan of anything Batman.

Crossing my fingers that Sheriff Taylor and Deputy Fife make your list!

[gbgoodies]

I guess I don't watch too many law or crime shows. Haven't see very many from this list. Bummed that Forever got cancelled because I'd watch that with my mom and I liked the characters.

Might have to check out Gotham since I'm a fan of anything Batman.

Crossing my fingers that Sheriff Taylor and Deputy Fife make your list!


I'm upset about "Forever" being cancelled too. It was one of my favorite new shows. :(

I'm kind of disappointed with "Gotham", but I haven't given up on it yet. It looks like they may have killed off a character that I hate, so hopefully next season will be better.

[Gideon58]

7.
Teddy Hoffman, Murder One

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/lawandorder/images/f/f2/Wade_Bookman.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20080510140559

The freshman season of this ABC series focused on one case and the fight to bring this murderer to justice and the defense attorney at the center of it all, Teddy Hoffman was brilliantly brought to life by actor Daniel Benzali and his work alone was reason enough to watch the show and merit this list.

[Gideon58]

6.
Jack McCoy, Law & Order

http://por-img.cimcontent.net/cms/data/assets/bin-201411/889325130fee3aa10b911ca5838d6daf_600x400.jpg

For more than a decade, Law & Order belonged to Lenny Briscoe and this character. Jack McCoy was the fiery and passionate Assistant DA who worked tirelessly to get the perps Lenny, Van Buren, & company brought to him behind bars and making sure they stayed there. I know the phrase has been overused on this thread, but Jack was REALLY all about the job...no personal life to speak of, though an ex-wife (played by Laila Robbins), did appear at one point. Once Jack was convinced of someone's guilt, there was nothing that would stop him from making sure the person was behind bars, not caring about things like inadmissable or improperly obtained evidence. Jack would often let his emotions get the best of him, courting contempt charges and dropped charges on several occasions, but for the record, Jack's win column was a lot longer than his loss column.

[gbgoodies]

6.
Jack McCoy, Law & Order

http://por-img.cimcontent.net/cms/data/assets/bin-201411/889325130fee3aa10b911ca5838d6daf_600x400.jpg

For more than a decade, Law & Order belonged to Lenny Briscoe and this character. Jack McCoy was the fiery and passionate Assistant DA who worked tirelessly to get the perps Lenny, Van Buren, & company brought to him behind bars and making sure they stayed there. I know the phrase has been overused on this thread, but Jack was REALLY all about the job...no personal life to speak of, though an ex-wife (played by Laila Robbins), did appear at one point. Once Jack was convinced of someone's guilt, there was nothing that would stop him from making sure the person was behind bars, not caring about things like inadmissable or improperly obtained evidence. Jack would often let his emotions get the best of him, courting contempt charges and dropped charges on several occasions, but for the record, Jack's win column was a lot longer than his loss column.


I love Jack McCoy. He would be higher on my list, maybe even #1. He was the first person I thought of when I saw this list.

[Gideon58]

5.
Mrs. Emma Peel, The Avengers

http://cdn2.iofferphoto.com/img3/item/168/093/027/the-avengers-diana-rigg-32f74.jpg

All of TV's lady crimefighters owe this lady for bringing legitimacy to what they did. Emma Peel was the classiest female bad ass in television history and no other lady looked as good as she did doing it. The sight of Rigg in that black body suit is burned into my brain forever and I loved watching her kick a bad guy's ass. The chemistry between Rigg and Patrick Macnee's John Steed was off the charts and I also loved the fact that Steed never forgot that Emma was "Mrs. Peel." The final scene that Rigg and Macnee did together on this show had me in tears. Emma Peel was a class act.

[Gideon58]

4.
Olivia Pope, Scandal

http://www.thetvaddict.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/kerry_washington.jpg

Technically, Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) is not a law enforcer or crime solver, but I ask anyone who has never seen the show to watch one episode and tell me this character doesn't belong on this thread.

[Gideon58]

3.
Olivia Benson, Law & Order: SVU

http://s3.amazonaws.com/img.goldderby.com/images/20110814_206_10mariskahargitay.jpg

Mariska Hargitay has worked very hard to make this show her own. Olivia Benson, a child of rape herself, has worked tirelessly bringing down rapists and child molesters for over a decade. Her relationship with her married partner Elliott (Christopher Meloni) was very special but they never crossed that line. Olivia's special concern for the welfare of children in danger was always apparent and I always knew that being a mother was of paramount importance to Olivia. Her dream was finally realized this season when she adopted the child of a murdered prostitute. I've always loved the balance this show has given Olivia where her job and personal life are concerned, bringing us a rich character we have grown to love over the years.

[honeykid]

Olivia Pope and Teddy Hoffman are both great choices. Love both of them.

[Gideon58]

2.
Detective Andy Sipowicz, NYPD Blue

http://static.tvgcdn.net/MediaBin/Galleries/Editorial/090629/Mustaches/mustaches_dennisfranz_nypdblue16.jpg

Dennis Franz won 4 Emmys and a Golden Globe for his work as one of the most richly complex television characters ever created. Andy Sipowicz was a solid veteran cop who was about the job and when he wasn't, he kept the rest of the universe at arm's length, reluctant to develop relationships with people because in his line of work, he would start a relationship and it would be taken away from him. Andy was also an alcoholic who struggled daily with his disease. He took the departures of his first two partners, John Kelly (David Caruso) and Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits) extremely hard and rarely opened up to anyone. He did finally begin a tentative relationship with ADA Sylvia Costas (Sharon Lawrence), which actually led to marriage but she was taken from Andy as well. Despite the constant turmoil in his personal life, Andy never stopped being the best cop on the squad, a guy whose every move made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.


Usually, I'm worn out after a list like this, but I really enjoyed this one, I thought coming up with 100 was reaching, but it wasn't at all...as always, I would like to list some honorable mentions:

Thomas Magnum, Magnum PI
Leland Mackenzie, LA Law
Mark McCormick, Hardcastle and McCormick
Ally McBeal, Ally McBeal
Frank Furillo, Hill Street Blues
Rosalind Shay, LA Law
Rafael Barba, Law & Order: SVU
Jerry Espinson, Boston Legal
Bobby Donnell, The Practice

OK, here we go...I don't think my # 1 will be a big shock to anyone because if you've been looking at the first 99 names and what shows they came from, you will notice one obvious admission...my # 1 Law Enforcer/Crime Solver is:

[Gideon58]

1.
Detective Elliott Stabler, Law & Order: SVU

http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/2600000/Det-Elliot-Stabler-law-and-order-svu-2671907-720-480.jpg

Stabler (played by the smoking hot Christopher Meloni) was the hot-headed SVU detective who was probably the subject of more IAB investigations than any other detective in the unit...like Homicide's Framk Pembleton, Elliott did some of his best work inside "the Box"...getting that confession that was needed because sometimes compromised evidence or silenced witnesses made a confession necessary and Elliott often went a little too far in securing the confession he needed. On the personal side, Elliott would walk through fire for his partner Olivia (Mariska Hargitay), but never forgot that he was a married man with four children. His wife, Kathleen was very suspicious of Elliott's relationship with Olivia and they did separate for awhile, but even when they were separated, Elliott found time to come to the house after work and kiss his kids goodnight, even if they were asleep.




Hope you enjoyed the list.

[Gideon58]

I guess I don't watch too many law or crime shows. Haven't see very many from this list. Bummed that Forever got cancelled because I'd watch that with my mom and I liked the characters.

Might have to check out Gotham since I'm a fan of anything Batman.

Crossing my fingers that Sheriff Taylor and Deputy Fife make your list!
Sorry Andy and Barney didn't even enter my thought process for some reason.

[Gideon58]

Olivia Pope and Teddy Hoffman are both great choices. Love both of them.
Thanks Honeykid, I was reluctant about Teddy Hoffman because I was afraid no one would remember him...I remember when that show was on the air, NO ONE that I knew was watching the show and I had no one to discuss it with...the watercooler show that should have been. Benzali was the man!

[gbgoodies]

1.
Detective Elliott Stabler, Law & Order: SVU

http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/2600000/Det-Elliot-Stabler-law-and-order-svu-2671907-720-480.jpg

Stabler (played by the smoking hot Christopher Meloni) was the hot-headed SVU detective who was probably the subject of more IAB investigations than any other detective in the unit...like Homicide's Framk Pembleton, Elliott did some of his best work inside "the Box"...getting that confession that was needed because sometimes compromised evidence or silenced witnesses made a confession necessary and Elliott often went a little too far in securing the confession he needed. On the personal side, Elliott would walk through fire for his partner Olivia (Mariska Hargitay), but never forgot that he was a married man with four children. His wife, Kathleen was very suspicious of Elliott's relationship with Olivia and they did separate for awhile, but even when they were separated, Elliott found time to come to the house after work and kiss his kids goodnight, even if they were asleep.




Hope you enjoyed the list.



Great choice for #1. He would have been very high on my list too. :up:

This was a great list, but I'm surprised that Bobby Donnell from "The Practice" only made it to Honorable Mention. I expected him to make the list.

[honeykid]

Thanks Honeykid, I was reluctant about Teddy Hoffman because I was afraid no one would remember him...I remember when that show was on the air, NO ONE that I knew was watching the show and I had no one to discuss it with...the watercooler show that should have been. Benzali was the man!
Murder One was fantastic. Did you see the second season? Not a patch on the first for a number of reasons, but still worth watching, IMO.

You're right about the first season, too. I don't know if it was popular over here or not, but I remember it coming over and the whole thing about it being one case, from the committing of the crime to the conclusion of the casem being a big thing. I think it was the first time a drama had done that.

Benzali was the man, there's no doubt, but a worthy foe always improves the hero and in Stanley Tucci's Richard Cross he had one of the best.

[Funny Face]

Sorry Andy and Barney didn't even enter my thought process for some reason.
Ha! Whenever I read your lists there are always a good portion of characters that make me think- oh I never would have thought of that so it's funny to me that the only characters that popped into my mind didn't make your list. :lol:

Fun list!

:up:

[Iroquois]

Great list, Gideon. Love to see the inclusion of multiple Brooklyn Nine-Nine characters as it's one of the few shows on here I'm sufficiently familiar with, and I also like how this list doesn't include a single character from The Wire (and I say that as someone who cites The Wire as one of his favourite shows).

[Gideon58]

Murder One was fantastic. Did you see the second season? Not a patch on the first for a number of reasons, but still worth watching, IMO.

You're right about the first season, too. I don't know if it was popular over here or not, but I remember it coming over and the whole thing about it being one case, from the committing of the crime to the conclusion of the casem being a big thing. I think it was the first time a drama had done that.

Benzali was the man, there's no doubt, but a worthy foe always improves the hero and in Stanley Tucci's Richard Cross he had one of the best.
I did watch the second season of Murder One, but preferred the first and as for Stanley Tucci, this show was my first exposure to him and he's in Stockard Channing territory...every performance is a master acting class.

[Gideon58]

Great list, Gideon. Love to see the inclusion of multiple Brooklyn Nine-Nine characters as it's one of the few shows on here I'm sufficiently familiar with, and I also like how this list doesn't include a single character from The Wire (and I say that as someone who cites The Wire as one of his favourite shows).
As much as I tried, I could never get into The Wire and I'm not sure why, just found it confusing and hard to follow I guess.