TV Character Meme

[filkertom]

Nicked from admnaismith:

a. Post a list of 10 TV shows you watch (current or cancelled!)
b. Have your friends list guess your favourite CHARACTER from each show
c. When guessed bold the line and write a sentence about why you like that character
d. Post in your own livejournal.

1. Mystery Science Theater 3000 -- it's hard to pick among the members of a perfect cast, but Kevin Murphy's Tom Servo is such a wonderful bundle of song, trivia, vocal impressions, shtick, and neuroses that there's no way the show would be anywhere near as much fun without him.
2. Babylon 5 -- The incredible complexity of Londo Mollari is in many ways the lynchpin of the series (you could easily make the case that, without him and G'Kar and their warring worlds, nothing else would've had the same spice), and his journey from obscurity to monstrosity and, ultimately, to tragic hero of a sort, is breathtaking.
3. American Gothic -- There is talk now and again of an American Gothic movie... but I believe no one could possibly approach the performance of Gary Cole as Sheriff Lucas Buck, my choice for the slickest, sexiest, and most evil character ever created by anybody.
4. Batman: The Animated Series -- this one was sneaky. The first two episodes featuring Roddy McDowall as Jervis Tetch, The Mad Hatter, are heartbreaking in their portrayal of a lonely genius who wants love, wants to fit in, wants what other people have... and if he can't have it, why, he'll make them think his way.... His attempted vengeance on Batman is especially horrific, and to my mind these were the episodes that said, "If you thought this was a kid's show, think again".
5. Batman (live-action, Adam West) -- As portrayed by Frank Gorshin, the Riddler was the total package: madness, brilliance, evil, and style.
6. Iron Chef -- It could've been Sakai, for whom I have immense respect, or Morimoto, who manages to project both haute cuisine and bushido... but Chairman Kaga made you believe that, not only was there a Kitchen Stadium, but it really wasn't worth living in a world without a Kitchen Stadium.
7. Northern Exposure -- Adam, the paranoid hateful bastard who was possibly the greatest chef on the planet, kicked every episode he appeared on into overdrive.
8. The Perils of Penelope Pitstop -- Can't help it. Sylvester Sneakly and his alter-ego, The Hooded Claw. Constantly menacing the gorgeous heroine, wearing a cape, kidnapping the beautiful damsel, evil laughter, tying up the buxom young wench (who doesn't panic, but only asks what's the plot this time, so I suspect she's something of a BD/SM freak herself)... and he's secretly good-looking and well-off himself. What's not to like?
9. Seinfeld -- This is a bit of a ringer, as I loathe Seinfeld. I think Jerry is a barely-talented comic and performer, and I think the show was the only example in the history of the world where a man was paid a million dollars a week for his own therapy. (And, lemme tell you, if I was bringin' down that much cabbage, I'd be cured as all hell.) But Jason Alexander, who has made a career of playing obnoxious, unlikable creeps, perfects it on this show. The man is incredibly talented, and I'd like to see him play someone likable now and then.
10. WWF/WWE Raw -- the most electrifying man in sports entertainment, the Great One, the People's Champion. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is as good as it gets on pretty much every level: a top-notch athlete with no fear, possibly the best and most creative microphone man in the history of wrestling, equally good as a heel or a babyface, and a team player who not only knows that it's a show and sometimes he has to lose for the show to go on, but who has no overblown self-image that needs to be fed... but his character does, and that's what really, really makes it work. If the Rock weren't so prone to outrage and reaction, he wouldn't be nearly as much fun.

Thanks to everyone for playing!

Comments

[ericcoleman]

5. Batman (live-action, Adam West)

This is a guess, but I am thinking that it has to be a villain, and the coolest (IMNSHO) was Frank Gorshin as the Riddler

[r-caton.livejournal.com]

I always liked Cesar Romero's Joker...complete with whiteface makeup over a moustache!

[admnaismith.livejournal.com]

#6: Kaga (2d. choice: Squeeze-on!)

#8: Muttley.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Muttley was on Wacky Races, not TPOPP.

[sarekofvulcan.livejournal.com]

Babylon 5 -- Vir? "...and I'll wave like this. Can you and your associates arrange that for me, Mr. Morden?"

[ciarrai.livejournal.com]

I would guess Londo or Mr. Garibaldi, but my money is on Londo.

[technocracygirl.livejournal.com]

2. Ivanova
6. Chen Kenichi

[aylinn.livejournal.com]

4 - batman animated - the Joker. gotta be.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

And you'd be so close to right. :) Absolutely, without question, number two on the list, and the best frickin' Joker ever. But I have my reasons....

[seeliefey.livejournal.com]

I'm going to guess Chris Stevens for Northern Exposure.

[andrianna.livejournal.com]

1) Crooooooooow

[singlemaltsilk.livejournal.com]

3. Sheriff Lucas Buck (AG is one of my all-time fave tv series!)

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

If you've heard Tom's current album, that should have been obvious! Sexy song that. Yum.

[anneb.livejournal.com]

Northern Exposure- Marilyn or Adam, the gourmet chef sasquatch.

[unclelumpy.livejournal.com]

1. Tom Servo (Duh!)
4. Not the Joker, eh? Hmmm... Harley Quinn?
10. Oh, come ON! "Stand back, there's a HURRICANE comin' through!"

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

4. Nope, but she's in the top five.
10. Again, top five.

[madmanotl.livejournal.com]

8. The Bully Brothers
9. Newman
10. Mankind/Nick Foley

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

So close....

[admnaismith.livejournal.com]

10. Chyna--that psycho bitch leather queen killer bombshell. She can carry me across the threshold any time.

I'm guessing. TV just isn't my thing.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

I dunno, man. Besides the fact that they tripled her breasts and planed her jawline, she's apparently really violent. As in, used to abuse Sean Waltman all the time. Now there's a screwed-up relationship.

[huskiebear.livejournal.com]

9. Seinfeld??? You hate Seinfeld! It's gotta be George, though... cause it proves how good an actor Jason Alexander is.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Nope. Actually, you found the Secret Special Case, precisely in every detail.

[falconcat.livejournal.com]

I more than agree with you opinion of Lucas Buck!

[liddle-oldman.livejournal.com]

It's my understanding that the original concept was sort of Molari's memories of the five years...

Londo was one of the most complex characters, in my opinion. His spiral into darkness was heavily colored by the fact that he had far more welf knowledge than was good for him; and he eventually repented. But far, far too late.

A great man damned by a tragic flaw -- and aware of it as he strode down, and down, and down.

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

There's a hint of that left at the very beginning of the intro of The Gathering. Londo does the introductory monologue: "I vos dere at de dawn of the Third Age of Mankind..."

[liddle-oldman.livejournal.com]

Oh, and, Batman, the Animated Series -- might it actually be Batman?

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Kevin Conroy is amazing as Batman, no doubt. And, especially, his and Hamill's work in Return of the Joker is stunning. But Mr. J and the Bat would be Numbers 2 and 3, respectively.

[seeliefey.livejournal.com]

Wild Guess, favorite Batman TAS character... Harvey Bullock?

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Guess for #4 - Selina/Catwoman?

[jadasc.livejournal.com]

4. Victor Freis, aka Mr. Freeze.
10. On RAW? Geez. Chris Benoit?

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Huge mark for the Rabid Wolverine. Top five. Nope.

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

4. Not the Bat nor the Joker? You are a constant puzzlement, mister.

How about Alfred Pennyworth? Even drier and more constant than his movie counterpart, and voiced by Clive Revill yet.

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

[Scritching head] The Mad Hatter? Oh-kay. I did not recall that Roddy McDowell lived long enough to be in this show. Maybe they should have had him play the Bookworm and created a new trivia question? Hehehe.

[folkmew.livejournal.com]

Hey! You're probably a great person to ask this! My kids are somewhat obsessed with Batman and really want to see the movie (which I own). But I won't let them see it because I think it's too violent and Jack Nicholson is just too intense and... well, the whole package is just too dark for now. (although we let them watch Spiderman2 and had minor regrets, afterall they're only 3 and 5!) Anyway. I have fond memories of how camp and silly the Live Batman series was and of watching it with my brother but wasn't sure - it would be appropriate wouldn't it? I also eyed the Animated series but again, wasn't sure A) if it was ok for young kids and B) if it was any good.

I've given up on totally avoiding violence in their movies (for example they love Star Wars which is more violent than I, naturally, remembered) and just try to talk about it with them regularly still - I'd just as soon wait for the really nasty violence especially if there is actual "cruelty" rather than just violence.

Your opinions cheerfully accepted!

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

I remember being a big fan of the Adam West show in first run, at age 5-6. The violence is cartoony, even to big animated BIFF! POW! words on the screen when somebody gets hurt. Go for it.

The newer Batman cartoons are dark and may or may not keep their attention, but I don't consider them any "worse" than the nouveau Star Wars films, Your call, always.

All time favorite tv show

[celticferret.livejournal.com]

50 comments and I make 51, same as my age, whoo hoo!

B5 rates as my all time favorite sf show.

I remember watching Sciece Fiction Mystery Theater re-runs. I loved the show. I didn't care much for SFMT3K. The characters were annoying. I'd rather sit with my friends and make snide remarks than listen to someone else do it.

I gotta agree, Seinfeild wasn't a show I liked.

Like comfort food, I have comfort tv shows and movies. The 1950s tv show The Lone Ranger is my favorite. My favorite movie to watch and re-watch is The Bird Cage, but I'm thinking Second Hand Lions might replace it. Time will tell. Dogma is next. Ask, Dan, I'm not a person who re-watches teh same movies over and over.

KG