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After spending so very many hours watching a TV show, we form strong attachments - and revulsions - to certain characters. Let's rank 'em.

poll

Jerry Seinfeld

List of TV's most memorable characters, of all time, chosen by the Ranker community. What makes a character live on in the public's memory, even years after the original run of their respective TV programs? In some cases, it's the amount of depth that the show's writers, actors and other creators were able to bring to the character over the course of many years. For many of the greatest TV characters of all time, audiences feel like they get to know personalities like Dexter Morgan from &quot;Dexter.&quot; Even after the show leaves the air, they may not want that relationship to end. (Thankfully, they don't have to, as many shows live on for years after their cancellation on DVD and in syndication.) The best TV characters are ones that you feel like you know and that you'd want to be friends with.TV has brought many famous characters to life who have been extremely compelling, even if they are not entirely likeable. Viewers may not wish to know dangerous, shadowy figures like Tony Soprano, Vernon Schillinger, and Omar Little in reality, but following their exploits safely from the comfort of your living room can be appealing. Likewise, people who might be aloof or downright unpleasant in real life - think &quot;Mad Men's&quot; Don Draper or Al Swearengen of &quot;Deadwood&quot; - can prove charming, even admirable, when seen at a distance, with the subtext and intricacy that a top long-running TV show can provide.Who is the greatest TV character ever? This list contains the names of the greatest, most fascinating, and most enduring fictional characters from TV of all time. Be sure to vote for your favorites, and if some of your favorite popular characters aren't represented, go ahead and re-rank the list to contribute to the discussion.

Comedy

Lucy Ricardo

The funniest <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-female-tv-characters-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">female TV characters</a> are those whom we've both laughed at and laughed with, sharing their hilarious moments and sometimes their most touching ones. These funny females are mothers, friends, wives and businesswomen -- comical television character versions of the roles women play in real life. Sometimes easy to relate to, sometimes not, funny female TV characters keep viewers returning to the TV for season after season.While most truly funny women on TV can be found in sitcoms, a few of the best and funniest women in television can be found in dramas. Ally McBeal proved that a leading woman’s role could deal with dramatic situations, yet still allow the female lead to be humorous. A few of the funniest female TV characters have also come from books adapted into television shows, as in the case of Piper Chapman -- who also plays in a drama.Some of the funniest women on TV are known for their antics; a classic example is Lucy Ricardo’s failure to pronounce “Vitameatavegamin” after becoming tipsy off the health tonic of the same name. Some of TV’s funniest women are known for their rants or musings. Remember when Elaine Benes had to decide whether men were ‘spongeworthy?' No matter why viewers find them funny, these quirky, witty female characters continue to stand the test of time and give both men and women hilarious females to enjoy on TV. Whoever your favorite funny women on TV are, chances are they’ve become characters you can watch again and again. And that’s the real test: The funniest female TV characters aren’t just funny once, they’re enjoyable and humorous with repeated viewings. They’re human, they’re engaging and these funny television females give audiences not only a laugh, but a lift -- whether they earned one season, six seasons or more.

Best TV

Cosmo Kramer

These are the funniest television characters ever created, as determined by the votes and selections of Ranker users. Lots of things make up truly iconic, timelessly funny characters... the actor, the writing, the supporting cast... but in the end, it's just the character that makes you laugh yourself weak.What are the funniest characters on TV? These are the characters that still make you roll on the floor no matter if you are watching new episodes or reruns from 20 years ago. A lot of the funniest TV characters of all time, like Homer Simpson and Stewie Griffin, tend to be cartoons but there are lots of funny characters that are real-life people too. Vote for your funniest picks and add any characters you see missing. If you want to really impact this list's order, make your own ranking and add it!

Villains

Dr. Gregory House

A detailed list of the most well-liked and loveable TV anti-heroes. The most likeable TV protagonists are listed in order from most popular to least. These ambivalent but likeable anti-heroes of TV can be changed in order of popularity to fit the viewer’s opinions. Or, you can copy to make your very own list of your most favorite TV anti-heroes. This villain list can then be re-arranged to suit your ideas. &nbsp; These ambivalent villains are a mixture of both good and evil and have managed to tug at the viewer’s heartstrings over the years. Do you remember most of these anti-heroes? This list answers the question, “Who are the most popular and likeable antiheroes of television?” Taking you on a road down memory lane, this list allows you to see which anti-heroes of TV were the worst and which were <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-movie-villains-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">the best villains</a> of TV shows. &nbsp; While some TV protagonists are pure evil, many have a touch of good in them that the viewer can easily see, making the viewer sympathetic towards these quite loveable villains of television series. The viewers can often find themselves wishing only the best results for these sometimes harmless TV villains. This list allows you to choose which television anti-hero you think is the best villain of television.

Lisa Cuddy

List of the best television <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/comic-book-characters-who-are-doctors/stephanroget" target="_blank">doctors</a>, ranked by fans of the doctor characters and their medical shows. Plenty of memorable TV doctors have graced our small screens over the last 50 years, but some television doctors stand out from the rest. From medical dramas and comedies to soap operas and sci-fi thrillers, every great TV show needs a compassionate, competent and - of course - good looking <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/fictional-doctors-with-best-skills/jonathan-kantor" target="_blank">doctor to save the day</a>.

Ever since &#39;General Hospital&#39; opened its fictional doors more than 50 years ago, there has been a flood of TV shows featuring every type of TV doctor you could imagine. In the beginning, TV doctors were dependable, noble and considerate medical healers in TV shows like &#39;Medic&#39; and &#39;Dr. Kildare&#39;. As television evolved, so too did the doctors. On modern TV, doctors now feature complex personalities and dramatic background stories, such as the drug-addicted, enigmatic and astoundingly intelligent antihero Dr. Gregory House and the entire medical squad in &#39;ER&#39;.

So who are the greatest TV doctors of all time? Whether you prefer dreamy medical heroes like Derek Shephard, Michaela Quinn and James Kildare; the funny antics of Hawkeye Pierce, Perry Cox and Sheldon Cooper; or the drama that comes with Meredith Grey and Christina Yang, you can rest assured that there is an excellent fictional physician on call.

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The Governor

The best TV villains of all time rank among some of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/greatest-tv-characters-of-all-time">greatest TV characters of all time</a> as well as some of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/creepiest-characters-on-television">creepiest TV characters ever</a>. While some TV villains exist to make the lead characters appear more heroic, some of them are just plain old, nasty jerks. Regardless of their motivations, the top TV bad guys make us want to bust into the TV and kick some butt, fictional style.

Many of TV&#39;s greatest greatest villains didn&#39;t start that way; some of these men and women started out as virtuous people who took a skid into the darker ways of the world. Think of Breaking Bad&#39;s Gustavo Fring, a legitimate business man turned meth trafficking d-bag. Or Dexter Morgan who started out killing only bad guys and then went and got tangled up with killing people as a CYA offensive action. Of course, there&#39;s also people like&nbsp;Joffrey Baratheon of Game of Thrones&nbsp;and The Simpsons&#39; C. Montgomery Burns who seem to get off on tormenting people. They are the worst kind of awesome bad guys.

Who is the best <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/actors-you-forgot-played-tv-bad-guys/lina-lecaro" target="_blank">bad guy on TV</a>? What television shows have the greatest TV villains? &nbsp;This best television villains list has all the top TV villains in one place for you to vote on. If your favorite TV villain isn&#39;t on the list of the greatest TV villains, make sure to add them so other voters get to hate them as much as you do.

Female Characters

Bree Van de Kamp

List of the best dressed <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-female-tv-characters-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">female TV characters</a> currently on TV or from the past. These are the most fashionable women to grace the small screen, whether they’re powerful in Prada or beguiling in boho-chic. Sometimes quirky, other times glam, these best dressed ladies on TV have always done one thing: wowed viewers with their well-put-together styles.&nbsp;One way for fashionable TV women to catch audiences’ attention is with high-end evening wear. From slinky black dresses to shockingly pink frocks, trendsetting TV women are the focus of the party, and they command both the audience’s and the other characters’ attention. Could anyone rip his or her eyes away from Blair (“Gossip Girl”) when she stunned in the gold embroidered, peacock-inspired evening dress designed by Marchesa? The hottest TV women know how to wear designer fashions, and they wear them well.&nbsp;Of course, the best dressed women on TV don’t always dress to the nines. Even in a simple sweater and jeans, however, these fashionable television females are still the height of style. Rachel (“Glee”) is the pinnacle of casual, preppy chic, while Carrie (“Sex and the City”) could work almost any article of clothing into her eccentric, distinctive style. These fashionable TV women are so inspiring that there are websites devoted to helping viewers capture their looks and style.&nbsp;This list contains the most fashionable women on TV, the stylish female TV characters who have dressed to impress episode after episode. Whether their styles are casual, elegant, or unusual, the best dressed TV ladies are right here. Included on the list are characters who are fashionable in period costume, as well.

Jess Mariano

List of the greatest bad boys in TV history. Here is a listing of the cream of the crop when it comes to television's best bad boys. The best and the baddest of the bunch make their ensemble that much richer. Perhaps Samuel L. Jackson's character in &quot;Pulp Fiction&quot; would refer to the TV characters ranker here as &quot;BAMFS.&quot; Whatever tough guy categorization you would like to give these characters, they are undoubtedly the coolest -- if not particularly warm -- men to grace our screens every week. And nobody can down whiskey like Don Draper, just like nobody could scare television parents like bad boys next door Ryan Atwood (&quot;The O.C.&quot;) and Shawn Hunter (&quot;Boy Meets World&quot;).This list includes TV bad boy characters with dark brooding attitudes, leather jackets, motorcycles, dour dispositions, sad mysterious pasts, questionable ethics - and hopeful girls who love them anyway. Dylan McKay, Chuck Bass, and even The Fonz are at the top of our ranks. Vote up the quintessential bad boys on television to shape this list, or click rerank to make a version of your own.

Glenn Quagmire

The creepiest characters on television mess with our heads, leave us wondering and stick in our heads for a long time after their respective TV shows air. These are the fictional TV characters we love to hate for one reason or another. They might not be the scariest TV characters in a traditional sense but these are the creepiest characters on our <a href="/crowdranked-list/the-best-tv-shows-of-recent-memory" target="_blank">favorite recent TV shows</a>.Creepy television characters come in all types with each taking creepy to a new and different level. Some don't hide their creepiness, such as Herbert, the suspected pedophile from &quot;Family Guy,&quot; or Dexter Morgan, the serial killer/forensic blood splatter analyst from the Showtime series &quot;Dexter.&quot; Fans know what to expect from that type of creepy character but often it's the creepers who leave you guessing that are the creepiest TV characters of all.Take Walter White, the main character in the Emmy Award-winning drama &quot;Breaking Bad.&quot; Mr. White was a seemingly harmless family man and high school teacher who &quot;broke bad&quot; and took on an alter ego capable of unspeakable crimes. The uncertainty of the realm of possibility for the character makes him incredibly fascinating and beyond creepy.The same goes for characters that are highly secretive or not completely explained which opens the doors for all types of creepy. &quot;LOST&quot; fans didn't know what the elusive Smoke Monster was for nearly all six seasons the show aired but it was well established that it was definitely a threat to take seriously.Whether these creepy TV characters put all their cards on the table and embrace their creepy tendencies or leave fans guessing what they will do next, each offer plenty of food for thought on some of our favorite television shows. Everyone is creeped out by something or other so if we missed your favorite creepy TV character, add him, her or it below.

Fictional Characters

Shane Walsh

Television is fun, but some TV characters are just the worst. For every beloved character on television, whether it be Mary Tyler Moore of The Mary Tyler Moore Show or everyone&#39;s favorite resident of the Seven Kingdoms, Tyrion Lannister, there is an equally and adamantly <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-deserved-tv-villain-ends/jack-rogers" target="_blank">disliked character</a> on the tube (hi, Joffrey and Cousin Oliver!!). This list ranks the worst of the worst, including all the most terrible television characters and most hated TV characters of all time.

Yes, it&#39;s true that not everyone is going to like every character on a show, just as not everyone will like every person in real life. However, you will find that there are some characters that are so universally detested by everyone that no one bats an eye when they learn they&#39;re near the top of this list of awful TV characters.&nbsp;Have you ever stopped watching a show simply because one character annoyed you so much? This is a list about those guys and gals.

The list includes some of the most vile TV characters. They aren&#39;t necessarily vile because they are bad or evil, but simply because every time they come on the screen, you wish they&#39;d just go away. &nbsp;In other words, they&#39;re not characters you &quot;love to hate,&quot; they&#39;re unpopular, disliked characters you just absolutely can&#39;t stand.

Vote up the worst TV characters in all of television history that you dislike the most, add any other bad television characters that aren&#39;t already listed here, among the worst.

Willow Rosenberg

List of the greatest female geeky TV characters. The best and nerdiest women on television are ranked on this page based on their level of geekdom. These female TV geeks are good at what they do - and they studied damn hard to make it happen. Who are the best and most famous female nerd characters? You know and love them, so why not vote up your favorite famous female geeks?As much as Lindsay Weir on Freaks and Geeks tried to escape her geek label, it is impossible to fully un-nerd yourself. Even Screech found himself a match in Jessie Spano in the realm of Saved by the Bell. And one of the best geek girls on television is the character of Topanga Lawrence, of <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/boy-meets-world-trivia/amylindorff?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Boy Meets World</a> fame. Amy Poehler and Tina Fey have also created television characters with such geeky qualities, it should inspire every young lady in America to follow suit. These women could outsmart their male counterparts any day of the week, even if sometimes they out-awkward them as well.

List of the best TV grumps. Male or female, these are the greatest grumpy TV characters -- television curmudgeons whose pessimistic rants and antics usually make viewers laugh. From the original great TV grumps, including Fred Sanford and Archie Bunker, to the new generation of grumpy TV characters such as <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-red-forman-quotes/movie-and-tv-quotes" target="_blank">Red Forman</a> and Sue Sylvester, they&rsquo;re all here.

&nbsp;Why is it that we love TV&rsquo;s curmudgeons? They&rsquo;re unhappy, they complain, they&rsquo;re pessimistic, and they often try to make everyone around them miserable, too. The best TV grumps remain lovable, however, because they tap into our own grumpy sides; besides, their rantings and predictions of doom and gloom often have no effect on anyone else. The other characters in a TV show know that they&rsquo;re dealing with a grouch, and carry on accordingly. In some cases, of course, the greatest grumps on TV really do make others&rsquo; lives miserable, but the curmudgeonly, grumpy character usually gets what&rsquo;s coming to him or her in the end, which makes it okay.

&nbsp;The best grumps on television are usually funny, as well. Frank Costanza generally looks like he&rsquo;s about to pop a blood vessel, but his ravings are hilarious. And underneath it all, many TV curmudgeons have a softer, warmer side. Who can blame a gentle-hearted person for putting up a mean front to protect their tender emotions? Viewers understand this about the best TV curmudgeons: They might seem mean, but they&rsquo;re often concealing a caring personality -- and if they inspire a few laughs in the process, that&rsquo;s all the better.

&nbsp;This list contains the grumps on TV that viewers have both loved and hated, laughed at or felt sorry for. Both female and male TV curmudgeons are included; after all, women can be just as crabby as men. The list also makes no age distinction -- the best TV grouches are both young and old.

Carla Espinosa

List of the greatest female TV role models. Here are the rankings for the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-female-movie-characters/ranker-characters?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best female characters</a> for your daughter to look up to. The TV shows with great <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/female-role-models/ericascheidt?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">female role models</a> span the decades, from black-and-white to digital film. They also span the style, from live action multi-camera sitcoms to cartoons. Who are some of the best female role models on TV? You could make a pretty good case for Leslie Knope's passion, Liz Lemon's wit, and Rachel Green's attitude. Or, if people really want to talk about strong independent women, we have listed ladies like Susie Greene from &quot;Curb Your Enthusiasm&quot; and Xena (the Warrior Princess). Some seem to think even Nancy Botwin from &quot;Weeds&quot; is a good female role model on television -- perhaps for her business sense. TV can make a difference in the culture, as shows can set standards and aspirations for young women, or men, with the remote control.

Sitcoms

Detective Rosa Diaz

List of the best police TV characters. These sitcom sheriffs, TV deputies, and television police officers have been around since the beginning of the TV box itself. From cartoon cops to black-and-white era television superstars, this page contains the greatest list of cops in sitcoms that you'll find in the whole wide world (wide web). The <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/greatest-fictional-cops-ever?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">funny cop names</a> on this list span all eras of TV history, including classic TV cops and cops cartoon characters.Plus, with new shows like <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/full-cast-of-mike-and-molly-cast-list-for-the-show-mike-and-molly/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Mike and Molly</a> and Brooklyn Nine-Nine with Andy Samberg, the best cops on TV sitcoms are yet to come. Who can forget Louis CK's recurring bumbling cop character drooling over Amy Poehler's character on Parks and Rec? The funniest cops on television might have begun on Car 54, Where Are You? but they're not ending anytime soon (at least according to NBC's upcoming lineup). The greatest sitcom cops range from classic appearances - like in Seinfeld's library - to unforgettable famous policeman characters - like the entire cast of Comedy Central's Reno 911! In fact, so many of these police sitcoms end with an exclamation point that they'd better be engrained in our collective memories. Funny <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-ever-police-orientated-tv-shows/george-sterling?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">shows about cops</a> don't have to take place in the police station itself (remember Carl Winslow from Family Matters?) but, as we see with the classic TV sitcom Sledge Hammer! and Police Squad! - well, it ain't a bad idea. Enjoy the rankings of these high-ranking law enforcement officials with the funniest cops on television and be sure to upvote your favorite TV policemen.

Fonzie

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When a television show first starts, the writers of the program already have the star in mind. They write for the characters they think the audience will relate to and like the most and design the show around those characters. However, once the show hits the airwaves, the viewers don&rsquo;t always agree. Sometimes the true star of the show is the unlikeliest candidate. The breakout character is usually a character who was introduced as part of the supporting cast, but for one reason or another became a fan favorite. This list of the greatest breakout characters in TV history includes characters from both comedies and dramas and has been ranked by the community.

The breakout character on a TV show usually becomes the most discussed and most loved part of the show. He or she has the funniest lines, the best stories, and is portrayed by the favorite actor. After a positive audience reaction, these breakout characters suddenly start to get more screen time and story lines. Characters like <a href="https://groovyhistory.com/aaay-fonzie-happy-days-stories" target="_blank">Fonzie</a> and Ben Linus were never meant to be huge parts of their shows, but after their introduction, it was inevitable that they&rsquo;d become pivotal to the show&rsquo;s success. Some breakout characters, like Frasier Crane, even go on to star in their own series.

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Who are the greatest breakout characters on TV? Vote up the best breakout television characters below or add the best breakout star if he or she isn&#39;t already on the list.

Phil Dunphy

Who are the funniest current TV characters on air right this very moment? This is your chance to vote up the small screen characters you truly believe are the funniest on the tube in 2019-2020. Sitcom superstars like Sofia Vergara on Modern Family and Rachel Brosnahan&nbsp;on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel&nbsp;are represented by their respective characters, the hilarious Gloria Delgado-Pritchett and Midge. <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-animated-series/ranker-tv?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Current cartoon characters</a> like Eric Cartman from South Park and Pam Poovey from Archer are also included. In fact, other animated series have given us some of the funniest characters on television right now. For instance, Bob&#39;s Burgers brought audiences Louise Belcher, while Family Guy introduced the world to Stewie Griffin.

Funny characters <a href="/crowdranked-list/best-shows-currently-on-the-air?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">currently on TV</a> span from comedic network TV characters like Detective Jake Peralta (played by comedian Andy Samberg) on FOX&#39;s Brooklyn Nine-Ninge&nbsp;to <a href="/crowdranked-list/the-very-best-of-premium-cable-original-programming?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">premium cable</a> dramas characters like Jensen Ackles&#39;s Dean Winchester on The CW&#39;s Supernatural.

Which of these current TV show characters in 2020 do you think are the funniest and most laugh out loud hilarious? Cast your votes below and be sure to add any other funny television characters, provided they are on a current show (network or streaming).

What does it mean to be sassy? For starters, you need&nbsp;to be uninhibited, bold, and extremely lively. These sassy TV characters have all those traits and then some.&nbsp;Sometimes their sass is seen as&nbsp;a positive trait, and sometimes it&rsquo;s a detriment, but either way,&nbsp;it makes for some entertaining television!

From Karen Walker to Titus Andromedon, these sassy characters from TV shows are known for bringing the heat. They&rsquo;re not afraid to speak their mind - even if it means offending everyone around them.&nbsp;

From stubborn TV characters like Gloria Delgado-Pritchett to <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/strong-female-characters/anncasano?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">strong female characters</a> like Peggy Carter and Leslie Knope, the people on this list certainly make for some sassy TV.

Is Sophia Petrillo from <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-golden-girls-guest-stars/lisa-waugh?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword" target="_blank">The Golden Girls</a> the undisputed queen of sass, or does that honor go to Samantha Jones from Sex and the City? Check out this list of sassy TV show characters, where we&rsquo;ll let you decide.

Vote up your favorites from this list of sassy TV characters&nbsp;to see which one out sasses them all!

Geeky

Ross Geller

List of the greatest geeks in TV history. The <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-nerd-characters-movies/jodi-smith" target="_blank">best nerd characters</a> ever to hit the tiny screens are ranked here in order of greatness. Sure some of the characters might have annoyed us, but we never changed that dial once they appeared onscreen. These men and women are absolutely hilarious and absolutely awesome -- oh, and absolutely nerdy. It usually happens on TV when the door knocks and the dad is really disappointed to see who is on the other side. Like the way Carl Winslow looks when it&#39;s revealed to be Steve Urkel on Family Matters. TV nerds of all genders are ranked, ranging from sexy geeks like Liz Lemon to neurotic nerds like Adrian Monk. Who studies dinosaurs better than Ross Geller? Who knows more Pawnee history than Leslie Knope? These geeks made us smarter and sillier, like Lisa Simpson and Willow Rosenberg. While Willow was always the best friend and Dwight Schrute is just one of the employees, people like Larry David and iCarly (yes, both geeks) got shows to their geeky selves.

Take a breather as we rank TV&rsquo;s most toxic characters. Characters who are toxic can be manipulative, self-serving, egotistic, and uncaring. These characters share all those traits - and then some.

It&rsquo;s easy to pick out all the toxic characters on TV because they&#39;re usually the ones who&nbsp;cause&nbsp;the most chaos. Their selfishness tends to seep into other characters&rsquo; lives and they show no remorse for their actions. From Dennis Reynolds in It&rsquo;s Always Sunny in Philadelphia to Chuck Bass in Gossip Girl, this list includes all the characters we love to hate. Sometimes, though, we still care about these characters regardless of how rude, crude, or downright shrewd they might be.&nbsp;

Whether you think Cersei Lannister is the most toxic TV character&nbsp;or believe that honor should go to Walter White in Breaking Bad, make your voice heard by voting up all the&nbsp;toxic characters you love to hate. See someone missing? Add them to the list below!

Take a retrospective look back with us as we rank the&nbsp;most memorable ex-girlfriends in TV history. Relationships in television shows can end whenever the writers decide to move on from that particular story, but sometimes that doesn&#39;t mean the love interest goes away entirely.

Whether they&#39;re the girl next door, thorns in the protagonist&#39;s side, or even partners in crime, these ex-girlfriends have all left a lasting impression on their love interests - and us viewers. While some of the characters end a <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-steamy-romance-movies/ranker-film?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">steamy romance</a> never to be seen or heard from again, other characters had so much chemistry&nbsp;that they eventually got back together with their partners.

Be sure to vote up the greatest ex-girlfriend characters in TV history to see which ladies we loved the most!

TV Characters We Love & Hate

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Who are the greatest female TV characters of all time?&nbsp;This list includes some of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/greatest-tv-characters-of-all-time">greatest television characters in history</a> from dramatic shows, sitcoms, and sci-fi series to&nbsp;procedurals and cartoons!&nbsp;For as long as TV has been a medium to reflect social constructs, programs have featured <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/strong-female-characters/anncasano?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">strong women characters</a> as protagonists, partners, and foils for their male counterparts. In comedy shows, characters like Lucy Ricardo, Mary Richards, and Maude Findlay paved the way for Elaine Benes, Roseanne Conner, and Liz Lemon.Female characters dominate modern genre series, with popular women like Daenerys Targaryen, Dana Scully, Buffy Summers, and Veronica Mars achieving cult-level idolization. You'll recognize these famous names as some of the strongest, funniest, and most relatable in television history.Vote up the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-female-movie-characters/ranker-characters?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">greatest female characters</a> to move them up the list, and add please any that we're missing.

Best Female TV Characters | Top Women Television Character List

The Greatest Female TV Characters of All Time

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TV Character

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Morticia Addams

Morticia A. Addams is the fictional matriarch of "The Addams Family", created by cartoonist Charles Addams and based on his first wife Barbara.

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Buffy Summers

Buffy Anne Summers is a fictional character from Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise. She first appeared in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer before going on to appear in the television series and subsequent comic book of the same name. The character has also appeared in the spin-off series Angel, as well as numerous non-canon expanded universe material, such as novels, comics, and video games. Buffy was portrayed by Kristy Swanson in the film, and later by Sarah Michelle Gellar in the television series. Giselle Loren has lent her voice to the character in both the Buffy video games and an unproduced animated series, while Kelly Albanese lent her voice to the character in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight motion comics.
Buffy is the protagonist of the story, and the series depicts her life and adventures as she grows up. In the film, she is a high school cheerleader who learns that she is the Slayer. The television series shows Buffy carrying out her destiny in a small town built atop a portal to hell, surrounded by a group of friends and family who support her in her mission.

Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character is a warrior princess of the Amazons and is known in her homeland as Princess Diana of Themyscira. When outside her homeland, she is sometimes known by the secret identity Diana Prince. She is gifted with a wide range of superhuman powers and superior combat and battle skills. 

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Daenerys Targaryen

Daenerys Targaryen is a fictional character of the book Game of Thrones.

Arya Stark

Arya Stark is a fictional character created by American author George R. R. Martin. She is a prominent point of view character in Martin's award-winning A Song of Ice and Fire series, and also a main character in HBO's adaptation of the series, Game of Thrones. She is the only character to have POV chapters in every published book of the series.
Introduced in 1996's A Game of Thrones, Arya is the younger daughter of Lord Eddard Stark and his wife Lady Catelyn Tully. She is headstrong, fiercely independent, disdains traditional female pursuits, and is often mistaken for a boy. She wields a sword named Needle, a gift from her half-brother, Jon Snow, and is trained in the Braavosi style of swordfighting.
Arya is portrayed by Maisie Williams on the HBO series Game of Thrones. Her performance has garnered positive acclaim, particularly in the second season for her work opposite veteran actor Charles Dance when she served as his cupbearer. She is widely regarded among the greatest characters in both media.

Olivia Benson

Olivia Benson is a fictional character on the NBC police procedural drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by Mariska Hargitay. Benson is a detective with the Manhattan SVU at the 16th Precinct of the New York City Police Department.
During the first twelve seasons of the series Benson is partnered with Detective Elliot Stabler. After Stabler resigns from the NYPD, Nick Amaro becomes her partner, and Benson becomes the unit's senior detective. Following John Munch's retirement, Benson takes and passes the Sergeant's exam, and shortly thereafter assumes command of the unit after its captain, Donald Cragen, also retires.

Willow Rosenberg is a fictional character created for the fantasy television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She was developed by Joss Whedon and portrayed throughout the TV series by Alyson Hannigan.
Willow plays an integral role within the inner circle of friends—called the Scooby Gang—who support Buffy Summers, a teenager gifted with superhuman powers to defeat vampires, demons, and other evil in the fictional town of Sunnydale. The series begins as Buffy, Willow, and their friend Xander are in 10th grade and Willow is a shy and nerdy girl with little confidence. She has inherent magical abilities and begins to study witchcraft; as the series progresses, Willow becomes more sure of herself and her magical powers become significant if inconsistent. Her dependence on magic becomes so consuming that it develops into a dark force that takes her on a redemptive journey in a major story arc when she becomes the sixth season's main villain, threatening to destroy the world in a fit of grief and rage.
The Buffy series became extremely popular and earned a devoted fanbase; Willow's intelligence, shy nature, and vulnerability often resounded strongly with viewers in early seasons.

Sophia Petrillo

Sophia Petrillo-Weinstock is a fictional character from the TV series The Golden Girls, and its spin-offs The Golden Palace and Empty Nest. She was portrayed by Estelle Getty for 10 years and 258 episodes. Bea Arthur, who played her daughter Dorothy Zbornak on the show, was in real life a year older than Getty.

Lucy Ricardo is a fictional character from the TV program I Love Lucy.

Dana Scully

Dana Scully is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series The X-Files, played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is an FBI agent, partnered with fellow Special Agent Fox Mulder for the first seven seasons, and in the eighth and ninth seasons partnered with John Doggett. In the television series, they work out of a cramped basement office at FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. to investigate unsolved cases labeled "X-Files"; as of the second film, Scully had left government employment and worked as a surgeon in a private Catholic hospital. In contrast to Mulder's credulous "believer" character, Scully is the skeptic for the first seven seasons, choosing to base her beliefs on what science can prove. She later on becomes a "believer" after Mulder's abduction at the end of season seven.
She has appeared in all but four episodes of The X-Files, and additionally appears in the 20th Century Fox films The X-Files, released in 1998, and The X-Files: I Want to Believe, released 10 years later. The episodes she does not appear in are "3," "Zero Sum," "Unusual Suspects," and "Travelers."

Michonne

Michonne is a fictional character from the comic book series The Walking Dead and is portrayed by Danai Gurira in the television series of the same name. Armed with a katana and harboring a mysterious past, Michonne is introduced clothed under a hood and pulling the shackles of two reanimated corpses for protection and camouflage, which are soon revealed to be her deceased boyfriend and his best friend. In both mediums, she has a prominent role in the conflict between Woodbury and the Prison. In the comic book series, Michonne is introduced while saving the life of Otis. She is later accepted into the prison and forms a relationship with Tyreese until his death and later with Morgan, until he is killed as well. Later in the series, Michonne becomes more involved with the other survivors and eventually settles down with Ezekiel at The Kingdom, a safe haven in Washington, DC.
In the television series, Michonne saves the life of Andrea and the two spend eight months on the road together. They stumble upon the town of Woodbury, and Michonne is instantly suspicious of the town and The Governor.

Abby Sciuto

Abigail "Abby" Sciuto is a fictional character from the NCIS television series on CBS Television, and is portrayed by Pauley Perrette. In a Season 10 episode entitled "Hit and Run", a young Abby was played by Brighton Sharbino in flashbacks. Like Jethro Gibbs, Anthony DiNozzo, and Dr. Donald Mallard, Abby was first introduced in the episodes "Ice Queen" and "Meltdown" in the television show JAG, and has appeared in every episode of NCIS, in addition to being featured on the show's spin-offs, NCIS: Los Angeles NCIS: New Orleans. The role has made Perrette the most popular actress on U.S. primetime television in 2011, according to Q Score.
Abby Sciuto is a forensic scientist at the Naval Criminal Investigative Service headquarters at the Washington Naval Yard, with expertise in ballistics, digital forensics, and DNA analysis. In the first episode of the seventh season, "Truth or Consequences", DiNozzo, while under the influence of a truth serum, describes her as "a paradox wrapped in an oxymoron smothered in contradictions in terms. Sleeps in a coffin. Really, the happiest goth you'll ever meet."

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Leslie Knope

Leslie Barbara Knope is a fictional character and the protagonist of the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. She is portrayed by Amy Poehler.

Rose Nylund

Rose Nylund is a fictional character featured on the popular 1980s situation comedy The Golden Girls, and its spin-off The Golden Palace. She was portrayed by Betty White for 8 years, totaling 208 episodes. Rose was originally supposed to be played by Rue McClanahan and Blanche Devereaux, one of Rose's roommates, was to be played by Betty White. However, Jay Sandrich, the director of the show, suggested that Rue and Betty switch parts. He felt that Betty would be a better fit for Rose because she had already played Sue Ann Nivens in the television show The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which is similar to the character of Blanche Devereaux.

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Phoebe Buffay

Phoebe Buffay-Hannigan is a fictional character from the NBC sitcom Friends, portrayed by Lisa Kudrow. For her portrayal of Phoebe Buffay, Kudrow received a Golden Globe Award nomination, as well as winning the Primetime Emmy Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, Satellite Award, and American Comedy Award.

Monica Geller

Monica E. Geller is a fictional character in the American sitcom Friends, portrayed by Courteney Cox. Monica is known as the "Mother Hen" of the group and her Greenwich Village apartment is one of the group's main gathering places. She is also known for her obsessive-compulsive personality and competitive nature.

Wednesday Addams

Wednesday Friday Addams is a fictional character created by American cartoonist Charles Addams in his comic strip The Addams Family. The character has also appeared in television and film, in both the live action and animated formats.

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Cordelia Chase

Cordelia Chase is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer; she also appeared on Buffy's spin-off series Angel. Portrayed by Charisma Carpenter, the character appears as a series regular in the first three seasons of Buffy, before exiting the show and becoming a series regular during the first four seasons of Angel. The character made her last television appearance in 2004, appearing as a special guest star in Angel's one hundredth episode. Cordelia also appears in both canonical and apocryphal Buffy and Angel material such as comic books and novels.
Cordelia is introduced in "Welcome to the Hellmouth" as one of Sunnydale High's popular cheerleaders, attending school alongside vampire slayer Buffy Summers. Through her interactions with Buffy and her friends, she comes to accept the existence of supernatural forces and helps Buffy fight against them. In the television series Angel, Cordelia joins Angel, a heroic vampire with a soul, in forming a detective agency dedicated to stopping supernatural forces and helping the helpless.

Faith

Faith is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Played by actress Eliza Dushku, Faith was introduced in the third season of Buffy and was a focus of that season's overarching plot. She returned for shorter story arcs on Buffy and its spin-off, Angel. The character's story is continued in the comic book series Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, and she also appears in apocryphal material such as other comic books and novels. Faith was set to receive her own spin-off television series after the final season of Buffy, but Eliza Dushku declined the offer, and the series was never made. The character later co-stars in the 25-issue comic book Angel & Faith beginning in August 2011 under the banner of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine, the story taking place mostly in London and the surrounding area. Seven years after the character's creation, Whedon granted her the surname Lehane for a role-playing game and subsequent material. The last issue of Season Eight was the first source officially confirmed to be canon that referred to Faith by her full name.

Xena

Xena is a fictional character from Robert Tapert's Xena: Warrior Princess franchise. She first appeared in the 1995–1999 television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, before going on to appear in Xena: Warrior Princess TV show and subsequent comic book of the same name. The Warrior Princess has also appeared in the spin-off animated movie The Battle for Mount Olympus, as well as numerous non-canon expanded universe material, such as books and video games. Xena was played by New Zealand actress Lucy Lawless, who commonly wore a tight leather skirted outfit overlaid with metal armor.
Xena is the protagonist of the story, and the series depicts her on a quest to redeem herself for her dark past by using her formidable fighting skills to help people. Xena was raised as the daughter of Cyrene and Atrius in Amphipolis, though the episode "The Furies" raised the possibility that Ares might be Xena's biological father, but it is never pursued further. She had two brothers, the younger of who is dead; she visits his grave to speak with him in "Sins of the Past."

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Piper Halliwell

Piper Halliwell is a fictional character from the television series Charmed. One of the original featured leads, Piper is introduced in the series as a witch and, more specifically, a Charmed One – one of the three most powerful witches of all time. The character was portrayed by Holly Marie Combs throughout the series run. In 2008, AOL named Piper the third greatest witch in television history, behind Samantha Stephens and Willow Rosenberg.
During the first three seasons, Piper starts off as the middle child of three sisters, but later becomes the oldest sister after the tragic death of her eldest sister Prue Halliwell. One of the recurring struggles for Piper as a character is fighting for her true love Leo Wyatt while in her attempt to maintain a normal life despite her destiny of defeating the forces of evil in San Francisco. In addition to the television series, the character has also appeared in numerous expanded universe material, such as the Charmed novels and its comic book adaptation.

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Temperance "Bones" Brennan

Temperance "Bones" Brennan, Ph.D. is a fictional character portrayed by Emily Deschanel in the American Fox television series Bones. An anthropologist, forensic anthropologist, and kinesiologist, she is widely considered in the series as a leading authority in the field of forensic anthropology. Brennan first appeared on television, along with other series characters, in the "Pilot" episode of Bones on September 13, 2005. She is the main protagonist of the series along with her husband FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth.
Brennan is loosely based on author Kathy Reichs. Her name originates from the heroine in Reichs's crime novel series. The main similarity the two share is their occupation as forensic anthropologists. Brennan appeared in Comcast's list of TV's Most Intriguing Characters. She was included in AfterEllen.com's Top 50 Favorite Female TV Characters. Her relationship with Seeley Booth was listed in Entertainment Weekly '​s "30 Best 'Will They/Won't They?' TV Couples".

Dorothy Zbornak

Dorothy Zbornak is a fictional character from the TV series The Golden Girls, portrayed by Bea Arthur for 7 years and 183 episodes. Dorothy was the strong, smart, sarcastic, sometimes intimidating, and arguably most grounded of the four women in the house. Even though tough, she is very friendly, polite and does geniunely care for the other girls. In the 1000th issue of Entertainment Weekly, Dorothy Zbornak was selected as the Grandma for "The Perfect TV Family."

Topanga Lawrence

Topanga Lawrence is a fictional character from the TV series Boy Meets World.

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Brienne of Tarth

Brienne of Tarth is a fictional character in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels. She is a prominent point of view character in the fourth novel, A Feast for Crows, and a main character in the television adaptation.

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Who are the greatest female TV characters of all time?&nbsp;This list includes some of the greatest television characters in history from dramatic shows, ...