Entertainment

List of television characters who work as a Police detective on their TV show, listed alphabetically with photos of the characters when available. Throughout the history of television there have been many fictional characters who are Police detectives. Does your favorite show have someone who works as a Police detective?" The answer is most likely yes, as they seem to be very common in sitcoms, cartoons and dramas. The list you're viewing is made up of many different items, like Columbo and Vic Mackey. This list answers the question, "Who are fictional Police detectives on TV?"

TV Characters Working as Police Detective(s)

TV Character

Police detective: Television Characters Whose Job/Work is as a(n) Police detective

Reference

The Best TV Lists - Find or Make a TV Characters List  | Ranker  | Ranker - A World of Lists

Andy Sipowicz

Andy Sipowicz is a fictional character and protagonist on the popular ABC television series NYPD Blue. Dennis Franz portrayed the character for its entire run.

Lists about things you love—or at least remember—about history's most bodacious decade.

I Love the '80s

80s TV

Who were the best TV characters of the '80s? From <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-golden-girls-guest-stars/lisa-waugh?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">The Golden Girls</a>, The Cosby Show, and Murder, She Wrote all the way to kid favorites like Punky Brewster, Elmo, and Saved By the Bell, these shows greatly impacted the culture of the decade. This list has the best TV characters from classic 1980s television shows.It was the decade where the Pee-Wee Herman was introduced. Michael Knight and Virgil Tibbs also took to the small screen, entertaining millions of fans. The top TV show characters of the 1980s included family-focused favorites like <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-highway-to-heaven-episodes/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Highway to Heaven</a> and the still popular kid’s all-time favorite Sesame Street. And who can forget the Seaver family from Growing Pains (though we try to forget Kirk Cameron these days)?&nbsp;Children’s characters like Alf, Optimus Prime, and He-Man were also introduced. The top characters of the 80s were, for the most part family-friendly, uplifting, and hilarious. Let's honor the ingenuity of Mr. Angus MacGyver, and the importance of having life-long friends a la&nbsp;The Golden Girls.Vote up your favorite 1980's TV characters below or add your favorite if he or she isn't already on the list!

Thomas Magnum

The Best TV Characters Of The '80s

Best TV Characters of the 80s | Popular 1980s Character List

Ranker TV

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

TV Characters We Love & Hate

poll

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.

Jerry Seinfeld

The Greatest TV Characters of All Time

Fictional Character

Favorite TV Characters | List of Television's Greatest Characters

Ranker Community

The Greatest Sitcoms in Television History

Some guys just want to watch the world burn.

Villains and Bad Guys

Villains

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.

Dr. Gregory House

The Most Likeable TV Anti-Heroes

Best TV Anti-Heroes | List of Favorite Antiheroes on Television

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.

The Most Beloved Grumps in TV History

Best TV Grumps | List of Curmudgeon Characters

Lists about real and fictional policemen & women, detectives, and other law enforcement.

Police: The Boys in Blue

Criminals should beware of these great fictional cops, as they almost always get the perp in the end. From movies, TV shows, and more, these are the best fictional cops to have ever worn a badge. No matter what media they first appeared in however, they have proven themselves to be excellent at fighting crime. But when it comes to greatness, which one of these make-believe cops stands at the top? To find out, fans of law enforcement have voted on their favorites.Some of these fictional cops are normal people from historical dramas while others are futuristic crime-fighting robots from another planet. So to compare them, you’re simply going to have to do it the way old gumshoes solved crimes… gut feeling. Still not sure? Then think of the fictional cops you’d most want help from or to be patrolling your neighborhood.Some popular choices include science fiction movie icons such as Robocop and small-town deputies like Barney Fife from The Andy Griffith Show. While they’re not on equaling footing physically, you’re more likely to ask Deputy Fife for help against some hooligans. If you don’t see your favorite fictional police officer below, then add him or her so that others may vote on them. Otherwise, vote up who you think are the best fictional cops across any media.

Harry Callahan

The Greatest Fictional Cops & Law Enforcement Officers of All Time, Ranked

The Greatest Fictional Cops of All Time, Ranked

There’s such a huge different when discussing television characters versus film characters. The main distinction is that we get to know our TV characters much better. Instead of a two-hour movie, we get to see television characters in different situations, often over the course of several seasons and many years. We feel like we know them personally, and in some scenarios they might seem like our dad, sister, or best friend. Nothing affects how a television character comes across to a spectator like the person playing the role. Even the most mundane script or unfunny sitcom can be saved by an actor’s performance. These are the best-acted characters on television of all time. This list includes both the best -cted characters currently on TV and old characters from the small screen's past. Nearly every genre is covered from sitcoms to police procedurals to political dramas. Some of these are cantankerous sorts (we’re looking at you, Dr. House), others have had incredible obstacles to overcome (we knew you could beat cancer, Christina Braverman), and a few of these characters are entertainingly evil (everyone feels guilty rooting for Francis Underwood.)We’ve cried along with these characters and believed their every emotion. These well-acted television characters are what stays with fans when they shut off the television for the night. Of course, dialogue and story are imperative on any successful television program, but without the actor to deliver those lines and sell the narrative, the television screen may as well stay blank.Make your voice heard. Be sure to vote up all the best acted current TV characters and the most expertly acted TV characters from previous eras of television.

Rose Nylund

The Most Well-Acted Characters of All Time

The 50+ Most Well-Acted TV Characters of All Time

Ann Casano

List of the greatest fat guy, skinny wife couples. These are the couples that perhaps seem unlikely in real life -- a man of full proportions with a thin, beautiful wife. These TV couples, however, seem to work, whether they’re in dramas or comedies, from the past or present.&nbsp;The fat guy, skinny wife trope has been used so much that it has almost become a clich&eacute;. Ever wondered, then, why a large gentlemen ends up with a delicate wife on TV? Part of the reason surely comes from the fact that many of these fat guy, skinny wife pairings are on sitcoms. An overweight comedian secures a TV series and needs a wife character, so casting chooses an attractive woman, which is nothing unusual for TV. One of the best known examples of this type of fat man, hot wife pairing can be found in “<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-best-king-of-queens-episodes/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">King of Queens</a>.” Would a Leah Remini marry a Kevin James in real life?&nbsp;Sometimes, though, the pairing of a fat guy with a thin wife makes sense. This is more often seen in dramas. Take “The Sopranos,” for example. Tony Soprano is a large man, but he has the position and power to warrant a hot wife. A stereotype unfair to women, maybe, but one which is sometimes true in real life. Of course, these pairings can also be seen on sitcoms, as in the case of Jay and Gloria on “Modern Family.”&nbsp;This list contains the greatest fat guy, thin wife couples on TV. Whether they’re funny or dramatic, realistic or far-fetched, these are the unlikely TV couples we love to watch. Check out these fat husband, skinny wife couples, and vote up your favorites.

Doug and Carrie Heffernan

The Greatest Fat Guy / Skinny Wife Couples

Greatest Fat Guy / Skinny Wife TV Couples

Fictional Characters

List of notable fictional characters <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/fictional-characters-named-alex/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">whose name is</a> Andrew or Drew, including photos when available. The fictional characters named Andrew below come from every kind of genre and medium, as this list includes movie characters named Andrew, TV characters named Andrew, and book characters named Andrew. You might even find some notable <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-most-badass-video-game-heroes-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">video game characters</a> whose name is Andrew below as well. Whether you're looking for comedy characters named Andrew or drama characters named Andrew, this list will have what you're looking for. Who are the most well known fictional Andys? Some of the more memorable names below include Andy Sipowicz from NYPD Blue, Andy Dwyer from Parks and Recreation, and Andrew Beckett from Philadelphia. This list is ranked by the votes of users like you, so vote for your favorite characters below if you want to see them higher on the list. If we left your top character named Andrew off the list, feel free to add them.

Andy Sipowicz

Andy Sipowicz is listed on