TV shows where your favorite character is the main character?

[CloseTalker]

I feel like when you ask someone their favorite character on a TV show, they don't often say the main character. Whether that be because the main character is the straight person surrounded by more expressive characters, or maybe there is just a slight desire to prove your fandom by not going with the obvious choice. But I'm curious, what are some TV shows where the main protagonist (as much as that can be defined in the show) is the character you enjoy the most?

For me, the obvious choice is Michael Scott in The Office. I honestly consider this an almost objective choice, I think Carrell's work on the show is frequently brilliant, and rarely gets the praise it deserves from an acting and character standpoint. Michael Scott could so easily be a completely unlikable character, but Carrell balances his ability to be ignorant, idiotic, a buffoon, good natured, and savvy (often all within the same scene) with such expertise. Carrell is a fantastic actor and I've enjoyed a lot of his work, but he will always be Michael Scott to me, and Michael Scott is The Office (as was evidenced by how swiftly the show shit the bed after he left).

What about you?

 

[Fiction]

Daredevil. Lucifer.

 

[PlanetSmasher]

Psych is my favorite example, because "Shawn AND Gus" is the main character, not just Shawn.

For a less creative example, Lucifer. Lucifer is the best character in his own show.

 

[Soapbox Killer]

Firefly


Malcom Reynolds, Shiny!

 

[Zeliard]

The Sopranos and James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano

Tony Soprano is one of most disturbingly complex and fully-formed fictional characters ever and if I'll be damned if I've ever seen a better performance in a central role on television. He has serious competition there too with Edie Falco.

But James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano is to me the greatest performance in a television show I've ever seen and such a disturbing and evocative character that you can so easily imagine him to be real. There's no artifice there.

 

[sph3re]

I almost want to say Bojack in his titular TV show because of his complexity, but Diane is a more compelling character to me.

Don't know why Steven Universe was the first person I thought of aside from that. Steven's great, I like him more than the other characters because he's wholesome and adorable, and I just vibe with his moral compass.

 

[RichardHawk]

Rust Cohle, Tony Soprano.

 

[Shuckle]

Dale Cooper from Twin Peaks Seasons 1 and 2. Dougie from Twin Peaks Season 3.

 

[bushmonkey]

Dale Cooper from Twin Peaks Seasons 1 and 2. Dougie from Twin Peaks Season 3.

Click to shrink...

Dale Cooper is a great choice.
I'll also say Larry David in Curb and Nathan Fillion in all his shows as the main character (Firefly, Castle, the Rookie)

 

[Nakenorm]

Daredevil
Justified

 

[septentrion2]

Garfield & Friends

 

[Hercule]

Dragon Ball (Z) Goku.

Little House on the prairie: Charles

 

[Torpedo Vegas]

 

[Tavernade]

I feel like this is true for me with all the MCU shows? Including the Netflix ones? The side characters were never as interesting as the leads. Even in Secret Wars at least when Fury was on screen it was mildly entertaining.

 

[Alcoremortis]

Doctor Who and Stargate SG-1 are two that spring to mind for me.

 

[Naijaboy]

Static Shock, starring Virgil Hawkins.

 

[NoobSauceG7]

Better Call Saul. Chainsaw Man. Berserk. Those three come to mind immediately.

 

[Mekanos]

Daredevil, Gurren Lagann, Cowboy Bebop, and the Sopranos all spring to mind.

 

[TaxiDriver]

Larry David. I think most of the best TV shows have the main character very likeable (even if flawed or an anti-hero).

 

[Kharnete]

Flint in Black Sails. Phenomenal character, arc and performance.

Coach Taylor in Friday Night Lights. The absolute heart and soul of the show, such a good yet imperfect character and role model.

 

[harleyvwarren]

Daniel Holden Rectify.
Shawn & Gus Psych.
Dud Lodge 49.

 

[Leclair]

 

[AvianAviator]

Frieren.

She inspires me. Never felt that way about an anime character before.

 

[The Quentulated Mox]

i swear this exact thread came up a few months ago. in the intervening time, they haven't made a show better than twin peaks, so my answer is still Dale Cooper

 

[Primal Sage]

Sherlock is an easy choice for me.

 

[scaryrobots]

john crichton - farscape

 

[Rei no Otaku]

Sisko from Deep Space Nine.

 

[Bishop89]

 

[hydruxo]

Cooper is the perfect protagonist in every single way. Twin Peaks is a mix of goofy, wholesome, creepy, and terrifying and Cooper is the middleman type of character who is able to provide whatever the scene calls for. He's always entertaining no matter what's happening on screen and I never get tired of rewatching the show because of Coop.

 

[DarthKamen]

-Light in Death Note.
-Shotaro/Philip in Kamen Rider W.
-Most any Marvel project.

 

[Doggg]

Fox Mulder, The X-Files

Jean-Luc Picard, STNG

 

[finfinfin]

Doctor Who and Stargate SG-1 are two that spring to mind for me.

Click to shrink...

No, Ba'al was only the main character in one of the films.

 

[finfinfin]

Does Columbo count?

If not, Russian Doll & Poker Face.

 

[xCrossGaming]

Luffy from One Piece because he's the best fictional character of all time. And he's the best character in the show and only a couple people come close like Sanji, Zoro, and Shanks.

 

[TolerLive]

Hot take but Hughie in The Boys is my favorite character in the show. He's definitely the intended main character. Seems like marketing has pushed Homelander and Butcher as the faces of the show over the years, but Hughie is definitely the heart. I love seeing a small person in over their heads in a large world and Jacm Quaid sells it so well!

 

[OsakaDon]

Columbo. (Columbo)
Ducktales (Scrooge)
X-Files (Mulder and Scully)

 

[-JD-]

Uh, the most recent show I finished was Fallout, and Lucy is probably the true main of the series, so I'll just say Lucy.

 

[Fugo]

Doctor Who

 

[Kiyamet]

House and Scrubs are all timers

 

[eXistor]

Twin Peaks, Cooper.

 

[Fevaweva]

Medium spicy choice: McNulty from The Wire.

He is a right bastard but I find his character, foibles and all, to be very compelling.