Welcome back to Question of the Day!
I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year and that your enjoying all the new episodes of your Favourite and new Shows. I know I am.
Today's "Question of the Day" comes from Smallville944
"Who are your Favourite TV Anti-Heros"
Smallville944 provides us with some good examples.
Spike (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel)
Dexter Morgan (Dexter
Eric Northman (True Blood)
Damon Salvatore (The Vampire Diaries)"
I agree with all of their suggestions but I'd also like to add a few of my own.
Avon - Blakes 7
The whole strike team from The Shield
Sylar - Heroes
Dr. Cox - Scrubs
Sawyer - Lost
Ben Linus - Lost
Chuck Bass - Gossip Girl
I'm sure there are many others that I've forgotten due to the excesses of Christmas!
Let us know who your favourite Anti-Heroes are.
You can see previous Questions of the Day here.
Tony Soprano
ReplyDeleteWho else comes straight to my mind?
ReplyDeleteJesse Pinkman - Breaking Bad
Saul Goodman - Breaking Bad
Daryl Dixon - The Walking Dead
Eric Cartman - South Park
T-Bag - Prison Break
Great call - Can't believe I forgot about Tony. He's up there with Dexter for me, one of the greats.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely Ben from LOST, but as much as I like Dr. Cox, I need to say Dr. Kelso from Scrubs. Although Dr. Cox was much funnier and was more of a personal character to J.D., Dr. Kelso spent about 4 seasons as a cold bastard until we realized what made him tick, and how he didn't like all of his decisions. We new for a long time that Dr. Cox was a nice guy behind his bastard.
ReplyDeleteBoth Cox and Kelso were bastard coated bastards with bastard filling, but we knew Cox did it for fun while Kelso did it out of necessity (and he didn't enjoy it), making him the better anti-hero.
Other favorites are Mr. Yang and Devon Banks.
Yes! Cartman, Daryl and T-Bag. Great choices!
ReplyDeleteFor some reason my replies are not threading . Sorry.
ReplyDeleteOh, now they are!
ReplyDeleteChuck Bass,Damon and Spike.
ReplyDeleteBenjamin Linus and Dexter Morgan
ReplyDeleteDexter Morgan.
ReplyDeleteHe's such a killer lab geek too!
Gregory House - House MD
ReplyDeleteDexter Morgan - Dexter
Gaius Baltar - Battlestar Galactica
Christian Troy - Nip/Tuck
All the Cylons
ReplyDeleteNice one even though I can't think of Cavil as an anti-hero, he didn't have redeeming qualities. Six, Boomer and D' Anna on the other hand....
ReplyDeleteDexter.
ReplyDeleteDexter,Spike and my favourite Ben Linus
ReplyDeleteI know he hasn't been mentioned. Maybe many of us don't consider him one, but Sam Winchester, the first half of season 6, is an incredible anti-hero. I would also include Damon Salvatore in that category.
ReplyDeleteJack Bauer - 24.
ReplyDeleteAngel(us) - Angel.
Dexter Morgan - Dexter.
Vic Mackey - The Shield.
Tommy Gavin - Rescue Me.
Jax Teller - Sons of Anarchy.
Hank Moody - Californication.
Larry David - Curb your Enthusiasm.
Kenny Powers - Eastbound and Down.
Coach Eric Taylor - Friday Night Lights.
I could also have said Gaius Baltar but his character became so laughable in seasons 3 and 4 than I leave him out of the anti-heros I mentionned.
How you dare to forgot Gregory House or Hank Moody? They're such urban sociopath anti-heros.
ReplyDeleteAbout Ben Linus, he's not an anti-hero, but a complete anti-villain.
Pam - True Blood
ReplyDeleteMichael - Nikita
Tony - 24 (during his evil days)
Sawyer - Lost
Darthlocke: I don't know if we have to choose from those choices, but I find that there are more of those than we think. The issue is that "what a hero is" is changing in film and TV and so even the anti-hero is quickly becoming the new hero.
ReplyDeleteShows like Battlestar Galactica and it's prequel counter part Caprica are more specifically about this, as most of the characters are richly called and who at glance should never be called hero's, but in the end that is what they become.
LOST too was specifically about this. Some characters more than others, like Kate, Charles Widmore, Jacob, and MIB, and James back in the first 2 seasons easily are anti-heroes! Even Jack, the one that is pin pointed "the Hero" was trying to fight the inevitable about that aspect of himself, but in the end accepted his role, his identity, his need to save others. And John Locke had the other half of what Hero should be, but his luck and power driven pursuit made him a bad leader, the same could even be said for Benjamen Linus.
More modernly J.J. Abrams really gives 3 more anti-heroes, Walter and Peter Bishop, and even Olivia Dunham could in there own ways not be typical goodie-goodie- true blue heroes. Walter is constantly on drugs and has in the past created the most horrible possible, Peter doesn't break down--at least not in public, but he isn't all glory hogging credit either, Olivia may be like old heroes, like Batman...but because this role has finally been placed on a female lead makes it fresh and original.
We also have shows like Boardwalk Empire and True Blood where half of the case in the real world would be deemed "crazy", "monsterious", and "insane", but we root for 'Nucky', Laffyette, Eric, and Chalky White anyways.
The truth is good TV and films have characters with flaws, flaws in which any human with substance can relate to, flaws that in certain situations can become strengths. It's all about the perspective, the ability to have compassion, and 'what it is we all believe in' when we look at other people and ourselves that gives us hope that there are Heroes in us all.
This is such a tough QOD for me me because the ant-hero is one of my favorite archetypes! William "Spike" Pratt (Angel & BTVS), Sylar (Heroes), Vic Mackey (The Shield), Sark (Alias).. tooo many more to count.
ReplyDeleteTop 5:
1. Dexter- I had watched cop shows about forensic teams or serial killer catchers for years and alwasy vocally complained that I wanted one of the "good guys" to be a secret killer. Dexter came along and answered my desires.
2. Al Swearegen (Deadwood) - Al was foul mouthed, violent, misogynistic and downright evil at times... and I loved him for every bit of it!
3. Benjamin Linus (LOST) - No other TV character EVER has been so mild mannered and so innocuous looking and yet given chills to me and been capable of such instant malevolence.Omar Little (The Wire) - How often does one cheer on a gay drug-dealing thief that hunts for people while whistling "The Farmer in the Dell"?
4. Omar Little (The Wire) - How often does one get to cheer on a gay drug-dealing, drug-stealing gangster that hunts people while whistling "The Farmer in the Dell"?
5. Walter White (Breaking Bad) - He may be my favorite character on TV right now, but he is lower on this list because he is the most sympathetic character on my list.
PATTY HEWES, from Damages.
ReplyDeleteHow could I forget to add a Meryl Streep masterpiece to my list?? Do'h!
ReplyDeleteEscobar Gallardo - Nip Tuck
ReplyDeleteI lused t love Sylar, now it's Damon and Eric for me:)
ReplyDeleteJulian Sark (Alias) though I really enjoyed hating him to begin with. I still see Sark, when he guest stars on TVD.
ReplyDeleteSpike (Buffy) before the brain chip, which ruined him for me. I never really got the love back. Angel (Buffy) wasn't an anti-hero to my mind. Doyle (Angel) would qualify though.
Damon Salvatore (TVD) is my current favourite. Didn't like him at first, but throughout season 1 he grew on me. I guess I'm a sucker for the whole "underneath the total bastard surface he's really very vulnerable"-thing. ;) But I think the show has developed him from evil bastard to anti-hero quite well.
In contrast, I think Chuck Bass' potential as an anti-hero (Gossip Girl) was ruined by the storylines already in season 1. There's just a limit to how many screw ups (and how big) I can stomach and still see the character as an anti-hero. For example, would Damon Salvatore still be an anti-hero if he had succeeded in killing Bonnie, Caroline and Jeremy, but was in love with Elena?
Jack Rudolph (Studio 60). Not just a cold-hearted tv exec.
Sergeant Provenza (The Closer). Just 'cos I love him.
But I am having a hard time thinking of female anti-heroes. (Haven't seen Damages yet, sorry.) Is it me or is saving the world/making it a better place while being a total jerk less acceptable in female characters?
Anne Boleyn (The Tudors)? Cordelia (Angel)?
Good point! There really are not too many anti-heroines that come to mind. Patty Hewes as mentioned. Grace Anadarko from Saving Grace was an alcoholic, promiscuous detective that had issues with rules. Alice Morgan from BBC 's Luther was very dark and twisted... but fun! Glory from Buffy maybe? Morgana or Morgause from BC Merlin (although I loathe both), Dr. Pen Varity from Durham County, and Anna from V might fit the category, but all seem to be missing that extra factor that make them epic enough to fit my list at least.
ReplyDeleteWell, I do think Angel is quite an antihero too, right? But spike is nice otherwise, or sylar, at the beginning, when he's more of an bad-guy than anti-hero but still...
ReplyDeleteThen we do of course have dexter, and doctor cox....
Well, Angel is probably the favoutrite
Wouldn't call Jack Bauer an Anti-hero, I think he's rather more like the typical description of a hero, at least as far a I wtched, but I agree with angel though...
ReplyDeleteMeryl Streep?
ReplyDeleteShe's beyond amazing, but I think you mean Glenn Close lol
Definitely Hank Moody, Gregory House, Dexter, Sawyer from LOST, pretty much any character on True Blood, Daryl on TWD, and more
ReplyDeleteEEK *blush* indeed. Decongestants make me sooo ofoggy! first thinking Rome was on Showtime and now this....
ReplyDelete...Do you mean Patty is not on your list? She's the perfect anti-heroine :)
ReplyDeleteNo I think Patty, Grace and Alice may all fit anti-heroine status. I meant the others I listed in the proceeding sentence only.
ReplyDeleteThat's fine :) They're very similar people in the looks department lol
ReplyDeleteStill, It's funny because I just looked at some Damages posters from previous seasons....
ReplyDeleteDamon Salvatore
ReplyDeleteOh, and while she's not quite as big/well-known or as fleshed-out as most anti-heroes, Captain Sharon Raydor on The Closer always steals the scene. She's an incredible character...
ReplyDeleteGood call on Omar! I definitely agree with most of the lists currently posted involving Dexter, House, Ben, Walter, etc, but no one else has mentioned Omar, so kudos.
ReplyDeleteKyle Hobbes -V
ReplyDeleteHelena Cain from Battlestar Galactica, she was awesome. Once again, Michelle Forbes, like Dr. Pen Varity.
ReplyDeleteYeah! I forgot Kyle, and I like Damon Salvatoe too, but not vampire diaries, so that's why I didn't mention him. What A sbout John Casey? Does he count?
ReplyDeleteAnd I think everything Joshua Jackon plays are anti-heroes....
Eric Northman (True Blood)
ReplyDeleteDamon Salvatore (The Vampire Diaries)
Dr. Cox (Scrubs)
Damon Salvatore
ReplyDeleteSpike
House
Eliot Spencer
Eric Northman by far is my fav. but I also like Sue Sylvester
ReplyDeleteRobo-Sam? never would have thought of that how very interesting.
ReplyDeleteActually Cavil was sort of. He wa snot just "bad because he enjoyed it". He was a man who despised his existence and who actually believed the ideology he was spreading. Beyond tha the was a sad sad man who despised his human nature and even that came from human nature itself.
ReplyDeleteHis monologue is still one of my favorites:
" Cavil: In all your travels, have you ever seen a star supernova?
Ellen: No.
Cavil: No. Well, I have. I saw a star explode and send out the building blocks of the universe, other stars, other planets, and eventually other life, a supernova, creation itself. I was there. I wanted to see it, and be part of the moment. And you know how I perceived one of the most glorious events in the universe? With these ridiculous gelatinous orbs in my skull. With eyes designed to perceive only a tiny fraction of the EM spectrum, with ears designed only to hear vibrations in the air.
Ellen: The five of us designed you to be as human as possible.
Cavil: I don't want to be human. I want to see gamma rays, I want to hear X-rays, and I want to smell dark matter. Do you see the absurdity of what I am? I can't even express these things properly, because I have to -- I have to conceptualize complex ideas in this stupid, limiting spoken language, but I know I want to reach out with something other than these prehensile paws, and feel the solar wind of a supernova flowing over me. I'm a machine, and I can know much more, I could experience so much more, but I'm trapped in this absurd body. And why? Because my five creators thought that God wanted it that way. "
I think I would consider House as an anti-hero, he's not the typical good guy you would get on a tv show and he relishes in the fact that he's obnoxious and tortures his patients!
ReplyDeleteChuck Bass and Spike
ReplyDeleteChuck Bass and Spike
ReplyDeleteDamon and Eric. But I like Eric more.
ReplyDeleteTop 5:
ReplyDelete1. Damon Salvatore (TVD)*****
2. Sawyer (Lost)
3. Eric Northman (True Blood)
4. Ben Linus (Lost)
5. Dexter Morgan (Dexter)
Thanks for the heads up. Don't think I've seen her in any episodes yet. The Closer shows at some weird times here. Will have to look out for her.
ReplyDeleteOh, Sue, of course, how could I forget!
ReplyDeleteEric Northman
ReplyDeleteDamon Salvatore
Dexter
good one :D
ReplyDeletedamon
sawyer
ben
dexter
sylar
pretty much all the ones up there
Spike, Greg House, Alex Karev (season 1-4)
ReplyDeleteSylar - Heroes
ReplyDeleteSpike (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel)
Dexter Morgan (Dexter)
Eric Northman (True Blood)
Fowler (white collar)
Dr. Cox - Scrubs
herrick (being human)
olivia from the other universe (fringe)
carter's wife (primeval)