10 Most Universally Beloved TV Characters Of All Time

Published Nov 10, 2026, 11:15 AM EST

Adrienne Tyler is a movies & TV features writer, with a focus on horror. She has written for Netflix, FanSided, & more. She was a regular guest on the Netfreaks podcast and was a YouTuber at some point. Guillermo del Toro said “hi” to her once.

Sign in to your ScreenRant account

Many characters made TV history thanks to their stories, development, charm, and/or relatability, but not all of them are universally loved. The list of the best TV shows of all time covers a variety of genres, and most of them delivered some of the most memorable characters in TV history. While some of the best shows also ended up being some of the most influential, not all popular TV characters left a permanent mark.

In many cases, the popularity of a TV character dies down shortly after their show ends, proving that popularity doesn’t always equal longevity and long-lasting impact. In some specific cases, characters who were once popular and beloved are no longer popular due to outdated stereotypes, traits, and stories that, with time, have been revealed to actually be quite harmful, as happened to Ted Mosby, Ross Geller, Rory Gilmore, and Dan Humphrey.

Other TV characters have had a much more notable legacy and have aged pretty well, continuing to be universally beloved and even being more than when their shows aired. While there’s no established formula for a character to be loved by everyone for many years, what most of these have in common is some level of relatability, depth, development, and overall well-written runs with ups and downs that have allowed viewers to truly get to know them.

Will Smith (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)

Will Smith (played by, well, Will Smith) is the star of the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, created by Andy and Susan Borowitz. Will is a street-smart teenager born and raised in West Philadelphia who is sent to live with his wealthy uncle and aunt in Bel-Air, Los Angeles.

Will Smith has natural charisma and a contagious sense of humor, but underneath these, Will is also a vulnerable guy carrying a lot of emotional pain. Will brings lots of laughter throughout The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s run, but also depth and development, which further makes him one of the most relatable TV characters of the 1990s.

Tyrion Lannister (Game of Thrones)

Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) is the youngest child of Lord Tywin Lannister, the patriarch of House Lannister, the wealthiest family in the Seven Kingdoms, and brother of Jaime and Cersei. Due to his dwarfism, Tyrion is despised by his father and sister, but throughout his story, Tyrion displays incredible resilience, while also showing his sharp wit, sense of humor, and deep empathy for the outcasts, which is a key trait in a world led by evil, power, and cruelty. Dinklage's performance added depth and complexity to an already wonderfully written character, making him even more beloved.

Leslie Knope (Parks & Recreation)

Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) is the deputy director of Pawnee’s Parks and Recreation Department, and though she had a rough first season, Parks and Recreation eventually found the right tone and approach for her. The result was one of the most charming, relatable, funny, and endearing sitcom characters of all time, who won the audience over with her undying optimism, fierce loyalty, empathy, vulnerability, warmth, passion, and ambition. Leslie stayed true to herself through thick and thin, proving that success and ambition don’t require giving up one’s authenticity, heart, and goals.

Michael Scott (The Office)

Michael Scott (Steve Carell) is the regional manager of the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the paper company Dunder Mifflin. Although Michael is characterized by being quite incompetent and an unprofessional boss, he’s also kind and empathetic. Michael can be quite immature and childlike sometimes, which adds to the character’s comedy, but underneath that is a lonely and vulnerable man looking for acceptance – however, this also helps him build a strong family-like bond with his coworkers. Michael is one of the most relatable TV characters, and one that the more you get to know him, the more you love him.

Raymond Holt (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Raymond Holt (Andre Braugher) is the 99th Precinct’s commanding officer, who makes quite a first impression on his new colleagues (and the audience) due to his cold and overly formal demeanor and apparent lack of emotion, through which he delivers hilarious deadpan humor.

However, Holt is actually a complex and vulnerable character who carries a lot of trauma and emotional pain due to the obstacles he has faced in his career and personal life as a gay Black man. Because of this, Holt is an example of strength, resilience, and discipline, as well as empathy, kindness, and loyalty, with heartwarming character development throughout the show.

Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is the latest in a succession of young women known as “Slayers” who are chosen by fate to fight vampires, demons, and other forces of darkness. As such, Buffy does her best to balance her Slayer duties, high school, and her personal life, which is a lot easier said than done. Buffy arrived to change lead female characters on TV by shattering the “damsel in distress” trope and presenting a strong (physically and mentally) lead who also dealt with the problems and vulnerabilities of teenagers.

Buffy is flawed, but she develops resilience after all the traumatic experiences she goes through, without sacrificing her natural kindness, empathy, and capacity to love. Despite being a Slayer, Buffy is one of the realest and most relatable characters in TV history.

Olivia Benson (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)

Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) is the Commanding Officer of the Manhattan branch of the Special Victims Unit within the New York City Police Department – and because of this, she has investigated a lot of very difficult and traumatic cases. Benson is tough, as needed in this type of job, but also very empathetic, serving as the voice of the victims of these horrific crimes. Benson is passionate, determined, and disciplined, but also vulnerable, allowing the audience to relate to her and her struggles while admiring the strength with which she overcomes those adversities.

Homer Simpson (The Simpsons)

Homer Simpson is the patriarch of the Simpson family, being the husband of Marge and father of Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. Homer is lazy, selfish, impulsive, rude, has a deep love for food, and, over time, has become dumber and dumber, and while these would generally make a character unlikable, they have become the basis of Homer’s comedy. Homer is beloved rather than hated thanks to The Simpsons balancing those negative traits with deep love and care for his family and an effort to be a better person, but without ever pretending to be perfect.

Lucy Ricardo (I Love Lucy)

Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball) is the main character of I Love Lucy and the wife of bandleader Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz), who is always coming up with hilarious schemes to become a star. Lucy is all about physical comedy and facial expressions that are the core of her comedy, but she’s also flawed, being stubborn, impulsive, and a trickster, with undying determination that is honestly admirable. Lucy embraces those flaws, and her desire to be seen and appreciated is something that anyone can relate to.

Chandler Bing (Friends)

Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) is one of the six main characters in Friends and is best known for having a deep fear of commitment and using humor to conceal his personal struggles. Chandler is quick-witted, sarcastic, and a master at self-deprecating humor, bringing most of the laughs in Friends, but with time, viewers see his most vulnerable side.

Underneath all the jokes and laughter, Chandler carries a lot of trauma and emotional pain from his childhood, which has led him to use humor as a coping mechanism and a mask, as well as to have commitment issues. However, Chandler also goes through some of the best character development, overcoming those fears and forming a healthy relationship and family with Monica (Courteney Cox), but without sacrificing his sense of humor. Chandler is charming and relatable, as well as one of the most complete characters in the history of sitcoms.