Television introduced audiences to unforgettable characters who shaped culture, challenged norms and redefined storytelling. These characters entertained millions but have more so left an indelible mark in how we view their genres and television itself. Here are seven TV characters who truly changed the game.
The morally ambiguous mob boss, Tony Soprano, took the final frontier of television to a complex ground of being a criminal and a battling man within his mental health. His character establishes the kind of yardstick that morally challenges this concept of good and evil; he was a pilot to pave the way for other antiheroes and characters such as Walter White and Don Draper. The Sopranos proved that basically flawed, human characters could captivate viewers to usher in the "Golden Age of Television."
And no wonder; the undeniably candid Carrie Bradshaw, hot on the heels of love, dating, and independence, changed the landscape for every single woman around. Suddenly, over coffee cups in galoshes came chats of female sexuality and modern relationships, paving the way for more graphic explorations of women living life as they please. Sex and the City also had a lasting impact in the sphere of fashion and inspired generations of career-driven women who placed their friendships and self-actualization at the highest, rather than lowest, rung of priorities.
One of the most captivating character arcs in television history has been brought by Walter White, a mild-mannered teacher turned ruthless drug lord in the series Breaking Bad. His absolute and complete falling into moral decay dares viewers to redefine which parts of themselves they should sympathize with as the character becomes the ultimate villain. The character arc stretched the boundaries of what TV protagonists could be, offering proof that long-form storytelling could craft a variety of complex characters.
Ellen Morgan, of the TV sitcom Ellen, was one of the first national-television personas and came out in "The Puppy Episode" from 1997, one of the few leads of a sitcom to have ever appeared on national television. It was also almost contemporaneous with Ellen DeGeneres coming out of the closet in real life; this becomes a seminal moment with representation on mainstream television. Of course, the show was protested when it aired; however, this set precedents for future diversity and authenticity in the way that the characters of LGBTQ+ were portrayed.
Tyrion Lannister, the witty-spewing dwarf of the Game of Thrones saga, broke those stereotypes that people often found in characters with disabilities. His story of smartness and resourcefulness allowed him to become one of the strongest characters of the franchise and most of it has given credit to his lead actor Peter Dinklage as he won various awards for it. Media could now portray disabled people as deep, complex, and powerful characters rather than stereotypes.
In Olivia Pope, played by Kerry Washington, Scandal gave audiences a trailblazing actress as one of the first Black female leads in a network drama in decades. The show presented Olivia as a brilliant, multidimensional crisis manager and player in very dark times. Her achievements inspired further diversity on the televisual landscape and paved the way for more women of color to get these main roles in network dramas.
The enigmatic Don Draper, Mad Men's iconic character, popularized themes about identity, masculinity, and the American Dream on television, with polished exterior and deep personal flaws on which a character critique of post-war American society was characterized. As many were disillusioned with things back in their day, his morally ambiguous introspective character was a new standard for complex characters on television.
Conclusion
These seven television characters changed the way stories can be told on the small screen and boundaries surrounding the development of characterization, representation, and societal norms have never been the same. From challenging the definition of the anti-hero to providing space for LGBTQ+ and racial representation, these characters have forever changed television and its lasting impact continues to shape the medium today.
