My Favorite TV Characters of 2015
Storylines get me interested but characters are what keep me coming back for more. I tune into a new television show because of the premise but I have to fall in love with the characters to keep tuning in week after week.
2015 was a great year of television and as such, I fell in love with a few characters. However, I’ve narrowed that list down a bit and below are my favorite TV characters of 2015:
Omari Hardwick as James St. Patrick – POWER
Starz’s hit show, Power, is a criminally underrated show and it definitely deserves more attention. They’ve been bringing the heat consistently for two seasons and the season three promises to be even better. I hope more people tune in and if you haven’t seen an episode as yet, please rectify that right now. (Check out an earlier post I did about Power here.)
Omari Hardwick stars as the lead character and he doesn’t disappoint. James St. Patrick is a multi-dimensional character that makes you love him one minute and hate him the next. The entire supporting cast is phenomenal but with Hardwick leading the pack, Power is television that you simply must watch. Season two really made him one of my favorite characters. James was pulled in so many different directions this season and Hardwick did a great job of letting audiences see the struggle. He had to be James, Jamie and Ghost. He was someone different to so many people, and it was a power struggle. One, it looks like he may not win.
Naturi Naughton as Tasha St. Patrick – POWER
Yes, I am putting another Power character on this list. Tasha really evolved this past season. Naturi Naughton was given some pretty good material in season two and she brought her A game. When we first met Tasha, she didn’t seem to have much of a backbone; to me, anyway. She was always very smart but I felt like she downplayed it a bit. Her main focus seemed to be Ghost; she had to make sure he was taken care of, and that he remained the powerful man she knew he could be. She only cared about the streets and wasn’t a fan of Ghost going legit which caused me not to like her that much in the beginning. All of that changed in season two. She really came into her own and became more assertive, in my opinion. She didn’t just keep quiet and roll over once Ghost became bold with his indiscretions. She started fighting for what she wanted and was no longer content to just play Mrs. St. Patrick. She reminded everyone this season that she was a force to be reckoned with before she married Ghost. Let us not forget: it was Tasha that really helped Ghost build the empire he has today.
Taraji P. Henson as Cookie Lyon – Empire
Speaking of Empire, I cannot list my favorite characters of 2015 without mentioning Cookie Lyon on Fox’s runaway hit drama. Cookie was the name on everyone’s lips this past year. From the bold outfits to infamous one-liners and epic scenes; there’s hardly a TV enthusiast who doesn’t know about Cookie Lyon.
Viola Davis as Annalise Keating – How To Get Away With Murder
Listen, there are not enough words to describe Viola Davis as Annalise Keating on ABC’s hit show. She is simply phenomenal and works her ass off in this role. Annalise is a very interesting character; each week, I don’t know whether to root for her or push her down the stairs. There’s always something lurking right beneath the surface and I can never determine whether it’s okay to fully trust her. All of the characters are given great material on the show but Viola Davis finds a way to make you connect to her every, single episode; whether you want to or not.
James Spader as Raymond Reddington – Blacklist
Blacklist is a fantastic show and we all tune in week after week to see James Spader as Raymond Reddington. I wholeheartedly believe the reason the show has done so well for NBC is because of Spader’s performance. I may not initially love every storyline but Spader’s performance will sway me by the end of every episode. He is just that good. He is a slick bastard; he’s ruthless, cunning, and won’t hesitate to harm you if you get in his way. But he’s also extremely intelligent and will fiercely protect those he loves; namely Dembe and Elizabeth. The lengths he will go, the sacrifices he’s willing to make, and the secrets he keeps makes him one of my favorite TV characters of 2015. He doesn’t see black or white; everything’s in the gray area and Spader portrays that to a T. Let’s also not forget the fact that he has excellent taste in alcoholic beverages, that’s always a win in my book!
There you have it, my favorite TV characters of 2015. Who did you love this past year? Let me know in the comments below!
Natalya is the author of All The Things I Never Said, a soul-stirring collection of short stories, prose and love letters for the soulful wanderers, the brokenhearted and the hopeless romantics.
You can follow her rantings and occasional sparks of brilliance on Twitter @NatalyaMuncuff.
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