15 most likable TV leads
By Reed Gaudens
Who are the characters we can count on in a world full of antiheroes? From Veronica Mars to Meredith Grey, here are 15 of the most likable TV leads.
Something strange happened a few years ago on television that made a monumental impact. Shows were getting darker, weirder, harder to place into a box, and so were their characters. Whether it was Breaking Bad or Girls that turned “likable” into a buzzword, they proved that characters don’t have to be saints to keep us tuning in.
Even now there’s a gray area when it comes to likable TV leads, since everyone, including the kindest characters, have their baggage. But we love, without condition, the characters who have a heart and strive to do the right thing.
You might have your favorite likable lead characters from ubiquitously popular shows like Game of Thrones or Gilmore Girls, but it’s time to lift up the characters who don’t get nearly enough love. Pose’s Blanca showcases indomitable strength, Superstore’s Amy represents the over-it working class, and 9-1-1′s whole crew goes above and beyond the call(s) of duty. But it wouldn’t be a celebration of the most likable TV leads without mainstays like Meredith Grey, Fran Fine, and the Pearsons.
Who are the most likable TV leads? We’ve narrowed down a list of lovable small-screen headliners from current and throwback shows. Of course, these picks represent just a tiny population of the larger pool of likable television characters that make our binge-watches all the more enjoyable.
Click through our ranking of 15 of TV’s most likable lead characters, and share your own favorites in the comments!