15 most likable TV leads

1. Buffy Summers on Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Of all the likable characters spotlighted on this list, you can’t say that any of them have patrolled a hellmouth, came back from the dead, or saved the world. Because none of those characters are Buffy Summers, the beautifully complicated lead character of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

The complexity of Buffy could leave her likability up for debate in some instances. She’s not a quiet, amenable go-with-the-flow kind of girl. She’s the chosen one, the slayer, the vulnerable human who pushes her own feelings aside to save the world every day and night. It’s in her various contradictions that’s Buffy’s likability shines, though let’s get one thing straight: She doesn’t give a crap if you like her.

Buffy, like any human, has personality flaws, though she also possesses inhuman physical strength that allows her to defeat otherworldly demons. For generations of fans, she represents the ultimate teen hero. She’s who anyone would want to be if they could be anybody.

Maybe what makes her so loved is her those character flaws in the face of such incredible ability. She didn’t ask to have the power to stake a vampire while trying to handle the hell of high school. But she slays it nonetheless with the help of the Scooby Gang. It’s nearly impossible to think of a character who could take Buffy’s place at the top of this list and more or less take Buffy period.

Next: 25 beloved characters from Netflix Originals

Which likable TV leads are your favorite? Share your picks in the comments!