Television permeates the lives of the majority of westerners – a fact that people born 100 years ago would find impossible to believe! While much of the programming on television is junk, there are, fortunately, some extremely brilliant and entertaining shows. This list looks at the characters in some of those shows – and, more specifically, badass characters.
An LA detective and leader of the Strike Team, a four-man anti-gang unit in the FX series The Shield. Mackey is a corrupt but extremely efficient police officer. He steals from drug dealers, beats suspects and has murdered three people. Two of the victims were vicious gangsters, however the first was an undercover officer that wanted to expose Mackey’s team. Despite his misdeeds, he is a devoted father, a loyal partner to his teammates and will readily protect those he sees as innocent victims.
Played by the one and only Chuck Norris, whether he’s roundhouse kicking a bad guy to the face or teaching a young boy moral values, he was the most badass cowboy ever.
Macgyver was the man, armed with a swiss army knife, a roll of duct tape,and whatever else he needed to escape a dangerous situation. Macgyver went mountain climbing and loved ice hockey, come on now thats badass.
Tony Soprano is the Boss of the DiMeo Crime Family, which is located in New Jersey. Tony has committed at least 8 murders. Tony always manages to get to his enemies before they get to him.
In the pilot of Prison Break, Scofield stages a bank robbery to get sent to jail to help his brother (who is on death row) escape. No matter how trivial the task at hand, Michael Scofield does it like a badass.
Shredder is the archenemy of the turtles and Splinter in the show Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He is the leader of the Foot Clan and is always trying to put an end to the turtles and Splinter.
Set in Miami, the series centers on Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a serial killer who works for the Miami Metro Police Department as a blood splatter analyst. Dexter has received considerable critical acclaim and has won two Emmys in technical categories, and has also generated public controversies concerning its content and promotion.
Jack Bauer is a key member of the Counter Terrorist Unit in LA. His job often makes him sacrifice many of his loved ones, but he has to do his job.
House always shows wit, enjoys picking people apart, and often mocks their weaknesses. House accurately figures out people’s motives and histories from aspects of their personality and appearance. The cane and limp make him even more badass.
Sylar also known as Gabriel Gray is the baddest character on TV right now. His power is knowing how things work. He steals other hero’s powers by cutting off the top of thier head and removing their brain, from then on it’s history. Sylar cannot be killed or imprisoned.
Contributor: Matteo
It’s not too often that I give a thumbs down to a list but this one deserves it (if my opinion matters). Barring the obvious and over-written about error, the list was terse and poorly researched. I agree with about half the list, but on I feel that a “badass” cannot come from a children’s show (Shredder). After a while, the overwhelming failure makes him look like a whiny pussy.
Matteo, you didn’t even define what a “badass” was in your opening statement. You and I and probably many others must differ in what that means. MacGuyver was smart and cool, but not a badass. He was “handy”. Sylar is now a pussy. Gawd, even Angel from Buffy was more of a badass than him.
Since many people are complaining but not offering advice on future lists, here’s what you do, Matteo: research a bit more (did you do any? there aren’t any sources listed), write a bit more for each, and I suggest have a few people proofread. Put the choices at least up in the forums and see if anyone agrees/disagrees.
Lamest List Evar!
Fun list. How about:
1. Gibbs (NCIS)
2. Charlie Crews (Life)
4. Jayne (Firefly)
5. Dean (Supernatural)
house is a badass.. and i think hero himself should be on the list =)
Interesting premise for a list! I agree that MacGyver’s spot would be better taken by Richard Dean Anderson’s more recent character, Colonel/General Jack O’Neill. I would also vote for Ronon Dex from Stargate Atlantis, Jayne from Firefly, and Gibbs from NCIS.
Brock Samson from the Venture Brothers should be #1 on this list.
Cyn, I don’t watch TV unless it’s what I WANT to watch…
Most of the garbage here is not what I want to watch…
Capice?
And Yes, I do have brains… That’s why I don’t watch Television, much…
hated the list.
Okay – the Dexter item is fixed – I was away until now so sorry about the delay
Not going to lie, the omission of so many more RECENT tv characters (Locke? Ben? and if you’re going to take someone from heros why not take peter’s dad? He stole his son’s powers then tried to have him killed. And where the hell is a joss whedon character??) as well as the poor research (mixing up Dexter and Life? Really?) Make this list quite terrible.
Sorry, i realized my last comment sounded quite harsh. These lists aren’t normally my cup of tea.
This list bites! No mention of Dwight Shrute, without a doubt the baddest of the bad!
Richard Dean Anderson FTW!
A few obvious omissions:
A) Michael Caffee in ‘The Brotherhood’. Nothing like a sociopath Irish gangster with a soulless stare. Check it out on Show Time.
B)Andy Sipowicz in ‘NYPD Blue’. Seeing as you went back into the ’80s, I can’t understand why this guy was left off the list.
It’s already been said, but I’m saying it again:
The lister mixed up LIFE and Dexter…
Lousy research…
wheres John Locke from Lost?
Spike from Buffy would cream all these guys…
Cyn: i have been a long time reader here and that was uncalled for. People are pointing out a mistake they have seen which they have a right to do.
Talk feeding the trolls.
So now they’re talking about the SHOW Dexter and not the CHARACTER Dexter? =(
This won’t be one of my favorite lists but I was briefly entertained by reading it anyway.
Matteo, if you’re out there listening;
I made a research mistake on one of the list I submitted and it was quickly pointed out by someone. Although it wasn’t as obvious as the Dexter/Life mistake (btw two of my favorite shows) I quickly acknowleged the error in a post, wrote the correct info in the post and asked JF to correct it on the list. By doing that I had no future comments about it.
Cyn did a lot of fighting for you and your list. Many people don’t read previous comments, they just post their own. But a few comments in your own defense may have squashed the issue.
I look forward to seeing your next list.
#1-141:
You are all, very gay.
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okay. so it is working. the page still doesn’t look right tho..
#143 was sysadmin and #144 was me.
anyway..
J made the appropriate corrections. so lets end the commenting on Dexter/Life shall we? as for the hard edges…
ya’ll play nice, i’ll play nice.
House is basically a spin-off of Dr. Cox from Scrubs and Sylar is the least badass character on the worst show on TV. Good call though.
you switched Life and Dexter, but now its gone and you dont even write -edit- or anything
lol at Sylar, the king of PUSSIES, and who is neither deeply explored nor compelling, being granted the number 1 title for badassery. You know who is badass? Martin Keamy. From Lost.
I’m sure none of you watch Lost. Why? Because you’re all so far up your own asses with TV that calls itself groundbreaking while falling to numerous cliches and repetitive plot points.
Sylar is not an exception. He is just… awful. Zachary Quinto is a terrible actor, but the writing is what makes Sylar truly bad. Whether it is the ephemeral disposition that he’ll claimed to have had for a few episodes, yet it really began the moment he said it, or the lack of depth, he just doesn’t do anything worthy of him beinh a badass.
being*
Neat list. I do think that at least one character from Lost should be here, though I couldn’t choose just one. That show is just bad-ass.
Zukonub… I don’t know the character Martin Keamy from Lost. I missed season 4, so I’m watching them online to catch up before season 5 starts… gimme some info on the character… now I’m curious, my fellow Lost fan.
lol, you’ll see later on. It doesn’t really start until The Shape of Things to Come, but after that, he is incredibly badass throughout.
Nice list, but I would have replaced Michael Scofield by Alexander Mahone.
Well, great. Now I’ll stay up half the night watching Lost online. I don’t know a better way to spend my time! I’m such a junkie for that show.
lol if you’re such a junkie, you should go to http://www.furtherinstructions.com
if that doesn’t work, though, go to http://www.s4.zetaboards.com/further_instructions
Sorry I veered off the list topic… Dexter is awesome. I stopped watching Heroes after season 1, so- I can’t really comment on Sylar.
I must say, this is a completely uninteresting list… why are there so many comments?
Because everyone feels the need to point out that he mixed up Life and Dexter.
I must say, this is a completely uninteresting list… why are there so many comments?
no more lists like this. ok?
123. AmILeo
I’m 100% behind you on the must-have inclusion of Dean from Supernatural!
He’s been to hell and back- literally. Plus, he’s a smartass, which is a major bonus in my book
MT totally gets it.
i think i’ve changed my mind and hopefully lowered my stress level as well..
i’ll just accept that the people who really give a damn will make the time to ‘get it’ and those that don’t won’t and they are pretty much under the heading ‘don’t argue w/ an idiot, people may not be able to tell the difference.’
so i appreciate well stated, well researched lists and comments. well meaning community members and just LV in general. i will try to put on the short leash in regards everyone else.
I bought the first season of dexter… am i the only person who doesn’t find it THAT great? At least it doesn’t appear as good as everyone says it is… Micheal C. Hall does a good job… but the plot in general (based solely on season one) is kind of *****ty.
can someone enlighten me on what’s good about it?
slash
are there others who share my disdain for the program?
A good lost fansite, deepthinker, is http://www.s4.zetaboards.com/further_instructions
Sylar was a pussy from the start. He’s an emo that cuts everyone except himself.
Charlie Crews (Life) should be on here
John Locke (Lost) should be on here
Shredder should not be on the list. let’s play a little game of which one of these doesn’t belong and see which is the odd character out…shredder the cartoon character.
I would also submit that both Chuck Norris and MacGuyver lack the prerequisite “recent-ness” to be on the list.
I guess that means i get to choose one more since i’ve taken three off and only added two…
i’ll say Jona Blaine (the Unit). it’s not a crazy popular show, but i think he definitely qualifies.
Sylar? Please – [rolls eyes]
agent mahone anyone??
from prison break??
anyone??
How the fark did that ***** Skylar beat out Jack Bauer? This list sucks.
No love for any of the characters from ‘The Wire?’ Omar, Marlo Stanfield, Snoop, and Chris Parlow surely are badass, no?
John Locke is the baddest ass of them all!!!! Hey, my fellow Losties- have you been to http://www.Lostpedia.com?
I will jump on the anti-Sylar bandwagon. My favorites:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Temperance Brennan from Bones
HRG from Heroes
All sorts of people from Lost – especially Ben
but my all-time favorite badass (drumroll)…..
CSM (cigarette-smoking man) from X-files
This is an American biased list, although I quite liked it.
Making lists about modern popular culture will always be tricky because the audience of this site is worldwide.
Well done for having a go.
sigh… I was wondering how long it would take someone to complain about American bias.
Shredder AND Dexter. This is quite a list.
This is a decent list.
Sylar is pretty badass, and I’m glad to see you put Scofield and Dexter. I wish you’d put someone from Lost on here, because they have an whole ensemble of badasses to pick from, and all more badass than Sylar.
In fact, make a whole List about Lost, giving ten reasons why it’s better than any other show.
A list about Lost = great idea!
and also….How is Sylar a pussy? The guy has a large ensemble of kickass powers, he can’t really be killed, and he’s a bloodthirsty killer. I can see the claims of being poorly written or acted, or how he doesn’t have much depth, but a pussy?
Sorry, but that just isn’t the case at all.
Nicosia – no need to sigh!
If you you read the 2nd paragraph of my post you’ll see I appreciate that popular culture is difficult to categorise into lists for a World Wide audience.
Get the chip off your shoulder
scrumpy – I have no chip on my shoulder, it just gets old hearing it complained about on so many lists (check out the comments on some of the others, it gets SO repetitive!). Kinda like how Cyn got irritated over everyone posting the same thing about Dexter/Life. There are a lot of Americans here, and we watch American television, and are not exposed to as many international programs as some of you in other countries. Maybe you could write a more international list? I do like foreign shows (esp. British ones, like Monty Python)
Then again, the list is about badasses, and we do kinda rock
I don’t know if someone already mentioned it…technically it’s blood SPATTER *****yst, not SPLATTER. FYI