This one was a little trickier than favorite male character. I have a lot of favorite male characters, but the ladies don't do a lot for me. I don't know if it's the way they are portrayed on TV, or if the shows I watch are generally more male centric in storyline... or a combo of that and more. I find most female characters annoying, or the actresses bug me... or I start out liking them and then they change up the character a little too much and I'm over it (Emma Swan comes to mind for that last one). So I had to actually think about it and it came down to two characters who I do truly love and look forward to seeing each week when their shows air... Felicity Smoak (Arrow) and the character I chose for this prompt Bernadette (The Big Bang Theory).
Bernadette reminds me a lot of one of my cousins (and I really have no idea why other than the hair and when she wears her glasses!), and I LOVE her attitude. She can be super sweet, naive, and yet she's a spitfire who's really a whole lot wiser than the boys give her credit for. She is freaking hysterical! I love how she can go from calm, cool and collected to super angry in the blink of an eye (and she typically has ever reason to do it!)
I don't understand her attraction to Howard, but even that gives a lot of good laughs - and she really helped with his maturing into a semi decent character in later seasons. I find myself quoting her A LOT (especially the Disneyland episode. "It was my idea, I'm driving, I get to be Cinderella - you b*tches got a problem with that we can stop the car RIGHT now.") and no matter how many times I watch an episode she never fails to make me laugh.
But consistently at the top of the list is Matthew Perry's character from FRIENDS, Chandler Bing. I identify so much with him. I mean in a lot of ways I am more a combination of Monica and Rachel (a control freak spoiled girl), but I feel more like Chandler (socially awkward, always with a sarcastic comment, and the more mature one of my bff duo). I've even been mistaken as gay, so... I mean. Could I BE more Chandler?! Maybe if I was a dude?!
For the ten seasons of Friends, we got to see Chandler mature from the dorky best friend into leading man material. He is the rock for Monica in later seasons - especially once they go through their journey to adopt. Perry went from loveable goofball to a serious actor in the later seasons - though it's evident he feels more comfortable in the comedic roles (he's currently starring in the tv remake of the Odd Couple as Oscar).
Over the years Erin and I both have felt that we are our own version of Joey (her) and Chandler (me). We have conversations so similar to what they did on the show ("I'm aware we're not gay puppets!"). Random adventures, road trips from Hell, we even did maps of Disney one year like Joey did of London ("oh what the hell is that?" "that's london baby!"). We use their catch phrases (though "London Baby" has turned into "Disney Baby!").
Chandler was a big part of my life in college. Sad, but true. I guess it's only fitting he be my favorite all time character.
So I have to pick ONE favorite from ONE fandom. Oh geez. I'm torn... I do know I won't just rehash my overly fangirly posts from last year about Neal Cassidy. I gush about him (and his actor) far too much.
However, after rewatching the latest episode of Arrow today ("Left Behind") I think I'd hate myself if I didn't feature John Diggle. I've loved David Ramsey's character from the first moment he stepped on screen. He called Oliver on his crap, has a master hand on sarcasm, and he's freaking hot. Watching him develop into the Arrow's right hand man and Oliver's best friend has been one of my favorite parts about this show.
I love how Diggle is the moral center of the group. Sure, Felicity can also take credit for keeping Oliver on the straight and narrow, but Diggle understands exactly what Oliver is going through. Being a soldier during the war in Afghanistan has given Dig a perspective that can help decipher the grey areas of Oliver Queen's mission to save his city. While Diggle may not always agree with Oliver's course of action, he understands the overall goal... and so he sticks by him. Not just because he was hired to be the playboy billionaire's bodyguard, but because he believes in the former frat boy.
Watching Diggle come to grips with the loss of his friend this week in "Left Behind" broke my heart. I expected the mid-season finale to grip my heart - with Felicity finding out Oliver is dead... and the rest of the team as well. But I held it together. It wasn't as bad as I thought, until Diggle's scene with Laurel towards the end of the show. He was the rock for the team throughout the episode until Laurel asks him if he'll be back [without Oliver], and he said he didn't know. His life was so hyper focused on Oliver's goals and mission that he didn't know what to do with that gone. I couldn't handle it. Ramsey pulled that scene off to perfection. He is the master. Thanks a lot David - now I'm a mess all over again. (I really did used to be sane!)
