10. Casey Cartwright - Greek
Let's start out the list with a solid character from a series that, in my opinion, is underrated. I came into the series thinking it would be about my favorite Athenians, but once I saw an episode of the self-deprecating dramedy about the system of sororities and fraternities at the fictional Cyprus-Rhodes University, I stayed to watch.
Watching
Greek is often an exercise in sadism. You are intensely interested in things going horribly wrong as though you're a motorist driving by a head-on collision. It's also a show that has excellent character development, bringing the nervous freshman Rusty to a position of respect by the end of the show and revealing that the quasi-moronic frat boy Beaver is actually in line to be an elementary school teacher. One of the characters who develops the least is Casey, but that is not a bad thing. She is a
consistent character. We see her faced with her college boyfriend's infidelity and the devious ways of the leaders in whom she should be placing her trust. She reminds me of Lily in
The Princess Diaries, who shows up in every scene with a different cause to stand up for. So why do I love Casey so much? She is one of the best characters who holds to Aristotle's idea that a true hero comes out of trials with his/her integrity intact. Yes, Casey is always finding a cause, but it usually involves saving someone from disgrace or providing compassion to someone who has made a mistake. She is loyal to her friends and loyal to herself and that is something to be admired.