10 Best British TV Characters Of The Decade
In this new golden age of UK telly, which characters rank among the best of the best?
TV, as they say, has been enjoying a golden age for some time now, but as per the USA has been hogging most of the glory.
Over the past decade though, things seem to have shifted, as some of the biggest shows around have came out of the little island that could - Great Britain. Peaky Blinders, Sherlock, Downton Abbey and Luther show off the incredible variety of quality programming the country has produced since 2010, and the list goes on (all the way down to Plebs, which presumably someone watches).
The movies are often about spectacle and size, but TV is always about the characters, and as the decade dwindles to a close, it’s fair to say we’ve seen some incredible creations. At last the UK has shaken off its stereotype of producing nothing but costume dramas and detective shows - the entries on this list come from, and depict, individuals and ideas from all backgrounds.
With so many great creative minds at work, the future is looking as bright as it has in a while. Here are the best characters our shows have had to offer over the past ten years.
10. Chabuddy G (People Just Do Nothing)
If the mock doc sitcom wave is finally dying down, then Chabuddy G will be its final great character. People Just Do Nothing’s breakout star is a shining example of the immigrant dream, a wanna-be entrepreneur who came to the country with nothing and ended up with an empire of bizarre business ventures, including a peanut dust company and a dial up internet cafe.
Played with joyous sleaziness by series co-creator Asim Chaudhry, Chabuddy G is deployed perfectly as a larger than life character in an otherwise relatively down to earth sitcom. More often than not he is aside from the main plot, left to go on his own insane adventures. His is a richly drawn life; all they need do is have Chaudhry describe the character’s day to day existence into the camera and you’ll come away with comedy gold.
With a typical comedy lack of self awareness, Chabuddy G spends many episodes cheerfully admitting to a selection of crimes and misdemeanours. But for all his unscrupulous practises you can’t help but root for him: he’s just trying to get ahead in this ever-changing world. And if that means selling “Polish” vodka, actually made out of window polish - well, you can’t help but respect it.