Top 5 Everymen Characters On TV

By Eoin Cleary / September 25, 2013

We all know that TV shows are great for a number of reasons. Some are just awesome to pass the time (24), some provide excellent storytelling (The Wire, Game of Thrones) and others raise raising valid points about our society (every Aaron Sorkin show). Yet for some of us particularly during our admittedly forgettable adolescences certain shows can become mirrors to identifiy who we are, were and and what we want to be. The everyman protagonist is a crucial part of these sorts of shows. For example, Breaking Bad works at first because we can all understand why Walt would want to step over the lines of the law to provide for his family. After all, haven't we all considered sending ricin to our debtors? Of course he eventually descends, but his start-out motivation is admittedly noble.

So in the fashion of over-thinking things, I've decided to compose this list of the top everymen of TV.

Honourable Mention: Michael Bluth - Arrested Development

Honourably mentioned because in the first episodes, and slightly less so in recent ones, Michael Bluth was portrayed as this show's everyman the one character with whom you identify. He is shown at least at first to be a caring man who loves family before breakfast and understands the sweet sting of sweat from a hard days work. He puts his son's wishes above all else, whatever he wants to do and whomever he wants to date... including the ever loveable, ever forgettable Ann (Yes, her).

However and in a way only Arrested Development can this soon gets flipped on its axis. Michael is quickly shown to be just as neurotic and nutty as the rest of his family. His forays into kidnapping random people off the street and dating the child-minded Charlize Theron move him as far away from the Everyman archetype as it is possible to be. But still, Arrested Development should get an honourable mention in all TV lists, shouldn't it? So here begins my list of Top Everymen of TV. You may disagree at length below...