10 Best New TV Characters Of 2018 (So Far)
The word 'compelling' doesn't do these characters justice.
The television landscape continues to evolve, but the one thing that hasn't changed is the vast array of wonderful characters that make up our favourite shows. Let's face it: a TV series is nothing without its colourful cohort of mainstays and, in order to enjoy the narrative of the show, we have to be able to experience it through their very eyes.
For television to be compelling, we need to be able to feel everything that the central characters feel, and understand their state of mind when they're forced into making devastating decisions. Great characters rely on two things: strong writing, and a believable performance by the actor playing them. More often than not, the two go hand-in-hand with one another.
This year has been one of television's strongest. We've seen brand new series that have blown our minds, and we've also seen plenty of fan-favourites return to our screens for another outing. The one thing that many of these shows have in common, however, is that they're full of great characters. So let's take a look at some of this year's finest.
10. Barry - Barry
Barry has been one of TV's most enjoyable comedies this year, and this is largely due to the show's genius balance of comedy and drama - specifically in regards to the title character. Barry is conflicted to say the least, and actor Bill Hader conveys this really well throughout the season.
It's often hard to dramatise internal conflict in a comedy series, because the writers run the risk of turning their series into a fully-blown drama, but somehow Barry has accomplished this incredibly well.
We can sense our protagonist's desire to break free from his old life as a hitman and pursue his dream of becoming an actor. However, getting evolved with Noho Hank has made it incredibly hard for him to do so. The strong characterisation of the Barry character has made his predicament believable - in spite of the sensationalist dilemma. It'll be incredibly exciting to see what our unlucky protagonist will get up to in the second season of the HBO series.