15 Best New TV Characters Of The Decade

Just slipping in with a miniseries earlier this year, Chernobyl only needed five episodes to make its mark on television history. Stellan Skarsgard, Emily Watson and Paul Ritter played fantastic parts too, but Jared Harris’ Legasov stole the show. His Emmy battle with Jharrel Jerome (When They See Us) was arguably the highest quality face off of the decade.

While poor Harris lost out again (also losing out previously for Mad Men), his performance as Legasov will not be soon forgotten.

It was a real growing bloom of a performance, with Skargard and Ritter displaying ferocity throughout, and Harris’ character evolving as the series went on. His courtroom speech was undoubtedly the pinnacle; the perfect blend of the man who was still a nervous pencil pusher and the regime defying hero who stood up for what was right.

Angry, measured, fearless, terrified... Harris managed to convey them all.

Legasov being a real person does perhaps colour his ranking here a little (not strictly a character as much as a biographical performance), but Harris was too good to leave out. If literary characters count, he should qualify too.