2017 was a busy TV year, from sleeper hit shows (“The Good Doctor”) to new prestige powerhouses (“The Handmaid’s Tale”) to older shows reaching thought-provoking conclusions (“The Leftovers”).
But any series would be nothing without its characters, so here’s a selection of the best the year had to offer.
Viserion, “Game of Thrones”
(HBO)
Daenerys Targaryen’s dragons have always been an iconic part of this show’s visual landscape, but when Viserion turned into an undead White Walker at the end of Season 7 (and breathed icy blue fire), he literally brought down the house.
Dr. Shaun Murphy, “The Good Doctor”
(ABC)
Freddie Highmore’s autistic savant young doctor anchored the fall’s most-watched new show. He was sympathetic and captivating and provided a new kind of hero.
Lenny Busker, “Legion”
(FX)
Aubrey Plaza has made a name for herself playing sarcastic outsiders, but Noah Hawley’s trippy “Legion” was a true tour de force. Lenny initially seemed like a typical Plaza role — until she took a turn for the terrifying. The year’s best TV villain.
Jason Mendoza, “The Good Place”
(NBC)
Of all the delightful characters populating this comedy’s afterlife world, Jason Mendoza (Manny Jacinto) consistently brought the most laughs — giving new meaning to the term “lovable idiot.”
Debbie Egan, “GLOW”
(Netflix)
This ’80s-era series about a rag-tag group of women wrestlers ostensibly starred Alison Brie as Ruth — but the show really belonged to Betty Gilpin’s Debbie Egan, who was alternately strong, vulnerable, sad and funny.
Moira, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
(Hulu)
“The Handmaid’s Tale” is Offred’s story, but Samira Wiley’s Moria can’t be ignored. She was a breath of fresh air, a dose of much-needed levity in such a serious show and a heroine in her own right.
Mad Sweeney, “American Gods”
(Starz)
This adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s popular fantasy novel was alternately dazzlingly original and meandering, but it gave us one of the year’s most memorable characters: the foul-mouthed yet surprisingly soulful leprechaun played by Pablo Schreiber.
Sheldon Cooper, “Young Sheldon”
CBS
The pint-size version of Sheldon Cooper could have been overly precocious in this spinoff, but he has a winsome presence thanks to Iain Armitage.
Steve’s Hair, “Stranger Things”
(Netflix)
Steve Harrington’s (Joe Keery) coif dominated social media chatter around the show’s second season — and was a vital plot point in Steve’s unexpected buddy-cop team-up with Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo).
Alice Cooper, “Riverdale”
(The CW)
Betty’s mom (Madchen Amick) was a delightful force. Between her dramatic entrances, bad-girl past and disdain for just about everyone around her, she always hit the perfect notes in a show that changes its own tone from scene to scene.