When I wrote about my top 10 favorite Jewish television characters, the response was sharp and the debate robust. So, in these days of TV-strike doldrums, I figured it was time to come up with a list of the top 10 Christian TV characters, though this time I am restricting the list to those who have appeared in the past 5 years or so only. So, here goes:
10) Lane Kim from “Gilmore Girls“: I don’t admit very often to having watched “Gilmore,” but my wife was a fan, and I was known to catch an episode here and there. And Lane was always my favorite, trying so hard as she did to balance her parents’ strict rules and expectations with her own musical dreams and desire to forge her own way in life. It’s debatable whether to put her in a “Christian” list, given that her primary religious act was rebellion against it, but if Lane truly wanted out of it entirely, she could have had it.
9) Marguerite Perrin from ‘”Trading Spouses”: A reality show contestant that came off more as a cartoon, the self-proclaimed warrior for God would be too offensive for this list were she not so over-the-top as to be comedic. Trading families with a New Age bunch, Perrin did her best to convert them to Christianity, but her antics made her a punch-line instead.
Coach Taylor and his wife, Tami, from “Friday Night Lights“: A show I’ve caught way too seldom, but a goodie nonetheless.
7) Annie Camden from “7th Heaven”: The good Rev. Camden may have been the religious professional in this crowd, but Annie was the heart and soul of this long-running family drama. In good times and bad, she retained her humanity and her faith.
6) Melinda Doolittle from “American Idol.”: Perhaps my favorite Idol ever, she embodied Christian values, humility above all. Spoft-spoken and the opposite of flashy, her golden voice surpassed all others, she and deserved to go all the way. But can humility really survive, and triumph, in a self-promotion contest like “Idol”? Mindy Doo may be the proof that the two are simply irreconcilable.
5) Pres. Josiah Bartlett from “The West Wing”: A religious, liberal Democrat who quotes Scripture, talks in Latin to God, and attends Mass regularly. Too bad for term limits. You had my vote forever, President Bartlett.
4) Angela from “The Office”: I don’t believe she’s ever explicitly spoke of being a Christian, but she did mention “The Purpose-Driven Life” at one point, and belting out her impassioned, confident karaoke rendition of “Little Drummer Boy” at the Christmas party a couple of years ago left no doubt that to this hard-edged character, Christmas is all about Christ, not parties, gifts, or any other distractions.
3) Harriet from “Studio 60″: Say what you will about this show, its politics, and whether the character of Harriet, the evangelical comedienne modeled on Kristin Chenoweth, was there merely to give creator Aaron Sorkin cover to bash conservatives and Christians. Truth is, Harriet was the most deeply drawn, complex, and interesting new Christian on TV in a long time, allowing neither side to claim her as a mere stereotype or caricature.
2) Kenneth from “30 Rock”: In a year or two, don’t be surprised to see this scene-stealer at the top of the list. His Christmas-season antics, on the show and especially on its series of related AmEx commercials, were brilliant in their tweaking of our society’s Christimas culture wars and a perfect way for this earnest, good-to-the-bone character to assert his faith and teach everyone a lesson about the true meaning of the holiday. And these scenes were hilarious.
1) Ned Flanders from “The Simpsons”: Predictable, I know, but how could Ned not come in first? His faith as perfect as his mustache, his heart as pure as an angel’s, Ned is everyone’s favorite evangelical neighborino.
My least favorite Christian TV character: Sherri Shepherd, whose stint on “The View,” complete with her assertion that the world might be flat, is doing nothing to challenge stereotypes of the close-minded, uncurious Christian who’d be happy to return to medieval times.
posted January 11, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Hello, I’d like to add two more characters from “Friday Night Lights”: Smash and his family, and Lila. In general, religion is treated with great respect and depth on this program, but these two characters’ faiths guide their actions in a very beautiful and thoughtful manner. I’m actually Jewish, but the scene where Tim Riggins joins Lila for a church meeting, (at what I think was a “mega-church”) was the first time that I saw what that type of experience was all about. The sense of emotion and belonging was so tangible, and moving. Smash and family is seen many times in church, and he also says touching and inspirational prayers before games. Again, I’ve never seen religion handled in such a loving manner in a prime-time show, and never is it overbearing or sarcastic.
posted January 11, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Peter’s over-the-top Catholic dad on “Family Guy” cracks me up.
posted January 11, 2008 at 9:27 pm
FWIW, I can’t agree with Annie Camden having a place on this list. For the first few seasons of 7th Heaven, yes, she was pretty much a nice Christian mother. But in the later years of the show, her character became a shrill shrew of a woman who sniped incessantly at her husband and kids, who both had to walk on eggshells around her. At one point, she even forced the kids to live outside in the garage apartment as some absurd punishment for not obeying her whims.
posted January 14, 2008 at 1:51 pm
The world isn’t Flat ?
posted January 14, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Melinda Doolittle isn’t a character. She’s a real live human being. I have to agree with your assessment of her, however. She has class.
posted January 14, 2008 at 5:21 pm
I vote for Rev. Daniel Webster myself, of the truncated hot-potato show The Book of Daniel. Loved the concept, loved Aidan Quinn more. How about a footnote for him, or at least a medal for bravery, though I suppose that belongs to show creator Jack Kenny.
posted January 14, 2008 at 6:18 pm
I’m not sure I can agree with your list since I don’t watch “The Office”, “The Gilmore Girls”, “30 Rock”. I did see The Idol when Melinda Dolittle was on and that is one reason I watched it. Even if the guy with weird personality tried to steal the show. Ned Flanders is a cute character, but No. 1? My comment of all the shows out there, why is it that a cartoon character portrays more Christianity then some of the people in the shows? The world is only flat to those who cannot imagine. Thank you
posted January 15, 2008 at 1:03 am
I don’t watch any of the programs/movies you mentioned.
I was surprised that you left out Rona of Touched by an Angel…….
posted January 15, 2008 at 8:18 am
How about Chuck Norris on “Walker, Texas Ranger”? I know, everyone teases me about it but you heard Jesus’ name more on that show than on any other.
posted January 16, 2008 at 7:55 am
I don’t watch some of the shows that you have listed, but my true question is how do you base your title of “Christian” for these people? Are they truly Christian or do they just portray a “good” person on the show?
posted January 16, 2008 at 8:57 am
The way the top 10 were worded left much to the imagination of any of these actor’s Christianity. I think many of them portray a kind hearted character, therfore, someone interpreted that to mean Christianity…….
posted January 16, 2008 at 9:27 am
I have never watched any of these programs, they all seem so shallow and earthy. It seems that the word, “Christian” might be used loosley.
posted January 16, 2008 at 10:03 am
I do not watch any of the shows that you mentioned and am not familiar with the actors. What about Denzel Washington, he is a Christian and his name should be on this list.
posted January 22, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Why is Sherri Shepherd listed? She is a Jehoveh Witness not a Christian.
posted May 10, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Where’s Shepherd Book from Firefly? He was excellent!
posted May 13, 2008 at 12:57 pm
I find it odd that you mixed real life people with TV characters. I don’t consider someone on a reality show a TV character. They were not written in a script as a Christian. I disagree with Josiah Bartlett being on the list. I suppose his catholicism stood out on the show, but after the episode when his secretary died and he stood in the church and cursed God, I had to just leave the show. I know you only did characters from the past 5 years, but a stand out for me in showing a good Christian character would be John Boy’s mother on the Waltons.
posted May 17, 2008 at 1:19 pm
I was reading this article, and when i came across “Warren Sager”s entry I just had to add my two shekels. I watched The West Wing steadily until the last season, and it didn’t miss my attention that Josiah Bartlett had a Christian thing going. I liked to think of him as “the angry Christian” – he still talked to God, and he reluctantly still had his faith, albeit in the face of doom and gloom in his administration. I was impressed by the way his character kept on plugging even though he lived with great doubt. They should have named him Thomas. Warren says, “when his secretary died he stood in the church and cursed God.” Well, of course he did. His faith was shaken, just as if in “real” life he had lost a dear friend. He did exactly as one of us might do in the face of grief.If Josaih Bartlett was a real candidate for the Presidency, I would still vote for him in a heartbeat. He was portrayed as a man, not a God, and I would support him 100% through his doubts and triumphs.