Hey everyone! Due to the social distancing nature of the current coronavirus outbreak cancelling real sports for the time being, we here at Reel Heels held a tournament to determine the greatest television character of all time! We chose 64 characters, with a maximum of 2 characters per show, and seeded those characters into four regions. Then Jason and I voted on each matchup, along with a random impartial coin. So there will be writeups for all four regionals (Albuquerque, Seattle, North Caldwell, Springfield), followed by one for the Final Four, where we crown our winner! So let’s get to it with our North Caldwell regional!
1st Round
1 seed: Tony Soprano (The Sopranos) vs. 16 seed: Archie Bunker (All in the Family)
Our first matchup sees two of the most influential patriarchs in television history going head to head. Archie Bunker’s loud-mouth, opinionated, blowhard persona was replicated so many times throughout television, but rarely with the laughter that Carroll O’Connor was able to bring as the character. On the flip side, our number one seed in this region, Tony Soprano, influenced the state of television drama for the 21 years since The Sopranos debuted by being the mold for the antihero that audiences can’t get enough of, thanks largely to the portrayal by James Gandolfini. Both gave television some groundbreaking characters who have stood the test of time, but there can only be one that moves on here.
Tony wins 2-1
8 seed: Barry Block (Barry) vs. 9 seed: Selina Meyer (Veep)
This matchup pairs two of the best and most awarded characters of the past decade for HBO. First is eighth seed Barry Block (played by Bill Hader), a hitman looking for a new career by becoming an actor in LA, and his opponent is Selina Meyer (television legend Julia Louis-Dreyfus), a politician who sees one heck of a roller coaster of a career. Both of these characters bring plenty of laughs, while also not being afraid of getting their hands dirty in various ways. And while there are no losers for fans of these shows, only one can advance in our competition.
Barry wins 3-0
5 seed: Leslie Knope (Parks and Recreation) vs. 12 seed: Rose Nylund (The Golden Girls)
It’s a battle of Midwestern gals here in this matchup. The five seed is Amy Poehler’s Leslie Knope, who works in the Parks and Recreation department in her hometown of Pawnee, Indiana. She faces the 12 seed, Rose Nylund, played by one of the icons of the small screen, Betty White. Rose hails from St. Olaf, Minnesota, but she resides in Miami with her three roommates. This is a tough battle because these are two incredibly funny women who have tremendous chemistry with their talented screen mates, but there can only be one to continue to the next round.
Leslie wins 3-0
4 seed: Lucy Ricardo (I Love Lucy) vs. 13 seed: Philip Jennings (The Americans)
This is possibly the most jarringly different matchup of the first round in this region. Our underdog is Philip Jennings (played by Matthew Rhys), a Russian operative living in America with his wife (who is also a Russian operative) during the height of the Cold War in the 1980’s. On the flip side, is a character as American as they get: Lucy Ricardo, played by the incomparable pioneer of television, Lucille Ball. One is a gritty drama, the other is a go-for-broke comedy. These are two vastly different styles, but one will move on.
Lucy wins 2-1
6 seed: Boyd Crowder (Justified) vs. 11 seed: Jack Donaghy (30 Rock)
Another difference of styles here as we see a blue collar criminal from Harlan, Kentucky going against the head of a major network in New York City. Boyd Crowder (played by Walton Goggins) was the main foil on Justified throughout its run, as a smooth talking outlaw with that Southern charm and deadly personality. Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin, in a career resurrecting role) was the mentor to our protagonist on 30 Rock, but just as capable of delivering hilarious lines and stories. While both are terrific characters, only one can advance here, and we have our first upset of the region!
Jack wins 2-1
3 seed: Barney Fife (The Andy Griffith Show) vs. 14 seed: Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzerelli (Happy Days)
The battle of Ron Howard co-stars. Our 14 seed, The Fonz (played by Henry Winkler) is one of the coolest characters in television history, capable of starting the jukebox on Happy Days with just one good hit. Meanwhile, 3 seed Barney Fife (played by Don Knotts) is just about the opposite of cool on The Andy Griffith Show, constantly getting worked up about the littlest things and demanding respect. Both bring a lot to their respective shows, but only one will move on here.
Barney wins 2-1
7 seed: Dr. Perry Cox (Scrubs) vs. 10 seed: George Oscar “GOB” Bluth (Arrested Development)
Two supporting characters from two of the most under-appreciated sitcoms of the early 2000’s in our 7-10 matchup. The 7 seed is Dr. Perry Cox (John C. McGinley), begrudging mentor to our protagonist, who secretly has a heart of gold underneath his gruff exterior. His opponent is GOB Bluth (Will Arnett), screwup brother of our protagonist, who uses his family position to skate through life doing the bare minimum. These are two tremendous comedic performances, but ultimately, Cox’s depth is what gives him the win.
Perry wins 2-1
2 seed: Omar Little (The Wire) vs. 15 seed Rick Sanchez (Rick and Morty)
This is an interesting contrast of styles. Our 15 seed is Rick Sanchez (voiced by Justin Roiland). Rick dominates his show in a way that few characters in our bracket do, always the smartest man in the room (or universe), but very capable of delivering a great joke or heroic moment. Then there is the 2 seed, Omar Little (Michael K. Williams), a standout character on a show filled with one of the deepest rotations of memorable characters ever conceived. Omar is a criminal who robs drug dealers in Baltimore and uses the money to help needy people in his neighborhood. On the surface, these characters couldn’t be more different, but that difference in style pays off for our winner here.
Omar wins 3-0
2nd Round
1 seed: Tony Soprano vs. 8 seed: Barry Block
A pairing of HBO characters who both kill when they have to but desire a life where they no longer have to do that, break the cycle and escape their past. Barry is definitely a more outright comedic show than The Sopranos, but make no mistake, Tony is just as capable of being funny as Barry. This is pure strength on strength in this matchup, and ultimately, Tony is just stronger. He lives to fight another day.
Tony wins 3-0
4 seed: Lucy Ricardo vs. 5 seed: Leslie Knope
One of the pioneers of strong women in comedy vs. one of the most recent examples, Lucy and Leslie are two tremendous characters battling in the second round. Both have a huge collection of memorable moments, and both made the characters on their shows better. In the end, Lucy’s influence on television proves too much for Leslie to handle, and Lucy moves on. But Leslie won’t be down for long. She never is.
Lucy wins 3-0
3 seed: Barney Fife vs. 11 seed: Jack Donaghy
Two tremendous second bananas from two of the best comedies to ever air on the small screen. Jack is far more composed than Barney, but just as capable of getting silly. Barney is the driving comedic force on his show, however, with Andy Griffith more willing to play the straight man to Knotts’ manic energy. Barney nips Jack in the bud and moves on in our tournament.
Barney wins 3-0
2 seed: Omar Little vs. 7 seed: Dr. Perry Cox
This is a battle of two truly versatile characters. Dr. Cox is one who can go from hilarious to heartbreaking at the flip of a switch (for examples of this, check out the episodes “My Lunch” and “My Fallen Idol”), while Omar is a character who defied stereotypes, being a gay criminal on the streets of Baltimore who was as feared as anyone else on the show. These are two characters who live their lives by a code, and they make their shows stronger for it. Ultimately, Omar is just to much for Cox to handle.
Omar wins 3-0
Sweet 16
1 seed: Tony Soprano vs. 4 seed: Lucy Ricardo
While these two characters are incredibly different, they are both pioneers in television, and their impact cannot be overstated. Tony is a powerhouse, the central figure on his show, with the rest of the characters circling his gravitational pull like the sun. Lucy is an agent of chaos, a tornado who carries all the other characters on the show along with her in whatever crazy scheme she has concocted that week. This was a nail biting matchup that came down to the very end, but Tony takes it. Lucy has some ‘splainin to do.
Tony wins 2-1
2 seed: Omar Little vs. 3 seed: Barney Fife
A small town sheriff’s deputy vs. an outlaw from one of the biggest cities in the country. Of course, law and order are about the only two things these two share. Barney is an objectively comedic character, who does have moments of heart, but very little drama, while Omar is often in tense life and death situations rarely played for any comedy. These are two wildly different styles, and after a close contest, Omar moves on, while Barney goes back to Mayberry.
Omar wins 2-1
Elite 8
1 seed: Tony Soprano vs. 2 seed: Omar Little
I’m not sure there was another way this region could have shaken out. Two of the most iconic characters ever to grace HBO and television at large face off with a trip to the Final Four on the line. Two multi-faceted criminals, both with surprising amounts of depth, both played masterfully by two incredible actors, and both with highly captivating stories from beginning to end that kept viewers on the edge of their seats. This is one where you truly couldn’t go wrong with either selection, and sadly, it’s the end of the road for one here. In a matchup that comes down to the wire, Omar takes it at the buzzer, while Tony’s journey ends he…
Omar wins 2-1. Omar is the North Caldwell Regional Champion.
So, there you have it, our North Caldwell Regional. Check out the three other regions, and be looking for the Final Four tomorrow!