Special Agent Dale Cooper. Smart, respectful of ladies and people who are not at all like him, loyal, and dogged in his pursuit of lawbreakers. Entertainingly quirky and more of a Boy Scout than I think exists anywhere.
If we're including troubled men of the law like Stabler, I would offer Seth Bullock from Deadwood as well. While he definitely has some anger management issues, he was one of the only civilizing influences that made it safe for women and children to live in a very rough camp without fear of being hurt or exploited.
Rube from Dead Like Me. Funny, has a heart of gold, always knows what's going on with his people and does what he can to take care of them in the most understated of ways. #menontv
What about Seeley Booth? We've never seen him deal with tough real-life issues, but I think his persona and interactions with women are admirable. #menontv
@voteforme: He's dealt with some issues, he respects and listens to the smart women around him, and he loves his kid and makes things work even while he isn't with the mother. Actually, Bones has a lot of really good characters, male and female. I don't know if that's due to Kathy Reichs fanatastic writing in her books or the writers for the show, but it's one of my favorites. #menontv
@Red-headed bookworm: Yeah, he's grappled with stuff, but I meant that we don't really watch Bones to watch realistic real-world drama play out. Family stuff resolves easily. As far as other characters go, I love how they let the geeks be geeky. #menontv
"But there are a few awesome men on television, a few who — aside from the flaws every human being has — a boy would be lucky to grow up to be."
The people who know and love boys would be lucky to have them grow up to be Mal Reynolds, Giles, Picard, or Keith Mars, but each one of those men serves as a good illustration of how hard it is to be a good, mature, effective man. I wonder if the hypothetical boys in question wouldn't prefer to take the easy route and grow up to be charming man-children, taken care of by their various mates?
i think noah bennett on 'heroes' can be considered a 'great man on television'. as much as his job is conflicted, he always tries to do the right thing, and realizes the wrongs of his past and is on his way to rectifying them, and there's no denying his devotion to his children.
he's no man-child - he's an adult. #menontv
Just to geek out further... Doctor Bashir, Commander Sisko, Odo, Lt. O'Brian... heck, all the lead males besides Quark on DS9. Sure, Sisko had some issues with being domineering, but he always learned that in the end it was better to be co-operative. And let's not forget Lt.Com. Geordi La Forge and his alter ego, Reading Rainbow's LeVar Burton. Even Worf, with his battles, dealt with being a single father and overcame great Klingon hatred for tender loving feelings. The world of Star Trek: TNG and Star Trek: DS9 allowed for everyone to have families, deal with issues, and even break out of the 2-d sci-fi character mold to show strong and varied persons - regardless of their gender, race, age, or species.
I like that Stabler was included on the list - he's terribly flawed but he's still a full-fledged 3-d character, a great person. #menontv
@Dancingfrog: I don't care how geeky it makes me - I love Star Trek. The original creators purposely included women and people of color to illustrate harmony and how everyone should work together - we are all capable, if we have the training. I think that the premise of the show, combined with the superb development of certain characters makes Star Trek a really worthwhile watch for any sci-fi fan. #menontv
Can I put my vote in for Giles from Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
Educated, protective and caring, stands up for good and decency, sings, awesome Brit accent, enjoys tea, handy with a stake and a bit of a terror in his younger years.
Seriously was my father figure crush for a good 5 years. #menontv
@clevernamehere: The douche bag is interesting and can be dramatic or funny (Seinfeld? It's Always Funny in Philadelphia? Family Guy, which I still sort of enjoy?) and may be somewhat redeemable as a goofy, often obnoxious, flawed but overall decent human being.
Who exactly is a douche bag here? Doesn't that denote there's something particularly bad about him, above and beyond typical human behavior? Is he an asshole who's held up as a role model (you know...on purpose, not in the eyes of really fucking stupid audience members who are probably douche bags without a damn SATIRE to play off of)?
For the record...I like to think most people can appreciate that something funny or interesting when it doesn't affect you or the real would be hideous if it took place in real life, that the "charming jerks" aren't necessarily supposed to be role models.
I think the TV/movie douche bag has genuine value if he's used for satire/comedy or is redeemable and the writing/acting is good, but again...maybe I'm just easily pleased.
I CAN think of some real TV douche bags who serve no purpose. At least half of the Gossip Girl characters are douche bags....and yet I still watch. It's like a vacation to a glossy, beautiful Manhattan, like Sex and the City (which had it's own problems, but was still enjoyable) with much, much weaker writing. The characters aren't just douche bags--the assholery that's supposed to make them intriguing or soapily entertaining is kind of dull after a while, but what else have they got? It's a weekly show about good-looking little brats who are so rich they can open they're own night clubs at age 18 and anoint themselves "Queen Bee" in high school.
Cougartown is another one...celebrating an obnoxious concept with grating, dumb characters and weak jokes/plotlines. Probably half a dozen shows on ESPN or Spike or some shit that are awful in and of themselves...and then you wonder who actually WATCHES this crap.
I guess Don Draper is a prime example of the "charming jerk"...I pity Betty and I sure as hell wouldn't want to be a woman during the 1960s, but is Don a purely unsympathetic asshole for cheating on her? If we were talking about a real person, some how I think I'd be more offended, but on a show...well, it's a fictional world where the writers try to make him partially sympathetic, and I guess I'm persuadable enough. That, and I really like Jon Hamm.
Does cheating always make someone a jerk, end of story, regardless of what the marriage is like? #menontv
@clevernamehere: Well, I think if a character, male or female, is just nice and good, they get kind of dull. A character who's got jerky tendencies but ultimately does the right thing is more interesting, in my opinion.
Though going too far in the opposite direction is also bad which is why I never cared for Dr. House. #menontv
@clevernamehere: Nicki Grant on Big Love is definitely a good one. She pisses off SO many people but at heart she can be a really lovable, sympathetic person. Deep deeeeep down. Even her mother, Adaleen, despite being a heinous person deep down has her good moments. (Very deep!)
Joan Holloway on the ever popular Mad Men has her jerky moments.
Sopranos is full of people, both male and female, who were jerks but very sympathetic to the audience. Meadow and Carmela were good examples.
Atia on "Rome" was a great one. I know a lot of people who loved her but man, she could be cruel. Servilia, too, though I think Atia inspired more love.
I think the lesson here is (for the most part) seek out HBO for good character development. #menontv
I'm disappointed that they didn't include Charles Ingalls from Little house on the prairie. He was hard working and honest. Treated all people regardless of race or religion equally. And encouraged he daughters to get an education and not get married at 16. #menontv
@worldgreatestgirl: I never saw the show, but Charles Ingalls was a unique man of his time.
I can't say I condone his blackface, but from Ingalls Wilder's writing, it appears that he attempted to be fair and neighborly to everyone, despite the rampant racism of the time. And he was good to his daughters. #menontv
My dad didn't have the most stable parents (really, a mom and a series of assholes), so he tried to be the dad he would have wanted, and 95% of the time, he was just like Cliff Huxtable. (It helps that this was in the 80s and the Cosby Show was the only sitcom I was allowed to watch with my parents.) He was the ultimate dad and husband-- smart, funny, firm, not afraid to embarrass himself, and involved in his kids' lives. Fuck every other TV dad out there, Cliff Huxtable is WHERE IT'S AT. #menontv
@TallyCola: I want Uncle Iroh to be my uncle. We would drink tea and play Pai Sho and he would teach me the secrets of the world utilizing roasted duck and bad jokes. It would be AWESOME. #menontv
@TallyCola: HELLS YES. Iroh is a great role model. Also, he's hilarious. I love his old-man jokes.
Most of the "good guys" in that show would be good picks for the list - Aang, Sokka (after he discovers that ladies are not weak, which is right at the beginning anyhow), and tons of side characters all showcase good examples of maleness. I really like how "unmasculine" Aang is. He makes jewelry for fun, is a vegetarian, likes to dance, answers to the name "Twinkletoes", and if I remember, cries fairly regularly.
@Danielle Kouyoumdjian: The Tenth Doctor---I'm torn. I love the Doctor as a character, but I've always seen him--and particularly Nine, less so Ten-- as somewhat of a patriarchal figure. Nine pissed me off when he sent Rose home with the "Have a fantastic life" warning, and Ten's actions in Doomsday towards her seemed similarly --off, because he took her choice away from her.
I think mainly my feminist issues with Doctor Who stem from the way Russell T. Davies has dealt with the companions' mothers. Can you name one season-long companion whose mum you didn't find grating or irritating? No? Ex-actly. #menontv
10/31/09
If we're including troubled men of the law like Stabler, I would offer Seth Bullock from Deadwood as well. While he definitely has some anger management issues, he was one of the only civilizing influences that made it safe for women and children to live in a very rough camp without fear of being hurt or exploited.
Rube from Dead Like Me. Funny, has a heart of gold, always knows what's going on with his people and does what he can to take care of them in the most understated of ways. #menontv
10/30/09
10/30/09
10/31/09
10/30/09
10/30/09
10/30/09
10/30/09
The people who know and love boys would be lucky to have them grow up to be Mal Reynolds, Giles, Picard, or Keith Mars, but each one of those men serves as a good illustration of how hard it is to be a good, mature, effective man. I wonder if the hypothetical boys in question wouldn't prefer to take the easy route and grow up to be charming man-children, taken care of by their various mates?
I hope not, but I worry. #menontv
10/30/09
he's no man-child - he's an adult. #menontv
10/31/09
10/30/09
I like that Stabler was included on the list - he's terribly flawed but he's still a full-fledged 3-d character, a great person. #menontv
10/30/09
10/30/09
Educated, protective and caring, stands up for good and decency, sings, awesome Brit accent, enjoys tea, handy with a stake and a bit of a terror in his younger years.
Seriously was my father figure crush for a good 5 years. #menontv
10/30/09
10/30/09
10/30/09
A decent number of male characters mentioned in the comments are people who are responsible and caring- they're charming jerks.
For reasons I can never quite understand, audiences often like horrifically mean or selfish male character. #menontv
10/30/09
Who exactly is a douche bag here? Doesn't that denote there's something particularly bad about him, above and beyond typical human behavior? Is he an asshole who's held up as a role model (you know...on purpose, not in the eyes of really fucking stupid audience members who are probably douche bags without a damn SATIRE to play off of)?
For the record...I like to think most people can appreciate that something funny or interesting when it doesn't affect you or the real would be hideous if it took place in real life, that the "charming jerks" aren't necessarily supposed to be role models.
I think the TV/movie douche bag has genuine value if he's used for satire/comedy or is redeemable and the writing/acting is good, but again...maybe I'm just easily pleased.
I CAN think of some real TV douche bags who serve no purpose. At least half of the Gossip Girl characters are douche bags....and yet I still watch. It's like a vacation to a glossy, beautiful Manhattan, like Sex and the City (which had it's own problems, but was still enjoyable) with much, much weaker writing. The characters aren't just douche bags--the assholery that's supposed to make them intriguing or soapily entertaining is kind of dull after a while, but what else have they got? It's a weekly show about good-looking little brats who are so rich they can open they're own night clubs at age 18 and anoint themselves "Queen Bee" in high school.
Cougartown is another one...celebrating an obnoxious concept with grating, dumb characters and weak jokes/plotlines. Probably half a dozen shows on ESPN or Spike or some shit that are awful in and of themselves...and then you wonder who actually WATCHES this crap.
I guess Don Draper is a prime example of the "charming jerk"...I pity Betty and I sure as hell wouldn't want to be a woman during the 1960s, but is Don a purely unsympathetic asshole for cheating on her? If we were talking about a real person, some how I think I'd be more offended, but on a show...well, it's a fictional world where the writers try to make him partially sympathetic, and I guess I'm persuadable enough. That, and I really like Jon Hamm.
Does cheating always make someone a jerk, end of story, regardless of what the marriage is like? #menontv
10/30/09
10/30/09
Though going too far in the opposite direction is also bad which is why I never cared for Dr. House. #menontv
10/30/09
10/30/09
Joan Holloway on the ever popular Mad Men has her jerky moments.
Sopranos is full of people, both male and female, who were jerks but very sympathetic to the audience. Meadow and Carmela were good examples.
Atia on "Rome" was a great one. I know a lot of people who loved her but man, she could be cruel. Servilia, too, though I think Atia inspired more love.
I think the lesson here is (for the most part) seek out HBO for good character development. #menontv
10/30/09
10/30/09
I can't say I condone his blackface, but from Ingalls Wilder's writing, it appears that he attempted to be fair and neighborly to everyone, despite the rampant racism of the time. And he was good to his daughters. #menontv
10/29/09
10/30/09
10/30/09
10/30/09
@pengcat: that is a delightful bit of imagery. may i borrow it for my gloomy days? #menontv
10/29/09
10/29/09
The top of my list would be Uncle Iroh though.
[en.wikipedia.org]
10/30/09
10/30/09
Most of the "good guys" in that show would be good picks for the list - Aang, Sokka (after he discovers that ladies are not weak, which is right at the beginning anyhow), and tons of side characters all showcase good examples of maleness. I really like how "unmasculine" Aang is. He makes jewelry for fun, is a vegetarian, likes to dance, answers to the name "Twinkletoes", and if I remember, cries fairly regularly.
<3. I love that show. #menontv
10/30/09
10/29/09
David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor, duh. #menontv
10/30/09
I think mainly my feminist issues with Doctor Who stem from the way Russell T. Davies has dealt with the companions' mothers. Can you name one season-long companion whose mum you didn't find grating or irritating? No? Ex-actly. #menontv