I’ve been catching up on the first two seasons of *The Wire * on HBO On Demand, and I’ve become fascinated with the character Omar. He’s a tough mofo who makes his living sticking up drug dealers and stealing their cash and product. In spite of being a heavily armed badass, he never hurts “civilians,” has a strange but real code of honor, a keen intellect and way with words, never forgets a friend or a grudge AND… he’s gay! Michael K. Williams exudes an air of menace and cunning that is so compelling that he steals the show any time he’s onscreen. In fact, I think *The Wire * should be subtitled “The Continuing Adventures of Omar Little.”
Who is your most favorite TV character, either now or ever? What makes you think he or she is so terrifically cool?
Al Swearingen on Deadwood*. A thoroughly despicable man, and yet he manages to pull of his despicableness with so much flair and elan that he’s a joy to watch in action.
Malcom Reynolds from Firefly. Best.Spaceship.Captain.Ever.
Then there’s Tony Soprano, who still manages to gain your sympathy even though he’s a scumbag.
Not really a TV character, but after seeing some episodes of “Whose Line is It Anyway,” I’ve developed such a thing for Wayne Brady. He can imitate anyone or anything, and that singing voice…MY!
Oz, aka Daniel “Oz” Osborne from “Buffy” & “Angel” was cool beyond cool. From his plan to attack the evil mayor with humus, to his Halloween costume as God, to his commentary on Buffy’s unprovoked attack on the park bench, Oz was just plain cool.
Number Six from The Prisoner (1967). Effortless, timeless Cool.
I also like the Number Two from Episode Eleven, “It’s Your Funeral.” The guy with the pomaded fluorescent yellow hair and Day-Glo blue eyes and the big horn-rims he keeps whipping on and off. What an amazing personal style he has.
Now this may be a different definition of cool, but since I am into chess, roleplaying and computer games, then my hero is Gil Grissom.
(He’s about as good at talking to women as I am too ).
).