20 Magnificent Male TV Characters from 2017

13. Tom Chandler (The Last Ship)

The Last Ship’s Tom Chandler, played by Eric Dane, is a natural leader and hero. Even after stepping away from his role as captain on the Nathan James and taking the time to deal with his own personal demons, when he was needed, he did exactly what he had to do to help save the world… again.

14. Kelly Severide (Chicago Fire)

Kelly Severide is the Lieutenant of Rescue Squad 3 of Engine 51. He’s worked incredibly hard to get to the position he holds today, and he’s very good at it. He’s a very complex character who usually tends to keep his feelings to himself.

What makes his character so great is despite being a very guarded person he cares for his family at Engine 51 very much and will go to great lengths to protect them.

15. Jon Snow (Game of Thrones)

16. Reggie Green (Dear White People)

Reggie Green is a character that takes you by surprise in how deeply he awakens your soul. Reggie is featured on Dear White People Chapter V, when he delivers a raw moment that in one breathe feels stylized and almost satirical, and in the next breath is so achingly real that is stays in your mind for weeks.

Marque Richardson, who plays Reggie, takes his time in unfolding the depths of his character. Reggie forces the audience to grapple with the reality of inter-generational trauma and existing in multiple worlds. Code switching doesn’t cover the complicated duality of race in 2017. It’s an unforgettable performance.

17. Terry Jeffords (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

Terry Jeffords is shattering the toxic masculinity that plagues TV, especially in the cop drama genre. True, Terry refers to himself in the third person and has a penchant for weight lifting. But the Brooklyn Nine-Nine lead is a father first. His story-lines are centered around peace making, listening and balancing family-life with work. We would typically see these reserved for women detectives.

Terry Jeffords is setting a new norm of healthy masculinity. It is noteworthy, too, that off screen, Terry Cruz, who plays Terry Jeffords, is also battling for a healthy masculinity. He has shared his experiences in the #metoo movement and proven that being a tall, muscly black man does not protect you from sexual assault. Terry and Terry are heroes.

18. Chidi Anagonye (The Good Place)

Chidi Anagonye, played by William Jackson Harper, and his attentiveness to his goals even while in the bad place is what makes him so lovable. In the midst of pure chaos, he continuously works to make sure that he and his friends stay safe and stay put where they are. If you had to have one friend from a TV show that would always be there for you Chidi would be your pick.

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Cade Taylor

Cade Taylor is a television and film critic living in St. Louis, Missouri. He is a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV. His love for television developed at a young age, with a concentration on queer stories, sitcoms, teen dramas, and science fiction thrillers. In addition, he works full-time as a news producer, telling the stories of Missourians and helming "Produced in the Bi-State," a segment spotlighting actors, musicians, and entertainers from the St. Louis area. He can be reached by email at cade@telltaletv.com.