Mary’s Top 10 TV Drama Characters of 2020

We all love a good drama to get our blood pumping and make us feel all the emotions. It’s even better when there are characters within a drama series that really capture our attention and make us care what happens to them.

This year was a weird one for TV, but we weren’t shortened on fantastic dramatic content. From shows about real people to action-packed dramas to tragic stories of love and trauma, we were given so many great characters to cling to and give us comfort.

Listed below, in no particular order, are the Top 10 TV Drama Characters of 2020 that I loved. All of these characters gave me something to hold onto when my world was turned completely on its head due to world events and personal tragedies. 

1. Athena Grant (9-1-1)

In a year filled with tension towards the police and their practices, Athena Grant still manages to steal our hearts through her emotional portrayal of a black woman torn. She is torn between her job and the message her children receive from other members of that career. 

She does this all while supporting her ex-husband through treatments for an inoperable brain tumor. The burden falls on her to keep her children aware of the possibility of his passing.

Athena took us on a journey of selfless love and sacrifice for her family this year. She never wavers in her strength of faith that Michael should continue to fight — but ultimately supports his decisions.

She is loud, fierce, and proud — which is what we love the most about her.

2. Dr. Miranda Bailey (Grey’s Anatomy)

Ever since the beginning of Grey’s Anatomy, fans have seen Dr. Miranda Bailey as one of the toughest doctors in Seattle. However, in 2020 she really upped the ante on how tough one woman can be. 

This year she has battled her own losses while keeping a tight hold on the job and career she loves dearly. Her setbacks have only proven to make her stronger and more determined to provide the best care possible to all her patients.

More recently, COVID has hit her hospital and Dr. Bailey has continued to hold her own while uplifting all of those around her. It is Dr. Bailey who pulls Dr. Webber back emotionally so that he can make the decisions he needs to for Dr. Grey’s care. 

She may have a tough exterior but the inside is nothing but soft and all heart.

3. Diana Spencer (The Crown)

For many years, Diana has captivated people the world over. This year, we finally got an intimate look into the royal family side of her story through The Crown.

This is a performance that leaves us feeling all the emotions that have been felt by many for decades now. And it gave a younger audience the chance to really experience what is so special about this beloved figurehead.

We all cry along to her pain as we witness her turbulent relationship with Prince Charles. Once again, we wanted to grab Diana and wrap her in the warmest, most loving hug.

4. Olivia Benson (Law & Order: SVU)

Detective Olivia Benson has been at the forefront of beloved TV characters for over two decades. However, 2020 really stands out as a stellar year for her because of all she does in support of the #MeToo movement.

Never once does she stop and worry about how her actions affect her personally. Because in her mind, she is the strongest voice these helpless women have.

We will always love and support Benson as she breaks the glass ceiling of her career path as well as breaks down and tries to fix a severely broken system. One of the most impactful moments came recently when she had to check her own biases and privilege toward individuals of color.

5. Darren Ritter (Chicago Fire)

Darren Ritter may be one of the newest recruits to Firehouse 51, but he is quickly becoming the heart and soul of the house. His youth has nothing on his soulful way of dishing out winning advice.

On a show filled to the brim with “old hats” and familiar faces, Ritter reminds us there is always room to grow and change. He is a fresh face to a family that rarely adds new members. 

Ritter is nothing but smiles and sweet words of affirmation which everyone needs more of — especially on a show as intense as Chicago Fire.

This year he took on the role of mentor while directing Gallo through the finer aspects of firefighting. Honestly, I couldn’t be happier to see him continue to grow and extend his reach.

6. T.K. Strand (9-1-1: Lone Star)

T.K. managed to break my heart from the word go when 9-1-1: Lone Star premiered earlier this year, because his drug addiction, depression, and recovery are put on display in such a raw, naked way. He not only took on the role of being a voice for LGBTQ+ individuals but also gave credence to the notion that sometimes the strongest among us are actually at their weakest.

T.K. inspires others to keep fighting because that better day is just around the corner — especially if you have a support system that keeps you in check. He never shies away from being honest about his battles and even tries to better himself with every step he takes.

Even when he falls he never fails to get back up again. That is something 2020 really needed to see from a character as “tough” as a firefighter.

7. Katherine Saville (A Million Little Things)

Katherine Saville has always caught my attention because she doesn’t try to hide how she is feeling just because it might make people uncomfortable. This year she quickly became my favorite character on A Million Little Things. 

She struggles with her husband’s infidelity and subsequent love child, but ultimately she realizes she loves him more than that. Just in time for her to watch that husband struggle with a freak accident that changes his life completely. 

Katherine never apologizes for her drive to be the best, even if it falls at the expense of her family. This year she has to put that aside a bit in order to take on new roles within her relationship.

The strength she displays through all of this warms our hearts and makes us want her to get everything she wants in her life and her relationship.

8. Lucille Anderson (Call the Midwife)

In a time when Black women rarely got jobs in the medical field, Lucille is blazing a trail. She doesn’t let anyone’s opinions affect her.

She quiets down racist expectant mothers and their families with her soothing words and her gentle hands. Lucille puts her all into the care and well-being of her community’s most vulnerable — women and children.

More TV viewers should know about her and learn from her. Lucille never gives up an opportunity to be a giving and kind person, even when people don’t necessarily deserve it.

She carries a strength about her that is calm, quiet, and beautiful.

9. Dominick Birdsey (I Know This Much Is True)

There is nothing happy or joyous about the story of Dominick Birdsey. However, that overwhelming struggle and pain are what make him so memorable in 2020.

Despite the constant cloud of tragedy that looms over him, Dominick keeps moving forward. There is an underlying hope for joy that lays just below the surface of this extremely emotional man.

He lets his anger drive him which is inspiring in its own way. He never lays down and takes the injustices that life hands him — he always fights back.

Dominick’s never give up attitude serves to remind us that we too have power and control over our lives if we just go after it. 

10. Beth Harmon (The Queen’s Gambit)

It’s a man’s world and Beth Harmon is having none of it. She has only one goal in mind — to dominate the chess world.

The way she moves through life has us feeling all empowered about our own goals. Beth struggles with addiction but that doesn’t come close to getting in the way of getting the highest honors in the game of chess.

She refuses to conform to what society wants in a woman and that alone catches our attention. Nevermind her strength of will through all that life throws at her. 

Beth Harmon is a name you won’t soon forget.

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Who were your favorite characters from TV Dramas this year? Sound off in the comments below.

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