20 Best Characters from TV Dramas in 2021

When life gets a little crazy, we turn to our TV screens for a dose of controlled drama. Whether we want to admit it or not, we all occasionally love to watch characters go through extreme situations that will never personally affect us just to feel the thrill. 

Sometimes, we even tune into our favorite dramas to feel validated in the journey we are currently on in our lives. Whether it’s taking on a new responsibility or battling our own demons, we want to feel seen and heard. 

Taking a look at all the TV drama 2021 gave us, we managed to narrow down our favorite characters.

In no particular order here are the 20 Best TV Drama Characters of 2021.

1. Gerri Kellman (Succession)

After 2 years, we are finally back in the world of Succession. This year has been the biggest one yet for Gerri. She is named the interim CEO of Waystar, which has been a coveted spot for the last two seasons.

She steps up and makes more and more of the big decisions for the company, all while also balancing the unpredictable ire of Logan Roy.

Even though she’s the CEO some people still don’t take her seriously. That doesn’t deter her from giving her all to the job. Not even Roman can distract her from making what she believes to be the best decisions for Waystar.

2. Dexter Morgan (Dexter: New Blood)

The last we saw of Dexter Morgan, he was escaping Miami on his boat after leaving Harrison with Hannah. Now, ten years later we are dropped back into Dexter’s world with Dexter: New Blood, only now everyone in a small NY town knows him as Jim Lindsay.

Even though Dexter is out of the forensic and killing game, sort of, his skills are still very much present. This reintroduction has captivated us much like the early days of Dexter the original once did.

His character is already showing some interesting growth, especially as it relates to his reconnection with his son. Mostly, we’re just glad to have him back on our screens!

3. Miranda Bailey (Grey’s Anatomy)

With all the doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial, it’s hard to say which doctor stands out the most. However, Miranda Bailey goes above and beyond, from how she handles Meredith’s brush with death from COVID to her current journey with Pru.

When Dean dies during the Station 19/Grey’s Anatomy crossover, Ben and Miranda take on the role of Pru’s caretaker. It’s going to be a long journey ahead for Miranda and her relationship with Pru, but through it all, Pru will be getting the mom influence she never really had from her own mom.

And, most importantly Bailey will get to spread her motherly instincts to another child in need. Something fans always love to see from her. 

4. Athena Grant (9-1-1)

Athena Grant has always been the toughest character on 9-1-1. However, this year really tested the lengths of that strength for her.

She has to come face to face with her attacker once more when his court case comes to trial. Then when a blackout paralyzes most of the city, her attacker gets free and kidnaps Athena’s son.

This whole ordeal sends Athena on a journey through her trauma once more, this time including her child. It’s a grand show of strength that she seeks therapy for her and her family in order to work through the whole traumatic ordeal. Athena is a role model to so many for how she handles her very difficult life.

5. Micki Ramirez (Walker)

Walker may be named after her partner, but Micki is the real backbone of the CW show.

Lindsey Morgan plays the whip-smart Texas Ranger with a tangy mix of sentimentality, playfulness, and maturity. Without her balanced performance, the series would not hit the emotional marks that makes it work.

Micki is an ethical law enforcer who follows the rules. We need that representation on TV as much as we need women of color in leading roles. The fact is, the more Micki is on screen, the better the show is.

The second season continues to showcase how Micki and her partner Walker become each other’s found family. We can’t wait to see how close they can become. 

6. Matt Casey (Chicago Fire)

From the start of Chicago Fire, Matt Casey has been a fan-favorite character. This year marked big changes for the Captain.

Not only did he start a new relationship, finally, with Sylvie Brett but he also had a change in the direction of his life. When his late friend, Andy Darden’s son Griffin came back to Chicago asking for help, Casey decided it was time he step up.

So, on the show’s 200th episode, Matt Casey gave an emotional goodbye to his firehouse family before going off to raise Griffin and Ben. While it was hard to say goodbye we all know that being a dad has been Casey’s biggest ambition for years. Plus, it’s in his blood to never leave a firefighter’s family behind.

7. Elliott Stabler (Law & Order: Organized Crime)

After years of being away, 2020 saw the return of Elliott Stabler to the Law & Order universe. However, this year Stabler really hit his stride in the Organized Crime family.

From the resolution of his wife’s murder case to going undercover in a major crime family, Elliott has been through so much. Through it all, he manages to maintain a relationship with his kids and works to repair his relationship with his mother.

It’s a little harder to love cop characters in today’s climate, but somehow Stabler still captures our hearts and minds.

8. Fallon Carrington (Dynasty)

No drama list is complete without the queen of drama herself — Fallon Carrington. She knows what she wants in life and will bulldoze through anyone who gets in her way, family or not. 

She is charismatic, intelligent, and a boss, but also flawed and can be narcissistic at times. Throughout her many seasons on Dynasty, we’ve seen Fallon in a myriad of scenarios that occur from her own self-absorption. 

She is nowhere near perfect, but that’s part of the reason why Fallon is so well-loved. Her dramatic antics keep us entertained and coming back for more. 

9. Mickey Milkovich (Shameless)

Season 11 was hands down, Mickey Milkovich’s strongest season of Shameless overall. It was a final season worth talking about for him because of his journey with his father alone. However, that’s not the only thing worth noting from him.

He was also over the moon happy and comfortable in his own skin with his husband for the first time ever. Mickey’s strength really shines as he has to show compassion to his homophobic, abusive father as the man is paralyzed and then later dies.

It’s not a journey we expected from him, but through it all, he has his supportive husband and an open line of communication. It’s the LGBTQ+ representation we loved to see this year.

10. June (The Handmaid’s Tale)

June has always been one of the rebellious characters in the world of Gilead, but The Handmaid’s Tale Season 4 was her strongest effort yet. This season she not only escaped into Canada, but she also did so while caring for her infant daughter.

Talk about a fierce woman who her enemies should fear. She proved once and for all that there is nothing that scares her or can tear her down.

Not even Fred Waterford, who she kills in an act of justice for all the wrongs he and his family committed. Though, this act leaves fans wondering if she will ever feel satiated in her quest for justice against the oppressors.

11. Love Quinn (You)

Joe is not an easy man to love. In fact, he may kill you if you aren’t careful. Somehow, Love Quinn has managed to avoid a disastrous end with Joe and is now married to him.

In fact, they have established enough of a relationship that they also share a son together. She struggles with the loss of her brother and parenting with Joe, who isn’t bonding well with Henry.

Her strength of character is well worth commending as she tries to stay connected with Joe as his attention is drawn to Natalie. In an act of both love and jealousy, Love kills Natalie. She may be twisted and complicated, but that is what makes her most fascinating and worth rooting for.

12. Kate Wetherall (The Mysterious Benedict Society)

It isn’t very often that characters that are children really stand out within the TV landscape, but on a show all about a group of exceptional children, obviously one is going to stand out above the rest. In the case of The Mysterious Benedict Society that child is Kate Wetherall, but don’t ever let her hear you call her that.

She is strong, independent, and resourceful. However, she goes on a journey of self-awareness where she learns how to rely on others to accomplish great things.

13. Randall Pearson (This Is Us)

The great thing about This Is Us is its never-ending efforts to keep the issues that Randall faces (mental illness and growing up in a white family) at the forefront. This Is Us Season 5 saw Randall finally talking to other people like him who were also adopted into white families.

Instead of it being a total comfort to him, it brought up more confusing thoughts for him. Randall’s struggles with his mental health continue to be important to the story of him.

Even if he’s seeing more success as a councilman. Going into the final season, it’ll be interesting to see how Randall’s journey continues. After all, he’s an important character for so many fans.

14. Conrad Hawkins (The Resident)

Out of everyone on this list, The Resident’s Conrad Hawkins has probably had the most difficult year. Between the birth of his daughter and then Nic’s shocking and untimely death, he’s had a lot of stressors and struggles. Through it all, he’s tried his best to stay on top of his game at Chastain.

His view on life and being a doctor has changed drastically due to his personal life, but he’s working hard to keep it all in focus. He loves his daughter and wants to be there for her, but he’s also happiest when he’s performing medicine.

15. Rip Wheeler (Yellowstone)

Yellowstone’s following got even more passionate this year, which brought Rip Wheeler more into our spotlight. For almost four whole seasons now, Rip has been the ranch foreman and strong arm for the Dutton family.

He believes strongly in following through on anything you start, even in terms of fights. At the start of Yellowstone Season 4, he is seen bringing down revenge on the parties that wronged the Dutton family at the end of Season 3.

While the season has barely begun, we can expect that his no-holds-bar attitude is going to come in real handy for the family as they move forward from that ultimate betrayal.

16. Olivia Baker (All American)

Olivia has always been a strong point of All American with her struggles to maintain sobriety while facing the usual struggles of being a teenager. Now, she is looking toward the future and being a journalist.

She is a true success story of how sobriety will be a battle for the rest of her life, but it doesn’t have to own her. Even more exciting is the start of her relationship with Spencer, after years of friendship and light flirting.

These two have major chemistry and respect each other’s journeys. Olivia is worth rooting for as she finally sees positive things take flight in her life.

17. Blanca Evangelista (Pose)

In the final season of Pose, Blanca really steps up in her role as the head of her own house. While continuing to battle her own HIV diagnosis, Blanca decides to become a nurse’s aide for AIDS patients.

Through her work with these patients, Blanca finds herself a part of Act Up to advocate that drug trials also provide for patients of color. Blanca’s efforts in 1994 resonate with advocacy efforts still alive and well today. It makes her really stand out on the landscape of TV characters this year.

18. Laura Peterson (The Morning Show)

Every good show has an antagonist who plays off one of the main characters with much success. With The Morning Show, Laura is that antagonist to Alex. The two knew each other years ago and never got along back then.

Now they are both in each other’s orbits once more, working alongside each other, which creates friction and drama. Laura falls for Bradley while anchoring with her on TMS. They hit it off for a while until Laura has to leave and asks Bradley to come with her.

The thing about Laura that truly makes her a great character is that is she doesn’t hold back on anything. She is a go-getter who will stop at nothing to get what she wants, even to the point of being ruthless.

19. Jerrie Kennedy (Big Sky)

Although Jerrie Kennedy is only on the first half of Big Sky Season 2, she makes a big impact and leaves a lasting impression. She has a real way of grounding the show, helping it to achieve a balance between emotion and camp.

On a series that often leans into the absurd, a focus on genuine human connection and growth gives the overall narrative integrity. Jerrie, played by Jesse James Keitel in a breakthrough role, brings in that energy in such a way that it will remain a part of the show even after her departure. 

Jerrie is in Mark Lindor’s new endearing confidence, in Jenny and Cassie’s continued fight for justice, in the bright spots of the Dewell & Hoyt offices, and in the soft, queer love blossoming between Max and Harper. And as long as Ronald is alive, Jerrie’s resilience and the sense of hope and strength she has come to represent will be, too. 

This heroine is given a proper send-off on Big Sky Season 2 Episode 5, “Mother Nurture,” with a personal story of forgiveness and acceptance that stands on its own which is rare for a trans character on a primetime crime drama. It’s encouraging to see Jerrie come out on the other side of her trauma with such grace, and for the show to take the appropriate time and care to showcase that.

20. Misty Quigley (Yellowjackets)

Showtime’s teen survival drama Yellowjackets is full of fascinating characters across two separate timelines. So it takes someone truly special to stand out from that pack – and Misty Quigley does, in spades.

You may not notice her in the Yellowjackets pilot, as she’s essentially another high school nobody, a nerdy glasses-wearing outcast who just wants the more popular girls on the soccer team to notice her. But by the time you get to the series’ second episode, where she amputates someone’s leg next to the smoldering wreckage of a plane crash, well – you’re going to remember her name.

A profoundly strange girl who comes into her own during what would, for most people, be considered their ultimate nightmare scenario, Misty is both incredibly compelling and deeply disturbing at the same time.

Desperate to feel needed and valued, she not only destroys the black box that might have led to the girls’ rescue but spends the rest of her life seeking the same rush of power and acceptance she found while she was trapped in the woods. And largely using the same set of tools she did back then: manipulation, coercion, force.  

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Additional contributions from Lacy Baugher, Cade Taylor, Janelle Ureta, and Erin Allen.

What characters did we miss? Who were your favorite TV Drama characters this year? Sound off in the comments below.

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