15 Favorite Characters from TV Dramas in 2024

Fictional lawyers, doctors, and first responders were among some of the best TV characters from drama series this year, whether because of their bravery and heroism or because of their own personal journeys. 

Of course, plenty of other characters stood out too, all for different reasons. 

In no particular order, here are the TV drama characters we loved the most in 2024:

1. Athena Grant (9-1-1)

Athena Grant is the heart and soul of 9-1-1. If this season has proven anything, it is that she continues to be the glue that makes the show work so perfectly. While Bobby holds the 118 together, Athena holds the show together. After all, she was the only character who could land an airplane on a highway while everything was failing and the passengers were injured (and freaked out) in the back.

Her experience with the rookie, letting her boss know she didn’t get a good feeling, further proved she is the kind of cop the show needs. In a time and age when copaganda is so big, having a cop like Athena Grant changes the rules of the game.

2. Kim Burgess (Chicago P.D.)

Kim Burgess finally received her long-awaited promotion to detective this year on Chicago P.D. and it was the most rewarding moment for fans to watch. After working the streets, going through a traumatic event, and learning to live with her PTSD, the promotion was the celebration she deserved for having dedicated her life to the job.

This promotion also comes at a time in her life when Kim seems to have everything she has always wanted. She has a daughter, a fiancé, a home, and the job of her dreams.

Things couldn’t be better for her, and fans are happy she is finally getting the recognition she deserves. The only other thing that could tie this journey together is finally witnessing her wedding with Ruzek.

3. Kate Wyler (The Diplomat)

The Diplomat Season 2 saw Kate come into her own as the American ambassador to the UK. But, as soon as she gets her bearing, she is thrown into a completely new series of challenges.

Kate cleverly navigates her way through several conspiracies, proving yet again that she was always the best person for the job. Kate is flawed and rash, but her sincerity is unfailingly endearing, which is why she belongs on the list.

4. Sunja (Pachinko)

Pachinko is a sweeping multigenerational story that branches out in many directions over decades. At the center of it all is Sunja. She is the constant that pulls viewers in and holds all the pieces together. But she is so much more than that.

Sunja is the heart and soul of the story. She is the embodiment of the show’s themes of survival and resilience. She is our primary moral compass. Through her, we understand the other characters and world events depicted. Sunja is a character of incredible depth and strength brought to life by not one but two exceptionally talented actors.

With quiet sensitivity, Minha Kim, who plays the younger version of Sunja, and Academy Award winner Youn Yuh-jung, who plays the older version, can speak volumes with a subtle look or inflection that gives weight and resonance to even the simplest line.

Their touching performances, along with beautiful writing, have made Sunja one of the most memorable characters of 2024.

5. Beth Dutton (Yellowstone)

With a wicked tongue and a mind as cunning as a coyote’s, Beth Dutton, portrayed by Kelly Reilly, is a force of nature in Yellowstone. Her family loyalty burns hotter than a Montana campfire, but it’s ruthless tactics and an unapologetic demeanor that truly set her apart.

Beth doesn’t just conquer the game; she rewrites the rules, leaving her opponents wondering what hit them. In the high-stakes world of power and politics that encompass the Yellowstone Ranch, Beth is the ace up the family’s sleeve, ready to be unleashed at a moment’s notice.

Beth Dutton isn’t just fierce; she is a tornado in human form, wreaking havoc on anyone who dares to cross her path.

6. Evan “Buck” Buckley (9-1-1)

Buck, played by Oliver Stark, has been one of the most beloved characters of 9-1-1 since the series began. He’s always had a lovable, puppy dog quality to him with a stubborn streak to match.

This year, Buck surprised us all by having a bit of a crisis when his best friend, Eddie, makes a new friend (old 118 member, Tommy). This leads him to realize that he might actually be bisexual instead of completely straight.

This revelation led to Buck gaining a new relationship, and a whole new legion of fans. He remains the same lovable, loyal, and stubborn firefighter he’s always been, which is a testament to the way TV now portrays members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

We’d gladly have Buck save us any day of the week.

7. Madeline “Matty” Matlock (Matlock)

Joining the TV landscape this year is the wonderful latest character from Kathy Bates’ talents, Madeline “Matty” Matlock. She is a woman from the older generation who is determined to prove that she can still kick it with the young ones.

That’s not all, though; viewers love Matty because, on the one hand, her persona at work is there to prove herself, but underneath it all, she’s on a vendetta to get justice for her daughter. Kathy Bates plays both personas to perfection, making her one of the most compelling TV characters this year.

We haven’t gotten to the end of Matty’s story yet, and there is still so much ground to cover, but regardless, we love what we know so far. She has this way of charming the pants off you before sticking the knife in your gut and twisting it once she’s in the courtroom.

8. Lady Mariko (Shōgun)

Played beautifully by Anna Sawai, Lady Mariko is the true tragic hero of Shōgun Season 1.

The series is about a stranger in a strange land—namely European sailor John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) in Japan. Mariko embodies the cultural splits at the heart of Shogun; she speaks English and Japanese, is a Japanese Christian, and is married and bound by duty to her husband but infatuated with Blackthorne.

9. Lucy Chen (The Rookie)

The Rookie Season 6 puts Lucy Chen through the wringer. Lucy doesn’t pass the detective’s exam, and Tim Bradford ends their relationship in the 10-episode season. Both events are an emotional, one-two punch that rocks Lucy’s professional and personal spheres.

Still, Lucy keeps her head up and does the work on herself and in the field, including a car chase that involves saving Tim’s life. Even though the season ends on a hopeful note for Chenford, Lucy also finds wins in other dynamics, like teaming up with Celina and inviting her to move in.

Season 6 may have rough patches for Lucy Chen, but her future looks bright because she comes out of it better and stronger, making her one of 2024’s best characters in a drama series.

10. Morgan (High Potential)

Morgan feels like a character plucked from early 2000s cable TV with a fashion sense as eccentric as Carrie Bradshaw and a mind rivaling Prison Break’s Michael Scofield.

Her astonishing intelligence turns this typical police procedural into a fast-moving mystery that compliments its leading lady with whip-fast evidence roundups and breezy dialogue exchanges.

Morgan’s reckless but cheery personality and supportive family-first values elevate the dramedy’s squeamish, viewer-friendly violence. Kaitlin Olson deserves a leading role in a show that can match her multifaceted, whip-smart comedic energy, and High Potential is looking more and more like that show.

11. Elsbeth Tasioni (Elsbeth)

Elsbeth is a character you turn to for comfort when you need a warm, supportive hug. The lawyer-turned-legal observer holds the New York City police accountable for their negligence while seeking out the bad guys with her entertaining detective skills.

She makes us feel safe in this dramedy’s criminal world, repeatedly proving that good and kind people will prevail as long as she is on the case. She isn’t afraid to get friendly with unwilling suspects, eagerly immersing herself in new NYC scenes with pure childlike joy.

Some find her unwavering positivity and colorful aesthetic as too much, but the real ones know Carrie Preston’s sweet civil servant is the heart of Elsbeth and one of the few fictional TV friends we can turn to for solace.

12. Taggie O’Hara (Rivals)

Taggie O’Hara (Bella Maclean) starts Rivals as the meek and ignored middle child of the O’Hara family, which has recently relocated to Rutshire for her father’s job. Throughout Season 1, she blossoms into a more self-assured character who holds true to her values while learning not to let people walk all over her.

In a show full of characters you love to hate, Taggie’s charming kindness and consideration for others stands out. While everyone else is scheming, Taggie just wants to do her best, cook delicious food, and help the people she cares about. What’s not to love?

Her unlikely romance with the scandalous Rupert is just one of the reasons you can’t wait to see where her story goes in Season 2.

13. Amelia Shepherd (Grey’s Anatomy)

Amelia Shepherd has stood out for years as one of the most complex, layered characters on Grey’s Anatomy, and this past year was no different. No stranger to loss, she experienced it in a new way when both Maggie and Meredith moved away, yet she continues to overcome and move forward in her personal life as well as in her career.

She worked with Meredith this year on her Alzheimer’s research — in secret, no less — and also once again proved that she’s a superhero of a surgeon who can perform surgeries no one else could dream of. 

14. Lidia Poët (The Law According to Lidia Poët)

Miss Eliza Scarlet. Phryne Fisher. Frankie Drake. if you’re a fan of female-fronted historical mysteries, these are names you’re probably already familiar with. But far too many of you most likely don’t know the name Lidia Poët. (And you really, really should.)

The feisty heroine at the heart of Netflix’s Italian original The Law According to Lidia Poët, her character is inspired by the story of the real-life trailblazer of the same name, whose determination to practice law sparked a nationwide debate in Italy about the role of women in the legal profession.

Another in a long line of uber-capable woman forced to prove themselves in a male-dominated world that looks down on her, Lidia’s first appeal to the bar is rejected and she’s forced to work as an assistant on her brother’s legal cases.

But her intelligence, eye for detail, and willingness to reach out and listen to those society often shuns (notably, other women) to get answers for her clients help make her a uniquely talented investigator, and one people would be well advised to listen to more often.

In Season 2, Lidia is agitating for even more sweeping, systemic change, campaigning for female suffrage, befriending the wife of an influential senator, and bullying her brother, Enrico, into running for Parliament to become the voice for women she is not yet allowed to be.

15. Lois Tryon (Grotesquerie)

Drawing herself to many mysterious cases, Grotesquerie’s Lois Tryon might be someone you’d want to help you solve your problems.

Niecy Nash-Betts brings a determined confidence and nuance to Lois in a way that makes her very compelling. She navigates through dark and challenging circumstances, displaying remarkable strength and determination. Her depth is further enriched by her vulnerability, making her both relatable and intriguing.

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Contributions by: Ashley Bissette Sumerel, Alicia Gilstorf, Mads Misasi, Shelby Elpers, Sarah Fields, Lacy Baugher, Breeze Riley, Lara Rosales, Char Gibb, Maryam Ahmad, Devin Meenan, and Christopher Gallardo.

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