My TV Influences

     I am a sitcom junkie and one big reason, like a lot of other people I'm sure, is because they're an escape from my boring life. I also in a weird way look up to certain characters who resemble my own ideals or wishes. I'm going to list four of the most influential characters in my little bit of existence on this oddball planet.

1. Ted Evelyn Mosby.

     Ted, portrayed by Josh Radnor, is a hopeless romantic who at times ruins everything and at times does the perfect thing at the perfect time. His creativity, romantic spirit and opportunistic personality are the essence of why I relate to him and wish I could be more like him.

They wrote him to think ahead in a big way and that optimism is beyond admirable.




2. Bull Shannon.

     Bull Shannon, played perfectly by Richard Moll was a character that looked menacing or seemed weird but the more you learned about the character, the deeper you understood just how real and big his heart was.

Bull often ruined things by being clumsy or not realizing his own strength but when someone needed any kind of help or a friend to be there, he would move mountains to help. There was a particular episode that exemplifies why I appreciate Richard Moll's wacky character: a bailiff by the name of Flo (acted by Florence Halop) had been mean to him all through the show and he didn't retaliate at all.

In the end, she found out she needed $2500 desperately for a reason I forget at the moment and Bull had just received a large amount of money and he instantly gave it to her in an emotional scene for Florence's character. She teared up when she realized he knew she was making fun of him and he still gave the money to her even though he needed it too. Yeah.


3. Harry T. Stone

     Harry was a goofy, sensitive, sweet, romantic, smart, out-of-the-box thinking young judge. Another creative hopeless romantic on my list, he was known for pulling off a silly squirting tie gag and bringing a fighting couple together by pretending to sentence the husband to 20 years in the slammer for a domestic disturbance case, forcing them to reveal that they really care about each other.

Things like that and his ability to bring the best out of people he came in contact with made me want to be a good person early in my life. There was a prostitute character that he gave time to talk with who just needed someone to treat her like a human. That trait in him resonates in my personality regularly when it comes to racism, sexism and any time someone is ignored or forgotten about.

He created in me the desire to do things like pay for someone in line behind me and leave before they realize it, something I hope I can do more and bless more lives through it.

4. Jim Halpert

     I could not have a list like this without adding one of the funniest, romantically gifted, witty characters maybe ever written. Jim was always good for a quick comment, usually at the expense of the deserving Dwight Schrute or the awkward Michael Scott. Jim made pranks into an artform and John  Krasinski's character had patience that both gave us fans hope and drove us crazy at the same time.

     If I had a "Mount Rushmore" of characters that have helped form my own personality, these are it. They've all had very real affects on the way I treat people to this day for what I see as greatly important reasons.

I want to remind myself that while things aren't always great or even good...or even just bad but there are things to look at in our lives that are a positives.

Let me know who would be in your 

"Mount Rushmore" of tv characters.

Thanks for reading and pass it on.