50 All-time Greatest Characters in Television History: #40-42

#42: Stringer Bell

Born: September 17, 1969

Died: 2004

Russell "Stringer" Bell, played by Idris Elba, serves as drug kingpin Avon Barksdale's second in command. Intelligent and business-savvy, Bell gets As in his economics classes at Baltimore City Community College and even has a copy of Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations on his bookshelf. He also insists that Rules of Order be used at meetings to keep order. He attempts to legitimize the Barksdale drug gang by investing in housing properties and buying influence from politicians.

An intelligent planner and businessman, Bell is a useful advisor to Barksdale and handles the economic decisions for the Barksdale crew. He often tries to temper Avon's bloodthirsty nature. Though not as vengeful as Avon, Stringer is ruthless, being completely devoted to his work, and eliminating threats to the Barksdale organization as soon as they appear.

                  #41: Tyrion Lannister, Game of Thrones

Born: 274AL

Where he is now:

Tyrion is shrewd, educated, and calculating, but receives little respect for this from his father, because of his deformity, and for the death of his mother during his birth. He is capable of cruelty to his enemies, but also has great sympathy for fellow outcasts and the mistreated.  Even though he is no warrior, he has instances where he shows great bravery; he has stated that what he lacks in size and strength he makes up for in mental acuity. He displays high intelligence and great promise during his brief tenure as the Hand of the King, revealing himself to be as politically savvy and astute as his father, yet receives close to no recognition for it.

                             #40: Nicholas Brody, Homeland

Born: February 3, 1975

Died: 2013

Damian Lewis, the actor who portrays Brody, probably sums his complex character analysis up the best: Lewis says that Brody, a prisoner of war who returns after eight years of captivity, comes home deeply affected by the man most responsible for his detention, who becomes both a captor and a father figure: "I think Nicholas Brody is made unstable by that relationship. And so he's a confused soul. While his impulses might be defendable, his – his action is not.” By the way, who wants to see a death cage match between Brody and Major Dick Winters, Lewis’ beloved character from Band of Brothers?









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