The Most Relatable Pop Culture Characters Revealed
Olivia ColeWhether you’re a die-hard F.R.I.E.N.D.S fanatic, an American Horror Story addict or a Modern Family maniac, it’s likely you have an on-screen character you can relate to. TV shows are the perfect place to find a persona you can empathise with or root for, and doing so can even help us navigate tricky situations in real life. But with so many big personalities portrayed on screen, how do we know which pop-culture characters best convey how we feel and what we do day-to-day?
CasinoGuardian‘s Pop Culture Character survey asked 2,000 US TV fans which characters from iconic shows they relate to most, looking at both protagonists and secondary stars who deserve more of the spotlight. The survey also asked in which areas of life people feel the most accurately represented on screen, and where they feel the least well expressed.
Main Character Energy
It can be hard to relate to main characters sometimes, either because they’re written to appeal to a wide range of audiences or because they have to navigate bizarre situations that don’t actually occur in real life. However, the survey reveals that there are main characters the everyday fan can relate to – even if they spend every episode slaying vampires.
It turns out that the majority of people feel like an Inbetweener, with Will McKenzie – from the British coming-of-age sitcom The Inbetweeners – emerging as the most relatable character for almost a fifth (19%) of respondents. The series follows a group of teenagers aged 16-19 at a new school and shows McKenzie as the least popular of the four lead characters among peers, but also the most mature and level-headed.
Other British characters that made the top ten most relatable figures included Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag from the series of the same name and Sherlock Holmes’ John Watson. The ‘dirty’ British comedy series Fleabag first appeared on BBC Three before being picked up by Amazon and was a smash hit in America, becoming the first British show to win Best Comedy Series at the Emmys.
What about the main characters who are the least relatable? The survey shows that among the least accessible leads are Ross Geller (F.R.I.E.N.D.S), Walter White (Breaking Bad) and Ted Mosby (How I Met Your Mother).
Most Successful Sidekicks
So, for those of us who can’t relate to a main character, can we see ourselves in a secondary character or sidekick? The survey certainly suggests so, with secondary characters coming out as almost twice as relatable as main protagonists (91%) among fans. And while it’s a shame that many of us clearly don’t see ourselves as having main-character energy, it makes sense given that secondary characters are often more ‘normal’.
It seems that New Girl is among the shows with the best cast, with both lovable bartender Nick Miller and ambitious sales associate Schmidt claiming the top two spots as the most relatable secondary characters. Also in the top ten are iconic cartoon character and amateur detective Norville ‘Shaggy’ Rogers from the Scooby-Doo franchise – best known for slacking and snacking – and brooding brother Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries.
At the other end of the scale, the least relatable secondary characters are Daemon Targaryen from the latest Game of Thrones instalment, House of the Dragon, Joffrey and Cersei Lannister, and Dwight Schrute from the US version of The Office.
When it comes to which franchises fans are most likely to turn to for advice or inspiration on dealing with a real-life situation, the survey shows it’s F.R.I.E.N.D.S that people consider the most representative (perhaps due to its length and diverse storylines), followed by New Girl, Riverdale and Modern Family.
On-screen Representation
Relating to a character is all very well – even if they are a vampire, the devil reincarnate or a struggling teen – but how do TV writers fare when it comes to portraying genuine experience on screen? The survey asked various demographics how they feel they’re represented on screen to identify what’s missing in today’s TV.
It seems that the majority of us feel best represented when it comes to marriage, with almost half (47%) of respondents agreeing that the marriages they see on screen bear some resemblance to theirs in real life. However, more needs to be done to portray relationships and dating accurately, with just a fifth (19%) saying they feel represented in that area. Sex is another aspect that needs improvement, with fewer than a third (29%) of people saying they’ve related to a saucy situation they’ve seen on screen.
Women feel the least represented on screen when it comes to career (with 62% not feeling accurately portrayed here) and conflict resolution (51%), whilst men feel least represented around friendships (36%) and routine (29%). Younger respondents (those aged 18-25) feel the least represented in relation to hobbies (with just 21% saying they’ve related to a hobby shown on screen) and then their relationship with their family (19%).
There’s still work to be done regarding on-screen personalities generally, as the survey also found that one in ten people (9%) do not relate to any characters at all.
As well as determining where TV is lacking in representation, the survey also asked which actors people feel deserve more recognition – either due to their relatable performances or impressive credentials. The actor fans would most like to see rewarded this year is Evan Peters for his latest portrayal of Dahmer, followed by Sadie Sink for her work in Stranger Things, and Milly Alcock from House of the Dragon.
Summary
Regardless of what TV shows have in store for us over the next year, it’s important to find joy in what you watch on screen, particularly as we head into the colder months. Hopefully, we’ll see better representation on screen over the next year for those who can’t relate to what they’re seeing in their favourite series, and we hope relatable characters continue to inspire TV fans globally.