My Top 10 for this week is Top 10 TV Bosses!
Close Calls:
Frank Furillo - Hill Street Blues
Chief Wallace Boden - Chicago Fire
Alan Brady - The Dick Van Dyke Show
She wasn't the boss for her whole time on Cheers so it was hard to rank her higher than this Rebecca Howe was hilarious as Sam Malone's dizzying mess of a boss and Kirstie Alley added a whole new element to the show when she joined Cheers.
9. The Chief (Edward Platt) - Get Smart
A very steady force in an otherwise zany sitcom, the Chief managed to both keep evil forces from destroying the US and Maxwell Smart from destroying anything around him. He also got to be goofy from time to time which was fun.
8. Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) - Scandal
I always enjoyed Olivia Pope most when her "white hat" was on and she was leading her team for good or at least mostly good. She was best when she was in control and the boss not so much when she was working for others or compromising herself.
7. Larry Tate (David White) - Bewitched
A complete blowhard but in the most lovable way, Larry Tate was a weasel of a boss who always took credit for success and passed blame for failure. But as played by David White, he still had a heart of gold.
6. Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) - Blue Bloods
In this era of unrest and public debate about the police force, I think things would be better off it every city had a police commissioner like Frank Reagan. Frank will stand up for good cops, pull no punches and make no excuses for bad cops and listen to those with differing opinions. All things that should be requirements for the job.
Captain Holt (when he actually is Captain and not being attacked from higher ups) is the perfect person to lead the insanity that is Brooklyn's 99th precinct. Usually a straight man but with a very odd streak too, I love that his story also defies so many stereotypes about who can be a police captain.
4. Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) - The Sopranos
Hey, a mob boss counts as a boss, right? Tony Soprano was such a deep character and there's much more that has been said and could be said than a few lines on a Top 10 list. But let's just say he is an amazing character but the one on this list I would least like as my boss.
3. Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) - Parks and Recreation
A boss who despised everything his job stood for, yet one who always stood up for his employees. Ron Swanson is such an enigma of a character and perhaps the most lovable "anti-government" persona there ever was.
2. Lou Grant (Ed Asner) - The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The heart of The Mary Tyler Moore Show is the friendship between Lou Grant and Mary Richards. We've gotten used to the gruff boss with a heart of gold trope but Lou Grant was the first and the best in that category. And yes, he had spunk too.
Obviously the "World's Best Boss" is going to be #1 on the list. It's no secret that I think Michael Scott is the single most fascinating character in TV history. He's the boss who does everything wrong all the time and yet we still end up rooting for this complicated character thanks to Steve Carell's incredibly nuanced performer. Characters don't get better than Michael Scott.
Tomorrow: A One Season Wonder Look at Mrs. G Goes to College!
Next Tuesday: Top 10 Halloween/Haunted Episodes (Pre-1995)
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