My 2015 TV Characters - The Definitive 12

I watch a lot of television, and when I say a lot times what you consider a lot by ten. My lack of social life allows me to fill my TV needs. I get to live vicariously as a Washington fixer or a Manhattan OBGYN. I get to watch people fall in love, fall apart, kill other people. So, as I do I have compiled a list of my favourite TV characters so you don't have to.

Leslie Knope - Parks and Recreation
What list of amazing television characters wouldn't include Leslie Knope?! First of all the talented and stunning Amy Poehler plays her. Leslie is strong, a leader, a friend, a loving wife and one person I would want in my corner all the time. I think we could benefit by being a little more Knope. She is the epitome of a good person. If you can't be inspired by Leslie then you are dead on the inside.

Cookie Lyon - Empire
I made the wise life choice to binge watch the entire first season of 'Empire' in a day earlier this year. It is so so good. It is basically a soap opera with a huge budget. From the storylines to the fashion to the music to the guest stars it is everything you need from a TV show. And the shining peak of this great TV show is Cookie Lyon. Played by Taraji P. Henson. She is head strong, the matriarch and sassy to boot. I would cower in the corner if I ever got on the wrong side of her.

Mindy Lahiri - The Mindy Project
I had the tough choice between Mindy and Morgan. Morgan is the hilarious side kick to Mindy, he is ride or die for her, beyond loyal and may have slight stalker tendencies. However, I went with Mindy. She makes me laugh, makes me cry and more often then I would like to admit, I see my personality sometimes sneak through when watching her. Her high opinion of herself is what I love the most about her, her self delusion is often seeing her comparing herself to celebrities with whom she has nothing in common with in real life.

Sheldon Cooper - The Big Bang Theory
In nine years we haven't seen a lot of growth with this character, but in the last season they have catapulted this character's humanity. From the travesty that was the Amy and Sheldon break up of season 8, we saw a more softer side of Sheldon. For the first time we saw him hurt from an actual human experience we can all relate to. And then thankfully the gods heard my cries and Amy and Sheldon got back together!! And then they did it!! IT!! It was so beautifully shown to us, it made us smile instead of want to die if our parents were in the room.

Olivia Benson - Law & Order: Special Victim's Unit
Hands down one of the strongest female characters ever to be birthed on American television. Actually take out the word 'female' and the sentence still stands. She takes no shit from anybody and always fights on the side of good. She has had her own personal battles to contend with but always come out fighting. Plus she is now a mother, the head of the team and still rocks a flawless bob.

Titus Andromedon - Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Every character on this show is great; but it is Titus and Lillian that keeps me coming back for more, Titus just edges out Lillian (maybe because he has more screen time). He is a loveable, eccentric, roommate to Kimmy. He cares about the welfare of others whilst finding any opportunity to further his flailing entertainment career. Favourite moment hands down is 'Pinot Noir' - I am not even going to explain why, if you know then you know why, and if you don't go and find out and enrich your life - then thank me in the form of Jack Daniels.

Mellie Grant - Scandal 
My number one choice for the most underrated TV character of the last few years. Yes, in past seasons she pissed me off but my days when she is not standing next to the President she has truly come in to her own. She still does some questionable things (namely the jurors), but when she is fighting the good fight she is powerful, she is electric and she makes everyone shut up and listen without even asking them. If I could direct you to her filibuster moment in season 4 then you will see exactly what I mean.

Annalise Keating - How to Get Away with Murder
This show seriously demands your attention. Blink and you miss something important. Normally I can get bored by these type of shows, I have the attention span of a gnat. But its the work of Viola Davies that keeps me hooked, her acting in this is sublime and I am not the only one who think so (how you enjoying that Emmy Viola?). I don't agree with her actions a lot of the time but god knows if I ever 'accidentally' kill someone I would run to her in a minute.

Chanel Oberlin - Scream Queens
I will admit that I haven't seen all of the episodes, but I don't need to to pick a star. And Chanel is my star. She is a bitch, and I am not saying anything you wouldn't find in any character description of her. I love a bitch! She is cold as ice with the most amazing closet. If I had that closet I would never have come out (lame attempt at gay humour - but it is that spectacular).

Ilana Wexler & Abbi Abrams - Broad City
I couldn't pick one, it is Sophie's choice. They basically complete each other, where one tails off the other picks them up. They have this beautiful friendship, both too self reliant and perfectly supportive. I can't imagine that in real life these friendships exist. They seem to completely cut off other aspects of their life - but I still love it and am seriously jealous of it. I can't sell this show enough, I absolutely love it and I need everyone in the vicinity to watch it so I can finally talk out loud about it.

Olivia Pope -  Scandal
I love this woman. She is a hero. She is a villain. She is a lover, a friend. She is a gladiator. She makes me want to be a better person whilst also making me realise I don't want to be anything like her - she has been through some shit and has made awful decisions. She is perfectly flawed, she can help someone make the best decisions for their future yet she can't seem to do it for herself. She follows her heart and it often leads her down a dark path. One thing that she does which I strive to do is create the perfect speech, I want my moment - I need my moment.

My Picks for 2016 - Music!

Okay, so you might look at my top picks and say two things; these are all women, and I already know who they are. Well let me just say I make no apologies for my love of the female vocals and yes, you may know who they are but I am purely basing this on the fact that they haven't yet had chart success in the UK - which is where I currently preside.

Melanie Martinez

She first came to fruition on The Voice in America last year. I did not know this until a minute ago when I started looking into her so I would sound informed for this post. She came sixth - good for her. She was one of my discoveries whilst clicking through YouTube on one of my 'must find new music' tangents. I am really into her cartoon/Japanise Lolita style and her music is very much synth pop meets great song writing. Check out 'Pity Party' - that is my favourite, plus gives me a new birthday anthem. 

Halsey

I am kind of in love with her voice, she sounds a little bit Lorde - which is by no way a bad thing. Her song writing skills are killer, she talks about emotions and social issues with such beauty and wisdom beyond her years. She has made quite a stir in recent months with our American brethren. Now I am waiting for her to explode across the pond on our very shores. Particular favourites include 'Colours' and 'Ghost' - but please watch the video for 'New Americana' - amazing videography, storytelling and cinematography (I can't sell it enough).

CL

She is one forth of the amazing South Korean girl group 2ne1. Check them out. They are insane!! She has kept the same style and sound that made 2ne1 huge and added her own certain spunk to it. Her song 'Hello Bitches' is what Rihanna would have released a few years ago had she been Korean. She perfectly combines synth, hip hop, rap and pop in both Korean and English for this banger. I am obsessed, and the video is nothing short of Korean amazingness that we have come to expect from our Asian cousins. 

Hayley Kiyoko

you may recognise this beaut from the Disney Channel a few years ago. She was in the made for TV movie 'Lemonade Mouth' (it is actually quite great, I recommend it) and also she had guest spots on shows like 'Wizards of Waverly Place'. She appeared as Velma in one of the straight to DVD releases of Scooby Doo - a bit of a sore spot for me as they made Fred have dark hair in the movie - I mean, what the fuck?! Also right now she is staring in 'CSI: Cyber'. She has this sound that I describe as easy listening synth pop. It has the heavy beats but set to a slower speed, allowing the music to take a more dream like state. I personally recommend 'Girls like Girls' and 'Cliffs'. Sit back, smoke something your mother wouldn't approve of and allow yourself to be transported.

Maddie and Tae

I am clutching at very short straws when I say a country act could make it big in the UK, but I have high hopes for these ladies. They blew up on the country scene with a song that was dangerous. The slated country music, in particular the male dominated country chart. Asking simple questions about why girls are portrayed the way they are in videos. Reasonable questions I think. They could have gone down as a novelty one hit wonder, but they capitalised on their instant success and released songs that show their powerful vocals and amazing writing skills. I have high hopes for these ladies because they will resonate with a lot of young-uns here. It is easy listening, deep and inspiring. Come on England lets give country a chance!

Gender: My Opinion

I am going to say it straight out the gate - I don't believe in gender for the most part. I believe gender should only be used to describe physical attributes such as external genitalia, sex chromosomes, gonads, sex hormones, and internal reproductive structures. That's it. The word 'gender' should only be used in medical terms in my opinion, I don't believe people should be (or even can be) described clearly as one or the other. At last count there was roughly 7 billion people on Earth, I don't think we can sit back and put people in a box.

Let me explain myself a bit more clearly. I know that for every species there is a male version and a female version. This is down to what they were born with, mainly reproductive organs. I personally believe that is where it should stop. The characteristics that are expected of each gender is where my problem lies. If I was to describe to you what my interests are, what my beliefs are and what my thoughts are, and you couldn't see me; then I think you would struggle to decide what my gender is.

Different people tick different boxes in this world. Back in the day males were thought to be the bread winners, the hunters and gatherers, whilst the females looked after the next and raised the children. However, in this day and age it is all change. Those standards are old fashioned and for good reason. There is nothing wrong with a male wanting to stay home and raise children, and without a shadow of a doubt females can go out and do whatever a male can do. I just hate having to live up to anyone's expectations. No one should have to live up to anything other than the best they can be. If you constantly strive to be something you are not then you are just setting yourself up to fail. This world is a hard place as it is, don't allow yourself to be put under such pressure to achieve the impossible.

For me, gender is a spectrum. We all fall somewhere along the line of masculinity and femininity. They aren't exclusive to penis owners or vagina owners. We need to stop teaching people that males have to be one way and females have to be another way. I have heard 'Man up' way too many times in my life. What does that even mean?? I am a male by medical standards, I got the junk to show for it. That doesn't mean I can't like things that are described as feminine. From a young age it was told to me that males don't cry, we 'take it like a man' which I gather to mean that we don't show our emotions. I am the biggest cry baby I know. Does this not make me male? Guess what, I am still a male. We were taught that females should stay home and raise babies. America might have a female President next year. Does that mean that Hillary isn't female?

It is damaging to teach people that they have to fit in to a box that they were put into before they even had their first thought. Before they could open their eyes, see the world for what it is and decide for themselves. No one should ever be ashamed of been more one thing than another. If you are a masculine male then good for you, if you are a feminine male then good for you and if you are like me and find yourself stuck in the middle, then good for you as well. We all have to live on this tiny planet so can we just let these stupid stereotypes go? They aren't necessary anymore, the world has opened up to us through technology and science that we only have to turn a computer on to see that there are billions of different people, living their authentic lives - happy in themselves and who they are.

No, I am not going to be the male you ask to go watch sports with and that's ok - you can ask someone else. However, if you want to go and watch a gory horror movie then I am your guy.