30 Days of Television - Day 14
Day 14 - Favorite male character
Dan Conner
I bet you thought it was going to be the Doctor.
This was an easy choice. I love this character more than any other character on tv, male or female, hands down. When I was a child, I could relate to him as a father figure. He reminds of how my father was when I was little. I loved how silly he was. Now that I'm older, I can relate to him as a parent. No matter what happened, his family was always his first priority. I loved his relationship with his wife. I loved how they tease and fight with each other, but its always obvious how much they love each other.
Before I started this meme, I hadn't realized how similar all of my favorite television is. It usually consists of a superhero and their everyman assistants doing extraordinary things. Despite the subject matter of Roseanne, I don't think this is actually all that different. Roseanne, as the quick-witted star of the show, takes the place of the superhero and Dan is is the everyman the audience can relate to. He always stands up for what is right. He always takes care of the people around him and he does it with an amazing amount of charm.
Of course, a lot of the credit for my love of Dan Conner should be directed toward John Goodman. Another actor could have made the character a sniveling coward of a man whipped by his overbearing wife. Goodman always made sure there was a give and take in the relationship. When he had to deliver lines like, "Yes, dear," it was with always with his tongue placed firmly in his cheek. There is a dynamic between Dan and Roseanne that is rarely seen on sitcoms and I love how their relationship is equal.
What made this so easy to decide was my reaction to the series finale of Roseanne. It's easily a finale that could have won the entry on Day 26, but I'll write about it here and leave another show for that day. I think the 9th season of Roseanne confused everyone who watched the show. Winning the lottery, Dan cheating on Roseanne, Jackie's prince... It was odd to say the least. In the last scene, it was revealed that the series was actually the memoirs of Roseanne Conner and that she changed some major elements of her story to cope with her real life. For instance, Becky actually married David (whose real name is Kevin), Darlene married Mark, Jackie was gay, and Dan died of the heart attack he had in season 8. The revelation that Dan had died was like a knife through my heart and I literally sobbed through the end of the episode and for a while afterward as well. It was so bad that when Justin saw me several hours later, he immediately asked "What's wrong?" And, of course, I started sobbing again. I have never been that affected by a character death before or since.
Yeah, it still makes me cry.
Past
Day 01 - A show that should never have been canceled: Futurama
Day 02 - A show that you wish more people were watching: Doctor Who
Day 03 - Your favorite new show (aired this TV season): Community
Day 04 - Your favorite show ever: Doctor Who
Day 05 - A show you hate: Charmed
Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite TV show: Doctor Who: "Blink"
Day 07 - Least favorite episode of your favorite TV show: Doctor Who: "Planet of the Dead"
Day 08 - A show everyone should watch: The Prisoner
Day 09 - Best scene ever: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "You're beneath me."
Day 10 - A show you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving: The Mighty Boosh
Day 11 - A show that disappointed you: Heroes
Day 12 - An episode you've watched more than 5 times: "Midnight"
Day 13 - Favorite childhood show: Thundercats
Day 14 - Favorite male character: Dan Conner
Future:
Day 15 - Favorite female character
Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure show
Day 17 - Favorite mini series
Day 18 - Favorite title sequence
Day 19 - Best TV show cast
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite ship
Day 22 - Favorite series finale
Day 23 - Most annoying character
Day 24 - Best quote
Day 25 - A show you plan on watching (old or new)
Day 26 - OMG WTF? Season finale
Day 27 - Best pilot episode
Day 28 - First TV show obsession
Day 29 - Current TV show obsession
Day 30 - Saddest character death
Dan Conner
I bet you thought it was going to be the Doctor.
This was an easy choice. I love this character more than any other character on tv, male or female, hands down. When I was a child, I could relate to him as a father figure. He reminds of how my father was when I was little. I loved how silly he was. Now that I'm older, I can relate to him as a parent. No matter what happened, his family was always his first priority. I loved his relationship with his wife. I loved how they tease and fight with each other, but its always obvious how much they love each other.
Before I started this meme, I hadn't realized how similar all of my favorite television is. It usually consists of a superhero and their everyman assistants doing extraordinary things. Despite the subject matter of Roseanne, I don't think this is actually all that different. Roseanne, as the quick-witted star of the show, takes the place of the superhero and Dan is is the everyman the audience can relate to. He always stands up for what is right. He always takes care of the people around him and he does it with an amazing amount of charm.
Of course, a lot of the credit for my love of Dan Conner should be directed toward John Goodman. Another actor could have made the character a sniveling coward of a man whipped by his overbearing wife. Goodman always made sure there was a give and take in the relationship. When he had to deliver lines like, "Yes, dear," it was with always with his tongue placed firmly in his cheek. There is a dynamic between Dan and Roseanne that is rarely seen on sitcoms and I love how their relationship is equal.
What made this so easy to decide was my reaction to the series finale of Roseanne. It's easily a finale that could have won the entry on Day 26, but I'll write about it here and leave another show for that day. I think the 9th season of Roseanne confused everyone who watched the show. Winning the lottery, Dan cheating on Roseanne, Jackie's prince... It was odd to say the least. In the last scene, it was revealed that the series was actually the memoirs of Roseanne Conner and that she changed some major elements of her story to cope with her real life. For instance, Becky actually married David (whose real name is Kevin), Darlene married Mark, Jackie was gay, and Dan died of the heart attack he had in season 8. The revelation that Dan had died was like a knife through my heart and I literally sobbed through the end of the episode and for a while afterward as well. It was so bad that when Justin saw me several hours later, he immediately asked "What's wrong?" And, of course, I started sobbing again. I have never been that affected by a character death before or since.
Click to viewYeah, it still makes me cry.
Past
Day 01 - A show that should never have been canceled: Futurama
Day 02 - A show that you wish more people were watching: Doctor Who
Day 03 - Your favorite new show (aired this TV season): Community
Day 04 - Your favorite show ever: Doctor Who
Day 05 - A show you hate: Charmed
Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite TV show: Doctor Who: "Blink"
Day 07 - Least favorite episode of your favorite TV show: Doctor Who: "Planet of the Dead"
Day 08 - A show everyone should watch: The Prisoner
Day 09 - Best scene ever: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "You're beneath me."
Day 10 - A show you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving: The Mighty Boosh
Day 11 - A show that disappointed you: Heroes
Day 12 - An episode you've watched more than 5 times: "Midnight"
Day 13 - Favorite childhood show: Thundercats
Day 14 - Favorite male character: Dan Conner
Future:
Day 15 - Favorite female character
Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure show
Day 17 - Favorite mini series
Day 18 - Favorite title sequence
Day 19 - Best TV show cast
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite ship
Day 22 - Favorite series finale
Day 23 - Most annoying character
Day 24 - Best quote
Day 25 - A show you plan on watching (old or new)
Day 26 - OMG WTF? Season finale
Day 27 - Best pilot episode
Day 28 - First TV show obsession
Day 29 - Current TV show obsession
Day 30 - Saddest character death