Not too long ago, I made a listicle entitled, "12 Pop Culture Female Characters Worth Admiring." These characters are strong, independent and know how to take control of their lives to accomplish their goals. I thought that these women deserved recognition since many of them fall under the radar — compared to their male counterparts — but I also thought it is worth taking a look at male characters who are not appreciated enough for any number of reasons.
Here are 12 underappreciated male characters in pop culture that deserve more credit.
1. Victor Grassi – "Queer As Folk"
Despite living with AIDS and ultimately dying from complications due to his HIV medication, Vic easily had the strongest spirit on the show. He was always quick to deliver a sardonic remark when he felt that someone was BS-ing him, and lived for every moment because he realized how quickly it could be taken away from him. Here is the full quote for the above image:
“Not to resort to trite musical theater references at the 11th hour, but I’ve been through Nixon, Reagan, two Bushes, and I’m still here. And kiddies, if I can survive all that, and more, we’ll survive this, too.”
2. Rubeus Hagrid – "Harry Potter"
Hagrid was Harry’s first friend before the latter attended Hogwarts and did his best to defend Harry against anyone who had bad intentions. Although he is not the first person that most people think of when they consider Harry’s father figure, he deserves to be at the top of the list.
3. Robert Barone – "Everybody Loves Raymond"
The focus of the Barone family is on Robert’s brother, Raymond. Raymond is the successful sports writer with the beautiful family, while Robert spends most of the series unable to find a woman who will love him in spite of his quirks. Additionally, their parents tease Robert for these eccentricities. Nonetheless, when Robert marries Amy, they are easily the most functional couple in the family. More so, Robert is a good husband to her and commits his life to protecting people on the police force.
4. Martin Crane – "Frasier"
Martin may be made to feel inferior by his two sons, but he devoted his life to the police force, helped provide for his family so that his sons could get Ivy League educations and still had better street smarts than the pair of them combined.
5. Arthur Weasley – "Harry Potter"
Arthur had a total of nine mouths to feed and despite that pressure he still welcomed Harry into his home as another son. He stood by Harry's side during Harry’s Ministry of Magic hearing and he was the first to tell Harry to stay away from Sirius Black when they thought that he was dangerous, as well as Draco Malfoy.
6. Walter Eugene "Radar" O’Reilly – "M*A*S*H"
Radar is teased for any number of reasons — his healthy appetite, his height or his innocence — by the medical personnel in the M*A*S*H 4077. Nevertheless, he is always loyal and ready to inform the doctors and nurses of what they need before they need it.
7. Philip Banks – "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air"
Uncle Phil constantly says that he would prefer if “his wife’s nephew” Will would go back home to Philadelphia so that his family could have peace and quiet again. However, as the series progresses, it is clear that he views Will as an integral part of the family. He is constantly yelling at Will for getting into trouble, and getting his children involved as well, but he yells because he cares. More so, he goes to any lengths to protect his family.
8. Brian Johnson – "The Breakfast Club"
Brian may be perceived as naïve by the rest of the gang in detention, but he faces similar struggles to everyone else. By the end of the film, it is clear that he holds onto that innocence as a lifeline when the rest of his life feels like it is falling apart.
9. Damian Leigh – "Mean Girls"
One thing that can be said for certain is that Damian has some great one-liners and he does not take friendship lightly. If someone is his friend, he will stick by them and be their partner-in-crime unless they give him a reason not to be.
10. Emmett Honeycutt – "Queer As Folk"
Like Vic, Emmett is another character on the show that is an unapologetic queen. He spent his childhood in the south being ostracized and abused for his flamboyant nature, but he adopts the motto, “F*** ‘em all”, and helps his friends and partners do the same.
11. Bobby Singer – "Supernatural"
Bobby grew up in an abusive household, suffering under his father, and never thought that he deserved a family. He ended up having to kill his wife, who was possessed by a demon, and filled with guilt, became a hunter. When the Winchester boys re-entered his life, they became surrogate sons and he proved to himself that he could be a father in the ways that count. He did everything in his power to protect the two of them, in life and death, and recognized their need for a dependable figure in their life, which is something that their biological father could never provide.
12. Rory Williams – "Doctor Who"
Rory could live for thousands of years — and he did — and he would always find a way to return to Amy. He is oftentimes mocked and dismissed by the Eleventh Doctor, and not appreciated nearly enough by Amy, but he remains loyal to her and accepts that traveling with The Doctor is something that she has to do, and opts to come along with her.
