Best Character Arcs in TV History

The greatest character arcs in television take familiar characters and transform them in ways that are surprising yet inevitable. These characters evolved, devolved, or revolutionized themselves across their series, creating some of the most memorable journeys in TV history.

About This List

Best Character Arcs in TV History brings together 12 characters from 9 different series, ranked and analyzed through TVCeleb's comprehensive fan data and critical assessment. Spanning shows including Breaking Bad, Peaky Blinders, Game of Thrones, Yellowstone, Stranger Things, and more, this collection represents the finest examples of this character archetype across the landscape of modern television.

Each character on this list is profiled in depth on TVCeleb with detailed arc analysis, key episodes, Fan Heat Index scoring, memorable quotes, and trivia. The rankings reflect a combination of narrative significance, performance quality, cultural impact, and fan engagement metrics. Click through to any character's individual page to explore their full story, fan ecosystem, and community presence.

Curated lists like Best Character Arcs in TV History help fans discover characters they may have missed and provide new perspectives on familiar favorites. Whether you're looking for your next binge-worthy series or want to compare how different shows approach similar character types, TVCeleb's lists offer a starting point for deeper exploration. Each entry links to comprehensive character and show profiles that go far beyond what any simple ranking can capture.

The characters featured in Best Character Arcs in TV History come from 9 different television series, including Breaking Bad, Peaky Blinders, Game of Thrones, Yellowstone, Stranger Things, Schitt's Creek, Ozark, Succession, Ted Lasso. This cross-show perspective allows fans to compare how different writers, performers, and creative teams approach similar character archetypes and thematic territory. The diversity of shows represented reflects the richness of modern television and the many ways that compelling characters can emerge from different genres, tones, and narrative structures.

Television fandom is built on the passionate connections viewers form with the characters they love, and the characters on this list represent some of the strongest of those connections. From dedicated subreddit communities and fan art archives to viral TikTok compilations and in-depth YouTube analyses, each character has inspired a unique ecosystem of fan engagement. TVCeleb maps these ecosystems on every character page, connecting you with the communities that share your appreciation for these extraordinary fictional figures.

Rankings

1
Walter WhiteBreaking Bad
97
 2
Thomas ShelbyPeaky Blinders
96
 3
Jesse PinkmanBreaking Bad
94
 4
Daenerys TargaryenGame of Thrones
94
 5
Beth DuttonYellowstone
93
 6
Steve HarringtonStranger Things
92
 7
David RoseSchitt's Creek
92
 8
Ruth LangmoreOzark
91
 9
Kendall RoySuccession
89
 10
Jaime LannisterGame of Thrones
87
 11
Jamie TarttTed Lasso
84
 12
Nate ShelleyTed Lasso
76
Breaking Bad

Walter White

Played by Bryan Cranston

Seasons 1–5 97
Peaky Blinders

Thomas Shelby

Played by Cillian Murphy

Seasons 1–6 96
Breaking Bad

Jesse Pinkman

Played by Aaron Paul

Seasons 1–5 94
Game of Thrones

Daenerys Targaryen

Played by Emilia Clarke

Seasons 1–8 94
Yellowstone

Beth Dutton

Played by Kelly Reilly

Seasons 1–5 93
Stranger Things

Steve Harrington

Played by Joe Keery

Seasons 1–4 92
Schitt's Creek

David Rose

Played by Dan Levy

Seasons 1–6 92
Ozark

Ruth Langmore

Played by Julia Garner

Seasons 1–4 91
Succession

Kendall Roy

Played by Jeremy Strong

Seasons 1–4 89
Game of Thrones

Jaime Lannister

Played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

Seasons 1–8 87
Ted Lasso

Jamie Tartt

Played by Phil Dunster

Seasons 1–3 84
Ted Lasso

Nate Shelley

Played by Nick Mohammed

Seasons 1–3 76

Explore More on TVCeleb

TVCeleb.com is the internet's most comprehensive resource for television character fandom, covering 38 acclaimed TV series with 205 detailed character profiles and 153 actor biographies. Our coverage spans 24 genres across 16 networks and streaming platforms, with content organized to help fans discover, explore, and engage with television from every angle.

Browse our collection by genre to find shows in your preferred category, by network to see what's available on your streaming platform, by decade to explore different eras of television history, or by curated lists that group characters by archetype and achievement. Each show page features expanded synopses, production details, and video content, while character pages include detailed arc analysis, key episodes, quotes, trivia, and fan ecosystem mapping.

Every character on TVCeleb is scored using our proprietary Fan Heat Index, which measures engagement, social activity, meme velocity, fan art density, and fandom longevity on a scale of 0 to 100. This data-driven approach provides objective insight into which characters have inspired the most passionate and active fan communities. Use the search page to find any character, show, or actor instantly, or start browsing from our homepage to discover what's trending in television fandom today.

? Frequently Asked Questions

Walter White's transformation from mild-mannered chemistry teacher to ruthless drug lord Heisenberg in Breaking Bad is widely considered the greatest character arc in TV history. Other standout arcs include Jaime Lannister's redemption journey in Game of Thrones, Jamie Tartt's growth from bully to team player in Ted Lasso, and Jesse Pinkman's painful evolution from small-time dealer to moral conscience in Breaking Bad. Each of these arcs demonstrates how great television can transform characters in ways that feel both surprising and inevitable.

A great character arc involves meaningful, believable change driven by the character's experiences and choices. The best arcs feel both surprising and inevitable, with each step of the transformation feeling earned and organic to the story. Key elements include a clear starting point, catalytic events that force change, internal conflict between who the character was and who they're becoming, and a resolution that recontextualizes everything that came before. The finest arcs, like Ruth Langmore's in Ozark, also explore how environment shapes identity.

Television features several types of character arcs: positive arcs where characters grow and overcome flaws (Jamie Tartt in Ted Lasso), negative arcs where characters descend into darkness (Walter White in Breaking Bad), redemption arcs where fallen characters seek to make amends (Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones), and flat arcs where a character's steadfast nature changes the world around them (Ted Lasso himself). The best shows often combine multiple arc types across their ensemble cast, creating rich narrative tapestries.

Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Game of Thrones, Ted Lasso, Schitt's Creek, and Ozark are consistently praised for exceptional character development. These shows invest in long-form character transformation that rewards dedicated viewership, with protagonists and supporting characters alike undergoing meaningful evolution across multiple seasons. TVCeleb's detailed character arc analyses on each profile page trace these transformations episode by episode, highlighting the pivotal moments that define each character's journey.