Saturday, August 30, 2014

Video Of The Day


So many amputees make it look easy, so it’s good to be reminded that there are still very real, practical impairments involved.

Disabled TV Character Face-Off

Photo of an old-style TV set with the wheelchair symbol on the screen
As I promised in yesterday's Disability.TV podcast, here is an initial list of competitors for the esteemed title of "Best Disabled TV Character Of All Time". It's just a draft list though. Before creating the definitive bracket and getting on with the individual face-offs, I'd like to get a few ideas from you. Who are your favorite TV characters with disabilities? Who is missing from this list? Are there any on the list that don't belong on it?

I don't have any firm rules for what kinds of characters should be in this competition. However, I would tentatively suggest that we not count one-time guest characters, TV movies characters, or truly background characters without dialog or involvement in a show's ongoing plot. Minor characters are fine, as are recurring characters who appear on a TV show more than one or two times. The character must have either a known disability, or one that is obvious to us the viewers, even if it is not acknowledged by the other characters on the show.

So here is the draft list, in alphabetical order:

Addie Langdon - American Horror Story
Artie Abrams - Glee
Becky Jackson - Glee
Bran Stark - Game Of Thrones
Chief Robert Ironside - Ironside
Claudius - I, Claudius
Corky Sherwood - Life Goes On
Daniel "Lifeguard" Borroughs - Wiseguy
Derek - Derek
Detective Robert Ironside - Ironside
Dr. Kerry Weaver - ER
Dr. Gregory House - House, M.D.
Hodor - Game Of Thrones
Jaime Lannister - Game Of Thrones
Jake Malinak - Becker
Jason Street - Friday Night Lights
Jewel - Deadwood
Jimmy - South Park
John Bates - Downton Abbey
Joey Lucas - The West Wing
Kevin Girardi - Joan Of Arcadia
Maester Aemon - Game Of Thrones
Max Braverman - Parenthood
Mel Fisher - Growing Up Fisher
President Josiah Bartlett - The West Wing
Sheldon Cooper - The Big Bang Theory
Sherlock Holmes - Sherlock
Timmy - South Park
Tyrion Lannister - Game Of Thrones
Walter "Flynn" White, Jr. - Breaking Bad

Send your changes and additions to my email address: apulrang@icloud.com.