Liberal characters on television--who were they?

[bliss_eternal]

The only one I can think of was Larry on Dharma and Greg--an aging hippie. Very funny. But when I tried to think of others, I couldn't so help me out--who are the famous liberal television characters?

Thanks!

:hi:

[Lavender Brown]

1. Murphy Brown

[timber84]

2. My first and only thought was her too

[bliss_eternal]

3. Of course--

how could I forget Murphy?! She made for some great moments in the late 80's didn't she?

[fishwax]

4. hawkeye pierce

[bliss_eternal]

7. Argh-

another one I forgot about.

[HEyHEY]

67. Good one - Trapper and BJ too

[Lisa]

5. Archie Bunker's son ("Meathead", his dad called him)

But then again, Archie thought that anyone to the left of Strom Thurmond was "liberal".

Hawkeye Pierce, from "M*A*S*H" -- I remember hearing that the author of the book which the film and later TV show were based on, thought that Alda's portrayal was too leftish.

[ghostsofgiants]

43. Son-in-law you mean. Michael Stivic.

[Lisa]

82. right! I haven't seen the show for years, so I'd forgotten that (n/t)

[Montauk6]

6. Piece of cake

Gabe Kotter - Welcome Back, Kotter
Michael & Gloria Bunker Stivic - All In The Family
Pete Dixon - Room 222
Lucas Tanner - Lucas Tanner
Captain James T. Kirk - Star Trek
Ken Reeves - The White Shadow
Tom Bradford - Eight Is Enough
Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce and B.J. Hunnicutt - M*A*S*H
Lou Grant, Joe Rossi, Dennis "Animal" Price - Lou Grant
Serena Southerlyn, Ed Green, Shambala Green - Law & Order
Olivia Benson - Law & Order: SVU
Meadow Soprano - The Sopranos
Clark Kent - Smallville
Chet & Alice Boyle - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home
Roger Ranger - Kimba the White Lion
Tom Willis & Harry Bentley - The Jeffersons
Maude Findley - Maude
Michael Evans - Good Times
Steven & Elyse Keaton - Family Ties
Lisa Simpson - The Simpsons

[bliss_eternal]

9. Didn't Ed Asner take a lot of crap

over Lou Grant? I was really young when the show was on the air, some I'm vague on the details, but I seem to recall something about this.

[Montauk6]

23. I wouldn't be surprised but... sigh... what a great time for meaningful TV

Ahh... the 70s.

[bliss_eternal]

26. Tell me about it--

nothing like it since--especially considering the influx of dumbed down, reality shows. :scared:

[fishwax]

35. well, except for the shows on the cable networks

I missed the glorious 70s (:(), but while network TV is largely a wasteland now, there are great shows (six feet under, the sopranos, queer as folk, etc.) on the cable networks these days :)

[bliss_eternal]

50. Ah yes--cable!

Cable networks have truly been a saving grace--Sex in the City(when still on HBO), The L Word, Weeds, Real Time with Bill Maher! :thumbsup: Don't know what I'd do without them...

[fishwax]

51. oh yeah, forgot sex in the city and the L word

those are both great too. I haven't gotten to see Weeds, but I'm really looking forward to when it comes out on DVD :)

[ghostsofgiants]

44. You left out Brian Griffin from Famly Guy...

And Hayley Smith from American Dad.

[fishwax]

8. Lisa Simpson

assuming cartoon characters count :)

[bliss_eternal]

11. Yes, of course they do!

Lisa rocks--she's vegan and an environmentalist!

[fishwax]

13. this is a great game you've started

:D

[bliss_eternal]

14. Thanks--

I sincerely got obsessed with this question earlier while watching Dharma and Greg.

[fishwax]

19. I'm getting obsessed too :)

(edited b/c original message replied to the wrong post)

[mikeytherat]

75. And she's a Buddhist!

mikey_the_rat

[sakabatou]

28. Alphonse Elric

Utena Tenjou
The crew of Cowboy Bebop, with the possible excpetin of Faye and Jet
Vash the Stampede
Millie Thompson
Makoto Mizuhara\

There are more, I know.

[TimeChaser]

34. Fullmetal Alchemist itself

is really anti-war

[sakabatou]

41. True.

Oh! Prety much every hero/heroine in the Miyazaki films.

[TimeChaser]

42. Oh yeah! Miyazaki!

I :loveya: his movies. Especially Mononoke hime

[sakabatou]

45. Watching Nausicaa now

[ComerPerro]

73. Lisa - my favorite Simpson

[Lisa]

10. Quincy? and in Canada, Dominic DaVinci (another crusading coroner)

[fishwax]

12. Elyse and Steve Keating on Family Ties

they were ex-hippies too :)

[bliss_eternal]

15. sonova--

Geez--how could I forget all these great tv characters? :banghead:

[bliss_eternal]

16. ooooh--thought of one! Maude!

:D

[salin]

18. Jinx!

same thought, same post, same time :D

[bliss_eternal]

20. Freaky!

:hi:

[salin]

17. Maude

Bea Arthur - rocks!

[Robeson]

69. Good Call....

...:thumbsup:

[fishwax]

21. Chris in the Morning from Northern Exposure

He was generally liberal (particularly for a small town like cicely :))

[bliss_eternal]

24. For a show to get such rave reviews

somehow it slipped under my radar--I've only seen a couple of episodes in syndication. :(

[fishwax]

31. it's a really good show

I loved it when it was on, and since my SO didn't catch them at the time either, I've been slowly watching them all again as we've rented them on DVD :) I highly recommend it, particularly if you like quirky :)

[bliss_eternal]

22. Anne Romano--One Day at a Time

Staunch feminist, single mom, insisted on being known as MS. Romano after her divorce.

[Initech]

25. Got a good one - Lindsay Funke!

Of Arrested Development fame!

Married of course to noted analrapist / unintentional gay man Tobias Funke.

[Montauk6]

27. Would Bobby Ewing of Dallas qualify?

[ForrestGump]

29. Tinky Wink

[Telly Savalas]

30. Pretty much everybody on all the Star Treks

[AntiCoup2K4]

70. The Klingons?? The Romulans?? The Ferengi??

Not the most Progressive bunch there.

[DanCa]

32. Richie Cunningham he voted for Stevenson Fonzie voted for Ike.

[fishwax]

33. the fonz voted for Ike?

whoa! :(

[DanCa]

36. Yeah dont you remember the episode?

His bike liked Ike.

[fishwax]

38. i guess i missed that one

i've mostly seen it in reruns/syndication. Fonz is not a role model :)

[DanCa]

40. Ralph and Potsie voted for Stevenson but if i recall

it was only because the girls were hotter. It was the first and only time in the show were i didn't care for Tom Bosely he acted like a rethug.

[bliss_eternal]

59. I remember that episode!

I was sad that Mr. Cunningham was so dedicated to the conservative candidate. :(

[Montauk6]

71. Wow, you're jogging my memory!

I do remember Howard being an Ike guy.

Sidebar: those were the best episodes of Happy Days, btw. Yes, I know, they used a laugh track but it was, IMHO, more effective than watching the actors pause while the screaming died down. Also, those early episodes were a much better depiction of 50s America (the Ike thing, the game show scandal, the bomb shelter, Richie having to miss a Chuck Berry concert because he had to mind Howie's hardware store), plus there was the sublime goofiness of big brother Chuck "MIA" Cunningham.

The "Happy Days was filmed live before a studio audience" era just got way too silly (and not for nothing, this was the same era that featured the inspiration for the "Jump The Shark" phenomenon). Leather Tuscadero? Mork from Ork? Please! Did a time machine blue screen somewhere??? The only thing missing was a disco ball at Arnold's.

(sigh) I guess the next thing is the obligatory big-screen DVD tie-in. Perhaps, Colin "WANTED: New Agent" Farrell will play the Fonz?

[graywarrior]

37. Alan Shore on Boston Legal

[DanCa]

39. Chi Mcbride on Boston Public (nt)

[ghostsofgiants]

46. Just a guess, but: Dale Cooper and Albert Rosenfield from Twin Peaks...

Cooper was really into Tibet and things of that nature, and had a fascination with JFK.

Albert was a pacifist who had a fondess for MLK and Gandhi. ("I pride myself in taking a punch and will gladly take another because I choose to live my life in the company of Ghandi and King. My concerns are global. I reject, absolutely, revenge, agression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method, is love.")

[bliss_eternal]

54. I didn't watch the show--

but I have knowledge of the characters from watching 'Fire Walk With Me.' It's interesting they were representative of liberal values--given that the city portrayed seemed almost a conservative haven (and hotbed for their secrets).

[XemaSab]

60. I'm not sure I agree

Maybe *possibly* Cooper, but Albert? No way....

Everyone on that show was pretty square... except the Log Lady.

[ghostsofgiants]

61. Albert migh have been a dick...

But the quote I cited is the epitome of progressive leanings.

[XemaSab]

63. You sure he wasn't just yanking Coop's chain?

FUCK, I need to watch that whole series again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Where did you see it at???

[ghostsofgiants]

65. He was talking to Truman actually...

The entire quote, after Truman threatened to punch Albert again: "While I will admit to a certain cynicism, the fact is that I am a naysayer and a hatchetman in the fight against violence. I pride myself in taking a punch and will gladly take another because I choose to live my life in the company of Gandhi and King. My concerns are global. I reject, absolutely, revenge, agression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method, is love. I love you Sherriff Truman." The "I love you" part was obviously meant to be humourous, but after that scene they became friends, so I get the impression taht he was serious.

I have every episode on my hard drive.

[XemaSab]

76. Where did you get them from

to put on your hard drive??

[ghostsofgiants]

84. Ummm...

I think www.mininova.org

[huskerlaw]

47. Jed Bartlet

and most of the characters on West Wing.

[bliss_eternal]

55. Please don't take my progressive card

but I've never watched West Wing. One of those times I knew if I started I'd never stop--so I just never started. :( Sorry...

But glad that the show featured characters that can be named on this list.

[huskerlaw]

79. It's ok

I'd never seen it until last summer. I now own all of the available DVDs and I'm a tad obsessed. ;)

If you have the time, you should rent the first season on DVD...you won't be disappointed.

[Dr Fate]

48. The Addams Family

Libertines who minded their own business, at least.

[Ptah]

49. Andy Griffith n/t

[last_texas_dem]

52. Mr. Rosso

The hippie guidance counselor from Freaks and Geeks has a "Carter/Mondale '80" poster up in his office in some episodes. (On a pointless note, I thought the poster was cool because of the green and white color scheme; it's a rarity to see a major-party political sign that isn't the "safe" red, white, and blue colors.)

ON EDIT: I also remember a couple of the kids, Sam and Lindsay, were Dems. Sam was dating the ultra-popular Cindy and seems disappointed when he finds out she's the head of the Young Repugs at the school. She gets to introduce Daddy Bush who is coming to speak at the school, and Lindsay asks Poppy a controversial question. Their (Sam and Lindsay's) dad is a Repug, though.

[bliss_eternal]

58. I wish that

I had watched the show, so I could offer a more substantial comment here--but I didn't. Sorry. :hi: Sounds funny, though...

[last_texas_dem]

62. Yeah

I wish that I had discovered Freaks and Geeks earlier myself. I didn't start watching it until it had already been cancelled and was in syndication! It's become one of my all-time favorite shows, though, and I highly recommend it. :hi:

[fishwax]

64. I only saw it on DVD

but that was a GREAT show. We rented the whole series from our local dvd store, and it was fantastic. :thumbsup:

[cedahlia]

104. Yes, don't forget Lindsay "I'm a Democrat" Weir!

That's actually the first person I thought of when I read the OP of this thread. I was remembering the Daddy Bush episode as well!

Love, love, love, that show. One of the greatest shows ever on TV, IMO. Gone waaaaay too soon, too. ;(

[fishwax]

105. that was a GREAT episode

:applause::bounce:

I wish the show had lived on ...

[last_texas_dem]

53. Winnie Cooper

There is an episode of The Wonder Years where she is volunteering for McGovern and Kevin decides to as well, but only because he thinks Winnie is only doing it 'cause she has a thing for the campaign director and thinks he needs to keep an eye on her. But he ends up getting to meet McGovern when he sneaks into a secret meeting of some sort. And I think Winnie gets annoyed and it becomes one of the dozen or so episodes where Winnie says, "Kevin, you're such a jerk!" (Sorry, I enjoy that show too much!) It's a good episode.

Oh yeah, there's also Kevin's hippie older sister, Karen.

[bliss_eternal]

56. That sounds so sweet--

I just loved the Wonder Years. Truly a great show! Good for Winnie--campaigning for a Dem! :thumbsup:

[fishwax]

68. i remember that episode ... and she's heartbroken

b/c people don't seem to care that mcgovern wants to stop the war (which claimed the life of her brother, who never had the chance to be as nice to her as he should have been ...)

Very good episode, and such a great series. :D

[bliss_eternal]

98. Oh that's RIGHT!

I totally forgot about Winnie's brother that died in Vietnam. Poor Winnie. :(

Apparently anti-war presidents have never been popular in this country. Go figure.

[deadparrot]

57. Everyone in the Bartlet administration (West Wing). nt

[AntiCoup2K4]

66. Kermit The Frog

He always said it wasn't easy being Green.

[MarianJack]

102. "I'm Grenn and it's fine, and it's beautiful...

...and I think it's what I want to be!"

I may be misquoting the "fine"!

[ComerPerro]

72. Dharma, on Dharma and Greg?

wasn't that the point of the show?

LOL

And what about Meathead, Rob Reiner?

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

74. I'll add Julia Sugarbaker from Designing Women.

Supposedly Dixie Carter is a "puke" in real life, but Julia always struck me as being a liberal.

[bliss_eternal]

97. Julia was VERY liberal.

I didn't know Dixie Carter was a repuke--but somehow I'm not all that surprised. I stopped liking her after she turned on Delta Burke so publicly--they were supposed to be friends.

[ET Awful]

77. Brian Griffin, the dog on the Family Guy

:P

[bliss_eternal]

95. Seemed progressive to me--

:hi:

[Left Is Write]

78. Maxine Gray from Judging Amy.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

80. Diane Chambers from Cheers

And I think you'd have to include Frasier and Niles as liberal also.

(Even if Kelsey Grammar isn't in real life.)

[bliss_eternal]

94. I think you're right--

about Diane Chambers, Frasier and Niles.

About the Kelsey Grammar being a republican issue:

I forgive him for being politically opposite from us. He doesn't seem to be a 'hateful' right winger. He is the executive producer of Girlfriends--so at the very least, he's committed to seeing diversity in television programming. Not usually a rw stance.

[CAcyclist]

81. The parents on Family Ties

and one of Alex's girlfriends.

I believe Kotter on Welcome Back Kotter was liberal but can't remember any details.

[Divameow77]

83. Renee

from "Any Day Now"??

[bliss_eternal]

93. Yes, I think she would be.

M.E. may have been also--she seemed open to race relations, despite being very Catholic. I know she chose not to abort, but she may have been pro-choice--not sure.

[Burma Jones]

85. SpongeBob Squarepants

[DanCa]

86. Was Angel and Buffy liberal ? (Angel the Series and BTVS?)

At least Angel seemed to me. Charles Gunn and Loren definetly were.

[Taverner]

87. Steven Hyde

Off of that 70's show

[bliss_eternal]

92. Weren't they all?

at least that's the sense I got. Maybe Eric's dad wasn't--not sure. Maybe Jackie wasn't--as her parent's were wealthy, but not sure about her either.

[xmas74]

103. Red might not have been a lib

but there was an episode where he was allowed to ask Ford a question and stuck it to him. Seems like he might be a union supporter if anything else.

[KitchenWitch]

88. Add Amy Madison Gray from Judging Amy

Rhoda Morganstern from Mary Tyler Moore

[bliss_eternal]

91. Rhoda--

wasn't that a great character? I hated to see her spin off to her own show--it just wasn't the same for me.

I wish I had watched Judging Amy when it was on air. I like the actresses on the show, and now that I know more about the show, realize it was one of the better shows that people weren't watching.

[texas1928]

89. All the TV reporters on Fox New...

:rofl:

I could not do that with a straight face.

[bliss_eternal]

90. LOL!

:spank: :spank: :spank:

I'm giving you this for making me look, naughty. ;)

[texas1928]

100. OOOOOOOOO Can I have another.

I am naughty.

:woohoo:

[LostInAnomie]

96. Jack McCoy from Law & Order

In my opinion the greatest TV lawyer of all time.

The blond assistant DA on L&O was a good one too. Too bad she left.

[William Bloode]

99. Frylock,

From Aquateen hunger force. He's the smart educated open mined one. Comes of as a definite progressive to me.

[OnionPatch]

101. Does anyone remember Maude?

Come on, I saw the age poll here a few weeks ago, I'm not the only one old enough to remember her. My RW father blamed that show for turning my mother into a flaming liberal, lol.

Edited to say: Oops, I guess a few people already thought of it, I didn't see those posts a minute ago. Yikes, maybe it's bedtime.