Netizens Declare These 21 Fictional TV Men Are Worth Their Weight In Gold

We see enough bad examples all over television, why not take a moment to praise the good examples?

Elana

• Published in Film & TV
• June 25, 2022

Sometimes when we are really into a TV series, we end up loving the villains. Negan from The Walking Dead, Rumpelstiltskin from Once Upon A Time, and Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer have definitely fit the description in the last few decades.

We also sometimes experience those characters that we "love to hate." I mean, you can't deny that you love to hate Joffrey Baratheon in Game of Thrones, right?

There is no shortage of characters on television that we loathe beyond all reason, though, either. And some of them are so easy to name drop, you wouldn't even hesitate to sing their shame.

With all of those bad apples and poor influences out there, it's important to remember that for every Pete Campbell (Mad Men) and Oliver Trask (The OC) on television, there's a small hoard of TV dudes who are seriously worth their weight in gold.

For every bit you might find Ross Geller from Friends problematic, we've got a fella that you'll surely declare "unproblematic ASF." Of course, social media users have been weighing in on such conversations as long as we've been in a position to do so.

Are you curious what TV men have raised the bar for men everywhere? If you are, don't hesitate to check out the 21 unproblematic men from TV that have already been determined worthy of such a title!

1. Joel Hammond from Santa Clarita Diet

Played by Timothy Olyphant, Joel Hammond is the overall deuteragonist in this hilarious Netflix series that unfortunately didn't meet Netflix's "cost-plus" budget model and was nixed after 3 seasons. Still, as a character, Joel was definitely the sort of dude that should raise our standards for men.

Here's what fans had to say:

"How many men would go to the lengths he did to make their spouse happy?"

—mrsnegan

"He was so supportive even if he wasn't 100% convinced something was a good idea. He was the best."

—akja90901517

2. Michael from Jane the Virgin

Portrayed by Canadian actor Brett Dier, Michael is a fascinating principal character in Jane the Virgin with a really interesting origin story.

Here's what fans are saying:

"He was such a good husband to Jane!"

—claire60000

"When he said his vows in Spanish, it melted my cold, dead heart!"

—anei8806

3. Jack Pearson from This is Us

The patriarch of the Pearson family is played by Milo Ventimiglia and was "famous" for his speeches.

Here's what fans are saying:

"He managed to be an amazing older brother for Nicky when their dad was abusive, and then became an amazing parent instead of following in his father's footsteps. The fact he went back into the fire to save his daughter's dog shows how much he hated to see those he loved in pain."

—padamski06

4. Chidi Anagonye from The Good Place

William Jackson Harper plays Chidi, who has an overwhelming sense of ethics that causes him to overthink everything.

Here's what fans are saying:

"He might not have been perfect but he was just so pure!"

—cerysmichelleh

5. Dr. Ravi Chakrabarti from iZombie

Rahul Kohli plays this main character in the creepy comedy iZombie who works as a Medical Examiner alongside Liz, and is definitely Liv's "friend, partner, and confidante, and their relationship is a mutually-beneficial, yet unlikely, friendship that proves to be as solid as they come."

Here's what fans have to say:

"He was so supportive of Liv from the start with her being a zombie and did whatever it took to find a cure. Plus he was so cute and funny! His friendship with Major was the best and his relationship with Peyton evolved into something great. He’s one of my favorite TV characters!"

—misscatw

6. Dr. Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds

Here's what fans have to say:

"He’s a sensitive, non-threatening, well-educated man who puts others ahead of himself. He carries the team, and not to mention he's super attractive."

—grumpybutterfly17

"Not only is the show so underrated but Mathew Gray Gubler also never gets appreciation for his stellar performance on the show. Dr. Reid is a gentle soul who's been through hell and back but doesn't use that as an excuse for bad behavior."

—1989savithri

7. Winston from New Girl

Lamorne Morris plays the turtle-loving Winston on New Girl.

Here's what fans are saying:

"Winston from New Girl is not only the best character in the show, but one of the best characters in TV history. All he wants to do is sing Wicked, wear bird shirts, hang out with his cat, and do puzzles. We love unproblematic king Prank Sinatra!"

—whovian2525

8. Andre Harris from Victorious

Leon Thomas III is one of four main characters in Victorious who appears in every single episode.

Here's what fans are saying:

"Y’all slept on him! He was always there for Tori whenever she needed him and he was so talented!"

—yessirbrebre_26

9. Mike Chang from Glee

Fox's musical comedy-drama series Glee has actor and dancer Harry Shum Jr. starring as Mike Chang.

Here's what fans are saying:

"He was so supportive of everyone and was honestly the nicest character on that show!"

—carmenbarrios28

10. Ben from Parks and Recreation

Adam Scott plays Ben in the TV series Parks and Recreation, and although he didn't appear until the end of season two, he was quickly a beloved character in a beloved show.

Here's what fans are saying:

"He loved Leslie for who she was and wasn't intimidated by her in any way. He was also a great friend to every character and tried to help them in any way that he could (remember that time he helped April and Andy learn to budget?). To top all of that off, he was great at his job and was in public service because he genuinely wanted to help people."

—emmanz

11. Killian from Once Upon a Time

Killian Jones, also known as Captain Hook (or simply Hook) is portrayed in Once Upon A Time by Colin O'Donoghue.

Here's what fans are saying:

"He’s the sweetest guy and all he really wants is for Emma and Henry to be happy. He literally traded the last thing he had of his older brother (Liam) and his first love (Milah) TWICE just to bring Emma home. On top of that, he never forces Emma into anything and patiently waits for like two years until she’s ready to open up to him at the end of Season 3. His friendship with Belle is also pretty great, especially in Season 6 when he lets her stay with him while she’s pregnant."

—dogluver15

12. Magnes Bane from Shadowhunters

Here's what fans are saying:

"He is just so sweet and cute. The way he protects and cares for Alec is amazing."

—n46fe61b6c

"He and Luke Garroway were the most unproblematic characters on Shadowhunters. They were the pillars most of the characters relied on during tough times."

—d3vilgirl97

13. Lil Papi from Pose

Here's what fans are saying:

"Lil Papi from Pose melts my heart. He's such a supportive person especially to Angel. Even after she blew him off for modeling gigs, he understood it was her passion and that she needed every opportunity she could get because she's a Black and Latinx trans woman. My favorite scene with him is when he found out Blanca had HIV and he broke down saying he was there to fight for her and protect her!"

—jennifersbody2009

14. Scott from Teen Wolf

Here's what fans are saying:

"Scott and Stiles are both kind, loyal, and protective. They've always looked out for Beacon Hills no matter what!"

—peynor

"The 'hot girl' scene is Scott's most iconic moment but he was also so cute with Kira, like when Kira asked what he was smiling at and he said 'you' or when he told her he wasn't sorry for their awkward moment."

—chloedbrown25

15. Marshall from How I Met Your Mother

Here's what fans are saying:

"Not only was he the very best husband to Lily, but he also was always there for his friends no matter how ridiculous they were. From helping Barney play pranks on the office next door to drilling Ted out of a mailbox, his friendships came first. But he also never hesitated to talk sense into the friend group when they needed it. Also he was just incredibly lovable and I wish more guys were like him!"

—zshepherd31

16. Vaughn from Alias

Here's what fans are saying:

"He’s into his more capable double agent (Jennifer Garner) and not at all bothered by the fact she kicks 10x more ass than him, even if he's a badass in his own right. Throw in being able to speak several languages and play hockey...sigh."

—mwshk92

17. Daniel Sousa from Agent Carter

Here's what fans have to say:

"He stands up for Peggy in a VERY male-dominated society and job. He’s the kindest TV show man I’ve seen, he does his job, and he looks adorable all the while."

—aught

"He was so supportive of Peggy, valuing her opinions and treating her as an equal while all the men around her acted as condescending, sexist pigs!!"

—tanisha9158

18. Ted Mullens from Schitt’s Creek

Here's what fans have to say:

"He’s the sweetest guy! He treats Alexis like royalty when they’re dating! Even while they were broken up, he gave her a job and never acted differently when Alexis broke up with him."

—mythrip

"Dating the Roses could never have been easy, but Ted and Patrick were both so understanding of who their partners were and why they were that way, and so patient with their quirks. They were both so supportive and loving and warm and pushed their partners to be better without judgement. They also figure dout how to handle Moira and Johnny and that’s something. Honestly two amazing men (even with Ted’s puns)."

—aliciap4b45a57b7

19. Ben Warren from Grey's Anatomy

Here's what fans are saying:

"His love for Bailey is so pure and unconditional, and I love his relationship with her son, Tuck. He would do anything for his family. One of the most wholesome TV characters!"

—georginas41dda6af7

20. Mike from Friends

Here's what fans are saying:

"He was honest about his plans for the future and chose to do what would hurt him to prevent hurting Phoebe. He had a great sense of humor and genuinely loved Phoebe!"

—crystalmule

21. Lafayette from True Blood

Here's what fans are saying:

"I’m a woman so I wouldn’t be his type but this ain’t about romance. He was loyal, strong, and absolutely hilarious. He was fearless — he was an out queer man who loved traditional feminine things, and lived in a sh*tty town filled with anti-LGBTQ people. By the end of the series, he was the only character I was still watching for. Nelson Ellis absolutely nailed that role and his death was such a huge loss for the acting world."

—faithlehane2207

So, now that you've seen the candidates and what fans are saying about these stellar television men, what do you think? Is there anyone you would expect to be on a list of unproblematic TV men who weren't included?

Share your thoughts in the comments and let us know!

Elana