I know I am not the American Film Institute, but I tried to do this list in their tradition. Following the list is some great moments, thanks in part to imdb.com, between the heroes and villains.
Greatest Villains
3. Goetz (D.B. Sweeney, Jericho): This show has crept into the limelight as one of my favorite of this season, possibly (depending on where the next season is going) of all time. Those are bold words from someone who watches as much television as me, but this show has really got me hooked. I am not sure whether I should have begun with this one, as he is one of the few characters on this list that is only apparent to avid watchers of this show. Many people may have trouble getting the pretty-boy D.B. Sweeney of The Cutting Edge and Memphis Belle out of their minds, but it takes about two episodes of Jericho to do that (coincidentally, the only episodes he was in the season). He had all the elements of a classical villain- he was ruthless and evil (massacring an entire hospital full of sick people). After a symbolic showdown between the show's hero, he feigns leaving the town of Jericho alone, but we can rest assured he will be back. If he doesn't, I am just going to go ahead and delete this post and pretend I never said that.
2. Ben Linus and Juliet (Michael Emerson and Elizabeth Mitchell, Lost): I could have just listed "The Others" as a group, but most of them seem simple and 'oafish'. These two are clearly the group's masterminds. Although nothing is certain until that show is over, I think most fans would agree that there is a good chance that these two are villains. Even if they end up being good, they give me the creeps and they are evil.
1. Nina Meyers (Sarah Clarke, 24): She was a great villain on so many levels. Not only did she deceive the entire cast of the first season of 24- by starting out as Jack Bauer's best friend and confidant (not to mention ex-lover), but she deceived every viewer who spent the first 23 hours of that season just as in the dark as the cast. Not to mention she came back in subsequent seasons and was just as nasty as ever.
Greatest Heroes
3. Jake Green (Skeet Ulrich, Jericho): If you had told me a year ago that I would be writing a list of television's greatest heroes and villains and that Skeet Ulrich would be on that list, I would have told you that you were as crazy as drunken Blue-Tick Hound! But seriously, I would have thought you were nuts. Anyway, he has done a great job in this show. His character has a questionable past and some issues with authority, but that makes it all the more poetic when he does the right thing. Not to mention he runs point on the town standing up to Ravenwood- the band of mercenaries led by Goetz. It is not just a love of the post-apocalyptic drama that drives me towards this show, this show has class.
2. Dr. Jack Shepherd (Matthew Fox, Lost): This show has so many characters it is literally hard to keep track of them. Many of them are secondary, but you could argue that some of them have very heroic qualities (i.e., Sawyer, Kate or Locke). However, only one of them has done all of the things on yet-to-be-released www.noseintheair.blogspot.com heroic quality list and that is Dr. Jack Shepherd. Jack has been a leader in the face of adversity, has always done the right thing and, to put it simply, is tough. I feel sorry for 'The Others' and whatever revenge Jack has planned on them for his season in captivity. Not to mention, the fact that Jack is a spinal surgeon and the lead villain has a spinal tumor.
1. Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland, 24): According to some estimates I read a few months ago, Jack Bauer, in the course of 5 non-consecutive days, has killed over 100 people and died twice. Please don't think I am trying to make him sound trite, but he has literally saved the world like four times. I am not talking about the cheesy Austin Power's-esque saving the world, but a more believable saving of the world. In this post 9/11 age, I only hope that there are actually people like Jack Bauer working for the government fighting terrorism.
Memorable Hero/Villain Moments:
Jericho
Jake: What’s this town worth to you?
Goetz: You know, pretty soon, things are going to start to get back to normal. The government will put itself back together. And they’ll be looking to help you all get back on your feet, and you know who they’re going to send? Me.
Lost
Jack: [refering to Henry's spinal tumor] You don't understand, you needed to be in surgery yesterday.
Henry Linus: Alright then, whatever you need, it's yours, when do we get started?
Jack: [smiling] I think you misunderstood me... I didn't say I was going to do the surgery, I just wanted you to know how you were going to die!
24
Jack Bauer: [Jack has shot and wounded Nina] You don't have any more useful information, do you?
Nina Myers: [weakly] I do...
Jack Bauer: [notices Nina is inching for her gun] No, you don't. [fires and kills Nina]
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