31 TV Characters Who Are The Reason To Keep Watching A Show

Buzz Feed

14-05-2025

We asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us which TV characters were the reason people kept watching a show. Here are some of the best responses:
Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds
"Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds needs to be on this list. He was the reason I kept coming back week after week. He deserved so much more and the writers always found something new to hurt him with season after season."—angelasn1179
Lafayette Reynolds from True Blood
"He was the reason a lot of people kept coming back even after the show jumped the shark. His character was golden. He was sassy, funny, witty, true to himself, and he deserved every happiness."—thia_m
Petra Solano from Jane the Virgin
"One of the best character arcs from any TV show. She started as a 'villain' and ultimately became the reason to tune in every week."—mythrip
Santana Lopez from Glee
"So much of her talent took a backseat to Rachel Berry, which wasn't fair. Santana's coming out storyline was one that I related to so much. I still remember hearing about her story with Brittany and that was when I started watching."—mcbrizzy30
Mike Chang from Glee
"Harry Shum Jr. as Mike was amazing. He was sidelined so much and I remember in most songs my eyes naturally went to him no matter who was singing. Mike and Brittany dancing during 'Valerie' alongside Santana were absolutely amazing."—amnahasan
Cheryl Blossom from Riverdale
Lena Luthor from Supergirl
"I've watched Supergirl religiously since the beginning and while I love Kara, Alex, Nia, and more, Lena Luthor is one of the reasons I've stuck with this show so long. Katie McGrath always impresses me in every single scene she's in and I'm so sad this show [ended] because it [meant] saying goodbye to Lena Luthor."—noradominick
Stiles Stilinski from Teen Wolf
"Stiles Stilinski, hands down. Stiles was always the most entertaining character, but Dylan O'Brien absolutely BLOSSOMED during Season 3 of Teen Wolf."—coril
Poussey Washington from Orange Is the New Black
"Hands down, Poussey. Her legacy has gone way past the legacies of the series, TBH."—annemieke73
Spencer Hastings from Pretty Little Liars
"The first few seasons of PLL were good, but by the time it reached the time jump, it was awful. However, Spencer stayed iconic throughout the entire show. She was smart, witty, kind, strong, and confident. I could go on for hours about why she's the best character on this show. She always felt like the true main character and I was completely invested in her during all seven seasons."—philbainerr12
Castiel from Supernatural
"The show was on for such a long time and it started to feel like it NEEDED to end, however Cas is who made it watchable until the very end."—fionaconner19
Cristina Yang from Grey's Anatomy
"Grey's Anatomy noticeably went downhill after Sandra Oh left. Cristina Yang was such a vital part of the story and her role in such a mainstream show felt really empowering to the Asian community. She was definitely the best part of Grey's."—districtrue
Lexie Grey from Grey's Anatomy
Logan Echolls from Veronica Mars
"Logan Echolls needs to be included on this list. His character development was incredible. I love him so much and he deserved so much better than the horrific ending he got. He was the reason I kept returning to Veronica Mars."—joseelacroix7
Margo Hanson from The Magicians
"She was snobby and elitist in the first season, but by the end of the show she was my favorite character. Watching her grow into the strong woman she was meant to be was worth enduring the Season 1 version of her character. She truly carried the final seasons and outshone everyone else."—lardneremilymarie
Lexa from The 100
"Lexa deserved so much better than The 100 and the show definitely went downhill after her death. This character deserved a full and beautiful storyline and she was the reason a lot of people watched." —avacado_thanks
Lincoln from The 100
"Lincoln was one of the only reasons I continued to watch The 100. When he was killed off, right after Lexa, I was so done."—estathom
Brooke Davis from One Tree Hill
"Brooke Davis carried One Tree Hill through all nine seasons! I love this show, but there sure are crappy parts, however Brooke always made it bearable. Sophia Bush did an incredible job and brought a truly amazing, badass character to life. Brooke had incredible character development and turned from a typical TV cheerleader into a strong and powerful woman."—mareng49dd7659a
Bonnie Bennett from The Vampire Diaries
"She repeatedly put her own wants and needs on the back burner to help save her friends and asked for nothing in return. Everyone just expected her to put her life on the line to save Elena's life without even asking her or considering her feelings, but she always did it anyway without one complaint. Bonnie was the true MVP of the show until the very end."—jeffatkinsgirl
Hope Mikaelson from Legacies
"Legacies is honestly the weakest of all The Vampire Diaries shows, but I still watch it because of how badass Hope is."—emmaloveschocolate
Killian Jones/Hook from Once Upon a Time
"I started watching the show only because of him. In the beginning the show was okay, but after Season 5 I only continued watching because of Hook."—sawyea
Rufus Carlin and Jiya from Timeless
"Personally, I think the show was literally 10 times better when the focus was on one of these characters. I got so bored whenever Lucy or Wyatt were on screen. But when Rufus or Jiya came on? Completely different show."—matdyjames
Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer
"I loved his character arc and there were definitely times when the show was lagging and I only watched for him."—jaxon621
Glenn Rhee from The Walking Dead
"I stopped watching around the time where they faked Glenn's death before he ultimately met his end thanks to Negan. I haven't watched to this day because I hated what they did to him and he was the reason I kept watching. Why did all the decent people on this show have to be killed so horribly?"—phil84vaive
Michonne from The Walking Dead
"Danai Gurira continued to carry The Walking Dead after Andrew Lincoln left and the show had definitely started to get better again. She played such a vital role in the later seasons."—femkat
Jake Ballard from Scandal
"Once Scott Foley entered the series, he became the reason I stuck with it to the end. I love Kerry Washington, but Jake was the character I rooted for. Scott's weekly performances were riveting because his character was relentless. I took it personally when the series ended with him in prison. He deserved the sun!"—mj2005
Winston Bishop from New Girl
"Winston needs his own show. He is truly the best character from New Girl."—jenniferlopez2
Miles Hollingsworth and Lola Pacini from Degrassi: Next Class:
"I loved them together as a couple, but even as individual characters, they both stole the show. Miles was one of the most complex, interesting characters in a long time and Eric Osborne's acting was phenomenal. Lola ended up being a surprise favorite of mine with her Season 3 storyline. I would have watched an entire spinoff just about the two of them."—kellymartinez
Lois Lane from Smallville
"She gets a lot of hate because some fans prefer Clark with Lana, but honestly, Lois made the show so much better with her humor and attitude. She was one of the reasons I stuck with Smallville."—dianascarlettaprilmason
Wes Gibbins from How to Get Away with Murder
"Wes was definitely one of the best characters on How to Get Away with Murder. I kept tuning in because I loved his relationships with Annalise, Laurel, and all of the other characters. When he died, it was hard to replace the magic he brought to the show."—noradominick
And finally, Kenzi Malikov from Lost Girl
"She remains such an entertaining character to this day. Lost Girl is filled with strong characters, but Kenzi was one of the reasons I kept coming back for more."—ana5289
We can't fit everyone into one post, so which TV characters did you love so much, they're the reason you kept watching a TV series? Tell us in the comments below!