PTR Can't Live Without Character (Part 1)

So those dramas and comedies are great, but where would they be without the fabulous characters that occupy them? Nowhere! Characters are the ones that we cheer for, root against, cry with and celebrate from week to week. When we lose a favorite show, it can feel like we just lost a good friend because of the characters that we have grown to love over the course of several seasons. And how many of us have sworn off a show that killed off our fave character (only to tune right back in the following week)?? Today, PTR salutes the characters that make us laugh, cry, cheer and everything in between with part 1 of the Characters I Cannot Live Without (Let's-Hear-it-for-the-Boys edition).

Keith Mars (Veronica Mars)
Played by Enrico Colantoni

Yet another "Can't Live Without" that I'll be living without come fall. When it comes to dads, I'm pretty sure that no other TV one is going to beat Keith. He guides Veronica through bumpy roads using his own experiences. And while Keith and Veronica may be pals (and co-sleuths), he never forgets that his number one priority is to keep her safe. He'd do anything for his daughter, and she the same for him. Nothing brought that point home more than the finale this season. After learning that the intruder in the Kane house was none other than his daughter, Keith risked his career and future as his reelection was nearing to erase any evidence of Veronica's presence in the Kane residence. Ethical? Nope. But a damn good dad? You bet!

Dr. Perry Cox (Scrubs)
Played by John. C. McGinley

When it comes to sarcastic doctors, no one beats Dr. Cox (not even that limping medical mystery expert over on Fox). In addition to being hilarious, he's a BIG softie deep down. Unfortunately for everyone close to him, that's the side he never shows. JD has been waiting for his hug for 6 seasons. He even attempted to negotiate one into his wheeling and dealing with Perry over his godfather title for little Jennifer Dylan (JD). Most of the things that make Dr. Cox such a great character (his constant picking on JD, calling JD girls' names, his relationship with Jordan, his bedside manner, etc.) would normally make him unlikable, but part of this doc's appeal is his anti-appeal. Add in a HUGE dose of humor and a hidden soft side, and you have one of the best characters to ever grace Sacred Heart and our TV screens.

Coach Eric Taylor (Friday Night Lights)
Played by Kyle Chandler

Coach Taylor is in my top-3 overall favorite characters on television. He's everything you want a coach to be: fair, moral, productive, balanced and a role model for the kids he's molding and shaping through the sport of football. And yet, he still makes mistakes like the rest of us. He's human and not afraid to admit that to anyone who attempts to imply otherwise. But as much as I love him on the field, I'm even more enamored with him off. Those qualities that make him a great coach also make him a wonderful husband and father. Of course, he isn't perfect at these either, but the bottom line is: his family comes first. Whether he's disciplining a wayward player or his teenage daughter, he's concerned about what's best for them. I guess you can say that Coach Taylor gets the win on and off the field

So, these are my Cannot Live Without Boys of TV. What are yours? Leave me a comment with your essential list. Tomorrow, the ladies will have their chance to shine in PTR's salute to the female characters that PTR Cannot Live Without.