America’s Top On-Screen Family: Who’s the Favorite?
Among the many on-screen families reflecting our own quirks, there’s one that America just can’t get enough of. Plex, a streaming platform, in partnership with the market research firm OnePoll,…
Among the many on-screen families reflecting our own quirks, there's one that America just can't get enough of. Plex, a streaming platform, in partnership with the market research firm OnePoll, conducted a survey among 2,000 American streaming service subscribers to look into America's fascination with on-screen families and relationships. As well as how these dynamics impact their own off-screen relationships.
America's favorite on-screen family
According to the survey's findings, America's favorite on-screen family is the Addams family, particularly from the TV series Wednesday. They are closely followed in popularity by the families of The Simpsons, The Brady Bunch, and the Bundys from Married with Children.
Additionally, the survey revealed the top three on-screen best friend pairings. According to the study, the most beloved duos include Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler from Law & Order SVU, Wednesday and Enid from Wednesday, and Walter White and Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad. Additionally, 72% of respondents expressed their enthusiasm for discovering that on-screen friends or families are actually friends in real life.
More survey findings
Interestingly, 96% of participants indicated that they engage in conversations about recent TV episodes with their friends and family, with 66% stating that they do so "frequently" or "very frequently." In the past year, they found that some of the most widely discussed TV shows and movies included Avatar: The Way of Water (26%), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (26%), Stranger Things (22%), and House of the Dragon (20%).
"Now more than ever, people are craving and seeking out communities to bond and connect with," stated Jason Williams, Product Director at Plex. "Much in the same way people in book clubs get together to discuss what they’re reading, there’s an unmatched sense of community among film and TV buffs who connect through sharing opinions, reviews and suggestions on content."
Check out the full survey breakdown here.
TV Supporting Characters With Main Character Energy
Supporting characters in TV shows are often friends who know the main character better than anyone else. Sometimes side characters in TV shows have the tendency to become protagonists in a story that’s not their own. A lot of supporting characters have truly shined in their roles. The best supporting characters make fans want to learn more about them, or for them to take a larger role.
In some cases, support characters do get some sort of spin-off series. For instance, Saul from Breaking Bad got a prequel series, Better Call Saul. Frasier from Cheers had his own very successful series, Frasier. There's also Zoey Johnson from Black-ish who spun into Grown-ish and Sam Puckett from iCarly who ended up in Sam & Cat.
Here, we've listed side characters that exude main character energy or absolutely steal the show. At times, the official main character took a back seat to their supporting castmate.
An example would be Michael Scott from The Office. Though he may be the quotable showstopper of the show, side characters like Dwight, Stanley, and Kevin would often steal the scene.
Some of the supporting characters we listed are from shows like The Walking Dead, Chidi from The Good Place, Stranger Things, and Emily In Paris.
Here are TV supporting characters with main character energy.
Klaus Hargreeves, also known as Number 4 - 'Umbrella Academy'
Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for New York Comic ConKlaus, played by Robert Sheehan. Klaus is the show’s carefree and relatable character. Sheehan revealed in an interview that Klaus self-identifies as a non-binary who uses they/them as pronouns. There's a brand-new spinoff comic series on the way: ‘You Look Like Death.’ Klaus has been kicked out of the family, and his allowance cut off. The six-part story will be written by My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way, the co-creator of the original series and the executive producer of the TV show, and Shaun Simon. Maybe this can lead to a TV show spin-off.
Erica - 'Stranger Things'
Photo by Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images for TurnerErica, played by Priah Ferguson. Erica is a very quotable character in ‘Stranger Things.’ Fans often quote one of her memorable phrases “America has ‘Erica’ in it." Introduced in the second season as a recurring role before being promoted to the main cast from the third season on.
Chidi - 'The Good Place'
Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty ImagesChidi, played by William Jackson Harper. He is the perfect balance to the character Eleanor. Chidi's inability to commit to even the smallest of decisions resonated with lots of fans.
Titus Andromedon - 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'
Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty ImagesTitus, played by Titus Burgess. His relatability in this role was through the roof. From breaking out into song, being Kimmy’s listening ear to overall being unapologetically him. An episode that screamed “main character energy” for Titus was when his character paid homage to Beyoncé’s ‘Lemonade’ with a spoof.
Daryl Dixon - 'The Walking Dead'
Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for IMDbDaryl Dixon, as played by Norman Reedus, became one of the most popular - if not THE most popular - members of 'The Walking Dead' cast. Along with Melissa McBride's Carol, he was one of two original cast members to make it to the finale. And his character, like most of them, wasn't from the comic book that the show is based on. But Daryl has his own spinoff, so we haven't seen the last of him!
Winston - 'New Girl'
Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for National GeographicWinston, played by Lamorne Morris. Winston debuted in the second episode of New Girl, replacing Coach, and it took fans some time to adjust to the change. He started out as a jock and slowly became more feminine as the series progressed.
April - 'Parks and Recreation'
Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for IMDbApril, played by Aubrey Plaza. Parks department intern April Ludgate became a fan favorite over the course of the show's 7 seasons. "Parks and Recreation" co-creator Michael Schur said that he actually wrote the April Ludgate character for actress Aubrey Plaza after meeting with her. "Aubrey came over to my office and made me feel really uncomfortable for like an hour, and immediately I wanted to put her in the show,” Schur said in an interview with THE AV Club.
Jimmy Woo - 'WandaVision'
Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for NetflixJimmy Woo, played by Randall Park. Woo debuted in 2018's 'Antman and the Wasp,' and then returned in 'Wandavision." In that show, he teamed with Kat Dennings' Darcy Lewis (that character debuted in the first two 'Thor' films). Fans have been vying for a Darcy/Jimmy spinoff.
Cheryl Marjorie Blossom - 'Riverdale'
Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for IMDbCheryl Blossom, played by Madeline Petsch. She is Riverdale’s Resident It Girl and occasional mean girl. In the Archie comics, Cheryl Blossom was introduced as a third love interest for Archie. But ‘Riverdale’s’ creators made her much more than an object of affection. They’ve turned her into a strong, independent character. Not to mention her style alone has been a fan favorite. From gowns, and brooches, to capes and furs.
The Janitor - 'Scrubs'
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty ImagesThe Janitor, played by Neil Flynn. Neil Flynn often stole the show as the Janitor. Scrubs ran for eight seasons and one of the most beloved characters was the Janitor. The character was originally supposed to be a one-off character in the series' first episode. He seemed to always be a driving force in a main character conflict.
Adam Sackler - 'Girls'
Photo by Rich Fury/Getty ImagesAdam Sackler, played by Adam Driver. He’s one of Hannah Horvath’s earliest love interests on ‘Girls.’ Driver didn't want to audition for "Girls" initially because he didn't understand it.
Abed Nadir - 'Community'
Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for TurnerAbed Nadir, played by Danny Pudi. Throughout the show, Nadir could only see life through the lens of movies, shows and characters. In season 2 of the show, almost everyone in the study group mentions that they love Abed.
Shirley Bennett - 'Community'
Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty ImagesShirley Bennett, played by Yvette Nicole Brown. Brown announced that she would be leaving the show after five seasons in order to take care of her ailing father. In her announcement she said, "My dad needs daily care and he needs me. Fans enjoyed her character transitions, like the way she transitions from her sweet, signature "That's nice" voice, to her low, gangsta "Say what now?" tone.
Cassie - 'Euphoria'
Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images for Janie's FundCassie, played by Sydney Sweeney. Cassie is one of the most relatable characters on 'Euphoria.' She reminds us of our worst moments and the low-grade trauma women face society.
Whisper - 'P-Valley'
Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty ImagesWhisper, played by Psalms Salazar. She is the free spirit character who speaks in riddles and eerie honesty. Whisper has a direct line to the universe and insight into the beyond. This character has a way of drawing fans in.
Roulette - 'P-Valley'
Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images for BETRoulette, played by Gail Bean. She is a part of the Whisper and Roulette duo in P-Valley. Roulette takes major risks and breaks all of Uncle Clifford's rules in the show. Her unpredictable character keeps you watching.
Kelly - 'Insecure'
Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty ImagesKelly, played by Natasha Rothwell. The loveable character fans want more of. After five seasons, Kelli's character didn't have much of a storyline for herself.
Mindy Chen - 'Emily In Paris'
Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for NetflixMindy Chen, played by Ashley Park. Her character is the best friend we wish we all had. Mindy is an aspiring singer, and we see her take a job emceeing at a drag bar. She can easily get her own spin-off. She’s funny, a great friend, and has so much more story to tell.
Candy -'Pose'
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for The Gotham Film & Media InstituteCandy, played by Angelica Ross. Her final departure on 'Pose' seemed unfinished. Fans loved the character because she was fierce and outspoken. Unfortunately, the character Candy had her final appearance in season two, episode four of the show.
Hugo "Hurley" Reyes - 'Lost'
Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesHurley, played by Jorge Garcia. He was such a popular character that rock band Weezer named their 2010 album "Hurley" and used a photo of Garcia as the album's cover.
Ashley Barrett - 'The Boys'
Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty ImagesAshley, played by Colby Minifie. She's a long-suffering member of Vought International's corporate team, which means that she has to take a lot of crap. She also can be cruel, but somehow the fans love her anyway.
Maeve Millay - 'Westworld'
Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for AudiMaeve Millay played by Thandie Newton. Maeve wasn’t born, she was made. She’s was a sentient robot known as a “host." Her character's journey was essential to 'Westworld.'
