Favorite Characters: LIST

 My favorite characters:

• Hadassah from Mark of the Lion Trilogy
• 
  Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe, (and Marilla and Matthew and Rachel) from Anne of Green Gables series
• Jamie and Claire from Outlander series
• Temperance Brennan from Bones
• Shawn and Gus from Psych
• Lorelei and Rory (and Luke and Sookie and Emily and Richard and Paris and...) from Gilmore Girls
• Monk
• Toby, Josh, Donna, CJ, President Bartlet from West Wing

Many of these are from TV series. While books are so much better than movies, I think series characters stick with me because they are a part of my life for so much longer: sometimes years watching an entire series! 

What makes these my favorite characters? How do you choose your favorites? What makes a character successful?  I think they have to be unique above all else. All of these characters are quirky, independent and unashamedly their own person. Most have a back story that clearly influence the person they become. Most have interesting and strong relationships. All have specific flaws that make their lives a little more difficult or eventful.