Shows on HBO are generally my favorite and they usually include a few characters who stand out above the rest. Usually they offer comic relief or are just badass. Here is my list of my favorite characters in HBO Series.

Stevie Janowski – Eastbound and Down


Eastbound and Down is a pretty average show. The first season was far and away better than the second but Stevie is the stand out star. His misguided loyalty to Kenny is awesome to watch. He just nails this role as the dedicated, copycat servant to Kenny. I have a hard time really describing why I like him so much but if you watch the show you learn to appreciate Stevie.

Stevie: You know what I wish? I wish I could just hang around you all the time, and just do whatever you do, and just like, learn from you, and aide you.

Stevie: “This is awesome, you can totally see straight through the butthole right into the pussy, man. That is awesome.
Kenny Powers: Yeah, man. I don’t think those two things are connected.”

Lord Petyr Baelish AKA Littlefinger – Game of Thrones
Aidan Gillen

I would guess most people haven’t watched this show but this is the same actor, Aidan Gillen, who played Mayor Carcetti on the Wire who was also awesome. I’m just starting the 3rd Game of Thrones Book and his character in the book is deceptive and wily and Gillen does a great job at portraying this.

Murray Hewitt – Flight of the Conchords

Played by Rhys Darby and one of the funniest characters ever in my opinion. I really liked this show and was going to put Dave up here but I think I have to give Murray the edge. His acting is perfect because he doesn’t know he’s being moronic. Everything Murray says has purpose and it always is a little off. The show does a great job of showing how a foreign culture fits into America with hilarious humor.

Bret: It’s a chicken egg situation.
Murray: What does he mean, chicken?
Jemaine: Well, you know, what came first the chicken or the egg?
Murray: Well, that’s irrelevant, isn’t it? Stupid. The chicken, obviously.
Bret: Well, then where’d the chicken come from?
Murray: Well it came from the – oh.
Bret: Yeah, see, the egg.
Murray: You’re the egg. You’re a bad egg. You’ve derailed this meeting with another obscure comment.

Marty Funkhouser – Curb Your Enthusiasm

Played by Bob Einstein, who was Super Dave, the Funk wasn’t even in the show till season 4. However, his dry, monotone humor is hilarious. The episode just a few weeks ago with him wearing the yamaka had me on the floor. I feel like he’s just always capable of something humorous.

Marty – You sit down to pee? Do you shit standing up?

Marty – We were trying to recreate what happened 25 years ago, and I said ‘Larry would you like to make a toast?’ and someone said ‘Larry went home to take a shit.’

Jr – The Sopranos

Corrado John Soprano, Jr is played by Dominic Chianese. I’m just about finished season 3 with the Sopranos but I’m constantly amused by Uncle Jun. The way he’s always yelling at the fat guy Bakula and using great racial comments. For an old guy he has a lot of vigor. I just think he is a great actor and I find the character extremely well played.

Junior: Some people are so far behind in the race that they actually believe they’re leading.
Junior: You heard about the Chinese godfather? He made them an offer they couldn’t understand.


Some other obvious good ones I left out were Omar from the Wire, Eric from True Blood, and Ari from Entourage.