11 TV Characters Who Always Try To Make The World A Better Place

Our favorite TV characters make us laugh. They make us cry. And they make the world a better place. From fighting crime to improving our government to making their workplaces a little more empathetic, these 11 characters change the world in their own way, no matter what.

1. Kara Danvers/Supergirl (Supergirl)

She’s the superhero with a smile. The nicest alien you will ever meet. Supergirl is brave and compassionate, and will do whatever it takes when there’s danger. And when she’s not flying around and saving National City, she’s Kara Danvers, a dedicated reporter, willing to go to any lengths to uncover a story and put away the bad guys.

2. Samantha White (Dear White People)

Sam White is an outspoken, strong-willed woman who takes pride in her work as a black activist in a very white environment. She’s wants to use media to change the world, whether it’s through her assignments in film class or her radio show, Dear White People. Sam can sometimes take it too far when she’s criticized for her actions or for feeling that she has to overcompensate because she has a white father. Good people can make mistakes, but in the end what matters is that they learn from those mistakes and commit to doing better the next time. Sam always does.

3. Leslie Knope (Parks and Recreation)

You won’t find a more dedicated public servant than Leslie Knope on TV or IRL. She does everything that her meat-loving boss, Ron Swanson, doesn’t care for. Leslie leads public forums and deals with ridiculous requests from Pawnee’s citizens. She’s a part of at least seven action committees, including the Fun in the Sun Committee. Leslie challenges any obstacle that opponents like Councilman Jamm put in her way, and she spends most of her energy on things she knows will her town a better place (and will help her in becoming the first female president).

4. Luke Cage (Luke Cage)

Luke Cage is a rare figure in the superhero community. He doesn’t hide his secret identity and doesn’t wear a costume because he doesn’t want to fight from the shadows. Luke was initially hesitant to use his powers and wanted to live a normal life. But eventually he decided to take stand to stop gangs and corruption from taking over Harlem. Luke wants to be a beacon of hope for Harlem rather that just a symbol of fear for its enemies. No matter he’s been through, Luke still maintains his sense of humor and good-natured personality. But don’t curse around him, because he’ll make you put money in the swear jar.

5. The Doctor (Doctor Who)

What do you get when you have 12 people play the same character? The Doctor. That’s the benefit when you have a character who can regenerate into a different “person” (including a different gender) every time they’re killed. Through the different personalities and fashion tastes, one thing has stayed the same: The Doctor is largely a believer in nonviolent conflict resolution, and has saved the cosmos thousands of times.

6. Betty Suarez (Ugly Betty)

Betty Suarez is the epitome of hard work and perseverance. She moved up the ranks from being an assistant to being the owner of her own magazine in London. In most movies you see characters assimilating into whatever environment they’re a part of. Not Betty. She maintains her compassion while navigating the show’s shallow fashion world. At the same time, Betty influences her boss and other coworkers to steer the magazine in a better direction, and also to be the best people they can be.

7. Nomi Marks (Sense8)

Nomi Marks is a proud transgender woman and lesbian, not to mention a badass political blogger and hacker. She fights for what she believes is right -- even if it means breaking the law. Nomi is the glue that holds her cluster together, and is always willing to help her fellow Sense 8s when they’re in trouble. Whether it’s helping police officer Will rescue Riley from the clutches of an evil scientist, or comforting Lito when he faces homophobia, Nomi maintains her nature through and through.

8. Peggy Carter (Agent Carter)

She’s not just Captain America’s girlfriend. Peggy Carter became a special agent and helped infiltrate HYDRA, the Nazi science division, during the height of WWII. She is tough and resilient, standing strong whenever she’s mistreated. Peggy is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done and never lets anything stand in her way.

9. Captain Raymond Holt (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

Raymond Holt is the precinct captain of the dysfunctional but wonderful Nine-Nine squad. He always has his detectives’ backs, even when he doesn’t agree with them (mostly Andy Samberg’s Jake Peralta). This is a man who's endured years of discrimination for being a gay black cop, and he's using it to be a force for good in his precinct and in his community. Captain Holt has given all of them advice on how to overcome adversity. And who knows? Maybe he’ll become the NYPD commissioner one day.

10. Marcus Kane (The 100)

Marcus was not the most likeable character at the beginning of the show. He was a cold and pragmatic person, and was willing to do whatever he deemed necessary to save the human race. He thought that caring for individuals was a sign of weakness. But Marcus wouldn’t be on this list if there wasn’t any character development. Over the course of the series, he becomes selfless and willing to sacrifice himself. He realizes that he’s not the only one who knows best, and starts placing his trust in others to lead. But Marcus’s mission remains the same: to make humanity the best it can be.

11. Jim Gordon (Gotham)

People always say that Batman is not the hero that Gotham deserves, but the one it needs. But really they should say that about Jim Gordon. Jim Gordon was fighting crime and rooting out corruption before Batman even tried on his first cape. Throughout the show he has fought to keep people safe while staying out of the sway of Gotham’s underground elite. There have been times when Jim has partnered with the Penguin to take down a criminal mastermind and gone rogue from Gotham PD to deliver his own justice. But in the end, he always comes back to his values and sticks to them.

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