With the 2010’s coming to a close and a new decade on the horizon, it is time to review what these past ten years brought us and take stock of the lessons that we have learned since 2009. And this week, we are focusing on the lessons we learned in love and romance. Today we will be reviewing some of our favourite male protagonists/love interests from our favourite television and streaming programs and exploring just what makes them so appealing to us.
Are they good listeners? Will they be there for us when we need them? Will they judge us for our mistakes or will they accept every part of us with open arms? And do we have a specific type without even realizing it? Here are ten of the most BF-worthy tv characters of the past decade.
Jess Mariano- Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life
Thank Netflix for bringing Jess (and Gilmore Girls) back into our lives. Though teenage Jess was simply not ready for as serious of a relationship as Rory was used to, we truly adore him in the revival. Teenage Jess had a chip on his shoulder and needed to process his childhood issues before he could seriously commit to someone. He needed to figure out how to be there for himself before he could be there for someone else.
But a fully grown Jess knows exactly who he is, has moved on from the more tender moments in his past, and is the only one who is not afraid to tell Rory to get her life together. And that is something we admire about Jess, he knows how to call someone out without doing so in a cruel or offensive way. He can get oyu back on track without shaming you for falling off of the rails in the first place.
Nick Miller- New Girl
Something that we truly love about Nick Miller is the fact that he never stops caring for Jess. Even once their relationship ends and they have both moved on, he is still so kind towards her and talks about her in the most respectful ways.
He does not tell all his friends about how crazy his ex is nor does he laugh at her problems when life begins to trip her up. He is there for her, as a friend with no strings attached, and that is something that shows how special of a guy he truly is.
Jughead Jones- Riverdale
Though we might not be the biggest fans of some of his more illegal activities, it is important to note that his heart was in the right place throughout all of it. Even when he does not understand why she is doing the things that she is planning to do, he is there for Betty, no questions asked.
Jughead is a ride or die friend who is always there when you need him. And though we might want to convince him to leave Riverdale behind a settle down somewhere a little less prone to mayhem, we have to respect his loyalty and his determination.
Shawn Hunter- Girl Meets World
Another classic heart-throb from the past coming back to us through the magic of the reboot. When we meet a fully grown Shawn Hunter, we learn that he is a photographer who has spent his post-grad years traveling and learning how to heal some of his more tender childhood wounds. The thing we love about Shawn is the fact that he treats everyone like family; especially the children that fell into his life.
Shawn takes in his girlfriend’s daughter as if she were his own, no questions asked. He sees himself in her and does his best to keep her from falling into the same rough patches that he did in his youth. After getting over his initial fears of Riley, he adopts her too. He becomes an even more protective and wonderful father than Cory himself.
Jesse- Hannah Montana Forever
We will never understand why Miley continually picked Jake. He left her immediately after kissing her in order to film a movie with no warning, he accused her of being jealous of his fame when she tried to break it off with him, and he even cheated on her while on tour.
And then there was Jesse. The thing we love about Jesse is the fact that he always knows exactly what is going on and is cool with it because he is the kind of guy that is there for you, no matter what. He figures out that Miley is Hannah, but lets her come to him in her own time. He lets Miley figure out what she needs and is there while she does so. And that kind of support is truly swoon-worthy.
Chidi- The Good Place
Though his truly indecisive nature can make him a bit of a bother, the thing that we love about Chidi is that he accepts people for who they are and loves them anyways; bumps, warts, and all. He doesn’t try to change them into the person that he thinks they should be, unless they directly ask.
Though one should avoid placing any huge decisions in his hands, Chidi is a wonderful friend, confidant, and support system. If you are the kind of person that needs a partner to appreciate who you are, no matter what, then Chidi is the guy for you.
Jake Peralta- Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Though he is sadly off of the market, Jake Peralta is still one of the best male characters of this past decade. The thing we love about Jake is that he does not take himself too seriously. Though he is an excellent shoulder to cry on and someone you can really rely on when things get tough, you can always count on him to bring a bit of levity to any given situation.
His penchant for humour would come in handy during the harder moments in life as a person can get through anything this world will throw at them with enough time and a bit of laughter.
Steve Harrington- Stranger Things
Steve Harrington would have never made it onto this list had he not realized the error of his ways in the midst of the shows first season and abandoned his old friends and way of life.
The Stever we know now is a kind, hardworking, protective, lovable goofball who is there for his friends and supports them no matter what hair-brained scheme they are getting up to (and will inevitably drag him into.) That kind of cheerful energy and endless support is truly an asset in the dating world.
Harvey Kinkle- The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
We aren’t the biggest fans of him giving Sabrina the cold shoulder after the whole Tommy fiasco but, if we are being honest, we understand where he is coming from. However, the reason why Harvey earned a spot on this list is due to the way that he treats Sabrina post-break-up.
Of course, he is rather standoffish at first, but once the shock of having to put his brother back in the ground wears off, Harvey is very kind towards his ex and continues to help, support, and be there for her when she needs it. And that is something that we can all appreciate in a prospective boyfriend.
James- The End of The F***ing World (Spoilers)
Okay, in the first season of the show James has one goal in mind: to kill Alyssa. But we are talking about the recently released second season of the show. In this season, James does everything he can to keep Alyssa safe, so we can put his previous rather murderous intentions aside for now.
Despite her not returning his affections and her still dealing with the emotional fallout following the events of the shows first season, he still dedicates himself to protecting her. And that is something that we can admire. Being kind to someone and wanting the best for them without expecting anything in return is a truly wonderful trait.
Next: Stranger Things: 5 Reasons Why Billy Is The American In The Cell (& 5 Why It’s Hopper)
