Best TV Shows for character development

#1

Character development is one of Season 2’s clearest strengths, especially as returning rookies mature and Robby’s trauma becomes more complicated. Some complaints focus on supporting characters who still feel underused...

#2

Reviewers see a satisfying arc from manufactured pop figure to self-directed artist, with key relationships helping her grow in confidence and creative control.

#3

Margo, Shyanne, and Jinx are widely praised as flawed people whose motives remain clear. Some supporting figures, especially Susie, KC, and Rose, are criticized for existing mainly to help Margo.

#4

Character work is a major strength, with Mark’s changing morality, Nolan’s difficult redemption, Oliver’s growth, and Eve’s vulnerability all receiving attention. Reviewers repeatedly describe the arcs as nuanced, compelling, and...

#5

Character growth is a major strength, especially Sydney stepping forward, Carmy finding a healthier relationship to cooking, and Richie reaching a more hopeful place. Reviewers repeatedly describe the ensemble as...

#6

Character growth is messy and often painful, especially for Byron and Sasha. The strongest praise goes to the way the show lets people grow without making them instantly likable or...

#7

The strongest notices praise Ben and the reworked supporting characters for gaining new dimensions in this alternate world. A few negative reviews argue the characters remain stock noir types, but...

#8

Character work is one of the season’s biggest strengths, especially as the show spreads emotional and professional consequences across the ensemble. The dissenting view is that some development pushes Martian...

#9

The strongest arcs deepen parenthood, resilience and community bonds, with Mel, Jack, Lizzie and Denny receiving meaningful growth. Supporting characters often evolve more convincingly than the central romance.

#10

The girls’ gradual awakening, friendships, and small acts of rebellion are among the season’s strongest elements. Daisy’s depth and Aunt Lydia’s shifting motives are less consistently convincing.

#11

Character development is one of the clearest strengths, especially for Chee, Joe, and Bernadette. Most reviewers praise the deeper personal arcs, though one critic argues the arcs ultimately stall.

#12

The strongest arcs deepen Greg, Katie, Sunny and the wider ensemble beyond their initial comic types. Several reviewers praise the way later episodes let wounded, messy characters grow without losing...

#13

Rupert, Monica, Maud, Taggie, Sarah, and several supporting women receive richer, more mature arcs. The season is strongest when it lets the glamorous surface give way to vulnerability and consequence.

#14

Emma’s transformation is widely praised, especially when Jessica Reynolds tracks her shift from vulnerable servant to hardened striver. A few side characters also benefit from added dimension.

#15

Character work is one of the season’s biggest strengths, especially for Morty, Evil Morty, and the evolving Smith family. The main caveat is that Rick’s introspection can feel familiar and...

#16

Isla’s leadership, Ali’s professional self-worth, and several sibling arcs gain meaningful depth. Other takes argue that crowded plotting flattens Jackie and leaves some promising characters underdeveloped.

#17

Alex and André’s relationship gives the season its clearest arc, moving through grief, resentment, rebellion, and eventual understanding. The main pair are well developed, though one critic felt the secondary...

#18

The adults and children receive distinct emotional struggles that make most of the ensemble easy to invest in. Detractors found some children unlikable and wanted serious problems addressed more responsibly.

#19

The documentary makes founders feel like flawed people rather than marble monuments. Personal stories about figures like Washington and Adams help humanize the history.

#20

The show can sketch relationships and family dynamics clearly enough to make the stakes matter. Decider especially credited the first episode with building a good picture of Shawna and David's...

#21

Beth receives the most attention, with reviewers noticing a softer, more patient version who still keeps her killer instinct. Character work lands best when it deepens Beth, Rip, Carter, or...

#22

Rafa gives a layered picture of Nadal as disciplined, anxious, resilient, and physically depleted. Some critics still wanted more access to his deepest motivations, but the strongest responses felt the...

#23

The show still finds room for lessons about shame, insecurity, and growing from childish mistakes. Critics also note that deeper long-term character growth is intentionally reduced because the season returns...

#24

Character work is one of the season’s strongest positives when it focuses on arcs like Jade, Donna, Victor, Boyd, Sophia, and Fatima. The main complaint is that some favorites are...

#25

Character development is one of the show’s most debated strengths. Positive reviews praise the layers added to Percy, Charlie, Delilah, Chantal, and Jordie, while harsher critics say the central characters...

#26

Character development was one of the show’s strongest selling points when reviewers focused on Sam, Wally, Judy, Art, and Renee. The dissenting view is that some arcs and backstories are...

#27

Bullseye and several returning side characters gain welcome depth, and some reviewers found their arcs far more compelling than before. Other subplots, particularly Heather or Jessica-related material, are criticized as...

#28

Character development is uneven but often interesting. Paula receives the richest treatment, while coworkers and some side players are repeatedly described as thin, flat, or underexplored.

#29

Claire’s unraveling is often compelling, with praise for how the show tracks obsession, loneliness, and a shifting sense of self. The recurring drawback is that Paul, Ashley, and other supporting...

#30

Character work is a real strength in the positive reviews, especially once stock-seeming roles gain history and emotional weight. The sharpest negative review saw the detective and reporter as familiar...

#31

Character work is the show’s most divided area. Irina, Anastasia, Tanya, and familiar younger figures draw real interest, but some critics find parts of the ensemble thin, emotionally guarded, or...

#32

The family gradually gains texture, especially Jules and Nell, but Nicky and several supporting figures remain too thin for a story built around relationship choices.

#33

Character development works best around Max Cady and the Bowden children, especially when the show connects family secrets to emotional damage. Some reviewers thought certain backstories, especially Zack's, were thin...

#34

Berlin and several emotional arcs gain meaningful texture, but critics disagree on whether the supporting characters truly grow or remain thin romantic functions.

#35

Niall’s layered self-loathing and moral compromise are widely admired, but large time jumps and repetitive adult behavior make some later changes feel abrupt or insufficiently developed.

#36

The memory-loss arc divides reviewers more than most elements. Some find it tired or frustrating at first, while others say it becomes emotionally and thematically meaningful by the end.

#37

Some reviewers liked watching the Clyburns gradually mature and adapt, especially Stacy’s transformation. Others found several supporting characters repetitive, underwritten, or stuck as caricatures.

#38

Alice often comes across as the richest character, with rage, hurt, selfishness, and flashes of growth all in play. Izzy and the central romance are more divisive, with several complaints...

#39

Character growth is uneven. Mike, Will, and the newer relationships receive some heartfelt development, but the fixed timeline also forces several arcs to repeat lessons the characters learn again later.

#40

Character growth is uneven but central to the season. Positive notes point to lessons learned and changing relationships, while complaints say some characters remain thin, bland, or too slow to...

#41

Character growth is strongest when Elle changes Seattle without losing herself and when supporting relationships mature naturally. The main drawback is that this growth can make her later movie arc...

#42

Character development is a major dividing line. A few reviewers found the ensemble layered and compelling, but many felt characters were thinly sketched, underexplored, or just vehicles for plot movement.

#43

Character work is the main divider. Supporters like Penelope, Fawn, and the friend group as messy but lovable; critics say Josh, Ray, and some arcs stay underdeveloped or reset too...

#44

Characters are watchable but often thinly drawn. Cola gives the show a rooting interest for some, yet several reviews say the cast falls into archetypes or lacks enough background and...

#45

Jemma and a few cast members get some trajectory, but the broader ensemble often feels underdeveloped, interchangeable, or short on charisma.

#46

Character development is mixed. A few performances and perspectives add layers, but many reviewers say the backstories are too thin or the characters too hard to care about.