2018 Character Cup - Stats, Rankings, and Brackets

Stats to Geek Out On:

Round Results:

Characters Still In:  

Round 5:  Magnus Bane, Lucifer Morningstar

Round 4:  Magnus Bane, Buffy Summers, Lucifer Morningstar, Andy Flynn

Round 3:   Lucifer Morningstar, Jamie Fraser, Magnus Bane, Buffy Summers, Andy Flynn, Sherlock Holmes, Sam Winchester, Rosa Diaz

Round 2:  Jamie Fraser, Magnus Bane, Lucifer Morningstar, Bellamy Blake, Regina Mills, Oliver Queen, Rosa Diaz, Barry Allen, Andy Flynn, Leo Fitz, Sheldon Cooper, Spencer Reid, Buffy Summers, Sherlock Holmes, Eleven, Sam Winchester

Round 1: Jamie Fraser, Lucifer Morningstar, Magnus Bane, Damon Salvatore, Greg House, Jethro Gibbs, Barry Allen, Regina Mills, Klaus Mickaelson, Andy Flynn, Sherlock Holmes, Oliver Queen, Buffy Summers, Cameron Black, Shaun Murphy, Leo Fitz, Bellamy Blake, Sansa Stark, Jack Pearson, Veronica Mars, Sheldon Cooper, Rosa Diaz, June, Bill Adama, Joan Watson, Spencer Reid, Olivia Benson, Jessica Jones, The Doctor, Eleven, Sam Winchester, Mia Elster


Characters Out: 

Round 5:  Buffy Summers, Andy Flynn

Round 4:  Jamie Fraser, Rosa Diaz, Sherlock Holmes, Sam Winchester

Round 3:   Bellamy Blake, Spencer Reid, Oliver Queen, Barry Allen, Regina Mills, Eleven, Leo Fitz, Sheldon Cooper

Round 2:  Sansa Stark, Klaus Mikaelson, Damon Salvatore, Jethro Gibbs, Jack Pearson, Olivia Benson, Shaun Murphy, June/Offred, Joan Watson, Cameron Black, Jessica Jones, Greg House, Veronica Mars, Mia Elster, The Doctor, Bill Adama

Round 1: Lucy Preston, April Kepler, Merlin, Dana Scully, John Locke, Brooke Davis, Maeve Millay, Emily Thorne, Lorelai Gilmore, Elizabeth Jennings, Sara Lance, Red Reddington, Justin Foley, Lena Luthor, Olivia Dunham, Ross Poldark, Callen, Matt Murdock, Sydney Bristow, Annalise Keating, Temperance Brennan, Villanelle, Wynonna Earp, Quinn King, James Cole, Carol Peletier, Uhtred, Cheryl Blossom, Liv Moore, Elizabeth McCord, Martin Riggs, Tommy Shelby


Polls with the Most Votes:

Magnus Bane vs Lucifer Morningstar = 14,192
Lucifer Morningstar vs Andy Flynn = 7,927
Jamie Fraser vs. Magnus Bane = 7,720


Characters New to the Character Cup:

Magnus Bane, Rosa Diaz, Andy Flynn, Sansa Stark, Shaun Murphy, June/Offred, Cameron Black, Mia Elster, Bill Adama, April Kepner, Merlin, John Locke, Justin Foley, Lena Luthor, G. Callen, Villanelle, Quinn King, Carol Peletier, Uhtred of Bebbanburg, Cheryl Blossom, Tommy Shelby


Shows New to the Character Cup:

The Good Doctor, The Handmaid's Tale, Deception, Humans, Merlin, Killing Eve, UnREAL, The Last Kingdom, Peaky Blinders


Losing Characters with the Most Votes:

Round 1 =  Lucy Preston, April Kepler, Merlin, Dana Scully
Round 2 =  Sansa Stark, Klaus Mikaelson, Damon Salvatore
Round 3 =  Bellamy Blake, Spencer Reid, Oliver Queen
Round 4 =  Jamie Fraser, Sherlock Holmes, Sam Winchester


Characters with Biggest Improvement between Initial Rankings and Final Rankings: 

Magnus Bane (+55)
Greg House (+30)
Sheldon Cooper (+26)


Closest Polls:

Mia Elster vs Wynonna Earp - 2 votes
The Doctor vs Temperance Brennan - 15 votes
Magnus Bane vs Jamie Fraser - 16 votes


Returning Characters:

Number of returning characters  - 43
Number of returning characters who improved their ranking - 14
Most Improved Rankings:  Jack Pearson (+38), Maeve Millay (+23), Joan Watson (+18), Brooke Davis (+16)


Returning Shows:

Number of returning shows - 55
Number of shows that improved their ranking - 17
Most Improved Ratings:  This Is Us (+38), Westworld (+23), Battlestar Galactica (+20), One Tree Hill (+16), Brooklyn 99 (+ at least 16)


Gender Breakdown:

This Year - male = 32 / female = 32
Second Round: male = 21 / female = 11
Third Round:  male = 12 / female = 4
Fourth Round:  male = 6 / female = 2
Final Four:  male = 3 / female = 1
Finals:  male = 2


Network Breakdown:

This Year: network =29 / cable = 20 / streaming = 2 / ended shows = 13
Second Round: network = 17 / cable = 9 / streaming = 1 / ended = 5
Third Round:  network = 10  / cable =  5/ streaming = 0 / ended =1
Fourth Round:  network = 3 / cable = 4 / ended = 1
Final Four:  network = 1 / cable = 2 / ended = 1
Finals: network = 1 / cable = 1


Total Votes:

Lucifer (22,335), Magnus (19,462), Andy (10,434), Jamie (9,830), Buffy (9,503), Sherlock (5,592), Rosa (4,674),  Sam (4,400), Bellamy (3,580), Barry (2,931)

Final Ranking List:  

01.  Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer)
02.  Magnus Bane (Shadowhunters)
03.  Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
04.  Andy Flynn (Major Crimes / The Closer)
05. Jamie Fraser (Outlander)
06. Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock)
07. Sam Winchester (Supernatural)
08. Rosa Diaz (Brooklyn 99)
09. Bellamy Blake (The 100)
10. Spencer Reid (Criminal Minds)
11. Oliver Queen (Arrow)
12. Barry Allen (The Flash)
13. Regina Mills (Once Upon a Time)
14. Eleven (Stranger Things)
15. Leo Fitz (Agents of SHIELD)
16. Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory)
17. Sansa Stark (Game of Thrones)
18. Klaus Mikaelson (The Originals)
19. Damon Salvatore (The Vampire Diaries)
20. Jethro Gibbs (NCIS)
21. Jack Pearson (This Is Us)
22. Olivia Benson (Law & Order: SVU)
23. Shaun Murphy (The Good Doctor)
24. June/Offred (The Handmaid's Tale)
25. Joan Watson (Elementary)
26. Cameron Black (Deception)
27. Jessica Jones (Jessica Jones)
28. Greg House (House)
29. Veronica Mars (Veronica Mars)
30. Mia Elster (Humans)
31. The Doctor (Doctor Who)
32. Bill Adama (Battlestar Galactica)
33. Lucy Preston (Timeless)

34. April Kepner (Grey’s Anatomy)

35. Merlin (Merlin)

36. Dana Scully (The X-Files)

37. John Locke (LOST)

38. Brooke Davis (One Tree Hill)

39. Maeve Millay (Westworld)

40. Emily Thorne (Revenge)

41. Lorelai Gilmore (Gilmore Girls)

42. Elizabeth Jennings (The Americans)

43. Sara Lance (Legends of Tomorrow)

44. Raymond Reddington (The Blacklist)

45. Justin Foley (13 Reasons Why)

46. Lena Luthor (Supergirl)

47. Olivia Dunham (Fringe)

48. Ross Poldark (Poldark)

49. G. Callen (NCIS: LA)

50. Matt Murdock (Daredevil)

51. Sydney Bristow (Alias)

52. Annalise Keating (How to Get Away with Murder)

53. Temperance Brennan (Bones)

54. Villanelle (Killing Eve)

55. Wynonna Earp (Wynonna Earp)

56. Quinn King (UnREAL)

57. James Cole (12 Monkeys)

58. Carol Peletier (The Walking Dead)

59. Uhtred of Bebbanburg (The Last Kingdom)

60. Cheryl Blossom (Riverdale)

61. Liv Moore (iZombie)

62. Elizabeth McCord (Madam Secretary)

63. Martin Riggs (Lethal Weapon)

64. Tommy Shelby (Peaky Blinders)

Original Ranking List:  

Characters are listed by their bracket ranking, based on nominations and polls. I've included what shows they are from as a handy guide for predicting or voting.

01. Jamie Fraser (Outlander)

02. Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer)

03. Andy Flynn (Major Crimes/The Closer)

04. Leo Fitz (Agents of SHIELD)

05. Bellamy Blake (The 100)

06. Mia Elster (Human)

07. Lucy Preston (Timeless)

08. April Kepner (Grey’s Anatomy)

09. Cameron Black (Deception)

10. Bill Adama (Battlestar Galactica)

11. Sam Winchester (Supernatural)

12. Sara Lance (Legends of Tomorrow)

13. June/Offred (Handmaid’s Tale)

14. Spencer Reid (Criminal Minds)

15. Oliver Queen (Arrow)

16. Jethro Gibbs (NCIS)

17. Barry Allen (The Flash)

18. Shaun Murphy (The Good Doctor)

19. Jessica Jones (Jessica Jones)

20. Rosa Diaz (Brooklyn 99)

21. Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

22. The Doctor (Doctor Who)

23. Elizabeth Jennings (The Americans)

24. Regina Mills (Once Upon a Time)

25. Klaus Mikaelson (The Originals)

26. Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock)

27. James Cole (12 Monkeys)

28. Sansa Stark (Game of Thrones)

29. Olivia Benson (Law & Order: SVU)

30. Cheryl Blossom (Riverdale)

31. Jack Pearson (This Is Us)

32. Damon Salvatore (The Vampire Diaries)

33. Justin Foley (13 Reasons Why)

34. Raymond Reddington (The Blacklist)

35. Joan Watson (Elementary)

36. Villanelle (Killing Eve)

37. Martin Riggs (Lethal Weapon)

38. Eleven (Stranger Things)

39. Lena Luthor (Supergirl)

40. Maeve Millay (Westworld)

41. Dana Scully (The X-Files)

42. Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory)

43. Temperance Brennan (Bones)

44. Matt Murdock (Daredevil)

45. Annalise Keating (How to Get Away with Murder)

46. Liv Moore (iZombie)

47. Uhtred of Bebbanburg (The Last Kingdom)

48. John Locke (LOST)

49. Merlin (Merlin)

50. G. Callen (NCIS: LA)

51. Tommy Shelby (Peaky Blinders)

52. Quinn King (UnREAL)

53. Veronica Mars (Veronica Mars)

54. Carol Peletier (The Walking Dead)

55. Ross Poldark (Poldark)

56. Brooke Davis (One Tree Hill)

57. Magnus Bane (Shadowhunters)

58. Greg House (House)

59. Wynonna Earp (Wynonna Earp)

60. Sydney Bristow (Alias)

61. Elizabeth McCord (Madam Secretary)

62. Olivia Dunham (Fringe)

63.  Lorelai Gilmore (Gilmore Girls)

64.  Emily Thorne (Revenge)

Official Brackets: 

A downloadable PDF copy is here, if you would like a blank printable bracket to play along.  The names do get cut off though.   (Hint - download it before you fill it out or it won't keep what you typed. I learned that from experience..ugh!)

About the Author - Dahne

One part teacher librarian - one part avid TV fan, Dahne is a contributing writer for SpoilerTV, where she reviews and/or creates polls for Teen Wolf, How to Get Away with Murder, The Librarians, and others. She also runs the annual Character Cup. She's addicted to Twitter, loves live tweeting, and co-hosted The 100 "Red-Shirted" and Teen Wolf "Welcome to Beacon Hills" podcasts for Southgate Media Group. Previously she wrote a Last Week in TV column for her blog and SpoilerTV. ~ "I speak TV."