With more TV shows on the air than ever, there are more characters than before.
Many characters struggle to break through, but many do.
TV Fanatic has rounded up the new characters worth their weight in gold from the 2022-2023 season.
Check them out below.
The Interns – Grey’s Anatomy
The season premiere of Grey’s Anatomy Season 19 was the epitome of a reboot within the series as they introduced a new batch of interns, the closest to rival the originals yet. And shockingly, it worked! This modern M.A.G.Y.K. have distinct personalities, are relatable, and have brought back that nostalgic feel of following interns through mastering their craft, forming new friendships, sexy, new romances, impactful cases, and more. Twists like Lucas being Derek and Amelia’s nephew, Simone effortlessly serving as the “Meredith” leader of the pack of this new crew, and watching old and new blend has made the interns’ addition the best thing in years.
Terry Bruno – Law & Order: SVU
With the revolving door of characters in most Dick Wolf shows, but particularly SVU, it was no secret that they’d introduce some new blood after losing Rollins. And in many ways, that came in the form of Bronx SVU detective Bruno. The Bronx saga that had Liv and the crew working to take down a gang was an arc with a mixed reception, but Bruno added something fun and fresh to the mix as the well-off but down-the-earth and driven detective, and he’s been a breath of fresh air on the squad.
Cleo – Outer Banks
While Cleo technically was introduced during Outer Banks Season 2, we didn’t get a full and real feel for her as a fellow Pogue and multifaceted character until Outer Banks Season 3. And what a lovely addition she’s been, arguably one of the saving graces of the season. She somehow managed to be an excitable, impulsive woman who almost rivals JJ while also being a grounding force who connects with Pope and brings out his romantic side. And she’s developed her own bond with most of the others, integrating so well into their Pogue life it’s hard to envision them without her. She’s hilarious, to boot too.
Celina – The Rookie
We knew someone was going to have to be John Nolan’s first trainee on The Rookie, but we could never have guessed it would be Celina. Played by Lisbeth Chavez, Celina is not your typical police rookie. As a child, Celina’s younger sister was kidnapped and later died. A psychic helped find her, which led to Celina’s belief in auras, spirits, and astrology. Instead of kicking her out of the program when she relies too heavily on her unusual methods, Nolan shows her how to make her instincts mesh with the evidence gathering of police work. Celina Juarez is the breath of fresh air we didn’t know the Mid-Wilshire division needed.
Sam Carver – Chicago Fire
Carver had a rough go of it when he arrived during Chicago Fire Season 11 Episode 1 . He and Stella had a difficult past that made for a challenging transition in which he often rubbed people the wrong way. But as the season progressed, more layers were peeled back on the character, and he proved to be quite compelling with a troubled backstory that explained his prickly demeanor, a heart of gold and ability to connect with people on calls, and much more. His complicated feelings, mostly an unrequited crush aside, he and Stella have developed an intriguing bond, and he’s solidified his place in their family.
Mandy – Young Sheldon
When the former TV weather girl returned to Medford after losing her job in Houston, we never thought we’d get so attached, especially when Mandy and Georgie both lied about their ages before hooking up. To be fair, Mandy’s claim of being 24 when she was actually 29 wasn’t anywhere near as bad as Georgie saying he was 21 when he was only 17.
When Mandy got pregnant, we thought this would be a disaster.
But it’s been surprisingly sweet. Mandy finds a balance between being strong-willed and level-headed. She wouldn’t kowtow to Mary’s push to marry Georgie and raise the child Baptist, but she didn’t cut Georgie out either.
And after CeCe’s birth, the young couple might just be headed down the aisle for all the right reasons, which makes us desperately sad that The Big Bang Theory refers to Georgie having two ex-wives. Despite that, we’re still hopeful this will somehow work out, and we’ll see plenty of Mandy in the future.
Bruno and Peia – Superman & Lois
The Mannheims were the big bad on Superman & Lois Season 3, but their storyline and layered performances tugged at our hearts, especially in Season 3, Episode 11. Chad. L Coleman played a formidable and scary foe as Bruno Manheim for Superman and John Henry Irons, but his main concern was developing a cure for his wife Peia’s cancer, and in that episode, as Peia’s powers were uncontrollable and in excruciating pain, she had to let go and say goodbye. Daya Vaidyaught excelled in her cancer arc as a woman caught in a horrible situation.
Shaw – Law & Order
Detectives coming and going has been par for the course with the original Law & Order for over 20 years, so after Anthony Anderson decided not to return for Season 22, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Shaw seems to mesh more naturally with Jeffrey Donovan’s Cosgrove, which somehow also makes Cosgrove more likable. He also has more expertise than the average cop, as he used to be a lawyer, and he sometimes dislikes the way things are done on the cop side of the system as a result. Overall, he’s an interesting character that makes the first half of each episode fun to watch.
Sharon – Fire Country
Sharon is the outlier in a show where most characters make you want to slap them. She is a mother, even to people who don’t need or don’t have one. Her greatest quality is how she can sympathize with everyone, even when dealing with her own problems. She is the voice of reason when everyone else fails to be so, and as a fire chief, she commands every scene. She will do anything to protect the people she loves, whether from themselves or other people.
Allison – So Help Me Todd
Allison is the standout supporting character in a cast of weirdos. She says what viewers are thinking about the unsafe relationship between her uptight mother, Margaret, and her screwup brother Todd, who keep dragging her into their cases. As the season progressed, ER doctor Allison reveals she has problems of her own, ending up in court because of a disorderly conduct charge and separating from her husband, Chuck. It will be intriguing to see what next season holds for Allison.
Torres – Chicago PD
Dante Torres was technically introduced during Chicago PD Season 9 , and returned for the Season 10 premiere, but we didn’t get our official feel of him joining the unit permanently until Chicago PD Season 10 Episode 4. He’s been a rich addition to the series without feeling like a Halstead replacement, adding a unique flavor to the show and unit that they haven’t had before and opened up new areas to explore as a result. He’s exciting, a standout, and gels well with the unit members overall.
