Ready for an in-depth character study? Bravo will devote a week-long, five-part series to The 100 Greatest TV Characters. It begins Nov. 22 (9 p.m. ET/PT) and will use interviews to bolster its case. The list (the top 10 will be revealed Nov. 26) includes golden-age icons such as Phil Silvers’ Sgt. Bilko (No. 38) and Maynard G. Krebs, the hipster played by a pre-Gilligan Bob Denver on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (No. 93).

More recent additions include The Shield’s hard-nosed Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) at No. 94 and the CSI team of Gil Grissom and Catherine Willows (William Petersen and Marg Helgenberger), who rank No. 82. South Park’s Cartman weighs in at No. 19 (but then, he’s big-boned).

Strong women made good showings. Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) almost cracked the top 10, but her No. 11 rank edged All in the Family matriarch Edith Bunker (Jean Stapleton) at No. 12 and vampire slayer Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar), who staked out No. 13.