I’ve become a huge fan of the new show ‘Heroes,’ on NBC. It centers on a group of “normal” people who are just learning that they possess extraordinary abilities like flying, mind reading and even the ability to freeze time. While the series is still new and mostly focusing on the characters coming to grips with their abilities, it’s only a matter of time before they start using their abilities for the greater good.

While ‘Heroes’ is an obvious nod to comic book superheroes like the X-men, they seem to be doing a great job of writing an original story while at the same time, acknowledging the whole comic book fandom. In the end though, it all comes down to one thing - everyone loves a hero.

Shows like ‘Heroes’ and ‘Smallville’ might be cornering the market on super heroes in network television, but there are quite a few other TV shows out there that have managed to create heroes out of their characters in one way or another. Whether it be to save the world or on a much more local scale, television characters have been saving the day since the dawn of TV.

Since it would take way too long to go through all of the heroes in television, I’ll just focus on some of my favorites from the last decade or so:

Best Dramatic Hero - Jack Bauer, ‘24’ - He’s given up his family, his reputation and his life twice for the sake of this country. Jack Bauer has had five really bad days so far but in every one he’s managed to save whole cities from terrorism through his work as an agent in the Counter Terrorist Unit. His flaw as a man is also what makes us love him as a hero. He has a very ends-justify-the-means way of dealing with things which often results in him torturing people as a form of interrogation and taking some pretty drastic measures to get the job done. On the upside, the day has always been saved in each of the five seasons that have aired thus far. The downside is that it’s caused some major personal losses for Jack. These include the death of his wife, the falling out with his daughter Kim, his inability to maintain a romantic relationship and most recently, his freedom.

Honorable mention - Sydney Bristow, ‘Alias’ - Sydney spent the better part of her 20’s helping save the world as a spy for the CIA. No amount of terror or torture was ever enough to stop Sydney from getting the job done. Like Jack Bauer and many other heroes, her flaw was also what made her so heroic. She often used her own personal issues to motivate her to do what was necessary. It was her personal investment in many of the tasks she faced that made her strong enough to get through them.

Best Sci-fi/Fantasy Hero - Buffy Summers, ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ - Buffy is as comic-booky as it gets without being an actual comic book based hero. She’s the made for film/tv creation of the great Joss Whedon and her world-saving abilities are virtually unrivaled.

Buffy spent the good part of her high school years, as well as the years that followed, battling the demon world along-side her faithful friends, the “scoobies”. Technically, her heroic nature is in large part due to her being The Slayer but there was more to her than just that, as was proven by the other slayers she occasionally encountered. Her quick thinking and genuine need to protect people is what kept her and her friends alive through all seven seasons of the show. She even went as far as to give her life to save the world from a major demon invasion in season five. Her flaws are mainly related to the relationships in her life. She pushes people away and has a really hard time maintaining “normal” romantic relationships but in the end, the load she shoulders on a regular basis more than justifies the occasional mistakes she’s made with her friends and boyfriends.

Honorable Mention - Admiral William Adama, ‘Battlestar Galactaca’ - Adama is a true leader who is willing to make some tough decisions with regards to his crew in order to help better the future of mankind.

Best Heroic Dad - Jack Bristow, ‘Alias’ - I know its kind of a strange category but it’s hard to ignore the number of heroic father figures there are in television. While Sydney Bristow was the star of the show, most would agree that she wouldn’t have survived (or had a much harder time doing so) without the support of her father, Jack. Jack Bristow was always a bit cold and generally unafraid to take necessary measures when doing his job as a CIA agent. If he had one sort-of soft spot, it was for Sydney. Many times he came to her aid, putting his own life in danger to make sure she was ok. He also used his final moments to make sure Arvin Sloan never saw the light of day so he gets major hero-cred for that. His flaw was always his inability to show Sydney the real affection she needed from him but he always came through for her when it mattered.

Honorable Mention - Keith Mars, ‘Veronica Mars’ - Keith and his daughter Veronica aren’t exactly saving the world, but they do a lot of good for the town of Neptune. As a dad, Keith is pretty perfect. Veronica not being the average daughter, Keith has had his hands full with her but he is as supportive as a dad can be when it comes to his crime-solving daughter.

Best Comedic Hero - Earl, ‘My Name Is Earl’ - Earl spends the better part of his days working on his “list”. After he began to believe in Karma, he decided it was time to make up for all the wrong things he did, so he made a list. Earl might not be saving the world but he is doing a lot of good for pretty much every person he ever met. His dedication to his list and unwillingness to take the easy way out is what makes him heroic.

Honorable Mention - Michael Bluth, ‘Arrested Development’ - Michael took the wheel of the family business when his father went to prison but he did more than just that. His determination to keep the business afloat is matched only by his determination to bring his family together, however impossible a task as that might seem.

Best Reality Show Hero - Ty Pennington, ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’ - Regardless of whether or not he does it for the money, the fame or the connections with Sears, Ty’s generosity and compassion on the show is part of what makes the show such a huge hit. He is a hero because week after week he brings an enormous amount of energy to each episode as well as helping viewers feel empathy but not pity for each family they help. Ty and the design team are heroes because they bring together a community each week to give a family a new home and they are inspirational to all who watch the show.

Honorable Mention - Dwayne Chapman, ‘Dog The Bounty Hunter’ - Dwayne puts his life on the line every time he goes after a criminal. Bounty hunters often do what regular law enforcers cannot. Many would say they do it for the money but there’s plenty of other ways to make a buck without pissing off angry rapists, robbers and murderers.

So whether it’s saving the world or saving their family, television heroes definitely come in all shapes and sizes. A good TV hero isn’t perfect but they will do whatever needs to be done, often at the cost of something personal to them.

What are your favorite TV Heroes?