We have quite a list of Characters of the Week ahead for you.
As many broadcast series continue to wrap with their final installments of the season, there were some incredible character moments and standouts.
But streaming series didn’t disappoint either. Thus, we have a collection of standout characters, from The Handmaid’s Tale and Paradise to the FBI and Chicago PD.
We invite you to check out our list and discuss whether we covered all of your characters of the week or missed some.
Peruse our list, share if you care to, and discuss it down below. As usual, we thank you for your continued support!
Let’s get into it.
The Men of Gilead – The Handmaid’s Tale
They weren’t heroes. Not even close. But in The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6 Episode 9, their stories ended — not with redemption, but with consequence.
Joseph Lawrence gave the final order. Nick boarded the plane. Both died offscreen (along with Gabriel, hallelujah) without fanfare and without final words. It was fitting, really.
These were the men who shaped Gilead — one with policy, the other with passivity. They claimed to care. Sometimes they did. But when it mattered most, they didn’t stay. They didn’t fight beside the women they loved. They just… left.
Their deaths weren’t triumphant. They were correct — a quiet punctuation to arcs that never reached the clarity they needed to.
And we couldn’t stop thinking about it.
In fact, their exit inspired a must-read deeper reflection on what this show has always done so well: holding a mirror up to the real world. If even fictional men can’t stand beside women when it counts, what hope do we have for the real ones?
Watch The Handmaid's Tale Online
Jennifer “JJ” Jareau – Criminal Minds: Evolution
No profiler could prepare for the kind of loss JJ endured in Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3 Episode 3.
But instead of retreating, she faced it head-on — with raw honesty, unbearable vulnerability, and a fierce commitment to her sons.
From her quietly devastating eulogy to her confrontation with a grieving, bitter mother-in-law, JJ showed us what real strength looks like: not stoic silence but messy, heart-on-your-sleeve resilience.
JJ reminded us that love is the hardest battlefield in a show often defined by action and intellect. And this week, she won our hearts all over again.
Watch Criminal Minds Online
Hank Voight – Chicago PD
Listen, we may have had a few misgivings about Chicago PD 12’s season finale (the wedding was a total bust, sorry, not sorry), but the performances were top-tier, and Voight was fantastic.
We didn’t get a fully uncapped Dark Voight, but it was close enough, more than we’ve gotten in years, as he had to get down and dirty, dusting off his old ways to take down Reid.
Every scene that had him toe-to-toe with his greatest adversary yet was intoxicating to watch. But nothing compared to the chilling final moments he faced Reid, allowing im to die after he orchestrated the whole thing.
Much to Chapman’s hurt and chagrin, he remained unapologetic about the lengths he went to protect his family. It’s who he is. As he said, “I don’t get more.”
This is exactly who Hank Voight is and who he’ll always be. He walks in the dark so others can stay in the light, and he’s okay with that. So are we.
Watch Chicago PD Online
Hershel – The Walking Dead: Dead City
It’s clear that Hershel grew up in the apocalypse, so he has a very warped view of what the world should look like, which is giving Logan Kim some fantastic material to play on The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 2.
But the latest episode showcased that his considerable driving force is the trauma inflicted on him by Negan’s decision to kill his father.
Flashbacks showcased just how the Dama could connect with him and dig deeper into who he is, better than his mother could.
At the end of the day, Hershel feels resentment toward Maggie and Negan, and his arc is poised to become more as the season progresses.
Watch TWD: Dead City Online
Isobel – FBI
We’re still holding out hope that Isobel is actually alive, even if she ended the hour with no pulse on the office floor.
Nevertheless, she proved to be such a badass for the entirety of the finale.
It’s not often that we see Isobel in on the action, and with an attack on FBI agents, including herself, she saw more action than we anticipated from her.
And she handled it magnificently. From the fakeout explosion to her pretending to turn to lure out the mole, if Isobel really is gone from this series, she departed in style and on a high note.
Watch FBI Online
Jane – Paradise
I’m sorry, but who else could I put here?
Jane was so adamant about killing Presley, a teenager, in Sinatra’s honor, but her boss couldn’t give her the thing she wanted: A Nintendo Wii.
I get that it must be boring as hell in the mountain with 24,996 other people, but hot damn, a Nintendo Wii?
Jane is fascinating because you can never tell what she’ll do next, or worse, what she’s thinking. How she maneuvered Presley into trusting her was also something to remember.
I do not know where Jane will go on Paradise Season 2, but I’m intrigued.
Watch Paradise Online
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