There are a lot of characters on television, but there are only a handful that can be considered "great."

They're the ones that add a lot to the show they're on. The characters we can't imagine not existing in their show's universe. The characters that stand out because of that magical combo of good writing and a unique performance by the actor playing the character.

This is a list of the greatest characters from the tube in 2010. They're probably not the only great characters on their shows, but these are the ones that made the most memorable impact.

Note: you will not find Snooki on this list.

A lot of celebrities die every year, but going over the deaths from 2010, it seems like an inordinate amount of classic TV stars died this year.

We compiled a list of TV-related people we lost in 2010. It's a long list, with links to the full obituaries for each. With so many TV stars passing away over the months, we may have missed one or two, so if there's an obit we overlooked, please let us know in the comments.

Gary Coleman. The 'Diff'rent Strokes' actor had a lot of health complications over years after being born with a kidney disease, but he actually died from a brain hemorrhage he suffered after a fall at home in May. He was 42.

Sometimes, losing a TV show is like losing a close friend. You get used to seeing it every single week, and you can't imagine your life without those characters and that world.

Then again, sometimes a show just needs to end. Maybe it ran too long -- or just enough -- and it's actually OK that it wont' be on air anymore.

Here's the ultimate list of all of the shows that saw their last episode in 2010. (Note: these are just the shows that had their last episode this past year, not shows that have been canceled but still have episodes to air in 2011, such as 'Oprah' and 'Stargate Universe.')

Recent news of a potential relaunch/reboot of the 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' franchise sent shock waves through the fandom universe.
Loyal followers of 'Buffy' creator Joss Whedon decried the continuation of the Slayer saga without his involvement.

Whether or not 'Buffy' should exist without Whedon is up for debate. But having strong, powerful, complex women like Buffy Summers is absolutely not up for debate.

Now, did Buffy mark the advent of powerful female characters on television? Of course not. But even a cursory glance over the television landscape shows traces of that character's DNA ranging far and wide.

Since television first became available to Americans (circa 1947), people have been able to relax in the comfort of their own homes to watch a variety of programs – sitcoms, soap operas, sports, made-for-TV movies, variety shows, dramas, talk shows, games shows, reality shows ... well, you get the picture.

The one thing all of these programs have in common? Ugh! Commercials. But wait, hold the phone. Some aren't so bad and actually quite often serve a purpose. They use creative concepts to grab our attention, all while telling us why we should buy their car insurance, apply for their credit cards or watch their upcoming movies. Some commercials actually give us some comedy relief to go with our head cold or heartburn.

We looked back over the year and chose our 10 favorite TV commercials for 2010. See if you agree, then let us know which ones we missed!

On the twelfth day of Festivus, TV gave to us... 12 underrated actors.

There are a lot of heralded actors out there entertaining us and keeping our couches warm on a nightly basis. So heralded are some that, by association, others spend their entire careers without herald. Herald-less, if you will.

How do we go about heralding the less-heralded? They're certainly worthy of acclaim, with performances both comedic and dramatic, versatile and subtly powerful.

While the herald-hoarders get all the glory, all the buzz, all the paparazzi they can take a swing at, these quiet performers do the dirty work that makes television work. So, in the interest of equal herald for equal work: "Hark the herald angels sing, glory to these 12 underrated actors!"