A new year means new characters, whether on our favorite freshman shows or returning series.
As 2012 draws to a close, HuffPost TV is looking back at the fresh faces that made primetime that much more memorable this year -- from the rugged visage of "Arrow's" Oliver Queen to the features that earned Brienne of Tarth so much mockery during "Game of Thrones" Season 2. We praise the realistic portrayals of a midwife and a widow, salute the swashbuckling antiheroes of "Revolution" and "Once Upon a Time," and pay our respects to the memorable newcomers who left our screens too soon.
This is by no means an exhaustive list (and in some cases, it was torture trying to choose one new role from so many talented ensembles), but consider this an attempt to pay homage to some of 2012's most entertaining, honest or just plain nutty new characters, most of whom we hope will stick around for many seasons to come. (And even better, considering how many female characters we took to task last month for being inconsistently written, the list is almost evenly split between the genders.)
Best New Characters of 2012
Did your favorite new characters of 2012 make the list? Weigh in with your favorites and any glaring omissions below!