Five Netflix characters we wish were real
Netflix spends day in and day out brainstorming what new projects to woo the world with. But they spend even more time developing characters that feel they are part of our lives.
Many cast the magic from the minute they appear on the screen. There are just as many who take their own sweet time to become fan-favourites. It’s impossible not to watch a Netflix project and wish at least one of those characters were real. We have done that and been there.
If you feel somewhat similarly, this is going to be a rather fun ride. While we have watched and observed characters we’d like to stay multiverses away, here are five we honestly wish would tear out of the Netflix screens and be part of our real lives.
In case you’re in the same boat as us, strap in, because this one’s going to be one fulfilling journey with characters we fell in love with and never recovered.
Five Netflix characters we wish were real:
Eric Effiong from Sex Education
It’s not easy to be different in a world that believes in the power of assimilation. But Eric Effiong from Sex Education makes it look so easy that the confidence is almost contagious. Whether it’s his gender-fluid sense of fashion or being his unapologetic self, everything that makes Eric himself is incredibly lovable. While his friendship with Otis Milburn is the centrepiece of the show, his loyalty is not just to him. He’s the ever-supportive friend we all need, who guides us towards good and points out the wrong without hesitation.
He’s a good listener who’s practically a glowing ray of sunshine in everyone’s life. He’s not short of his own struggles in terms of identity, sexuality, religion, and is even a victim of bullying. But Eric’s outlook on life just makes everything better, making many wish he were real.
Enid Sinclair from Wednesday
If there’s a girl’s girl on Netflix, it has to be Enid Sinclair. Sure, she made some questionable choices with Ajax in Wednesday‘s season two. But she ultimately became the face of sacrifice, who would go all out for her best friend, Wednesday Addams. Enid was always the light in Wednesday’s grim, dark world. Having tried her best, the Addams child couldn’t keep Enid away.
The ups and downs were even greater in the second season. But her saviour syndrome seriously has no bounds. In the first, she saved her from the deadly grasp of the mighty Hyde. Meanwhile, in the second, she risked an alpha-werewolf transformation, knowing well the risks, to save Wednesday from being buried alive by Slurp AKA Isaac Night. If this isn’t the ultimate showcase of sisterhood, perhaps nothing is.
Steve Harrington from Stranger Things
What began as a cocky start to a character arc, Steve Harrington has long redeemed himself as the official babysitter of Stranger Things. He perfectly fits the concept that people can change for the better. Despite starting out as a jerk who’d call people names, Steve has become the heart of the show. He doesn’t think twice before protecting the Hawkins kids, whether it’s by turning to nail-studded bats or just showing up every single time.
Steve may not have lucked out as a boyfriend. But he has well formed his own identity, making space for platonic friendship with Robin. While it’s hard to expect such characteristic shifts in real life, it completely makes sense that people wish he were real.
Gilbert Blythe from Anne with an E
If you’re looking for a Netflix character that’s ideal boyfriend material, Gilbert Blythe from Anne with an E takes the cake. The thing about Gilbert that probably attracts the most is that he’s not just a typical romantic hero. He embraces evolution as part of his life by stepping up to Anne in more ways than one. Despite being an academic equal and a rival, his arc is not demeaning to the other. Instead, he brings out the best by challenging her to be better.
Loyalty in the 21st century is a basic ask. We won’t even go there. But Gilbert is selfless, who doesn’t flinch at giving up his prestigious position in Avonlea for Anne. Then again, the most defining characteristic is his patience. He’s ready to learn and unlearn. And he’s a constant pillar of support who reasons with everything that comes his way. Although he respects differences of opinion, he’s not shy to voice his own. Gilbert is his own man and also someone who looks too good to be true.
Elsa Gardner from Atypical
There have been times we wished characters were real because of their superpowers and supernatural heroism. But Elsa from Atypical has none of that. However, we do wish she were real because she’s unbelievably real throughout the story. When you meet her at first, she’s so consumed by her role towards Sam, who has autism, that she comes across as the perfect mother. Her life is all about scheduling his day, attending support groups, and trying to protect Sam from a world that’s harsh and threatening.
But when Sam and Casey chase freedom, Elsa’s loss of purpose becomes imminent. The arc is surreally real because there isn’t a mother around the world who haven’t felt similarly at one point or the other. It’s right then that her flaws begin to show up. But when it comes to it, she decides to step back and let her children, especially Sam, make his own decisions. The portrayal is so grounded, it could be a blueprint for everyone who feels similarly because believe it or not, not everyone has the quality to work on their mistakes, specifically when put on a pedestal of a parent.
