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'Walking Dead' and 'Game of Thrones' standouts also among MTV News' favorite TV characters of the year.
By MTV News staff

Naya Rivera as Santana on "Glee"
Photo: FOX

From vampire/werewolf hybrids to food-hungry travel enthusiasts, MTV News' list of the 50 greatest television characters of the year has been an eclectic one, to say the least. And as we're winding down toward our final set of small-screen titans, the list is only getting weirder!

Want a military sniper-turned-gangster assassin with a half-blown-off face? We've got you covered. How about a zombie-killing hillbilly or a sword-wielding 9-year-old? That's taken care of too. From "The Walking Dead" to "Glee" and beyond, here's our next set of the year's best TV characters!

20. Walter Bishop, "Fringe"
If there's another television show featuring a mad scientist who achieves impossible feats of fringe-science lunacy while snacking on double-dipped beer-battered onion rings from Sully's in his Harvard laboratory (where the awesomely named Gene the cow lives), I'm not watching it. And frankly, I don't want to. Walter Bishop is the best man of science on TV since Jack Shephard, and I'm not just saying that because he reminds me way too much of my own weird dad. (Though, seriously, the similarities are eerie and I'm beginning to wonder whether I'm from a parallel universe. That's neither here nor there.) Walter is hilarious, heartbreaking and horrific all in one stroke, thanks to the unparalleled genius of John Noble and the "Fringe" writing staff, and the fact that Dr. Bishop isn't an Emmy-winning character is absolutely beyond me — but hey, he's solved weirder problems in the past. Give the man some time. -Josh Wigler

19. Wilfred, "Wilfred"
I am a dog person. That is a fact. I am such a dog lover, in fact, that I don't speak to them in stupid dog voices, because that is disrespectful. But assuming I did speak to my dog in a stupid dog voice, would he talk back in an Australian accent? No. Would he spend hours upon hours smoking weed? No. Nor does my dog appear to me as a 6-foot-2, 35-year-old, slightly overweight guy in a gray dog suit — no, that's all Wilfred, portrayed on the offbeat F/X series by Jason Gann. And that's exactly why he's on this list. -Brian Phares

See our Top 50 TV Characters of 2011, 50 to 41, including a masked bachelor and dashing novelist/crime-fighter.

18. Elliot Stabler, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
Have you been watching "SVU" lately and felt like something was missing? Well, that's because it is, and that something is the butt-kicking Elliot Stabler, a layered man who just wanted to serve justice and catch bad guys. When Stabler (played by Christopher Meloni) exited the "SVU" scene earlier this year, the war on sex-related crimes was really lost — for the viewers, at least. Sure, Benson has our collective backs, but it's a two-person job, and currently we are down a man. -Jocelyn Vena

17. Richard Harrow, "Boardwalk Empire"
What could be cooler than an eye patch? How about a half face mask? Richard Harrow was made to be a fan favorite. He's a sympathetic character (a disabled WWI vet) who has a badass ability (sweet sniper skills). That's classic awesomeness algebra. Richard (played by Jack Huston on the HBO series) stole the show's first season, made the jump to series regular for the second and hasn't looked back once, if you'll forgive the pun. -Kevin P. Sullivan

16. Jenna, "Awkward."
Relatable teen characters are hard to come by unless you grew up on the Upper East Side or in a certain Beverly Hills zip code. So it's always refreshing to see a high-schooler just like us — or how we once were. Jenna (Ashley Rickards) struggles with the kind of issues we're all familiar with: identity, relationships and a newfound infamy thanks to her rumored suicide attempt. (OK, maybe not so much on that last item.) Regardless, Jenna is the sort of self-conscious everyteen we can't help but root for. -Amy Wilkinson

See our Top 50 TV Characters of 2011, 40 to 31, including a "hootie hoo!"-hollering chef and funnyman talk-show host.

15. Randy Marsh, "South Park"
Everyone's favorite borderline-OCD, super-embarrassing, stereotypical I-will-punch-the-coach-in-the-face-if-he-doesn't-put-my-kid-in-the-game dad had to be included on our list, because, let's face it, every season of "South Park," we are just praying for that one, always amazing Randy Marsh episode. Crème fraiche, anyone? Best condiment ever. -Brian Phares

14. Scott Disick, "Keeping Up With the Kardashians"
The man has cheated on his girlfriend, punched mirrors in rage, stuffed hundred-dollar bills down waiters' throats and battled with alcoholism and a bad attitude for many seasons on "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" — yet he's also managed to score the second hottest of the K clan (Kourtney, if you were unsure), and audiences can't seem to get enough of Scott Disick's shenanigans. We're not even sure if he has a real job, but why does he need one? Piggybacking off your girlfriend and entertaining the heck out of the folks at home all the while seems a job in itself. Scott has become a welcome part of the Kardashian franchise, appearing in spin-offs like "Kourtney and Khloé Take Miami" and "Kourtney and Kim Take New York," and, unlike Kris Humphries, we hope he sticks around for good. -Natasha Chandel

13. Daryl Dixon, "The Walking Dead"
Zombies really do deserve to die. They're terrible. This is pretty much fact. So the world needs someone to kill them. And that someone, thankfully, is the one-and-only Daryl Dixon, played by the incredible Norman Reedus. There are few men in this world who manage to look so good while killing the living dead, and he is one of those men. He may actually be the top guy. So thank you, Daryl Dixon, for doing us all a favor and helping us live a little longer. -Jocelyn Vena

Check out our Top 50 TV Characters of 2011, 30-21, including a depressed meth cook and a football coach with a heart of gold.

12. Arya Stark, "Game of Thrones"
My love for Arya Stark — a.k.a. Cat of the Canals, Nan and No One — knows no bounds. As a devout reader of George R.R. Martin's brilliant books, it's difficult to limit my explanation of Arya's awesomeness to only the first season of HBO's award-winning TV adaptation, but this fearless, sassy, hero-in-the-making is a scene and series stealer. And she's only 9 years old! Arya (played by Maisie Williams) has enough charisma and sword-fighting skill to hopefully do some major damage in the future. Honorable mention: Needle — stick 'em with the pointy end! -Kara Warner

11. Santana, "Glee"
If any story arc has kept Gleeks from changing the channel, it's surely sassy, slam-ready Santana's struggle to accept her sexuality while taking her deserved spot at center stage in McKinley High's new glee club, the Trouble Tones. Once simply a vehicle for ridiculous one-liners, Santana (Naya Rivera) has grown to become a multifaceted character that's anything but a caricature — even if her #1 Latina, Paul Abdul, is actually Arabic. -Amy Wilkinson

MTV will reveal the best artists, songs and movies of the year. Come to MTV News each day to see more big reveals and check out more of MTV's Best of 2011 music, TV, movies and news coverage.

• Best TV Characters 2011

Internet stars Amy Heidemann and Nick Noonan say filming first major-label video is 'a little bit different.'
By Jim Cantiello

Karmin on the set of "Crash Your Party"
Photo: MTV News

LOS ANGELES — The Internet has launched dozens of stars in 2011 for the wrong reasons (see: Courtney Stodden, Rebecca Black), and then there's Karmin, a scary-talented couple whose infectious and clever covers of hip-hop songs blew up your inbox back in April.

Their reinterpretation of Chris Brown's "Look at Me Now" got them on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and, more importantly, snatched up by L.A. Reid as he took over Epic Records this summer.

On the set of Karmin's brand-new music video for debut single "Crash Your Party," longtime lovebirds Amy Heidemann and Nick Noonan were still trying to wrap their heads around their up-and-up career trajectory.

"We feel a lot different than we used to with [us] making the videos at home in the living room," Heidemann told MTV News. "We were joking about it earlier, how we used to run over to the camera and push record and run [back] and be like, 'OK, ready?' "

"And then we had to turn the air off so it was always, like, 106 degrees in there," Noonan recalled. "This is a little bit different."

"A little bit different" is putting it mildly. The set was packed with a massive crew, multiple sets, child actors and stage parents and wardrobe changes, and the air conditioning was keeping it all at a bearable temperature. No wonder Heidemann used the word "overwhelmed" to describe their feelings in the midst of a 21-hour shoot.

The just-premiered clip, directed by Syndrome, features Heidemann and Noonan rocking out on YouTube before the pair climb into a magical suitcase that transports them to strangers' kitchens, children's birthday parties, karaoke bars and, ultimately, a massive stage where they are performing for adoring fans.

"It's kind of our story, in a strange way," Heidemann said.

What do you think of Karmin's new video? Share your reviews in the comments below!

• MTV.com Exclusive: Karmin

• Karmina

Band gets creative in new clip, which features 'Precious' actress Gabourey Sidibe.
By James Montgomery

Gabourey Sidibe in Foster The People's "Don't Stop (Color on the Walls)" music video
Photo: Columbia Records

You've probably heard Foster the People's new single "Don't Stop (Color on the Walls)" in those Nissan commercials where a bunch fabulous-looking, creatively haired millennials cavort in the backseat and a voice-over guy burbles about stuff like "the most headroom per dollar of any car in America."

In a way, it is sort of the perfect song for selling modestly priced compact cars aimed at young adults with a few dollars to burn (a target demo that, given the current economic conditions, is admittedly pretty slight): bright and shiny and poppy, vaguely bloggy — if that's even a thing — impossible to place in any given genre or era, instantly disposable in all the best possible ways. You'd think there are ad agencies who spend millions of dollars researching these things or something.

Anyway, it's probably only a coincidence (at least I hope it is) that the video for "Don't Stop" — which premiered Thursday (December 8) on MTV.com — also involves a car. Though, in this case, it's an old beater of a hatchback, and instead of starring someone straight out of central casting, it inexplicably features "Precious" actress Gabourey Sidibe. Also, it's roughly 450 times more clever than those Nissan spots.

Part good old-fashioned car chase, part improbable love story, it's sort of an updated take on "Bonnie and Clyde." Frontman Mark Foster stars as a wanton driving instructor who absconds with a satchel of cash from the DMV (who knew they had that much loot on hand?) and tricks Sidibe into being his getaway driver — namely because the cops (played by bandmates Mark Pontius and Cubbie Fink) are hot on his trail. Things go about as well as you'd expect, as Gabby nearly slams into a cop car, stalls out, and then, at Foster's insistence, ignores a red light. As the two battle for control of the wheel, the car blows through intersections, runs fellow motorists off the road, slams through barricades and eventually crashes through some scaffolding, covering their car in paint and finally drawing the attention of the fuzz.

From there, the clip switches into full-on action mode, with Sidibe and Foster outrunning the law with some off-roading moves and falling in love in the process. After some vehicular back-and-forth, the duo is finally nabbed, and as Foster is cuffed, Gabby decides to makes one last break for it — but not before stopping to plant a kiss firmly on Foster's lips. Of course, we also find out that the two officers who have been in pursuit share a rather special bond of their own, and as Sidibe guns it and disappears over the horizon, the clip ends. The whole thing is sweet, silly and delightfully over-the-top, and, after repeated viewings, one can only wonder: Why didn't Nissan think of this first?

Share your reviews of the video in the comments below!

• Foster the People

Band reveals track list and announces Florida tour in support of sophomore album.
By James Montgomery

Sleigh Bells
Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/ Getty Images

Having already sufficiently fired up fans with a (thoroughly badass) teaser clip for their upcoming Reign of Terror album, Sleigh Bells are now revealing details about the disc — albeit in a slightly less radical way.

According to a press release issued by the band's publicist, Terror will hit stores February 14 (it's sure to be a bloody valentine) and features 11 tracks, with appropriately Sleigh Bells-y titles like "True Shred Guitar," "Demons" and "Road to Hell." It was produced by guitarist Derek E. Miller, and, as the press release puts it, features "songs that are as crushing and authoritative as their title suggests; they're effortlessly robust and heavier than any of the band's previous output ... the sonic equivalent of a beautiful shotgun to the head."

Now that's descriptive! The Bells will also embark on a tour leading up to the release of Terror, making stops all across Miller's home state of Florida (and nowhere else). The trek kicks off February 2 at the Florida Theatre in Gainesville, and they'll be taking fellow Floridian Diplo along for the ride, along with Brooklyn's Liturgy.

Reign of Terror is the follow-up to Sleigh Bells' breakout 2010 album Treats, which they rode to a thunderous performance at the 2011 mtvU Woodie Awards and a collaboration with none other than Beyoncé (which, sadly, has never seen the light of day).

The track list for Sleigh Bells' Reign of Terror:

» "True Shred Guitar"
» "Born to Lose"
» "Crush"
» "End of the Line"
» "Leader of the Pack"
» "Comeback Kid"
» "Demons"
» "Road to Hell"
» "You Lost Me"
» "Never Say Die"
» "D.O.A."

• Live In NYC: Sleigh Bells

• Sleigh Bells

Band entered the Guinness Book of World Records on Wednesday night at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom.
By James Montgomery

Jared Leto of 30 Seconds to Mars
Photo: MTV News

NEW YORK — For a band that, over the past three years, has been no stranger to adversity — everything from battles with their label to scraps with censors and the occasional stage collapse — 30 Seconds to Mars had probably never had to deal with the kind of trouble that occurred during the encore of their record-setting show Wednesday night in New York.

During the crashing crescendo of "Kings and Queens," a female fan was crushed against a barricade and required immediate medical assistance. "Queens" was the final song of the band's set, which was preceded by a lengthy presentation from the folks at Guinness World Records, who honored 30STM forMost Shows Played During An Album Cycle (309 was Guinness' count). Jared Leto invited fans to join them onstage for the finale. Spirits were high inside the Hammerstein Ballroom, and as "Queens" unfolded, they only got higher ... until Leto stopped the song and asked for medics to tend to the injured fan. After 20 solemn minutes, EMTs carried her away on a stretcher.

"As soon as she got oxygen, she sat up and is doing OK," 30STM's management told MTV News after the show. After getting the all-clear, 30 Seconds to Mars undauntedly finished the song and the night ended with the crowd triumphantly chanting its "woah-oh-oh" hook while streamers fell from the ceiling.

And not to downplay the severity of the situation, but it helped illustrate everything that made 30 Seconds to Mars' record-setting run with This Is War so unique. Their ability to overcome obstacles, their willingness to push on, and the otherworldly bond they share with their fans — displayed best when drummer Shannon Leto left the stage to assist the EMTs.

The band had already played more than 300 shows, and yet, they still pushed hard on Wednesday, imbuing songs like "Search and Destroy" and "Night of the Hunter" with walloping guitars, anthemic sing-along choruses and washes of spooky synths. Jared sprinted up and down the catwalk stage (not easy to do in a huge black cloak), shined a massive spotlight into the crowd to illuminate fans' faces, and even performed a few acoustic numbers mid-set. Shannon pounded his kit as sweat flew, and guitarist Tomo Milicevic crunched chords and charmed ethereal soundscapes out of his ax. It could have been show number one, not the final gig of a two-year trek.

Of course, 30STM's fans matched, if not doubled, the band's enthusiasm. There were signs in the audience touting the Detroit chapter of the Echelon, and at one point, Leto brought a fan onstage who had traveled all the way from Maryland. Every chorus was sung back to the band loudly, each massive chant repeated at top volume, and the opening chords of each new song greeted with squeals of delight. Fans reached skyward as confetti fell, and ooh-ed and aah-ed as lasers shot from the stage. This was definitely a celebration, in just about every conceivable way.

Not surprisingly, the band seemed genuinely touched and a tad nostalgic. Jared told fans that the Guinness award was theirs, too, shouting, "I want everyone in here to carry this with them for the rest of their lives," as he thrust the certificate above his head.

As if their record-setting tour didn't already tip you off to it, the rather frightening delay proved that 30STM are a band seemingly at their best when forced to push on. And on. And on.

Did you attend any stops on 30STM's record-setting tour? Share your reviews in the comments below!

• 30 Seconds To Mars: State Of The Union

• 30 Seconds To Mars