Bonus – Top Eleven Obsessive / Compulsive Fictional Characters

This post about On His List originally was a guest post on Ebook Escapes in 2014.

Top Eleven Obsessive/Compulsive Fictional Characters

 

It seems right to have a list about my list-loving book. While not all these characters have been diagnosed with OCD, here are my favorite characters who are a bit on the uptight side. (People with OCD are allowed to use the word “uptight” to describe ourselves—it’s in the bylaws.)

  1. Adrian Monk- There’s no way I could do a list without TV’s favorite OCD detective. For eight seasons, Tony Shalhoub obsessed his way through life and crime scenes and his catchphrase of: “You’ll thank me later” is still one I use today.
  2. Sherlock Holmes- It’s more commonly held that he has Asperger’s, but there’s no denying that every rendition of him is obsessive about the details. My favorite is the less traditional Robert Downey Jr. version of him, but I also go a bit old school and like Jeremy Brett’s take on the detective.
  3. Hercule Poirot- Last year, I went through an Agatha Christie phase and went head-to-head with the Belgium detective. He bested me over two dozen times. My favorite Agatha Christie is the Murder of Roger Ackroyd…and the devil is in the details of that one.

(And, yes, the fact that so many fictional people with OCD are detective hasn’t escaped my notice. I think I’ve missed my calling. Maybe it’s not too late…. Quick! One of you commit a crime and I’ll solve it.)

  1. Sheldon Cooper- Once again, it’s more likely he has Asperger’s, but you only have to watch one episode of The Big Bang Theory to see he’s obsessive and compulsive. My favorite quote from him is: “I’m not crazy; my mother had me tested.”
  2. Felix Unger- The odder side of the Odd Couple. There’s nothing quite as funny as watching him slowly go insane when confronted with a roommate who’s his polar opposite—especially when it’s Jack Lemmon.
  3. Rabbit from The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh- I never understood as a child why I identified with Rabbit. I really felt for him when Pooh gets stuck in his entrance and poor Rabbit has to make the best of it. I believe in the later adventures from the adult years, Rabbit is eventually diagnosed with OCD and hooks up with Kanga.
  4. Joe Friday- Dan Ackroyd’s version of the uptight cop in Dragnet is spot-on perfect in my opinion. The monotone he delivers most of his lines in is hilarious. Here’s my favorite line from the movie: “Just like every other foaming, rabid psycho in this city with a foolproof plan, you’ve forgotten you’re facing the single finest fighting force ever assembled.”
  5. Hermione Granger- Yes, I’m swiping Hermione to our side. The rest of you muggles can have Harry and the others, but you know Hermione fits most of the criteria for being obsessive and compulsive.
  6. Gregory House- He blurred the line between madness and genius in every episode of House M.D. while pursuing the unlikely and improbable until he found some obscure malady afflicting a patient. My favorite saying of his: “Truth begins in lies.”
  7. Batman/Bruce Wayne- Wait! Hear me out! Every version of the caped crusader has a vengeance origin story. His obsession with avenging wrongs draws the attention of villain after villain. With each challenge, Bruce retreats to the bat cave where he pours over input from all sources until he can outwit his current nemesis. Unlike many other comic book heroes, Batman doesn’t have super powers aiding him in his fight for justice—he has an unceasing drive to find justice—and loads of money to fund it. Not to mention all those wonderful toys.
  8. Owen Savoy- Hey! It’s my list! I’m allowed to stick my own character on here. Lists are really more Owen’s thing anyway. He has lists for everything. Luckily, he’s not wound too tight to recognize a good thing when it comes along. Remy might not fit on one of his lists…but that won’t stop him from going after her.

 

So, why is this a top eleven list instead of a top ten? Eleven is prime and odd. It’s just better. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.

Copyright © 2014 by Wendy Sparrow