I figured since theres one for irritating ones, why not make a favorites? i excluded cooper, at least on my list, because he is obviously a favorite.  i realize hes not for everyone but im sure 95% would cite him as favorite.

1. Major Briggs

2. Deputy Hawk

3. Albert Rosenfield

4. Ben Horne

5. Shelly Johnson

I really wish Hawk and Briggs had more time onscreen, they were both such excellent characters (and perfectly acted) IMO. 

I like most of the characters, but some stand out.

The Log Lady - she's great.

Gordon Cole - his lines are amazing, especially YOU ARE WITNESSING A FRONT THREE QUARTER VIEW OF TWO ADULTS SHARING A TENDER MOMENT!

Mike/Philip Gerard - he has great comic timing, my favourite is when he repeats "a house... mad of wood!" early in episode 14. Hilarous, and what a voice! Also, the "he is BOB, eager for fun" bit.

Old Roomservice waiter - I love that guy. He's hilarious. And a great actor too - I love the way he says "I'm so sorry".

Laura Palmer - this is self-explanatory. I refer to FWWM for proof.

"What credit card do you want to put that on?"
"Caash, prease."

& I am gonna say beside Harry as well, since they are the two leading actors...

1. Audrey Horne

2. Ben (&Jerry) Horne

3. Albert Rosenfield

4. Pete Martell

5. Deputy Hawk 

"Every day holds a new beginning and every hour holds the promise of an Invitation to Love." 

1.Laura Palmer

2.BOB

3.Cooper

4.Maddy

5.Harry 

Beware of BOB

When I call out no one can hear me,when I whisper he thinks the message is for him only..my little voice inside my throat,I always think there must be something that I've done or something I can do...But no one no one comes to help,he says,a little girl like you...

1)  Gordon Cole

2)  Major Garland Briggs

3)  Agent Dennis/Denise Bryson

4)  Albert Rosenfield 

5)  Big Ed Hurley 

My theory by A. Elk, brackets, Miss, brackets. This theory goes as follows and begins now. All brontosauruses are thin at one end, much much thicker in the middle, and then thin again at the far end. That is my theory, it is mine, and it belongs to me, and I own it, and what it is, too.

Ange's Odyssey

1. Carl Rodd (delivers superb lines:  "Its just more shit I have to do!"  "Good morning America!" etc)

2. Hawk (seems like since he and Coop had knowledge of the spirit world in common that their relationship could have developed)

3. Briggs (ditto)

4.Albert

5.Harry

Bonus. Bobby (he plays a teenager so well--he's got the posture, glares and sneers down pat.)

1. Leland

2. Ben

3. Pete

4. Gordon

5. Jack 

1. Agent Gordon Cole

2. Jerry Horne

3. Ronette Pulaski  (wished she was in the series more also in tp/ fwwm film)

4. Lucy Moran

5. Norma Jennings

Number one is definitely Pete Martell.  Such a good soul, but with a thread of sneering indignance running through him.  Jack Nance's portrayal of Pete's feelings for Catherine and Josie is, I think, the most emotionally palpable characterization in the whole series.  I love every moment the guy spends onscreen.  And now that I've seen I Don't Know Jack, I'm totally fascinated by the fact that Lynch cast him and his ex-wife in the same series, and gave his on-screen wife the same name as his ex.

The rest, in no particular order:

Bobby Briggs.  I was iffy about him at first... I thought the "AFRAAAAID?!  I'M GONNA TURN IT UP! SIDE! DOWN!" was a little overdone.  But then I remembered: this guy's a teenager!  Melodrama is prerequisite.  All the stuff with Laura and Shelly is particularly good... we all remember what it was to be 17 and dealing with emotions that were way over our heads.  Only thing I don't like about the character was the killing of the deputy in FWWM... it just didn't seem to match up with the naive kid we saw in the series.

Ben Horne.  I'm sure a lot of folks think all his 2nd season subplots were kind of goofy... but I actually really enjoy most everything this character does in the series.  He's a terrific villain, infinitely more interesting than Windham Earle.  And he's hilarious.  The whole scene with Jerry and the cheese sandwich -- "Always... a pleasure" -- kills me every time.

Big Ed Hurley.  Maybe the most loveable character in the whole series.  He's really just a man trying to do what's right, but mostly gets it all wrong.  Really heartbreaking the way things go for him.

Lucy Moran.  If I have to explain this choice to you, then you'll just never understand it. 

Nice legs too!

I really can't consider who would be my favorite characters. Now, if we were talking least favorite - I could come up with a list. 

1. Laura

2. The Log Lady

3. Audrey

4. Lucy

5. Pete

And the next five are Dr Jacoby, Catherine, Leland, Sarah and Maddy.   

Ok...no Coop...no Harry...hmmmmmm...

5. Doc Hayward

4. Albert Rosenfield

3. Gordon Cole

2. The Log Lady

1. Pete Martell

1. Leland
2. Laura
3. Ben
4. Audrey
5. Pete

There's something fascinating about Maddy, this girl who wants her own sense of self but who in the end may just be a substitute or not even real at all.  The Twin plot device is a cliche that turns up in soaps all the time, but I thought that her introduction was very clever and they way she takes on Laura's affect for the benefit of the dead girl's family and friends is well-played.  Until her death, I wasn't certain if she really was Laura in disguise, her actual cousin, or even a ghost/manifestation of Laura's unfinished business. 

Got up early, found something's missing/ My only name/ No one else sees but I got stuck/ And soon forever came

1- Laura Palmer

2- Maddy Ferguson

3-Agent Sam Stanley (Are FWWM characters allowed?)

4-Leland Palmer

5-Audrey Horne (before she starts working serious with her father and that whole John Justice Wheeler thing)

"Coop's obviously a favorite"? Not on my list...

"You know, Agent Desmond, I figure this whole office, furniture included, is worth 27,000 dollars"

"What credit card do you want to put that on?"
"Caash, prease."

Beware of BOB

When I call out no one can hear me,when I whisper he thinks the message is for him only..my little voice inside my throat,I always think there must be something that I've done or something I can do...But no one no one comes to help,he says,a little girl like you...

1. Leo Johnson

2. Albert Rosenfield

3. Pete Martell

4. Shelley Johnson

5. Harold Smith

But Audrey Horne, Ben Horne, TMFAP, Bobby Briggs, Catherine Martell & Jean Renault could all have made the list as well.

I would definitely have liked to have seen more of Ronette Pulaski & Johnny Horne, two potentially great characters who were just allowed to disappear as the show progressed.

1. Albert Rosenfield

2. Benjamin Horne

3. Major Garland Briggs

4. Harold Smith

5. Donna Hayward

lucy

pete

audrey

bobby

shelley

it's pileated, isn't it?