Reservation Dogs: 10 Most Likable Characters, Ranked

The FX series Reservation Dogs is one of the best new shows on television. It’s a funny, charming, and thoughtful look at the life among the community of a Native American Reservation in Oklahoma that shines a light on the type of stories not seen in many mainstream shows. But it is the characters that make the show so compelling.

There are a number of complex, unique, and colorful characters represented in the series. They can make audiences laugh, frustrate them and make them cry in various episodes. Some are easier to like than others at times, but they all help make Reservation Dogs special.

10 Jackie

Jackie is the leader of the local gang known as the NDN mafia that frequently has run-ins with the “Rez Dogs.” Jackie is the typical sitcom villain as she and her friends unnecessarily target the others to prove themselves the tougher gang.

Like most characters on the show, Jackie has more going on than it initially seems as she has her own dreams she is following. However, seeing her lead her gang in beating up Bear makes it really easy for fans to dislike her.

9 Kenny Boy

Kenny Boy is a sleazy man who runs the local scrapyard and also partakes in a variety of illegal activities on the side. He hires the Rez Dogs to carry out a number of capers in the area, including stealing a food truck filled with chips.

The fact that he hires kids to pull off crimes is enough to let audiences know he is a problematic guy. Kenny also has an annoying habit of trying to teach the Indigenous people in the community things about their own culture. However, it is also hard not to find this low-level crime boss funny.

8 Uncle Brownie

There are a lot of interesting family dynamics in the show but Uncle Brownie is certainly the most outrageous of the relatives. He is Elora’s uncle who she lost touch with years ago. He lives an isolated life and is quite eccentric to the point of being rude.

However, the more that is explored about Uncle Brownie, the easier it is to like him. He has made plenty of mistakes in his past but he is also willing to own up to them and make amends. He has a warm side that makes his gruff exterior easier to take.

7 Mose & Mekko

Though they are two different characters, Mose and Mekko are certainly a packaged deal. They are inseparable brothers living on the reservation who ride their bikes around and share some of their impressive raps with anyone who will listen.

Their upbeat and positive attitudes are very charming and it is hilarious that they seem to speak in tandem, finishing each other’s thoughts and being endlessly amused with each other. However, as the show hasn’t explored them further, it still feels like they are only surface-level characters at the moment.

6 Big

Big is one of the key members of the community as the reservation police officer. He takes his job very seriously even though he is not always great at it. But what he lacks in skills as a cop, he makes up for in the way he cares about his community.

He encourages the kids to be proud of their culture and looks out for those in the community that might need some help. Though he can be oblivious at times, it is in a lovable way.

5 Rita

Rita is first seen as Bear’s mother before her character is explored deeper with her own struggles and desires. She is a strong and intelligent person though she also can get lonely and vulnerable at times, grounding her as a very relatable person.

As a mother, Rita is a loving and supportive provider to Bear. Though she struggles with her son’s love for his neglectful father, she is also there to remind him that he is loved and his father’s absence is not his fault. She cements herself among the great television mothers.

4 Bear

Bear is seen as the protagonist of the story and an interesting one at that. His coming-of-age story is filled with the typical moments of uncertainty and mistakes that can be frustrating at times but also makes him seem like a real character.

Bear can sometimes act before thinking things through and some of his decisions cause issues with his friends. However, he is always a loyal friend who is willing to put any trouble behind him even if he doesn’t understand the situation as much as he thinks.

3 Elora

It is just as easy to consider Elora as the main character of the show. While the series focused on his journey in the beginning, Elora’s personal struggles took center stage in many of the show’s later episodes.

She is someone who has had a lot of tragedy in her life, from her mother to her best friend Daniel. She is not afraid to explore these painful moments but also wants to escape the cycle she believes to be causing them. Regardless of whether she makes the right decisions or not, she has a strength that must be admired.

2 Cheese

Cheese is not the most talkative member of the Rez Dogs and seems more content to sit back and watch things unfold. But there is a charm in his laidback persona. Despite being soft-spoken, Cheese doesn’t back down from anyone, even standing up to the rival gang by himself.

He also has a very sweet side that is shown when he bonds with a lonely older woman he meets in the doctor’s office. Cheese is always willing to offer some kindness as well as the occasional dry remark.

1 Willie Jack

Willie Jack is a tough talker and seems to have little patience for everyone she encounters. However, like Cheese, she also has a very relaxed attitude that makes it seem like nothing really gets her worked up.

She is hilarious in her blunt and bizarre view of the world, but she is also more profound than she lets on. Willie Jack shows real heartbreak over the death of Daniel but also embraces her mourning in touching ways. Her speech to the community when she decides to stay also proves she is more than just someone who can deliver witty jabs.

About The Author

Colin McCormick
(2037 Articles Published)

Colin McCormick is a Senior Writer with Screen Rant and has been a proud member of the team since 2019. In addition to his work as Screen Rant, Colin is also a writer of News, Feature and Review pieces at Game Rant. Colin has had a long passion and obsession with movies going back to the first time he saw The Lion King in theaters. Along with movies, Colin stays up-to-date on the latest must-see TV shows. While he loves to find interesting projects in any kind of genre, he has a special movie of crime stories that are infused with a little dark humor much like the work of his favorite author, Elmore Leonard.

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