And then there are the ‘beta males’. You can easily find this species of men in everyday surroundings. They are the real good guys. They avoid confrontation, are generally smart and aren’t afraid to express their feelings. 

1.  Chandler Bing (FRIENDS)

Chandler is the prototype ‘beta male’. He is unsure of himself, regularly cock blocks himself, has no male role models and plays second fiddle to most characters, cries a lot and hides behind humour.

These are qualities most people have and he just makes it more evident. Apart from this, he is in touch with his emotions and really cares about his friends.

2. Marshall Eriksen (How I Met Your Mother)

Marshall was a giant from Minnesota. He grew up with two brothers who were bigger than him. His mother was taller than most men in New York City. And yet there he was, like Yogi Bear. He was in touch with his emotions.

He cared for the people around him. Sure, his ego would often get hurt but he wouldn’t start fights over them even though he knew he could win. He loved them all and wasn’t too masculine to not be able to express himself. 

3. Phil Dunphy (Modern Family)

Phil Dunphy is ultimate “beta male”. Hell, this dude was a cheerleader. He is a successful businessman who fucks up quite regularly. 

He is so useless around the house that his father-in-law (alpha male of the family) is often disappointed with his daughter’s choice of a husband. 

But even he knows that Phil is a great guy who is not afraid to be feminine and embraces his inner weirdness.  

4. Castiel (Supernatural)

Castiel is a unique case because theoretically being an angel makes you stronger than most. But in a show of alpha males like Dean Winchester, Cain, Lucifer, Michael and even Gabriel; Castiel plays the second fiddle on most days. He is kind, curious, doubtful and tries to be empathetic despite the inability to feel emotions. 

5. Ben Wyatt (Parks & Recreation)

Let’s be honest. Ben is no Ron Swanson. And that is his greatest quality. Make no mistake, as a character Ron Swanson is the epitome of ‘manhood’. But Ben is the sweet guy next door, who makes you laugh, greets you in the corridor, makes sure you’re okay and tries his level best to get shit done and he doesn’t even want to be on the front page. 

6. Eric Foreman (That ’70s Show)

Look, I know that we all love Hyde more than anyone. But he isn’t the alpha male of the show. It’s Red Foreman. Red’s machismo was of a level that was toxic. But Eric was different. 

He was funny and cute and loyal and was in no way affected by the toxic masculinity around him. And this was Wisconsin of the 1970s. He cried when he wanted to and he wasn’t intimidated by his fiance being more successful than him. 

7. Leonard Hofstadter (The Big Bang Theory)

I get it. This is a show with 4 nerds. So technically none of them is an alpha male in the outside world. But when it came to the group, Sheldon definitely took the crown. Leonard was the nicest guy around. 

He wasn’t creepy like Howard or weird like Raj and he didn’t boss people around like Sheldon. Yet he was always there for all of them. He supported them throughout and helped them despite having 30 years of deep-seated mommy issues. 

8. Jim Harper (The Newsroom)

Jim was literally the nicest guy in the entire newsroom. He genuinely cared for people and even though his experience as a war journalist made sure that he had seen his fair share of violence, he never let it define him. 

He never shouted at anyone. He literally dated Lisa for months after she mistakenly hugged him thinking that he was there for her when in reality he just wanted to tell Maggie how he felt!

9. Mike Ross (Suits)

Mike would be an alpha in any other scenario, but with both Harvey and Jessica dictating the terms, Mike could be seen as the quintessential second fiddle of the show. He does as he is told. 

Although in Mike’s case, he stands up to the alpha, he constantly questions them and through relentless badgering, gets things done his way a lot of times.

10. Barry Allen (The Flash)

Technically, Barry is the protagonist of the show. But when the arowverse is concerned, there is just one alpha and his name is Oliver Queen. Mr. Allen, however, unlike Mr. Queen is a big softie and funnier, and let’s just say mentally more stable. 

The fact that he is the Flash and has the power to change everybody’s lives doesn’t get to his head and he is always prepared to take a backseat if it’s not his area of expertise. 

11. Franklin “Foggy” Nelson (Daredevil)

Haah! Everybody’s favourite lawyer is here. Fans of Suits, we are sorry. But Foggy Nelson deals with some real shit in his life. A city full of criminals and a blind best friend who spends his nights beating them up is Foggy’s everyday routine. 

But let’s be honest, Daredevil may be a badass but he wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for Foggy saving his sorry ass every season. 

12. Samuel Tarly (Game of Thrones)

In a show where men are either warriors or useless (unless you’re Tyrion), Samwell Tarly is a breath of fresh air. He is kind, sweet and makes up for his physical inability to wield a sword with extraordinary intelligence. 

He is loyal, doesn’t discriminate and hell, he was the first person in a thousand years to kill a white walker. 

13. Winston Bishop (New Girl)

This is a guy who has played pro-baskeball and still thinks both Santa Claus and Werewolves are real. He gets weirdly high after drinking fruity mixed drinks. But here’s the thing. He is nice guy who cares for his friends deeply and most importantly, he has a cat for a best friend.

So people, enough with the alphas. We have been populating this planet for years and we are as good as they are if not better. So beat it.