Kevin Spacey’s Frank Underwood, Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Selina Meyer, more top TV presidents, ranked

Hail to the TV chiefs.

There have been many fictional U.S. presidents on TV over the years. From the plausible to implausible, from psycho to comic, congenial to evil, they have run the gamut. A few almost seemed electable, others indictable. One or two captured the best qualities of a real president. One or two others captured the essence of Genghis Khan.

So how to choose? My criteria for this list is simple, also highly subjective. If they were memorable, or a first or just flat-out splendid, they deserve a place on this honor roll. Observant readers will also note the occasional contradiction, too. Some of these faux-chiefs were hardly memorable at all, their forgotten shows consigned to prime-time ignominy. But in their brief lives they accomplished something besides immortality a reminder that even legendary actors playing presidents can make a wrong turn on their way to the fictional White House.