Josh Charles is a good example of how one artist can affect the entertainment field using a variety of media across a wide period of time while following a consistent creative process.
His acting, be it in a courtroom thriller, a medical drama, or his key role as a heart surgeon, is always along and never against the plot. Below is a list of five works that best capture the career of Josh Charles.
5 Josh Charles movies and TV shows that deserve a spot on your watchlist
1. Sports Night (1998–2000) - TV Show
Role: Dan Rydell
Sports Night was among Josh Charles' earlier major roles on TV. The show, which aired from 1998 to 2000 on the American Broadcasting Company, was created by A Few Good Men, Carlito's Way, and Money Train screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, and shadowed the activities that go on behind the scenes of a sports news show on cable.
The show starred Josh Charles as Dan Rydell, a confident news anchor who is facing professional stress, as well as some personal problems. The internal conflict of the character Rydell is sometimes conveyed to the viewer very subtly, yet it does create a passion in his interactions with the other characters.
Charles conveyed the nuances of dialogue very aptly and tended towards the Sorkin pattern. Although the show only lasted for a couple of years, it still regularly appears as a very important television moment in the 1990s and, thus, a very prominent factor in shaping his career.
2. The Good Wife (2009–2016) – TV Show

Role: Will Gardner
To the actor, Josh Charles, his biggest source of recognition is the character that he has portrayed in the series The Good Wife, that is, Will Gardner. The legal and political drama showing various storylines lasted for seven seasons. It aired on the CBS Network. Will Gardner was the character that Josh Charles took on.
It showed Chicago's prestigious law firm in which Will Gardner was a senior partner in the firm. He is such a critical character that one cannot conceive of the series without his existence. Charles gives the character so much life that it is hard to visualize someone else doing the part.
His acting has exposed the prominent character traits of the person, like being ambitious, loyal, and complex, making the character a major contributor to the total story arc of the series. Most of the time, he is regarded as a supporting character whose life experiences are a reflection of the main character's ups and downs.
3. We Own This City (2022) – TV Show
Role: Steve Mroz
We Own This City is a crime drama series that aired in 2022. This series is based on actual events that occurred in the Baltimore Police Department. Josh Charles played the role of Steve Mroz, an attorney fighting legal and moral issues that are connected with corruption in the police department of the said city.
The series combines procedural elements with actual events that take place, and his acting adds complexity to the dialogue surrounding law-related issues explored throughout. His character’s normal juxtaposition between law, responsibility, and a personal code of ethics becomes a sensible point of view within the scope of the overarching plot.
4. Dead Poets Society (1989) – Movie
Role: Knox Overstreet
Dead Poets Society is the second film of Josh Charles, who took on the role of the conservative boarding school student. This film showcases the struggles the characters face in their individuality, self-expression, and teaching that have long-lasting effects.
The character Charles portrayed was Knox Overstreet, a young male who possesses a degree of romantic idealism and a desire for individual expansion, which corresponds with the aforementioned themes. Nevertheless, Knox Overstreet remains among the most memorable members within the overall cast.
The film remains a benchmark of a progressing youth film and remains a classic work to this day. It launched the career of Josh Charles as well and remains one of his most iconic films to date.
5. Threesome (1994) – Movie

Role: Eddie
Threesome is an indie movie released back in 1994, and it deals with the themes of friendship and attraction as well as the emotional complexities associated with these relationships among college youth. It’s Eddie, played by Josh Charles, who has to handle the complexities associated with the relationships between the group of friends.
The relationships between the characters and the events and plots, as seen in the Threesome movie, are the type of roles that Josh Charles liked when his career started.
Though Threesome was no major box-office draw, it still remains a sign of his involvement in the niche conversation films, which gave room for his acting prowess to be experienced in various dimensions. This list of five cinematic productions of Josh Charles showcases an unmistakable and clear image of the acting career of this talented actor.
If viewers are searching for natural acting and narration relying on dialogue, this selection provides a trustworthy reference point for re-watching or discovering the work of Josh Charles.