By Rachel Zupek Farrell, Special to CareerBuilder

The new fall season means cooler weather, football and new TV shows -- lots
of them.

This year's fall lineup is chock-full of promising new shows and the return
of some fan favorites. With those shows come our favorite TV characters, and
that always get us thinking about how some of them make a living.

While many TV characters are doctors, lawyers or cops, the diversity of
positions is increasing. From blood-splatter analysts and male prostitutes to
high-school football coaches and superintendents, here is a round-up of some of
the best and worst TV character jobs we've seen to date, in no particular
order.

Character: Dexter Morgan

TV show: "Dexter"

Why it's the best: Dexter, a full-time blood-splatter analyst, moonlights as
a serial killer. Sure, the job of "cold-blooded murderer" should not top the
list of best professions, so we're focusing on his blood-splatter role. While
not everyone is cut out for this type of job, no day is the same in Dexter's
line of work, and keeping things interesting always rates high on the
job-satisfaction scale.

Character: Eric Taylor

TV show: "Friday Night Lights"

Why it's the best: Everything is bigger in Texas -- especially if you have
anything to do with football. Although his pay might not be great, Coach Taylor
has celebrity status as an inspirational high-school football coach. The impact
he has on the kids he coaches, the families he meets and the community in which
he lives is admirable and something that many people look for in their
careers.

Character: Kalinda Sharma

TV show: "The Good Wife"

Why it's the best: As the in-house investigator for law firm
Lockhart/Gardner, Sharma often plays a major part in winning cases. But she
doesn't always use ethical -- or legal -- methods. Nonetheless, working for a
well-respected organization and having the responsibility of finding evidence
that can make or break a case sounds like a pretty interesting career.

Character: Any of the flight attendants

TV show: "Pan Am"

Why it's the best: This new series based on the iconic airline in the 1960s
is like "Mad Men" in the sky. The show depicts the glamorous lifestyle of flight
crews before anyone worried about the dangers of in-flight smoking, terrorist
attacks or even wearing a seatbelt. Though the flight attendants must deal with
the pressures of being an attractive, well-kept woman, the perks of the job --
traveling the world, staying in posh hotels and meeting interesting people along
the way -- seem to outweigh the downfalls.

Character: Ava

TV show: "Up All Night"

Why it's the best: This new comedy focuses on Reagan and Chris Brinkley as
they adjust to parenthood and struggle to balance life at home and work. Reagan
returns to her job as a producer on the talk show "Ava." As the host of her own
show, Ava is on the same level as Oprah Winfrey -- at least in her own mind. In
any case, any time you can be your own boss and have an entire staff of people
follow your every command, it's a cool job in our minds.

Character: Reagan Brinkley

TV show: "Up All Night"

Why it's the worst: As we mentioned, Reagan Brinkley is trying live life as a
balanced career woman who does it all. Unfortunately, her boss Ava, a vulnerable
talk-show host, makes that goal a little harder for her to achieve. Unexpected
visits from Ava at all hours of the night, coupled with long hours and
ridiculous demands, make her job as a TV producer less than glamorous.

Character: Ray Drecker

TV show: "Hung"

Why it's the worst: Teacher by day, male prostitute by night, Ray Drecker is
trying to earn some extra cash to get back on his feet after a nasty divorce.
While some men might be willing to take the good with the bad as part of the
"world's oldest profession," something tells me that the perks of such activity
do not outweigh the risks.

Character: Darren Richmond

TV show: "The Killing"

Why it's the worst: As a city councilman running for mayor of Seattle, Darren
Richmond's luck has run out. Or maybe it wasn't there to begin with. After a car
belonging to his mayoral campaign is found in a lake -- complete with a body
inside the trunk -- he immediately becomes a murder suspect. Constantly being
scrutinized under the intense public eye during a political campaign is one
thing, but couple that with being involved in a murder case -- no
thanks.

Character: Kenneth Parcell

TV show: "30 Rock"

Why it's the worst: Kenneth Parcell "lives for television," so his job
performing menial tasks as an NBC page may seem like a dream come true -- but I
don't buy it. He acts as a personal assistant to demanding TV personality Tracy
Jordan, doing ridiculous things for him such as getting nachos from Yankee
Stadium -- just because. Working up the ladder to the job of your dreams is one
thing, but always being at someone's beck and call is quite another.

Character: Will Schuster

TV show: "Glee"

Why it's the worst: As the director of the high-school glee club, Will
Schuster is likable, most definitely. We empathize with his efforts to make the
glee club cool and he's done an OK job of it. But having to deal with
condescending co-workers like Sue Sylvester and constantly defending his club
members to the school and community have to get tiring. Maybe he should stick to
teaching Spanish?

Rachel Zupek Farrell researches and writes about job search strategy,
career management, hiring trends and workplace issues for CareerBuilder. Follow
@CareerBuilder on Twitter.