Most Memorable Sitcom Characters
“He is a loathsome, offensive brute…yet I cannot look away” mused an art enthusiast as she gazed at a portrait of “The Kramer.” Kramer was the ultimate scene-stealer with a brand physical comedy that is without equal. No other man will ever enter a room with such lack of class.
“Who's gonna turn down a Junior Mint? It's chocolate, it's peppermint, it's delicious!”
With a baby-face and a raspy voice, GOB is the unmistakable black sheep of the dysfunctional Bluth family. Gob’s true inspiration is hard to pin down. Always seeking approval, but not one to exert effort unless absolutely necessary. When he’s not cruising around on his Segway with free frozen banana in hand, Gob’s usually fluffing magic ‘illusions’ or sedating family members with his ether–laced African American hand puppet, Franklin.
“I'm a failure. I can't even fake the death of a stripper.”
The Fonz was almost too cool. He gave the 1950’s a whole new life some 20 years later. Sporting a leather jacket, with at least one hoochie draped in his arms, the Fonz would command instant respect with his intimidating well-combed bouffant and menacing head-tilt. Talents included: physically abusing jukeboxes, combing his hair, riding his motorcycle and helping his nerdy friends out with advice on how to ‘go steady’. What makes Fonzie such an endearing character is hard to pinpoint, but somehow he still emanates ‘cool’ in a way that not even Justin “bringing golfing vests back” Timberlake could manage.
“Well I gotta hit somebody. You know where Potsie is?”
Moving from a pop culture poster-boy to a high culture err, canvas-gentleman, Dr. Niles Crane is the uppity, pompous psychiatrist, who happens to be the brother of Cheers’ Frasier. When Frasier became a spin-off, we were all introduced to Niles, who took Frasier’s pretentious opera-loving, wine-connoisseuring, French cuisine-devouring character to another level. However, despite the snappy retorts and vast vocabulary, Niles was still susceptible to the odd bout of uncontrollable horniness, and the occasional cockatoo stuck to his head.
“Niles gotta have it!”
The irrepressibly funny John Cleese is one of comedy’s greatest artists, and his portrayal of the manic hotel manager, Basil Fawlty is his masterpiece. Fawlty’s crisis management skills definitely need some improving, but his harried display of personified frustration is knee-weakeningly funny. From verbally abusing guests, to physically abusing his staff, Fawlty's every act was hilarious, and who can forget the 'damn good thrashing' he gave his car.?
“Hello?... Ah, yes Mr O'Reilly, well it's perfectly simple. When I asked you to build me a wall I was rather hoping that instead of just dumping the bricks in a pile you might have found time to cement them together... you know, one on top of another, in the traditional fashion,”
When Dr Cox gets on a roll, he is almost impossible to halt. With the machismo, the wit and the endless ranting, Dr Cox’s method of mentorship is rather unorthodox. Although he is armed to the hilt with bombarding tirades, he always keeps an eye out for his young colleagues.
“Oh, my God; I care so little, I almost passed out.”
Wearing heels in the army was Klinger’s specialty. Try as he might to escape the clutches of national service, with all manner of dresses, sequins and hoop skirts thrown on, Klinger was a mainstay in M.A.S.H, and always good for a laugh. Sitcom loves a cross dresser, and the hirsute Lieutenant remains one of televisions finest.
“If anything happens, bury me in the blue chiffon!”
In an age when women were expected to remain shackled to their role as housewife, the ambitious Lucy Ricardo was determined to buck the trend. However, her imaginative antics failed to get her into the big leagues of showbiz – despite her enthusiasm. “I Love Lucy” is still regarded as one of the best comedies to have ever been broadcast, and if it weren’t for Lucy continuingly putting herself into difficult situations, we might not even be privy to the genre: ‘situation–comedy.”
“I made a funny?”
Marie is the mother we all know and hate. The loving mother, the overbearing mother, the critical mother-in-law and the ‘mother knows best’ mother. While most can identify some element of their own mother in Marie, the full-blown, doting ma of Raymond Barone can be rather terrifying. Imagine knowing your mother is just across the street, with one eye detecting the slightest shift in routine, and the other picking up on the smallest flaws. Scary.
“Robbie, give your father his order of miserable bastard.”
The Office is the sort of comedy that if you worked in an office, you would find hilarious – but if you didn’t you would find strange and somewhat esoteric. Well, this rings true of the American version, but the original (and the best) horror boss resides in Slough and goes by the name of David Brent. Brent the painfully inefficient and out-of-touch manager, whose suffers the unfortunate tendency to jam his foot firmly in his mouth whenever he speaks. What made Brent so good is the fact that he is not a sitcom character, but an amalgamation of every single office manager in existence.
“I haven't got a sign on the door that says white people only. I don't care if you're black, brown or yellow - you know, Orientals make very good workers.”
A social climber who has unfortunately caught her slipper on the bottom rung. Hyacinth Bucket, pronounced ‘bouquet’, is the kind of stiff upper lip, golden years, English countryside inhabitant whose sole purpose in life is to impress all around her. Her task is made difficult by her slummy, low class family, her adventurous senile father and her long-suffering husband Richard. But she still has her good china, neat attire and knowledge of equestrian sports to keep up her appearance.
“Sit wherever you like, dear...except there. I always like to face the window.”
Flick Wit
Loving all three of the British characters. Also, I liked Niles a lot more than his brother.
Some Aussie ones I adore:
Maggie Beare in Mother and Son
Bob and Heather Jelly, Diver Dan and Kevin Findlay in SeaChange
Mickey in Police Rescue
Fun post, Chris!
Michaelie
unlucky_ fishermen.com
Angling Fish
Why was Niles funnier than Frazier?
The Florida Keys and Everglades
The Black Sheep Chronicles
What constitutes bad manners?
The male mystique
Debate Fan
Great idea for a post!
D.
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
Formula 1
The Social Centre
MAggie Bear was great - I loved the episode where she was learning to drive!
D,
Basil is probably my fav too.
Mum's Word
Love & stuff
Mrs M
TV Babble
Pop Culturist
Going down the time tunnel - how about those great cheesy characters of the 50's and 60's - Jim Nabours from Gomer Pile USMC, Fred Gwynn from The Munsters, Fred McMuray from My Three Sons, Sally Field from the Gidget Series - the list could go on and on.
Surprised Mr Ed (everyone's favourite talking horse) didn't get a guernsey though.
Cheers (err no pun intended - Ted Danson)
MNG
Formula 1
The Social Centre
never really saw the more classic characters...and Mr Ed? Maybe h could make a list of best TV animals who can speak to the astonishment to all...
As for Ted Danson, I reckon he's better as Becker...in fact Becker almost made the list.
Rucks and Rolls
Rugby World Cup 2007