# Comedies with an extremely cringy and awkward major character **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [December 12, 2024, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedies-with-an-extremely-cringy-and-awkward-major-character/1011534 "2024-12-12T04:45:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedies-with-an-extremely-cringy-and-awkward-major-character/1011534/1 "2024-12-12T04:45:50Z")
Any good movies or TV shows where a main character makes you cringe in how awkward and embarrassing they are? - The increasingly poor decisions of Todd Margaret - The US version of the Office (the first few seasons at least) Any other good ones? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedies-with-an-extremely-cringy-and-awkward-major-character/1011534/2 "2024-12-12T04:57:30Z")
Ducky in _Two and a Half Men_. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedies-with-an-extremely-cringy-and-awkward-major-character/1011534/3 "2024-12-12T05:20:16Z")
Garth Marenghi. Alan Partridge. ---
**Author:** ![X.L.Lent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a5b964/32.png) [@X.L.Lent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X.L.Lent)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedies-with-an-extremely-cringy-and-awkward-major-character/1011534/4 "2024-12-12T06:34:48Z")
The guys from The Big Bang Theory especially Howard Wolowitz. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedies-with-an-extremely-cringy-and-awkward-major-character/1011534/5 "2024-12-12T06:41:48Z")
Mark Corrigan in _Peep Show_. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedies-with-an-extremely-cringy-and-awkward-major-character/1011534/6 "2024-12-12T07:24:59Z")
Moss in the IT Crowd Father Dougal McGuire - Parochial house, Craggy Island ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedies-with-an-extremely-cringy-and-awkward-major-character/1011534/7 "2024-12-12T10:16:54Z")
Nathan Barley ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedies-with-an-extremely-cringy-and-awkward-major-character/1011534/8 "2024-12-12T12:43:54Z")
Would Steve Urkel count? I found him charming. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedies-with-an-extremely-cringy-and-awkward-major-character/1011534/9 "2024-12-12T13:05:21Z")
OK, I didn’t watch the Ashton Kutcher years, but who’s Ducky? ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedies-with-an-extremely-cringy-and-awkward-major-character/1011534/10 "2024-12-12T13:35:49Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > but who’s Ducky? Charlie’s brother Alan, played by Jon “Ducky\*” Cryer. \*from _Pretty In Pink_ ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedies-with-an-extremely-cringy-and-awkward-major-character/1011534/11 "2024-12-12T13:36:34Z")
Hugh (and later, Nicola) on _The Thick of It_ ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedies-with-an-extremely-cringy-and-awkward-major-character/1011534/12 "2024-12-12T13:36:46Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > Nathan Barley I’m not sure I’d characterize him as awkward; he has terrible ideas, but he and almost everyone around him seems to think they’re great. I’d say Julian Barratt’s character is the awkward one in that show. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedies-with-an-extremely-cringy-and-awkward-major-character/1011534/13 "2024-12-12T13:39:09Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > I’d say Julian Barratt’s character is the awkward one in that show. True - his job interview scene has to be one of the most excruciating moments ever televised. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedies-with-an-extremely-cringy-and-awkward-major-character/1011534/14 "2024-12-12T14:02:15Z")
That’s basically the entire premise of _Curb Your Enthusiasm_. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedies-with-an-extremely-cringy-and-awkward-major-character/1011534/15 "2024-12-12T14:03:35Z")
Richard in Silicon Valley. God, he was practically always on the verge of throwing up due to nerves. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedies-with-an-extremely-cringy-and-awkward-major-character/1011534/16 "2024-12-12T14:17:23Z")
Ya skunked me; well done. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedies-with-an-extremely-cringy-and-awkward-major-character/1011534/17 "2024-12-12T14:41:14Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > That’s basically the entire premise of _Curb Your Enthusiasm_. And its Danish counterpart, _Klovn_. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedies-with-an-extremely-cringy-and-awkward-major-character/1011534/18 "2024-12-12T15:09:40Z")
Phil (“Tandy”) on _The Last Man on Earth_. ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedies-with-an-extremely-cringy-and-awkward-major-character/1011534/19 "2024-12-12T15:33:14Z")
I love _Letterkenny_ and _Shoresy_ immensely (I actually think _Shoresy_ is the better show), but each of them has characters that completely don’t work for me and make me cringe. On _Letterkenny_, I have no idea what Lisa Codrington is trying to do with the Gail character, with her weird-ass gesticulations and oversexed yet unfunny dialogue. Jacob Tierney (who wrote and produced and directed, so he’s entirely to blame) and his portrayal of Glen was such an over-the-top gay stereotype it yanks me right out of the show. And the McMurrays (Dan Petronijevic and Melanie Scrofano), the swinging couple, are nothing but cringe and weird. Between that and her burocratic character on _Strange New Worlds_ and _Wynonna Earp_ in general, it’s sadly turned me off Scrofano as an actress. _Shoresey_ is much better on this front, and overall has a much more natural feel to the performances, even with the intricately timed dialogue. Still, the two French-Canadian hockey anchors (Jacob Tierney, again, and Jonathan Torrens, who was hilarious as the double-entendre-spouting Mennonite on _Letterkenny_) are just bizarre and shrill, and the two hit-men with the paralyzed faces (not sure of the actors) bring all their scenes to a shuddering stop with their weirdness. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedies-with-an-extremely-cringy-and-awkward-major-character/1011534/20 "2024-12-12T15:37:09Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > > [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > > > Nathan Barley > > I’m not sure I’d characterize him as awkward; he has terrible ideas, but he and almost everyone around him seems to think they’re great. I’d say Julian Barratt’s character is the awkward one in that show. For those of us not currently occupying your head, do you care to share WTF show you’re referring to? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedies-with-an-extremely-cringy-and-awkward-major-character/1011534.md?page=2)