Sitcoms where "sidekicks" steal the show.

[jayjay]

@Sampiro

Harriet Sansom Harris (as his demonic agent) and the already mentioned Christine Baranski (as a Dr. Laura clone) both stole episodes of Frasier from the regulars and both walked away with other episodes and shows they were in, so it makes you wonder who would steal a scene they were in together in which they both play over-the-top characters, and strangely, the answer seems to be neither- they both hold their own.

Oh, my god…I was there! Or at least I saw that production, if not that particular night. “Mame” at the Kennedy Center in 2006…and the whole production was spectacular!

[ThelmaLou]

Vote #2 for Karen and Jack on Will & Grace.

[Sampiro]

@jayjay

Oh, my god…I was there! Or at least I saw that production, if not that particular night. “Mame” at the Kennedy Center in 2006…and the whole production was spectacular!

I am envious. My favorite moment of Baranski’s is her melodramatic “It… hurts… me…” moment.

I’ve tried to find the “We Need a Little Christmas” number from that cast recently. I know I’ve seen a video of it online and it was great, but apparently it wasn’t on YouTube or Google video. Unfortunately clips from the Lucille Ball movie (which ranged from lackluster to bad due to the terrible miscasting of the too old-too zany-wrong type lead {sure you can imagine Lucy fox hunting and doing Mame’s zany stuff, but can you really imagine her being friends with intellectuals and artists and horribly offended by bourgeois bigotry yet doe eyed alluring enough to catch a good ol’ boy millionaire like Rosalind Russell or Angela Lansbury? The best thing about it is they brought Bea Arthur and Jane Connell from the Broadway cast}) is the main one available.

[jayjay]

@Sampiro

I am envious.

Heh…the reason we went (aside from the combination of Baranski and Harris, which was a huge influence on the decision) was that I’d missed the Kennedy Center’s production of Wicked the year before due to being in the hospital. I insisted that supervenusfreak go without me, and he wanted to make that up to me by taking me to this one.

[fusoya]

@multimediac17

Most of them? The supporters in sitcoms are almost always more interesting than the straight-man or -woman main character. The three sidekicks in Seinfeld, for example, don’t steal the show, they are the show. Jerry is hilarious too, of course, but he often acts a lot like a representation of the audience, reacting to and wise-cracking about the antics of his friends.

Jason Alexander threatened to quit the show when they did The Pen two parter, where he didn’t even get one line. After that, they made a deal that the four primary characters must appear in every episode - that’s why they had those bizarre trip to Europe scenes with Elaine and her psychologist when the actress was away being pregnant.

I believe all 4 of them got the same acting salary too, although Jerry made a whole hell of a lot more for his behind the scenes work on the show.

[Chefguy]

Jeffrey Tambor and Rip Torn in The Larry Sanders Show stole nearly every scene they were in. A couple of superb actors. Also, David Hyde Pierce on Frasier and Christopher Lloyd on Taxi.

[Fishboy_95]

For my taste, Jerry Stiller on King of Queens. Much funnier than the rest of the characters on the show. Also, doesnt think his son Ben is a very funny person.