# The Greatest Character in Sitcom History **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 7, 2009, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821 "2009-02-07T18:41:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/61 "2009-02-08T18:22:13Z")
Dr. Perry Cox. He’s complex…he tries to cover up his self-loathing with sarcasm and wit. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/62 "2009-02-08T19:54:49Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > Al Bundy for playing the completely beat down, middle aged man who still clings to his one moment of glory. A touchdown he scored for Polk High. > > (HA HA!) Four touchdowns. In one game. George Costanza. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/63 "2009-02-08T19:55:28Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > I am glad that this thread moved so quickly from the “My favourite character in a current show I like” to an actual contemplation of Great Characters. > > Like in about one post. This is a rather extraordinary complaint. is it your contention taht only through the lens of history can we possibly discern Great Characters? Or that no reasonable critic could believe that Rainn Wilson’s Dwight Shrute could be Great, no matter how many years go by? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/64 "2009-02-08T20:09:41Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Or that no reasonable critic could believe that Rainn Wilson’s Dwight Shrute could be Great, no matter how many years go by? I’m gonna back this one, if for no other reason than I find The Office to be boring and badly-acted, on all counts. YMMV, of course. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/65 "2009-02-08T22:11:04Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > This is a rather extraordinary complaint. > > is it your contention taht only through the lens of history can we possibly discern Great Characters? Or that no reasonable critic could believe that Rainn Wilson’s Dwight Shrute could be Great, no matter how many years go by? As a far greater man than I once said, “These kids today have the historical perspective of a ground squirrel.” Perspective is needed to define “greatness.” And, I am not a “reasonable critic” by any definition. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/66 "2009-02-09T01:10:50Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > As a far greater man than I once said, “These kids today have the historical perspective of a ground squirrel.” > > Perspective is needed to define “greatness.” And, I am not a “reasonable critic” by any definition. Well, there’s some truth to the contention that Archie Bunker has aged well, when many of his contemporaries are forgotten. No one’s nominated Maude or George Jefferson to the list, after all. But it’s not particularly obvious to me that if we’d had a way to ask this question in the 70s the nominations for Beatrice Arthur or Sherm Hemsley would have been pouring in, either. The Office has run for five seasons. I grant that history may render a more unfavorable verdict. But you know… history has its blind spots. I think everyone pipes up “Archie Bunker” because they remember Archie at home, trading barbs with Rob Meathead Reiner and shooting irritated glares at Edith Dingbat Bunker. Few would elevate Archie based on his interaction with Danielle Brisbois. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/67 "2009-02-09T01:17:54Z")
Someone please use this thread as the basis of a “Sitcom Character Madness” thread so we can solve this once and for all. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/68 "2009-02-09T02:24:12Z")
Not the greatest, but my favorites: **The Larry Sander Show** : -Larry Sanders -Hank Kingsley -Arthur/Arty **The Office** : -Dwight Schrute -Creed Bratton -David Brent, (UK version) **South Park** : -Eric Cartman -Chef -Leopold “Butters” Stotch -Timmy **Frasier** : -Niles Crane -Martin Crane **Seinfeld** : -Cosmo Kramer -Elaine Benes **Leave It to Beaver** : (I very much dislike this show, but…) -Edward ‘Eddie’ Haskell EDIT: Goddamnit, didn’t read the thread and hoped I was the first to think of Eddie Haskell. ---
**Author:** ![Iggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Iggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggins)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/69 "2009-02-09T03:36:11Z")
Charlie, from _It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia_. Only sort of kidding! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/70 "2009-02-09T05:22:30Z")
We mention Ralph Cramden but not Ed Norton? The Honeymooners is (I think) one of only three shows mentioned in this thread with two nominations. Reading from instructions for golf: “Address the ball.” Looks down. “Hello, ball.” Oh my gosh, yes yes yes. Sir Humphrey has to be mentioned also. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/71 "2009-02-09T15:43:48Z")
Top Ten, in order: DePalma Bilko Bunker Flagg Schrute Arthur (Rip Torn) Lt. Colonel Henry Blake Ted (Mary Tyler Moore Show) Maxwell Smart Fife ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/72 "2009-02-09T15:57:32Z")
Del Boy Trotter Hancock Basil Fawlty Blackadder Baldrick In no particular order ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/73 "2009-02-09T18:17:32Z")
> [@Cluricaun](#): > > Dan Conner from Roseanne makes the list for me, I empathized with that guy a great deal. John Goodman is a far better actor than the roles he’s been offered (with exception to Walter Sobchak). I thought he was quite good as Charlie in _Barton Fink_, as well. Basil Fawlty has to get props for being a great character, especially considering that only a dozen episodes were ever made of the show. Most of these other characters had a lot more opportunities to define themselves. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/74 "2009-02-09T18:43:12Z")
Objectively, I think the answer is Archie Bunker, but I personally I hated his character and disliked his show. It always puzzled me why anyone would willingly tune in to watch the antics of such a jerk, there being no shortage of such jerks in the real world to observe and interact with. Other great characters I don’t think have been mentioned yet (with apologies if they have been): Col. Wilhelm Klink Oliver Wendell Douglas Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzerelli ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/75 "2009-02-09T18:54:40Z")
Yep, I think objectively the answer is Archie Bunker, but certainkly from a subjective point of view the one that probably sticks out for me is Hawkeye Pierce. ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/76 "2009-02-09T19:07:34Z")
I’ll 50th O’Conner (Archie Bunker)…there is him…then everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/77 "2009-02-09T22:26:54Z")
> [@BlinkingDuck](#): > > I’ll 50th O’Conner (Archie Bunker)…there is him…then everyone else. Another vote for “thought of Archie Bunker upon seeing thread title”. Barney Fife must be up there as well. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/78 "2009-02-09T22:56:00Z")
Al Bundy George Costanza Homer Simpson ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/79 "2009-02-09T23:20:53Z")
Eddie Haskell, Mr. Carlin, and Mr. Burns are three. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/80 "2009-02-09T23:25:53Z")
I vote for Ralph Kramden- in part, because so many other memorable sitcom characters (including Archie Bunker) are inconceivable without him. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821.md?page=5)