Who are you 3 favorite sitcom characters?

Cafe Society
1

Please limit your list to three, ranked in order. Defend your choices.

For me:

  1. Archie Bunker - All in the Family. Even if you set aside the groundbreaking nature of this character, no one else can convey so much with just a glance or a well-placed wince.

  2. Arthur Dietrich - Barney Miller. A good part of my own personality has evolved (unconsciously) based on Dee-Dee.

  3. Barney Fife - The Andy Griffith Show. Even with the awards and accolades he has received over the years, I still believe Don Knotts is very underrated as a comedic actor.
    This may become a poll down the road.
    mmm

2

I’d probably go with George Costanza (Seinfeld), Dr. Perry Cox (Scrubs) and Artie (Larry’s producer on The Larry Sander Show.)

puts on a hat and fake moustache

As a totally different person, my top three is Red Forman (That 70s Show), Jimmy James (NewsRadio) and Jack Donaghy (30 Rock.)
In all cases, my choices are based on which characters I most looked forward to seeing and rarely (if ever) disappointed.
EDIT: For a refresher if you can’t think of sitcoms off the top of your head, here’s a list of 50 good ones.

3

In no particular order:

Dr Johnny Fever - great person to party with and a nice guy.

Willie Gilligan - I already speak Gilligan speak. We’d drive everyone crazy but I can’t think of a sitcom character I’d feel more comfortable hanging with.

Reverand Jim Ignatowski - I already have someone to party with but Christopher LLoyd, come on.

I guess I like quirky, well meaning oddballs.

4

I mostly came in to mention Arthur Dietrich.

When I saw Rip Torn (Artie) mentioned I had #2.

As for #3, let’s double up on the Larry Sander’s Show with Hank Kingsley.

(Honorable mentions: Eddie Haskell, Phoebe, Darlene and Dan from Roseanne, Kramer, Woody from Cheers, a bunch more.)

5

Cosmo Kramer

Frasier Crane

Barney Fife

6

I’m a combination of Arthur Dietrich, Frasier Crane, and Sheldon Cooper.

7

Hmm, that’s a toughie.

Frasier Crane, Frasier - By turns foolish and wise, pompous and meek, hard-nosed and soft-hearted, manic and deadly calm.

George Costanza, Seinfeld - Could always be depended upon to do the wrong thing in the funniest way.

Chandler Bing, Friends - Witty, insecure and smart; almost unfailingly funny.

Brilliant performances, each in their own way. Of course, my answers may be different next week… or this afternoon.

8

Dick Van Dyke, Lucille Ball, Barbara Eden.

9

Gracie Allen, worth getting up at 4 in the morning to watch an old TV channels

Cosmo Kramer, am I the only one who wants to see what his apartment looks like

Barney from How I Met Your Mother, the only actor in the show who made it worth watching Plus I love NPH

10

We do see it now and then - in the Kenny Rogers Roasters episode, for instance.

11

Tough call. I’ll start with Al Bundy while I think of the other two.

12
  1. Arthur Dietrich - Barney Miller
  2. Dr. Michael Stratford - Doctor Doctor
  3. Harry Stone - Night Court
13
  1. GOB
  2. George Costanza
  3. Sam Malone
14
  1. (Lord) Flashheart, from Blackadder.
  2. Dave Lister, from Red Dwarf.
  3. Basil Fawlty, of Fawlty Towers.
15

  1. Cosmo Kramer

  2. Ida Morgenstern

  3. Niles Crane

16
  1. Niles Crane, Frasier - I loved his whole prissy schtick, and his chemistry with Frasier.
  2. Uncle Arthur, Bewitched - he made me laugh every time he a guest star.
  3. Doogie Howser - I thought NPH did a great job walking the thin line between genius and teenager.
    Damn, it’s hard not to include a whole list of honorable mentions, but I do have to mention Fr. Dougal McGuire from Father Ted. He’d be #4.
17
  1. Bull Shannon, Night Court
  2. Charles Winchester, MAS*H
  3. Ed Norton, the Honeymooners
18

  1. Nostradamus “Bull” Shannon. Why Nostradamus? That was his mother’s favorite hunchback. :slight_smile:

  2. Nigel Wick (Craig Ferguson) - The Drew Carey Show.

  3. Hayden Fox (Craig T. Nelson) - Coach.

19

Tied for first place - Bill McNeal from News Radio

20

  1. Mr. Haney on “Green Acres”.

  2. George Costanza on “Seinfeld”

  3. Matthew Brock on “NewsRadio”. (Make no mistake - I can’t stand Andy Dick, I think he is a total asshole. But damn could he pull off acting like the quintessential spaz. I find myself laughing in spite of myself!)