100 Best Comedy Characters Currently On Television (30-21)

The next part of the countdown, featuring characters that rank from 30-21.

30. Louise Belcher (Bob’s Burgers)

Voiced by the lovably maniacal Kristen Schaal, Louise is the chaotic comedic backbone of Bob’s Burgers.  Capable of manipulating those around her to bend to her will, she is constantly frustrated with the lack of competent cronies to do her bidding.  She has a wild imagination that usually gets the best of her, but she also uses that to her advantage.  In a show that is only just begun its second season, there is plenty of room for this character to grow and become better, but Schaal’s delivery has already made her my favorite character on the show and one of my favorite characters on television.

29. Jim Halpert (The Office)

From the beginning of The Office, it was clear that Jim Halpert was probably the character that was easiest to relate to for most viewers.  In a job he doesn’t like, surrounded by bizarre co-workers, and harboring a crush on someone he couldn’t have (at least not for a while), Jim just kept trucking and found little ways through the day.  His pranks on Dwight have given the show some of its most hilarious moments, and his asides to the camera are always great for commentary on how crazy his daily  life is.  He isn’t necessarily the funniest on the show, but he is generally good for a laugh while playing the straight man to the wackiness that engulfs him and giving the show sweet moments as well.  Now that Steve Carell is gone, John Krasinski is the backbone of the show while they have tried to find a new voice without Michael Scott.

28. Luke Dunphy (Modern Family)

While many people initially found Manny to be the child star of Modern Family, for me, it was clear that Luke Dunphy was the funniest kid on the show.  A trouble-maker who is both smarter than he seems and extremely naive, Luke is one of the funniest characters on one of the funniest shows on television.  Always good for a bizarre non-sequiter, Luke makes me laugh more consistently than almost everyone on the show.  His relationship with his father, Phil, always makes for a fun pairing on the show, but he has such strong chemistry with most of the cast that any plot line gets better if he is in it.

27. Dean Craig Pelton (Community)

The head of Greendale Community College, Dean Pelton is among the most bizarre that Greendale has to offer, but he is also among the more hilarious characters on the show.  There are constant jokes about his sexuality through his penchant for cross-dressing, dalmatian fetishes, and homosexual tendencies (particularly when Jeff Winger is involved).  Jim Rash’s delivery makes the Dean such a fantastic character, as he can swing wildly between subtlety and outlandishness, all while making Dean related puns.  This year’s Oscar’s also helped Jim Rash cement a place in my heart after he mocked Angelina Jolie’s stance following his win for Best Adapted Screenplay.

26. Frank Reynolds (It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia)

A character that has become more depraved as Always Sunny has progressed, Frank Reynolds is one of the most hilarious characters to frequent Paddy’s Pub.  Once a wealthy businessman, Frank has become someone who hangs out under bridges and shares a futon with his friend (and possible son) Charlie.  Frank is an engine of chaos and he fits in so perfectly with the rest of the gang, that when you watch the early episodes before Danny Devito joined the cast, you almost feel like you are watching a different show.  His means of attaining what he wants are often perverse and bizarre, but they are always hilarious.

25. Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)

Some disclosure here: I have only watched the first five seasons of this show (so far) and have three to go, so if you feel he should be higher (or possibly lower), attribute a little bit of that opinion to that fact.  However, I have found this character to be extremely funny in the seasons that I have watched.  Playing a semi-fictional version of himself, Larry David is the co-creator of Seinfeld (in addition to being the basis for the character George Costanza that Jason Alexander so famously played) and the show just sort of chronicles his life.  Episodes are reminiscent of Seinfeld in that they will focus on obscure, minute things that aren’t really meaningful, but through the episode things backfire or take on bigger meanings than they should.  Larry is the epitome of a sad-sack, never catching any breaks, even though he is generally a well-intentioned person (I will admit, his methods are what usually cause problems).  However, he is extremely funny, and the show itself is great fun.

24. Pam Poovey (Archer)

What can you say about the breakout star of Archer that hasn’t already been said?  Pam is without a doubt one of the most absurd, bizarre, and hilarious characters on television right now.  An HR rep at ISIS, Pam is constantly pushing the boundaries of decency while being absolutely laugh out loud funny.  She smokes, drinks, parties, and fights way more than a person should be able to, in addition to having sex with pretty much anyone she comes across.  However, you can’t help but find her hilarious because that’s what she is.

23. Itchy & Scratchy (The Simpsons)

I previously mentioned Terrance and Phillip from South Park on this list, because they were the meta answer from Trey Parker and Matt Stone to the critics of the show calling it “toilet humor.”  However, The Simpsons once again did this before other shows with the creation of Itchy and Scratchy.  Itchy and Scratchy were the answer to critics who called the show overly violent.  However, violence had been in cartoons forever, and so The Simpsons answered by making a parody of cartoons like Tom & Jerry and had Itchy constantly destroy Scratchy in more increasingly violent and graphic ways.  A stroke of genius from one of the smartest television shows in my lifetime.

22. April Ludgate (Parks and Recreation)

April is a brilliantly stoic character who seems to hate all of her coworkers in the Parks Department of Pawnee, Indiana.  However, she is always great for sarcastic remarks or utter apathy towards the events surrounding her.  Her relationship with her husband Andy is one of the best things about the show, and she has such great chemistry with him along with her boss, Ron Swanson that it is easy to see why she is such a strong part of one of the best ensemble casts on television right now.

21. Andy Dwyer (Parks and Recreation)

Of course, April and Andy can’t be very far apart from one another, so here is the other half of one of my favorite television couples, Andy Dwyer.  Andy has always been one of the dumber characters on Parks & Rec but that has made him one of my favorites.  He went from being the pathetic boyfriend of Ann Perkins to being the pathetic shoeshine who was trying to win Ann back to one of the “will they, won’t they” participants with April to loving husband and Leslie Knope’s assistant.  Lead singer of the band Mouse Rat, Andy is one of the most consistently funny characters on one of the most consistently funny shows on television.

Tune in soon for characters 20-11.

Hope you liked this post, and I hope you like what else I have to say.