100 Best Comedy Characters Currently On Television (80-71)

The third part of the countdown as we run down characters 80-71.

80. Frank Rossitano (30 Rock)

One of the writers of TGS with Tracy Jordan, Frank is possibly the most disgusting staff member on 30 Rock, which is not an easy title to ascertain.  A running gag on the show involves Frank wearing trucker hats that feature different ironic catchphrases.  Frank is the leader of the Pranksmen, and along with Toofer and Lutz, he is generally good for causing trouble for Liz Lemon and the show as a whole.

79. Nelson Muntz (The Simpsons)

Nelson is one of a handful of bullies present on The Simpsons, but his iconic laugh (HA HA!) and the occasional glimpses of his softer side have made him one of Springfield’s best characters.  Seen as both friend and foe to many of the children of Springfield Elementary, he is good for poking fun at most of the characters and for also giving unexpected, thoughtful insight.  Nelson, like many of his Simpsons co-stars, often makes the most of his little screen time and stands out in an extremely large cast of characters.

78. Pete Hornberger (30 Rock)

A producer of TGS with Tracy Jordan, Pete Hornberger is the embodiment of disappointment.  He is constantly talking about his terrible home life, and his professional life also gives him little to no joy.  Pete is regularly treated as a doormat, which leads him to be on the lookout for petty revenge against many of his co-workers. Another character that makes much out of nothing, Pete is always good for a laugh (If you need proof, watch him try to demonstrate the opening of floodgates to Liz Lemon).

77. Pam Halpert (The Office)

Pam used to be the receptionist at Dunder Mifflin, but now she is in sales, along with her husband, Jim.  Some may be wondering why Pam is so low, but in my opinion, once she and Jim got married and had kids, the writing has not been as strong for her as other cast members or other characters on television.  I’m a big fan of her and Jim being together, but once the suspense of that relationship was gone, the writing hasn’t really known what to do with them.  I hope that she, along with some other characters that have appeared so far, get better material to perform, because this character has shown flashes of greatness.

76. Kenny McCormick (South Park)

Even if you’ve never seen the show, you know the line: OH MY GOD! THEY KILLED KENNY!  While Kenny’s deaths have gotten fewer in the later seasons of the show, he has still played a pivotal role on the show, and has helped provide another great character to the show in Mysterion. Kenny’s muffled speech is a great running joke on the show, and has provided some great loopholes for Trey Parker and Matt Stone to get more profanity in the show.

75. Krusty the Clown (The Simpsons)

Krusty is a swindling, cheap, has-been clown, but since there is always some degree of sadness behind any clown, The Simpsons mine that misery into comedy gold pretty much every time Krusty makes an appearance.  Krusty has given the show some of its best moments, and his sidekicks (Sideshow Bob and Sideshow Mel) would not have been parts of the show if not for Krusty.  An entrepreneur, his Krusty Burger restaurants have also provided the show with some memorable plots.

74. Chris Traeger (Parks and Recreation)

Chris Traeger is literally…one of the best characters on Parks and Rec.  A health nut, Chris is Pawnee’s city manager.  Ever the optimist, Chris loves everyone that he encounters.  However, due to the fact that the writing generally gives meatier story lines to the other members of the Parks department, Chris is often relegated to the sidelines during episodes.  Due to the high energy of the character, though, nearly everything he says is hilarious.

73. Milhouse van Houten (The Simpsons)

Bart Simpson’s sidekick and scapegoat, Milhouse is one of the most pathetic characters in Springfield which is a difficult title to claim.  A constant source of ridicule from friends and enemies alike, Milhouse provides The Simpsons with one of the biggest nerds on television in the past 20 years. Milhouse is a great right hand man, and even though Bart constantly mistreats him, he is loyal even when he shouldn’t be.  Perhaps it’s his love for Lisa that propels him to stay by Bart through his wilder schemes.

72. Dave Rose (Happy Endings)

Dave helped propel the show Happy Endings forward, because in the pilot episode, he is left at the alter by his fiancee Alex.  Dave thinks he is far more suave and cool than he actually is, but that overconfidence has led to some big laughs on the show.  His food truck, Steak Me Home Tonight, has also been the source of some great episodes in the brief history of Happy Endings.  Maybe once the show reaches a few more seasons, he could work higher up the list.

71. Bob Belcher (Bob’s Burgers)

The owner of the titular Bob’s Burgers, Bob is the glue of his wacky family.  While that is an important role to play, the fact that he is constantly surrounded by bizarre characters makes him seem a little dull by comparison.  Of course, when voiced by the underrated H. Jon Benjamin, being dull is not an option.  Bob has great asides, and the word play on Bob’s Burgers is balanced well with the crazier aspects of the show thanks to Bob walking the tightrope.

Tune in tomorrow for numbers 70-61

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