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After spending so very many hours watching a TV show, we form strong attachments - and revulsions - to certain characters. Let's rank 'em.

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Jerry Seinfeld

List of TV's most memorable characters, of all time, chosen by the Ranker community. What makes a character live on in the public's memory, even years after the original run of their respective TV programs? In some cases, it's the amount of depth that the show's writers, actors and other creators were able to bring to the character over the course of many years. For many of the greatest TV characters of all time, audiences feel like they get to know personalities like Dexter Morgan from &quot;Dexter.&quot; Even after the show leaves the air, they may not want that relationship to end. (Thankfully, they don't have to, as many shows live on for years after their cancellation on DVD and in syndication.) The best TV characters are ones that you feel like you know and that you'd want to be friends with.TV has brought many famous characters to life who have been extremely compelling, even if they are not entirely likeable. Viewers may not wish to know dangerous, shadowy figures like Tony Soprano, Vernon Schillinger, and Omar Little in reality, but following their exploits safely from the comfort of your living room can be appealing. Likewise, people who might be aloof or downright unpleasant in real life - think &quot;Mad Men's&quot; Don Draper or Al Swearengen of &quot;Deadwood&quot; - can prove charming, even admirable, when seen at a distance, with the subtext and intricacy that a top long-running TV show can provide.Who is the greatest TV character ever? This list contains the names of the greatest, most fascinating, and most enduring fictional characters from TV of all time. Be sure to vote for your favorites, and if some of your favorite popular characters aren't represented, go ahead and re-rank the list to contribute to the discussion.

Female Characters

Morticia Addams

Who are the greatest female TV characters of all time?&nbsp;This list includes some of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/greatest-tv-characters-of-all-time">greatest television characters in history</a> from dramatic shows, sitcoms, and sci-fi series to&nbsp;procedurals and cartoons!&nbsp;For as long as TV has been a medium to reflect social constructs, programs have featured <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/strong-female-characters/anncasano?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">strong women characters</a> as protagonists, partners, and foils for their male counterparts. In comedy shows, characters like Lucy Ricardo, Mary Richards, and Maude Findlay paved the way for Elaine Benes, Roseanne Conner, and Liz Lemon.Female characters dominate modern genre series, with popular women like Daenerys Targaryen, Dana Scully, Buffy Summers, and Veronica Mars achieving cult-level idolization. You'll recognize these famous names as some of the strongest, funniest, and most relatable in television history.Vote up the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-female-movie-characters/ranker-characters?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">greatest female characters</a> to move them up the list, and add please any that we're missing.

Comedy

Lucy Ricardo

The funniest <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-female-tv-characters-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">female TV characters</a> are those whom we've both laughed at and laughed with, sharing their hilarious moments and sometimes their most touching ones. These funny females are mothers, friends, wives and businesswomen -- comical television character versions of the roles women play in real life. Sometimes easy to relate to, sometimes not, funny female TV characters keep viewers returning to the TV for season after season.While most truly funny women on TV can be found in sitcoms, a few of the best and funniest women in television can be found in dramas. Ally McBeal proved that a leading woman’s role could deal with dramatic situations, yet still allow the female lead to be humorous. A few of the funniest female TV characters have also come from books adapted into television shows, as in the case of Piper Chapman -- who also plays in a drama.Some of the funniest women on TV are known for their antics; a classic example is Lucy Ricardo’s failure to pronounce “Vitameatavegamin” after becoming tipsy off the health tonic of the same name. Some of TV’s funniest women are known for their rants or musings. Remember when Elaine Benes had to decide whether men were ‘spongeworthy?' No matter why viewers find them funny, these quirky, witty female characters continue to stand the test of time and give both men and women hilarious females to enjoy on TV. Whoever your favorite funny women on TV are, chances are they’ve become characters you can watch again and again. And that’s the real test: The funniest female TV characters aren’t just funny once, they’re enjoyable and humorous with repeated viewings. They’re human, they’re engaging and these funny television females give audiences not only a laugh, but a lift -- whether they earned one season, six seasons or more.

The Governor

The best TV villains of all time rank among some of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/greatest-tv-characters-of-all-time">greatest TV characters of all time</a> as well as some of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/creepiest-characters-on-television">creepiest TV characters ever</a>. While some TV villains exist to make the lead characters appear more heroic, some of them are just plain old, nasty jerks. Regardless of their motivations, the top TV bad guys make us want to bust into the TV and kick some butt, fictional style.

Many of TV&#39;s greatest greatest villains didn&#39;t start that way; some of these men and women started out as virtuous people who took a skid into the darker ways of the world. Think of Breaking Bad&#39;s Gustavo Fring, a legitimate business man turned meth trafficking d-bag. Or Dexter Morgan who started out killing only bad guys and then went and got tangled up with killing people as a CYA offensive action. Of course, there&#39;s also people like&nbsp;Joffrey Baratheon of Game of Thrones&nbsp;and The Simpsons&#39; C. Montgomery Burns who seem to get off on tormenting people. They are the worst kind of awesome bad guys.

Who is the best <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/actors-you-forgot-played-tv-bad-guys/lina-lecaro" target="_blank">bad guy on TV</a>? What television shows have the greatest TV villains? &nbsp;This best television villains list has all the top TV villains in one place for you to vote on. If your favorite TV villain isn&#39;t on the list of the greatest TV villains, make sure to add them so other voters get to hate them as much as you do.

Phil Dunphy

Who are the funniest current TV characters on air right this very moment? This is your chance to vote up the small screen characters you truly believe are the funniest on the tube in 2019-2020. Sitcom superstars like Sofia Vergara on Modern Family and Rachel Brosnahan&nbsp;on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel&nbsp;are represented by their respective characters, the hilarious Gloria Delgado-Pritchett and Midge. <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-animated-series/ranker-tv?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Current cartoon characters</a> like Eric Cartman from South Park and Pam Poovey from Archer are also included. In fact, other animated series have given us some of the funniest characters on television right now. For instance, Bob&#39;s Burgers brought audiences Louise Belcher, while Family Guy introduced the world to Stewie Griffin.

Funny characters <a href="/crowdranked-list/best-shows-currently-on-the-air?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">currently on TV</a> span from comedic network TV characters like Detective Jake Peralta (played by comedian Andy Samberg) on FOX&#39;s Brooklyn Nine-Ninge&nbsp;to <a href="/crowdranked-list/the-very-best-of-premium-cable-original-programming?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">premium cable</a> dramas characters like Jensen Ackles&#39;s Dean Winchester on The CW&#39;s Supernatural.

Which of these current TV show characters in 2020 do you think are the funniest and most laugh out loud hilarious? Cast your votes below and be sure to add any other funny television characters, provided they are on a current show (network or streaming).

Villains

Dr. Gregory House

A detailed list of the most well-liked and loveable TV anti-heroes. The most likeable TV protagonists are listed in order from most popular to least. These ambivalent but likeable anti-heroes of TV can be changed in order of popularity to fit the viewer’s opinions. Or, you can copy to make your very own list of your most favorite TV anti-heroes. This villain list can then be re-arranged to suit your ideas. &nbsp; These ambivalent villains are a mixture of both good and evil and have managed to tug at the viewer’s heartstrings over the years. Do you remember most of these anti-heroes? This list answers the question, “Who are the most popular and likeable antiheroes of television?” Taking you on a road down memory lane, this list allows you to see which anti-heroes of TV were the worst and which were <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-movie-villains-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">the best villains</a> of TV shows. &nbsp; While some TV protagonists are pure evil, many have a touch of good in them that the viewer can easily see, making the viewer sympathetic towards these quite loveable villains of television series. The viewers can often find themselves wishing only the best results for these sometimes harmless TV villains. This list allows you to choose which television anti-hero you think is the best villain of television.

List of the best TV grumps. Male or female, these are the greatest grumpy TV characters -- television curmudgeons whose pessimistic rants and antics usually make viewers laugh. From the original great TV grumps, including Fred Sanford and Archie Bunker, to the new generation of grumpy TV characters such as <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-red-forman-quotes/movie-and-tv-quotes" target="_blank">Red Forman</a> and Sue Sylvester, they&rsquo;re all here.

&nbsp;Why is it that we love TV&rsquo;s curmudgeons? They&rsquo;re unhappy, they complain, they&rsquo;re pessimistic, and they often try to make everyone around them miserable, too. The best TV grumps remain lovable, however, because they tap into our own grumpy sides; besides, their rantings and predictions of doom and gloom often have no effect on anyone else. The other characters in a TV show know that they&rsquo;re dealing with a grouch, and carry on accordingly. In some cases, of course, the greatest grumps on TV really do make others&rsquo; lives miserable, but the curmudgeonly, grumpy character usually gets what&rsquo;s coming to him or her in the end, which makes it okay.

&nbsp;The best grumps on television are usually funny, as well. Frank Costanza generally looks like he&rsquo;s about to pop a blood vessel, but his ravings are hilarious. And underneath it all, many TV curmudgeons have a softer, warmer side. Who can blame a gentle-hearted person for putting up a mean front to protect their tender emotions? Viewers understand this about the best TV curmudgeons: They might seem mean, but they&rsquo;re often concealing a caring personality -- and if they inspire a few laughs in the process, that&rsquo;s all the better.

&nbsp;This list contains the grumps on TV that viewers have both loved and hated, laughed at or felt sorry for. Both female and male TV curmudgeons are included; after all, women can be just as crabby as men. The list also makes no age distinction -- the best TV grouches are both young and old.

Fictional Characters

Shane Walsh

Television is fun, but some TV characters are just the worst. For every beloved character on television, whether it be Mary Tyler Moore of The Mary Tyler Moore Show or everyone&#39;s favorite resident of the Seven Kingdoms, Tyrion Lannister, there is an equally and adamantly <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-deserved-tv-villain-ends/jack-rogers" target="_blank">disliked character</a> on the tube (hi, Joffrey and Cousin Oliver!!). This list ranks the worst of the worst, including all the most terrible television characters and most hated TV characters of all time.

Yes, it&#39;s true that not everyone is going to like every character on a show, just as not everyone will like every person in real life. However, you will find that there are some characters that are so universally detested by everyone that no one bats an eye when they learn they&#39;re near the top of this list of awful TV characters.&nbsp;Have you ever stopped watching a show simply because one character annoyed you so much? This is a list about those guys and gals.

The list includes some of the most vile TV characters. They aren&#39;t necessarily vile because they are bad or evil, but simply because every time they come on the screen, you wish they&#39;d just go away. &nbsp;In other words, they&#39;re not characters you &quot;love to hate,&quot; they&#39;re unpopular, disliked characters you just absolutely can&#39;t stand.

Vote up the worst TV characters in all of television history that you dislike the most, add any other bad television characters that aren&#39;t already listed here, among the worst.

There are fictional characters an audience unanimously hates. They could be awful people&nbsp;with sociopathic tendencies. They could be <a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-most-annoying-tv-and-film-characters-ever" target="_blank">annoying</a> as all get out. They could be boring drips that take&nbsp;up valuable screen time. But then something happens – something unexpected. One day, your feelings shift from loathing to lust. Did the actor have one hell of a&nbsp;glow&nbsp;up? Did the writing&nbsp;get&nbsp;better? Did a little thing called character development&nbsp;happen? Characters that unexpectedly made you swoon come out of nowhere and hit you hard.Admit it: there are hateable characters you fell for. Who could resist Steve in Stranger Things 2? Andy might have ended Parks &amp; Recreation as a beloved character, but he started out as a dirtbag ex&nbsp;mooching off his exasperated onetime girlfriend. And then there's Loki from the Thor movies. He's gone from bad to good and everywhere in between so many times that Thor: Ragnarok even makes a joke out of it.Villains who became dreamboats get you all hot and bothered when you're least expecting it. Give in to the inconvenient swooning and vote up the&nbsp;fictional characters you wound up loving.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Carla Espinosa

List of the greatest female TV role models. Here are the rankings for the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-female-movie-characters/ranker-characters?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best female characters</a> for your daughter to look up to. The TV shows with great <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/female-role-models/ericascheidt?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">female role models</a> span the decades, from black-and-white to digital film. They also span the style, from live action multi-camera sitcoms to cartoons. Who are some of the best female role models on TV? You could make a pretty good case for Leslie Knope's passion, Liz Lemon's wit, and Rachel Green's attitude. Or, if people really want to talk about strong independent women, we have listed ladies like Susie Greene from &quot;Curb Your Enthusiasm&quot; and Xena (the Warrior Princess). Some seem to think even Nancy Botwin from &quot;Weeds&quot; is a good female role model on television -- perhaps for her business sense. TV can make a difference in the culture, as shows can set standards and aspirations for young women, or men, with the remote control.

Jess Mariano

List of the greatest bad boys in TV history. Here is a listing of the cream of the crop when it comes to television's best bad boys. The best and the baddest of the bunch make their ensemble that much richer. Perhaps Samuel L. Jackson's character in &quot;Pulp Fiction&quot; would refer to the TV characters ranker here as &quot;BAMFS.&quot; Whatever tough guy categorization you would like to give these characters, they are undoubtedly the coolest -- if not particularly warm -- men to grace our screens every week. And nobody can down whiskey like Don Draper, just like nobody could scare television parents like bad boys next door Ryan Atwood (&quot;The O.C.&quot;) and Shawn Hunter (&quot;Boy Meets World&quot;).This list includes TV bad boy characters with dark brooding attitudes, leather jackets, motorcycles, dour dispositions, sad mysterious pasts, questionable ethics - and hopeful girls who love them anyway. Dylan McKay, Chuck Bass, and even The Fonz are at the top of our ranks. Vote up the quintessential bad boys on television to shape this list, or click rerank to make a version of your own.

Bree Van de Kamp

List of the best dressed <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-female-tv-characters-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">female TV characters</a> currently on TV or from the past. These are the most fashionable women to grace the small screen, whether they’re powerful in Prada or beguiling in boho-chic. Sometimes quirky, other times glam, these best dressed ladies on TV have always done one thing: wowed viewers with their well-put-together styles.&nbsp;One way for fashionable TV women to catch audiences’ attention is with high-end evening wear. From slinky black dresses to shockingly pink frocks, trendsetting TV women are the focus of the party, and they command both the audience’s and the other characters’ attention. Could anyone rip his or her eyes away from Blair (“Gossip Girl”) when she stunned in the gold embroidered, peacock-inspired evening dress designed by Marchesa? The hottest TV women know how to wear designer fashions, and they wear them well.&nbsp;Of course, the best dressed women on TV don’t always dress to the nines. Even in a simple sweater and jeans, however, these fashionable television females are still the height of style. Rachel (“Glee”) is the pinnacle of casual, preppy chic, while Carrie (“Sex and the City”) could work almost any article of clothing into her eccentric, distinctive style. These fashionable TV women are so inspiring that there are websites devoted to helping viewers capture their looks and style.&nbsp;This list contains the most fashionable women on TV, the stylish female TV characters who have dressed to impress episode after episode. Whether their styles are casual, elegant, or unusual, the best dressed TV ladies are right here. Included on the list are characters who are fashionable in period costume, as well.

Geeky

Ross Geller

List of the greatest geeks in TV history. The <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-nerd-characters-movies/jodi-smith" target="_blank">best nerd characters</a> ever to hit the tiny screens are ranked here in order of greatness. Sure some of the characters might have annoyed us, but we never changed that dial once they appeared onscreen. These men and women are absolutely hilarious and absolutely awesome -- oh, and absolutely nerdy. It usually happens on TV when the door knocks and the dad is really disappointed to see who is on the other side. Like the way Carl Winslow looks when it&#39;s revealed to be Steve Urkel on Family Matters. TV nerds of all genders are ranked, ranging from sexy geeks like Liz Lemon to neurotic nerds like Adrian Monk. Who studies dinosaurs better than Ross Geller? Who knows more Pawnee history than Leslie Knope? These geeks made us smarter and sillier, like Lisa Simpson and Willow Rosenberg. While Willow was always the best friend and Dwight Schrute is just one of the employees, people like Larry David and iCarly (yes, both geeks) got shows to their geeky selves.

Glenn Quagmire

The creepiest characters on television mess with our heads, leave us wondering and stick in our heads for a long time after their respective TV shows air. These are the fictional TV characters we love to hate for one reason or another. They might not be the scariest TV characters in a traditional sense but these are the creepiest characters on our <a href="/crowdranked-list/the-best-tv-shows-of-recent-memory" target="_blank">favorite recent TV shows</a>.Creepy television characters come in all types with each taking creepy to a new and different level. Some don't hide their creepiness, such as Herbert, the suspected pedophile from &quot;Family Guy,&quot; or Dexter Morgan, the serial killer/forensic blood splatter analyst from the Showtime series &quot;Dexter.&quot; Fans know what to expect from that type of creepy character but often it's the creepers who leave you guessing that are the creepiest TV characters of all.Take Walter White, the main character in the Emmy Award-winning drama &quot;Breaking Bad.&quot; Mr. White was a seemingly harmless family man and high school teacher who &quot;broke bad&quot; and took on an alter ego capable of unspeakable crimes. The uncertainty of the realm of possibility for the character makes him incredibly fascinating and beyond creepy.The same goes for characters that are highly secretive or not completely explained which opens the doors for all types of creepy. &quot;LOST&quot; fans didn't know what the elusive Smoke Monster was for nearly all six seasons the show aired but it was well established that it was definitely a threat to take seriously.Whether these creepy TV characters put all their cards on the table and embrace their creepy tendencies or leave fans guessing what they will do next, each offer plenty of food for thought on some of our favorite television shows. Everyone is creeped out by something or other so if we missed your favorite creepy TV character, add him, her or it below.

Fonzie

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When a television show first starts, the writers of the program already have the star in mind. They write for the characters they think the audience will relate to and like the most and design the show around those characters. However, once the show hits the airwaves, the viewers don&rsquo;t always agree. Sometimes the true star of the show is the unlikeliest candidate. The breakout character is usually a character who was introduced as part of the supporting cast, but for one reason or another became a fan favorite. This list of the greatest breakout characters in TV history includes characters from both comedies and dramas and has been ranked by the community.

The breakout character on a TV show usually becomes the most discussed and most loved part of the show. He or she has the funniest lines, the best stories, and is portrayed by the favorite actor. After a positive audience reaction, these breakout characters suddenly start to get more screen time and story lines. Characters like <a href="https://groovyhistory.com/aaay-fonzie-happy-days-stories" target="_blank">Fonzie</a> and Ben Linus were never meant to be huge parts of their shows, but after their introduction, it was inevitable that they&rsquo;d become pivotal to the show&rsquo;s success. Some breakout characters, like Frasier Crane, even go on to star in their own series.

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Who are the greatest breakout characters on TV? Vote up the best breakout television characters below or add the best breakout star if he or she isn&#39;t already on the list.

Lisa Cuddy

List of the best television <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/comic-book-characters-who-are-doctors/stephanroget" target="_blank">doctors</a>, ranked by fans of the doctor characters and their medical shows. Plenty of memorable TV doctors have graced our small screens over the last 50 years, but some television doctors stand out from the rest. From medical dramas and comedies to soap operas and sci-fi thrillers, every great TV show needs a compassionate, competent and - of course - good looking <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/fictional-doctors-with-best-skills/jonathan-kantor" target="_blank">doctor to save the day</a>.

Ever since &#39;General Hospital&#39; opened its fictional doors more than 50 years ago, there has been a flood of TV shows featuring every type of TV doctor you could imagine. In the beginning, TV doctors were dependable, noble and considerate medical healers in TV shows like &#39;Medic&#39; and &#39;Dr. Kildare&#39;. As television evolved, so too did the doctors. On modern TV, doctors now feature complex personalities and dramatic background stories, such as the drug-addicted, enigmatic and astoundingly intelligent antihero Dr. Gregory House and the entire medical squad in &#39;ER&#39;.

So who are the greatest TV doctors of all time? Whether you prefer dreamy medical heroes like Derek Shephard, Michaela Quinn and James Kildare; the funny antics of Hawkeye Pierce, Perry Cox and Sheldon Cooper; or the drama that comes with Meredith Grey and Christina Yang, you can rest assured that there is an excellent fictional physician on call.

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Get ready to feel manipulated as we rank the greatest and most memorable sociopaths in TV history. Sociopathic characters make for some of the most interesting TV you&rsquo;ll ever see. They can be misanthropes, misogynists, homicidal maniacs, or all of the above! &nbsp;

From Hannibal Lecter (Hannibal) to Dennis Reynolds (It&rsquo;s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), the best sociopaths on TV&nbsp;are usually&nbsp;rude, conniving, and self-centered - which is probably what makes them so interesting! Bad characters make for great TV, and these are some of the worst and most egotistical characters to ever grace the small screen. But while some of the characters on this list of TV sociopaths are legitimately evil, others are just really, really vain. Which of these charming TV sociopaths is your favorite? Some of the scariest sociopaths on TV include twisted, little king Joffrey Baratheon of&nbsp;Game of Thrones&nbsp;and the ruthless Francis Underwood on&nbsp;House of Cards.

Vote up the greatest sociopaths on TV - not because they want you to, but because YOU want to! Share this&nbsp;list of TV characters who are sociopaths with your friends, and add any characters you think are missing.

Willow Rosenberg

List of the greatest female geeky TV characters. The best and nerdiest women on television are ranked on this page based on their level of geekdom. These female TV geeks are good at what they do - and they studied damn hard to make it happen. Who are the best and most famous female nerd characters? You know and love them, so why not vote up your favorite famous female geeks?As much as Lindsay Weir on Freaks and Geeks tried to escape her geek label, it is impossible to fully un-nerd yourself. Even Screech found himself a match in Jessie Spano in the realm of Saved by the Bell. And one of the best geek girls on television is the character of Topanga Lawrence, of <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/boy-meets-world-trivia/amylindorff?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Boy Meets World</a> fame. Amy Poehler and Tina Fey have also created television characters with such geeky qualities, it should inspire every young lady in America to follow suit. These women could outsmart their male counterparts any day of the week, even if sometimes they out-awkward them as well.

Best TV

Shawn Hunter

List of the greatest characters we watched grow up on TV. This list ranks the best TV characters who grew up before the audience's very eyes week to week, or more aptly, year to year. Going through puberty is not exactly easy. But going through puberty in front of an international audience is something on a whole other level. If one wishes to know what that is like, he or she may ask the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-film-actors-and-actresses-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">actors and actresses</a> behind the TV characters on this list. Some of the best characters who grew up from season to season belong in families like the Tanners in San Francisco, as we watched D.J., Stephanie, and Michelle literally go from children to human beings over the course of &quot;Full House.&quot; Remember when Corey and Topanga were bickering classmates in &quot;<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/boy-meets-world-trivia/amylindorff?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Boy Meets World</a>?&quot; If so, you also probably remember when they started dating and when they got married.

They’re cute, they’re cuddly, they spew catch phrases: They’re the greatest youngest children in TV history. Whether through fear of getting “clobbered” (Theodore “The Beaver” Cleaver, Leave It to Beaver) or fear of misunderstanding what exactly Willis <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/how-to-know-if-someone-is-talking-about-you/mel-judson?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">is talking about</a> (Arnold Jackson, Diff’rent Strokes), these famous babies of the family are the characters through which we’ve learned valuable life lessons. The greatest youngest children in TV history have become iconic for their antics, some as latter-day cautionary tales, often through the lens of “very special” episodes. TV’s youngest children might suffer the indignities of being treated like a baby, as Cindy Brady (The Brady Bunch) likes to complain; yet just as frequently they will outsmart their elders in unexpected and surprising ways. (We’re looking at you, Michelle Tanner (Full House).)A few of the greatest youngest children in TV history have become signposts of a show’s decline, as if the showrunners of yesteryear decided that a chubby-cheeked addition was a talisman against cancellation. However, at least a handful of those late-series arrivals are some of the most beloved babies of the family (Chrissy Seaver, Growing Pains). And let’s not limit our list of best babies to the three-dimensional kind. A good percentage of the greatest youngest children are of the animated variety. Stewie Griffin (Family Guy) and Maggie Simpson (The Simpsons) have both left an indelible impression in TV land, and on cartoon merchandising. Whether rich or poor, boy or girl, live-action or animated, the greatest youngest children in TV history hold a special place in our hearts. Their innocence, adorableness, and ability to manipulate are virtues will be admired across generations and networks for decades to come.

TV Characters We Love & Hate

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Best TV Lists | Rank Your Favorite TV Shows and Characters

These are the funniest television characters ever created, as determined by the votes and selections of Ranker users. Lots of things make up truly iconic, timelessly funny characters... the actor, the writing, the supporting cast... but in the end, it's just the character that makes you laugh yourself weak.What are the funniest characters on TV? These are the characters that still make you roll on the floor no matter if you are watching new episodes or reruns from 20 years ago. A lot of the funniest TV characters of all time, like Homer Simpson and Stewie Griffin, tend to be cartoons but there are lots of funny characters that are real-life people too. Vote for your funniest picks and add any characters you see missing. If you want to really impact this list's order, make your own ranking and add it!

Funniest TV Characters of All Time | List of Funny Television Roles

The Funniest TV Characters of All Time

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Top 10 TV Lists: Television Lists and Rankings of Every Facet of Television

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Michael Scott

Michael Gary Scott is a fictional character in NBC's The Office, portrayed by Steve Carell and based on David Brent from the original British version of the program. Michael is the central character of the series, serving as Regional Manager of the Scranton branch of paper distribution company Dunder Mifflin Inc. from season one through seven. However, he leaves Dunder Mifflin temporarily to form the Michael Scott Paper Company during the late end of the fifth season and shares a co-managerial position with Jim Halpert during a sixth season arc from "The Meeting" to "The Manager and the Salesman". In the end of the seventh season, he proposes to HR representative Holly Flax and moves to Colorado to take care of her aging parents, leaving the manager position to Deangelo Vickers in "Goodbye, Michael" and ultimately to Andy Bernard in season eight.

Dwight Schrute

Dwight Kurt Schrute III is a character on NBC's The Office, portrayed by Rainn Wilson and based on Gareth Keenan from the original UK version of The Office. His character is one of the highest-ranking salesmen at the paper distribution company Dunder Mifflin, although the series expands on his character as bed-and-breakfast proprietor at Schrute Farms, a beet plantation, and as the owner of the business park enclosing Dunder Mifflin. He is notorious for his lack of social skills and common sense, his love for martial arts and the justice system, and his rivalry with fellow salesman Jim Halpert. He has at times risen to the position of Branch Manager of the Scranton branch, but often serves as a second or third in command as Assistant Regional Manager. In the final season, Dwight is finally offered the position of Manager.

Chandler Bing

Chandler Muriel Bing is a fictional character from the NBC sitcom Friends, portrayed by Matthew Perry.

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Ron Swanson

Ronald Ulysses "Ron" Swanson is a fictional character portrayed by Nick Offerman from the situation comedy television series Parks and Recreation on NBC, created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur. In the series, Ron is the director of the parks and recreation department of fictional Pawnee, Indiana and the immediate superior of series protagonist Leslie Knope until Knope's election to the Pawnee City Council at the end of Season 4. In demeanor, political philosophy and work ethic, Knope and Swanson are very nearly polar opposites: where Knope is sunny and outgoing, decidedly liberal and constantly working, Swanson is distant, and as a staunch right-wing libertarian, is a strong advocate for small government—stating his belief that government should be privatized—and therefore believes that the parks department should not even exist.
Ron, who has an extremely deadpan and masculine personality, actively works to make city hall less effective and despises interacting with the public. He loves meat, hunting, whisky, and breakfast foods. He hates and fears his two ex-wives, both named Tammy, one of whom is played by Offerman's real-life wife, Megan Mullally.

Will Smith

Will Smith is the fictional character from the TV Series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Peter Griffin

Peter Griffin is the main character of the American animated sitcom Family Guy. He is voiced by cartoonist Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family, in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998. Peter was created and designed by MacFarlane himself. MacFarlane was asked to pitch a pilot to the Fox Broadcasting Company based on Larry & Steve, a short made by MacFarlane which featured a middle-aged character named Larry and an intellectual dog, Steve. After the pilot was given the green light, The Griffin family appeared on the episode "Death Has a Shadow".
Peter is married to Lois Griffin and is the father of Meg, Chris, and Stewie. He also has a dog named Brian, with whom he is best friends. He has worked at a toy factory, and at Quahog's Brewery. Despite the suburban blue-collar routine of his life, he has had a number of remarkable experiences.
Peter's voice was inspired by a janitor that MacFarlane heard at his school. His appearance was a redesign of the protagonist Larry from MacFarlane's previous animated short films The Life of Larry and Larry & Steve.

Barney Stinson

Barnabus "Barney" Stinson is a fictional character created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for the CBS television series How I Met Your Mother, portrayed by Neil Patrick Harris. One of the main characters of the show, Barney is a pickup artist who uses a variety of intricate ploys to have sex with as many women as possible, which is one of the show's central themes. The character is also defined by his love of expensive suits, laser tag, and the catchphrase "Suit up!" In later seasons, however, he has a few serious relationships before getting married, and after his divorce he has a child with an unnamed woman from a one night stand.
The character has been well-received by critics and has been credited for much of the show's success. He is credited for the "Lemon Law" of first dates as well as the popularity of the "Suit Up!" concept, and is considered the show's breakout character.

Red Forman

Reginald Albert "Red" Forman is a fictional character on the Fox sitcom That '70s Show, portrayed by Kurtwood Smith. The father of main character Eric Forman and husband of Kitty Forman, Red is a retired factory worker and war veteran living in Point Place, Wisconsin.

Bugs Bunny

Bugs Bunny is a fictional character from the 1959 film People Are Bunny.

Joey Tribbiani

Joseph Francis "Joey" Tribbiani, Jr. is a character from the NBC sitcoms Friends and its spin-off Joey, portrayed by Matt LeBlanc.
Joey was presumably born in 1968 as he talks about having turned 13 in 1981 He comes from an Italian American family of eight children. His father Joseph Tribbiani, Sr., after whom Joey is named, is a pipefitter and his mother's name is Gloria. Joey has seven sisters: Mary Therese, Mary Angela, Dina, Gina, Tina, Veronica, and Cookie. Joey is from, and was presumably born in Queens, New York. As a child, he was extremely accident prone. He also had an imaginary friend, Maurice, who was a space cowboy.
Joey is portrayed as promiscuous and dim-witted, but very loyal and protective of his friends. As a struggling actor, he is constantly looking for work. He was ordained as a minister in "The One with the Truth About London", and officiated at both Monica and Chandler and Phoebe and Mike's weddings. It is revealed in The One After "I Do" that Joey has size seven feet, which he is secretive and defensive about. He also has a soft toy penguin named Hugsy, whom he is very fond of and does not like to share.

Sophia Petrillo

Sophia Petrillo-Weinstock is a fictional character from the TV series The Golden Girls, and its spin-offs The Golden Palace and Empty Nest. She was portrayed by Estelle Getty for 10 years and 258 episodes. Bea Arthur, who played her daughter Dorothy Zbornak on the show, was in real life a year older than Getty.

Stewie Griffin

Stewart Gilligan "Stewie" Griffin is a main character from the animated television series Family Guy. Once obsessed with violence and matricide, Stewie is the youngest child of Peter and Lois Griffin, and the brother of Chris and Meg. Over the duration of the series, he has also come to have a very close friendship with the family's anthropomorphic dog, Brian. Stewie is considered to be the show's breakout character. Wizard magazine rated him the 95th greatest villain of all time.

Sheldon Cooper

Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper is a fictional character on the CBS television series The Big Bang Theory, portrayed by actor Jim Parsons. Parsons won an Emmy Award in 2010 for this role.
A Caltech theoretical physicist, Sheldon is Leonard Hofstadter's (Johnny Galecki) roommate and colleague. They live across the hallway from Penny (Kaley Cuoco).
Sheldon is distinctive for his overtly intellectual personality: he is calculating and cynical, he exhibits a strict adherence to routine, a lack of understanding of irony, sarcasm and humor, a habit of constantly expressing admiration for his superior intellect (which is sometimes found offensive by the other characters), and a complete lack of humility; these characteristics are the main sources of his character's humor and the center of a number of episodes. He has been described as the show's breakout character.Several reviewers have cited Sheldon presenting the qualties of Asperger Syndrome and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

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Al Bundy

Al Bundy is a fictional character and the essential protagonist of the U.S. television series Married... with Children, played by Ed O'Neill. He is a beer loving, indebted, American father of two, portrayed as both a comedic and tragic figure. Although he is cheap, unsuccessful, lustful, unhappy, and scheming, he nevertheless stands by his family, displaying wit, self-sacrifice and resilience in times of crisis. He and his wife, Peggy Bundy, were rated the 59th best characters on television by Bravo.

Phoebe Buffay

Phoebe Buffay-Hannigan is a fictional character from the NBC sitcom Friends, portrayed by Lisa Kudrow. For her portrayal of Phoebe Buffay, Kudrow received a Golden Globe Award nomination, as well as winning the Primetime Emmy Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, Satellite Award, and American Comedy Award.

Eric Cartman

Eric Theodore Cartman is a main character in the animated television series South Park, created by Matt Stone and Trey Parker, and voiced by Trey Parker. Cartman, generally referred to by his surname, is one of four central characters in South Park, in addition to Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Kenny McCormick. Cartman first appeared, originally named Kenny, in prototypical form in a 1992 animated short Jesus vs. Frosty, and a 1995 animated short Jesus vs. Santa, and first appeared on television in the pilot episode of South Park, "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe", on August 13, 1997.
Cartman is an elementary school student who lives with his mother in the fictional town of South Park, Colorado, where he routinely has extraordinary experiences atypical of a small town. Cartman has been portrayed as aggressive, prejudiced, arrogant, and narcissistic since his character's inception; Stone and Parker describe the character as "a little Archie Bunker".

Wile E. Coyote

Wile E. Coyote (also known simply as "the Coyote") and the Road Runner are a duo of cartoon characters from the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. In each episode, the Coyote repeatedly attempts to catch and subsequently eat the Road Runner, a fast-running ground bird, but is never successful. Instead of his animal instincts, the Coyote uses absurdly complex contraptions (sometimes in the manner of Rube Goldberg) to try to catch his prey, which comically "backfire," with the Coyote often getting injured in slapstick fashion. Many of the items for these contrivances are mail-ordered from a variety of companies that are all named Acme.

Kitty Forman

Katherine Anne "Kitty" Forman (née Sigurdson) is a fictional character on the Fox Network's That '70s Show, portrayed by comic actress Debra Jo Rupp. A nurse, she has taken breaks from her career when it was economically practical, to nurture her family.
Nurturing but enabling, she has a very recognizable laugh whenever she is nervous about anything (which is often), a fondness for square dancing, and an even greater fondness for liquor of almost all kinds (wine, kahlua, bourbon, mai tais, margaritas, etc.) She puts her family first and tries to smooth over the many conflicts within her household, although her efforts often fail. She is also an unofficial foster mother to the entire group.

Lucy Ricardo is a fictional character from the TV program I Love Lucy.

Bender

Bender Bending Rodríguez, commonly known as Bender, is a main character in the animated television series Futurama. Designated in-universe as Bending Unit 22, unit number 1,729, serial number 2716057, he was created by series creators Matt Groening and David X. Cohen, and is voiced by John DiMaggio. He fulfills a comic, antihero-type role in Futurama and is described by fellow character Leela as an "alcoholic, whore-mongering, chain-smoking gambler".
According to the character's back story, Bender was built in Mexico. Viewers are informed, through his own testimony, of Bender's prejudice against non-robots: His dialogue often contains anti-human expressions such as "kill all humans". Exceptions who are not subject to Bender's prejudicial attitude are those individuals on his "Do Not Kill" list, which seems to comprise only his best friend Fry and his colleague Hermes. However, Bender is also occasionally portrayed as possessing a sympathetic side, suggesting that he is not as belligerent as he claims, a view often echoed by his friends.

Mr. Bean

Mr. Bean is a comic fictional character created by British comedian Rowan Atkinson. Mr. Bean is the central character of several TV shows and films.

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Cosmo Kramer

Cosmo Kramer, usually referred to as simply "Kramer", is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld, played by Michael Richards.
The character is loosely based on comedian Kenny Kramer, Larry David's former neighbor across the hall. Kramer is the friend and neighbor of main character Jerry Seinfeld, residing in Apartment 5B, and is friends with George Costanza and Elaine Benes. Of the series' four central characters, only Kramer has no visible means of support; what few jobs he holds seem to be nothing more than larks.
His trademarks include his upright hairstyle and vintage wardrobe, the combination of which led to Elaine Benes's categorization of him as a "hipster doofus"; his taste in fresh fruit; his love of occasional smoking, Cuban cigars in particular; his bursts through Jerry's apartment door; frequent pratfalls and his penchant for nonsensical, percussive outbursts of noise to indicate skepticism, agreement, annoyance, and a variety of other responses. He has been described as "an extraordinary cross between Eraserhead and Herman Munster".

Daffy Duck

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George Costanza

George Louis Costanza is a character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld, played by Jason Alexander. He has variously been described as a "short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man", and "Lord of the Idiots". George and Jerry were high school friends and remained friends after. He is friends with Jerry Seinfeld, Cosmo Kramer, and Elaine Benes. George appears in every episode except "The Pen".
The character was originally based on Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, but surnamed after Jerry Seinfeld's real-life New York friend, Mike Costanza. Alexander reprised his role in an episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, reuniting with Jerry Seinfeld and Wayne Knight.

Rose Nylund

Rose Nylund is a fictional character featured on the popular 1980s situation comedy The Golden Girls, and its spin-off The Golden Palace. She was portrayed by Betty White for 8 years, totaling 208 episodes. Rose was originally supposed to be played by Rue McClanahan and Blanche Devereaux, one of Rose's roommates, was to be played by Betty White. However, Jay Sandrich, the director of the show, suggested that Rue and Betty switch parts. He felt that Betty would be a better fit for Rose because she had already played Sue Ann Nivens in the television show The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which is similar to the character of Blanche Devereaux.

These are the funniest television characters ever created, as determined by the votes and selections of Ranker users. Lots of things make up truly iconic, ...