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TV Character

Phil Dunphy

Phil Dunphy is a fictional character from the 2009 comedy TV series Modern Family

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

TV Characters We Love & Hate

Look, you watch enough of a show, you get to know the characters. Maybe you even care about them. Maybe you even love them. Or hate them. Or want to read tons of lists about them.

The People in Your TV

Entertainment

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).

The Funniest Characters Currently on TV

The 50+ Funniest Characters Currently on TV

Ranker TV

poll

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.

Jerry Seinfeld

The Greatest TV Characters of All Time

Fictional Character

Favorite TV Characters | List of Television's Greatest Characters

Ranker Community

Best TV

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!

Cosmo Kramer

The Funniest TV Characters of All Time

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

What do we talk about when we talk about love? Perfect, sickeningly sweet, often unhealthy couples in film, TV, and other media who set up impossible standards to which our real-world flesh & blood relationships will never live up. Let's dissect 'em.

Love on Screen

Romance

This current television couples list includes romantic pairs who are currently together and totally the best. The best current TV couples of 2017&nbsp;spark our imagination, make the work week shorter, and keep fans tuning in to see what they&#39;re up to next.&nbsp;

The <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-and-quot_we-got-married-and-quot_-couples/onlysuy?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best couples</a> on TV also give us something to believe in while watching someone else go through all of the ups and downs of a relationship. TV writers like to build tension, pulling two characters slowly. It&rsquo;s maddening but when it pays off, it can be very gratifying. A series allows relationships to develop, and encounter obstacles. On TV, you can date your co-worker, break up their current relationship, and turn up like a bad penny at the worst possible time. Some couples, like Booth and Brennan on Bones, seem unsinkable, but then you never know what&rsquo;s brewing in a writer&rsquo;s room.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Do you enjoy a slow burn between couples or a quick romance with lots of on again, off again? Are love triangles intriguing. Do you like to see current couples from TV last over seasons, or run their course and then move on? <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-television-duos/ranker-tv" target="_blank">Maybe a little bit of both</a>? What&rsquo;s the secret ingredient to good chemistry between the best couples on television now? Bitter, sweet, overcoming demons, fighting against an outside threat?&nbsp;&nbsp;

It&rsquo;s difficult to predict how a TV couple will rate with viewers. Move too quickly and viewers may not invest in the fictional lovebirds. Making characters wait too long is an exercise in frustration. Casting, acting, direction, but mostly writing, can either elevate a couple with the fandom, or doom it from the beginning. TV relationships are as fragile as real ones, it seems.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Who are you rooting for among TV&rsquo;s best current couples? Ichabod and Abbie? Penny and Leonard? Jake and Olivia? Is it time for Carol and Daryl to shine? Or will Mindy and Danny take the crown? Upvote <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/the-ultimate-favorites-list/stevo200?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">your favorites</a> and see who reigns the love kingdom. Have any other current TV couples you want to add? Please do!

The Best Current TV Couples

Ranking the Best Current TV Couples On Air Right Now

Lisa Waugh

Are you more Nick Miller or Homer Simpson? Miranda Bailey or Sarah Manning? Vote for the most relatable current TV characters on this up-to-date list of characters from your favorite sitcoms and dramas of 2016-2017!Comedies are a natural place to find relatable TV characters because they help us make light of life's real moments. So it's no wonder that Lena Dunham was praised for her portrayal of a modern Millennial as Hannah Horvath on HBO's Girls, or that we love watching Silicon Valley's Richard Hendrix struggle and succeed.&nbsp;Of course, some of the most relatable characters <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-shows-currently-on-the-air?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">currently on TV</a> come from dramatic series. For instance, Hawaii Five-O features the relatable Steve McGarrett and <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/medical-drama-tv-shows-and-series/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">medical drama</a> Grey's Anatomy keeps audiences grounded with a character like Miranda Bailey. When you're watching a <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/my-favorite-cartoons-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">cartoon show</a> like The Simpsons or a supernatural zombie series like The Walking Dead, you need characters like Homer Simpson or Rick Grimes to help you feel like part of the show.&nbsp;Whether you see more of yourself in the witty and stressed out Amy Brookheimer on VEEP or the average American male like Phil Dunphy on Modern Family, vote for your favorite current television character that you relate to. Add any relatable current TV characters not on the list!

April Ludgate

Current TV Characters Who Are the Most Relatable

Ranking the Most Relatable TV Characters Currently on Air

Friendship has its privileges. If we’re lucky enough, we all have that one special friend who we can rely on to get us both into and out of trouble. But imagine if your best friend was the Mother of Dragons or the President of the United States. This list features current <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/greatest-tv-characters-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">TV characters</a>&nbsp;of 2016-2017 you'd be BFFs with.Each television character on this list brings their own special set of assets. Some are relatable TV characters, pals like the girls from Broad City. Who wouldn’t want to hang out with Abbi and Illana for a New York City day of chilling?&nbsp;Others on this list can bring us to places we’ve never been before. Imagine having dinner at Downton Abbey with the Crawley family. Lady Mary may seem a bit chilly to some, but she’s proven to be trustworthy and generous, to both her friends and her family.If we were <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-bffs/celeb-stalker?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best friends</a> with Francis Underwood, sure we’d have to watch our backs. However, fancy White House dinners with celebrities and <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/world-leaders-in-the-illuminati/mike-rothschild?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">powerful world leaders</a> sound intriguing enough to brush over the fact that President Underwood is a lying murderer. Besides, isn’t it better to have a person like Underwood as a friend rather than an enemy?Just in case you do get yourself into trouble with the likes of a Bart Simpson or Tyrion Lannister, imagine the value of having Alicia Florrick as a best friend. Has she ever lost a courtroom case?Make your voice heard and vote up the current TV characters you'd be friends with, IRL. Or, if your TV character dream best friend isn't yet listed, add him or her for others to vote as well!

Daenerys Targaryen

Current TV Characters You Would Want to Be BFFs With

Current TV Characters You Would Be Friends With, Ranked Best to Worst

Ann Casano

Living

The current TV characters you'd hire are all ranked here on this list of employable fictional people. Ever watch a television show and think, &quot;Hey, that character is really good at their job!&quot; For instance, Phil Dunphy from Modern Family considers himself one of the best real estate agents around. That confidence goes a long way! TV characters who are good at their jobs range from tough police officers like Mike Biggs on&nbsp;<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/full-cast-of-mike-and-molly-cast-list-for-the-show-mike-and-molly/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Mike and Molly</a> to inspiring teachers like the grown-up Cory Matthews on&nbsp;Girl Meets World.TV characters who are good employees also include detectives like David Duchovny's character on Aquarius and OB/GYNs like Mindy Kaling's character on The Mindy Project. Whether it's your favorite current sitcom or your favorite current drama, <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/most-hated-tv-characters/matthewcoleweiss?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">television characters</a> who are successful in their careers or have a passion for the gig are all listed here. Just think of Jared Dunn from HBO's Silicon Valley, played by Zach Woods, who is extremely loyal to his startup company and also has innovation of his own.From the Selina Meyers administration to the Frank Underwood administration, characters from both the VEEP White House and the House of Cards White House are listed here because of their devotion and talent in the workplace. And who wouldn't want Olivia Pope from Scandal cleaning up our messes?Which of these current TV show characters of 2016-2017 do you think is best at their job and would be able to hold their own in a real world work environment? Cast your votes below and be sure to add any other talented and skilled television characters, provided they are on a current show (network or streaming) and you think they'd make a great addition to just about any team of professionals.

Dana Scully

Current TV Characters You Would Hire

Current TV Characters You'd Definitely Hire For a Job

Celebrating the tough, goofy, loving men of the house who know and can fix everything.

Here's to Dad

Fathers

List of the greatest and most memorable dads from through television history. Which TV fathers were the most inspirational? Who taught you the most about growing up and becoming an adult? Which TV fathers were just the funniest and most entertaining? Any TV dads who fit these criteria are eligible for this list, an attempt to drill down into the definitive answer to the question: "Who's the world's favorite TV Dad?"Vote: <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/favorite-tv-moms-of-all-time-v3">Favorite TV Moms of All Time</a>Classic sitcoms revolving largely around the family gave us a ton of Dads to choose from, and for the most part, they were traditionally good fathers. Guys like Rob Petrie, Andy Taylor and Howard Cunningham looked out for their kids, paid attention to their needs and gave them solid life and career advice.Through the '80s and '90s, pop culture got a bit a bit more realistic or cynical, depending on who you ask, and TV Dads became more of a hodge-podge of responsibility and immaturity, reflecting the real, complex and often difficult job of being a father. Though there remain the shining examples of great TV dads like Cliff Huxtable from "The Cosby Show" and Dan Conner from "Roseanne," you now had alternative views of fatherhood, like Homer Simpson and the iconic Al Bundy.But this list doesn't discriminate! If your favorite TV dads are likely to lose their kids at the mall, ignore them in favor of football and beer or forget their birthdays, vote for 'em anyway! Your old man would be proud.

Ward Cleaver

Which TV Dad Do You Wish Was Your Own?

Men have certainly received more than their fair share of diverse and complicated characters in the realm of television. Thankfully, now we&#39;re seeing more and more strong and complex women in mainstream entertainment as well. Elizabeth Moss, Viola Davis, Sandra Oh, Rachel Bloom, Kerry Washington, Robin Wright, and&nbsp;many others have been delivering powerhouse performances in recent years and stunning audiences with their immense talent. That being said, the industry still skews toward&nbsp;the preference for a &quot;leading man,&quot; and there are countless examples of men that represent every facet&nbsp;of masculinity.&nbsp;

So, what does it mean to be a man in America&nbsp;today? Is modern masculinity viewed&nbsp;as more reserved than in previous generations, or does it simply imply a level of openness and a different&nbsp;sense of responsibility? Or has masculinity stayed consistent over the years, and remained a constant as the world evolved&nbsp;around it? Vote up the tv characters that you feel most closely portray modern masculinity; vote down those that miss the mark.

Which TV Characters Best Represent Modern Masculinity?

General

Ryan Carlquist

Lists that best, funniest, saddest, scariest, and most relatable new and returning TV shows and series airing live and on streaming platforms that you should be watching in 2019.

2019: What's on TV?

2019 tv

The Golden Age of Television is not only bringing small screen audiences some of the most innovative and entertaining programs ever, it&rsquo;s also bringing spectators some of the best male TV characters of all time.

Patriarchs, police detectives, and teenagers are no longer held hostage by the standard tropes of their macho predecessors -&nbsp;the Me Too movement has finally made its way to television, and it&rsquo;s giving us some of the most well-rounded male characters in 2019.

Sure, none of these characters are perfect. But perhaps that&rsquo;s one of the reasons why they&#39;re so relatable. The best male TV characters need to be three-dimensional. No one in real life is all good or all bad; we live in shades of grey and only hope that we&rsquo;re making the right decisions. We&rsquo;re only now comfortable rooting for a lawyer whose practice skirts around legal technicalities, or a good dude who just happens to be a weed dealer.

Who are the best male characters in 2019? Put these men up to the test by voting up your current favorites. And if your personal favorite male character is missing, add them to the list!

The Best Male TV Characters In 2019

The 25+ Greatest Male TV Characters, Ranked

Philip Moder

Lists about depictions of families and family relationships throughout film, TV, music, and more.

We Are Family

The Best of 2019

Who are the best dad characters on TV? The boob tube has a long history of creating patriarchs that are equally kind, supportive, and oftentimes hilarious. Each TV generation has its own version of Mike Brady, John Walton, or Steven Keaton. Which current TV dad do you think tops the list?

No father bats a thousand. But the best dad characters more than make up for their flaws. Sure, Homer Simpson may spend too much time at Moe&rsquo;s Tavern and Phil Dunphy may still think he can have a career in magic, but there is an inherent sweetness in both characters - though it may sometimes be a little harder to find. The best dad TV characters of 2019 share many of&nbsp;the same characteristics today than they did 60 years ago when Ward Cleaver was disciplining the Beaver.

The Best Dad Characters In 2019

The 15+ Best Dad TV Characters In 2019, Ranked Best To Worst

Let&#39;s take a few minutes to&nbsp;give a shoutout to all the awkward people out there. While some characters on TV are all about being outgoing, these characters tend to constantly find themselves in uncomfortable situations. Whether they&rsquo;re introverts, quiet, or simply unaware of social norms, they&rsquo;re known for always saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.

Ross Geller from Friends&nbsp;probably quickly comes to mind for an awkward character list (perhaps telling a story about how the scent is added to gas), or the hilarious Gary Walsh from&nbsp;Veep. But who are the best awkward TV characters? Larry David from&nbsp;Curb Your Enthusiasm&nbsp;and Maurice Moss from the&nbsp;IT Crowd&nbsp;are also great contenders. To make things really easy, you could just look no further than the characters on&nbsp;Awkward&nbsp;- it&#39;s literally built right into the title!&nbsp;

From clumsiness to social ineptitude, this list includes all of the extremely awkward characters on TV. Whether you think super smart Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory is the most awkward or believe that distinction should go to little miss Tina Belcher from Bob&rsquo;s Burgers, make your voice heard by voting up your favorite awkward characters.

See someone missing? Add them to the list!

Awkward TV Characters We Can't Help But Love

The 60+ Most Awkward TV Characters, Ranked

Lists about the members of the Pritchett, Dunphy, Delgado, Tucker, and Tucker-Pritchett Family, living their lives on ABC since 2009.

Modern Family

With&nbsp;22 Emmy Awards and 75 nominations, ABC's Modern Family&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-tv-sitcoms/ranker-tv">established itself as&nbsp;one of TV's best sitcoms</a> through <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/the-best-modern-family-quotes/movie-and-tv-quotes">its sharp&nbsp;dialogue</a>, relatable storylines, and most of all, great characters. For eight seasons, Modern Family's&nbsp;hilarious family members&nbsp;have made fans empathize, laugh, and cry, becoming some of TV's most memorable personalities. This list features the very&nbsp;best characters on Modern Family.&nbsp;Ty Burrell, Eric Stonestreet, and Julie Bowen have each won two Emmys for their&nbsp;performances as Phil Dunphy, Cameron Tucker, and Claire Dunphy, respectively. However, Modern Family has also won&nbsp;four SAG Awards for Best Ensemble Cast thanks to comedy stars Sof&iacute;a Vergara, Ed O'Neill, Sarah Hyland, Rico Rodriguez, Ariel Winter, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Nolan Gould.&nbsp;We also can't forget about the show's many guest stars, like Benjamin Bratt, Elizabeth Banks, and Adam DeVine.Vote up who you think are the best characters on Modern Family. You can vote for your <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-modern-family-episodes/reference" target="_blank">favorite Modern Family</a> characters, the funniest characters, or even the best written characters. Feel free to&nbsp;add any Modern Family characters missing from this list regardless of how many episodes they appeared in.&nbsp;

The Best Characters On Modern Family

The Best Modern Family Characters

Comedy

Get ready to laugh as we rank the best goofballs&nbsp;in TV history. Some of the funniest characters to ever grace the small screen have also been the biggest goofball characters. While their antics are often well-intentioned and in good fun, these goofballs on TV shows can range from the simple-minded to the overly strange - and sometimes downright annoying.

They&nbsp;usually serve as the comic relief and can be <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/movie-protagonists-who-arent-the-main-character/zack-howe?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">the main character</a> or shine in a supporting role. Despite their faults, audiences have a special place in their hearts for these <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/bisexuals-describe-dating-differences/jacob-shelton?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">guys and girls</a>. From Cosmo Kramer to Lucy, this list of TV goofballs is likely to feature some of your favorite characters. Whether you think Micheal Scott is the world&rsquo;s biggest goof or if you believe&nbsp;that honor should go to Joey Tribbiani, make your voice heard below.

Vote up your favorite TV goofballs and add your own if they&rsquo;re missing from the list.

Phil Dunphy

Phil Dunphy is listed on