Over the years, there have been some pretty great sitcoms that have kept us rolling with laughter. Part of the reason they are so successful in keeping us laughing is because of the diverse characters. I thought it’d be fun to compile a list of what I think are the top 12 funniest sitcom characters, so here they are.

12. Fez from That 70’s show  


I find Fez so very funny because they’ve set him up as a stereotypical Foreign exchange student. In fact, one of the running jokes on the show is Fez’s home country. He’s the type of character that is constantly hitting on the girls in their group and constantly being rejected by those girls. Though I think the funniest thing was when they made him out to be a Ladies Man in Season Eight. Talk about a twist.  

11. Chandler Bing from Friends 

Chandler is a…..well, no one really knows what Chandler does for a living, but he is constantly making awkward jokes. He is definitely the funny man in the group that everyone seems to think is gay. While Chandler’s relationship with his best friend and roommate, Joey, is hilarious, one of the funniest things about him is his on and off relationship with Janice. Quite possibly the funniest moments for the two are when Janice comes in and says, “OH MY GOD” in her thick accent and nasal voice which makes Chandler’s eye bug and skin crawl.  

10. Kramer from Sienfeld 

Kramer is Jerry’s neighbor who is a bit eccentric. He may seem a bit naïve at times, but this character has the capacity to show some great insight into others’ behavior. Part of the reason this character is so funny (not just because of his eccentrics) is because he constantly develops schemes for work that last a little bit and then fail. One example was that he developed a bra for men. Totally necessary, right?

9. Russell from Rules of Engagement 

Russell is the third wheel to the two main characters. He often seems to be a womanizer and tries to stay positive even with all the sexual harassment cases he has stacked against him. He is often made fun of because of his style (or lack thereof) and because he is vertically challenged.  

8. Marie from Everybody loves Raymond 

 

Marie is the very overbearing mother of the main character Ray. The worst part is that she lives right across the street. She’s often seen criticizing Ray’s wife when she feels that her housekeeping skills are falling short (which is ALL the time). She is also the queen of making others feel super guilty. She is the very stereotypical Mother-in-law everyone hates. 

7. Carlton from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air 

Carlton is a very stereotypical preppy boy. He is extremely smart and nerdy which can seem a bit annoying to the main character Will. I think that the relationship between Will and Carlton is what makes this character funny. Carlton has to learn to live with Will who brings in a lot of jokes about Carlton’s height and obsession with school.  

6. Dwight from The Office (U.S. Version) 

Dwight is a great number in the office for his manager, best friend, and role model, Michael Scott. Dwight is awkward and lacks social skills but makes up for that with advanced skills in Surveillance, Weapons, Karate, and knowledge of Battlestar Gallactica. Dwight is often the target of many pranks from his office peer, Jim. For example, Jim dresses like Dwight to freak him out.  

5. Joey from Friends 

Joey is the actor friend of the infamous Rachel, Ross, Monica, Chandler, and Pheobe. He uses his pickup line “How you doing?” to sleep with women and then never call them back which gets him into trouble quite often. He also does not like to share his food, so don’t steal his fries.  

4. Jake Peralta from Brooklynn Nine Nine 

Jake is an amazing detective for the NYPD who is constantly trying to one up his partner, Amy Santiago. He is always quoting his favorite movie, Die Hard, and dreams about his McLean moment.  

3. Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory 

Sheldon is a theoretical physicist who lives with his friend Leonard. Out of everyone in the group, Sheldon definitely sees himself as the smartest. However, he is also the most socially awkward. He has absolutely no social skills and is often seen asking if the others are being sarcastic. He actually develops his own little zinger for his own jokes: BAZINGA! Though, the funniest aspect of this character is his relationship with his girlfriend Amy Farrah Fowler.  

2. Barney from How I Met Your Mother 

Barney is definitely a womanizer who prides himself on being able to achieve the “perfect week”. He is constantly running away from any and all responsibilities. He also only wears suits (he even has one to sleep in) and has developed the common catch phrase used mainly on his best friend, Ted, “Suit Up!”. While Barney has a lot of very funny aspects like his Bro Code, his game “Have you met Ted”, and his over the top play book, the funniest thing about this character is the fact that he is always losing slap bets.  

1. Michael Scott from The Office (U.S. Version).  

Michael is the manager at a paper supply company called Dunder Mifflin. He is known for being very over the top and dramatic. Especially when he cooks his foot on his George Foreman grill because he wants to wake up to the smell of crackling Bacon and needs someone to come take care of him. He has horrible luck with women and often finds himself in too deep, too early. While Michael has a ton of funny moments, his funniest are his “That’s what she said” jokes.  

Again, these are just the top 12 in my book. There are obviously other characters who are seriously funny and if my list were longer, they definitely would be on it. Some honorable mentions are Pheobe Buffay (Friends), Creed Bratton (The Office), Det. Boyle (Brooklynn nine nine), and Liz lemon from (30 Rock).