If You Can't Name These Sitcom Characters, You Have No Sense Of Humor
- by Ben Sherlock
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Television is a great medium for developing characters. You can have a bunch of episodes across a bunch of seasons, so that gives you plenty of time to develop your characters and make your audience fall in love with them. There’s no other genre of television that this works better for than the situation comedy, because you build up a cast of characters and then place them in wacky or absurd or uncomfortable scenarios and watch the fun play out. It’s easy – and at the same time, really hard – to make your audience love sitcom characters. They start off with a few personality traits and one liners that make you like them, and before you know it, you’re deeply invested in the character’s romantic life and their family life and all the different running gags that are going along with them on the show (Kramer’s entrances into Jerry’s apartment, Barney’s legendary escapades, Ron Swanson’s love of eggs and bacon etc.). But how well do you know the beloved characters and icons of sitcom lore? Are you the biggest sitcom fan in the world? If so, you should be able to name all these characters from the most hilarious shows ever made. Take the quiz to see if you can!
Who is this Friends starlet?
After getting her start on television, Jennifer Aniston went on to become one of the biggest and highest grossing movie stars in the world. But it all started in the early ‘90s when she began playing this iconic sitcom starlet in Friends, who starts off the show she’s in as a runaway bride who has just left her fiancé at the altar and then she’s a waitress who lives with her old high school best friend and then she achieves her dream career in fashion. All the while, she enjoys an on/off relationship with her friend Ross. So, what is the name of this Friends character?
Who is this peculiar beet farmer?
This weirdo from The Office is based on the character Gareth Keenan from the original UK version, but the American version is so much weirder. He’s a big fan of beets and owns his own beet farm. He’s the biggest fan of the science fiction TV show Battlestar Galactica and he is also a bear enthusiast, with a strong interest in bear biology and their hunting techniques. The character was played by Rainn Wilson on the show and he’s characterized by his long standing feud with his desk mate Jim Halpert. What is the name of this character?
Who is this TV mom?
Everything that you have ever found annoying about your mother or your grandmother is epitomized in this brilliantly conceived matriarch character from Everybody Loves Raymond. She was played beautifully by Doris Roberts, who perfectly captured both everything that irritates you and everything that you love about your mother. The show itself was one of the best and funniest and most accurate portraits of suburban family life ever put on television. The show and its episodes are timeless classics. Everybody loves them! Who is this character?
Who is this Minnesota-born environmental lawyer?
This character is a simple guy from Minnesota. He’s a huge Vikings fan and he’s a lawyer who aspires to use his lawyering powers for good in order to protect the environment. He is also married to Lily, the girl of his dreams, who he instantly fell in love with the second they met when they were in college. This character is arguably the funniest character on How I Met Your Mother, although he faces tough competition from the legen – wait for it – dary Barney Stinson. Who is he?
Who is this 'lord of the idiots?'
This guy is consistently ranked among not only the greatest sitcom characters of all time, but the greatest sidekicks of all time, too. He’s the sidekick of comedian Jerry Seinfeld and he’s based on his creator Larry David’s personality and traits. He was played brilliantly for nine seasons by the great Jason Alexander, who was consistently snubbed for the Emmy Award that he so clearly deserved. Whatever, awards are all political and phony anyway. This character invented the term “shrinkage.” Who is he?
Who is this mustachioed libertarian?
This Parks and Rec character once asked a waiter in a restaurant to bring him all the bacon and eggs they had. What they may have heard was that he wanted a lot of bacon and eggs, so he clarified that he wanted all the bacon and eggs that they had. This mustachioed individual works for the local government in Pawnee, Indiana, but here’s the kicker – he hates the very idea of government. He’s one of the most beloved and popular characters in recent sitcom memory. He’s played by the great Nick Offerman. What is the name of this character?
Who is Frasier Crane's brother?
When the fancy pants psychiatrist character Dr. Frasier Crane got his own spin off series from Cheers on NBC, no one knew that it would end up being just as popular and successful – but the key thing is that it was. David Hyde Pierce was actually only cast as Frasier’s brother because the producers thought that his headshot resembled a young Kelsey Grammer, but the two actors ended up having terrific chemistry together. They clearly made the right choice, since Frasier and his brother on the show seem to have the bond of real brothers. So, who is this character?
Who is this New Girl leading lady?
This comedy started off as a fairly different series created by No Strings Attached scribe Elizabeth Meriwether that was entitled Chicks and Dicks. They got changed, as did the premise of the show, by the Fox network when they picked it up for a full first season. The show then became New Girl and the adorkable Zooey Deschanel was cast in the lead role. Things were shaking up, and what resulted was one of the most popular comedy series among young people to premiere on television in recent memory. As the lyrics of the opening theme song put it, who’s that girl?
Who is this adorable nerd from Bob's Burgers?
This character epitomizes all of the angst and frustrations and sexual confusion of a teenage girl. She also poignantly captures the tragic life of a nerd who goes through high school being practically invisible. She’s one of the funniest characters on television, and she rivals the title character for the role of funniest character on Bob’s Burgers. Everything she says or does makes you laugh, even the unusual sounds she makes when she runs. She will remain one of our favorite sitcom characters for years to come – we’ll look back on this character as a timeless classic. Who is she?
Who is this Two and a Half Men freeloader?
Every sitcom seems to have a resident loser, and for Two and a Half Men, it’s this ironically spineless chiropractor. He was always the funniest character on the show and can be credited with keeping it going, even when the lead actor Charlie Sheen left the show and was replaced by the inferior Ashton Kutcher, who did his best, sure, but couldn’t quite reach the heights of comedic greatness that his predecessor did. This character was kicked out of his own house and divorced at the start of the show and it only went downhill from there. Who is he?
Who is this American Dad! resident alien?
Seth MacFarlane sure can do a lot of distinctive voices. He does Peter Griffin, Brian Griffin, Stewie Griffin, Tom Tucker, Seamus, Carter Pewterschmidt, and Dr. Hartman in Family Guy, Tim the Bear in The Cleveland Show, Stan Smith in American Dad! – he does a ton of characters. He also voices this alien character from American Dad!, who very quickly developed into the most popular character on the show – he’s also the most horribly depraved, but you forgive him for any disgusting thing he does, because he’s so funny! Who is this extra terrestrial cartoon character?
Who is this Big Bang Theory genius?
This character recently got his own spin-off series about a younger version of himself who lived in the heart of Texas and attended high school at the age of nine. CBS gave the spin-off show the greenlight after the original series became literally the highest rated show on all of television, and that’s all down to the unparalleled popularity of this character, played to perfection by the great Jim Parsons. Who is this unusual genius character from The Big Bang Theory?
Who is this struggling actor from Friends?
This character on Friends is one of the main six characters who changed the least over the course of the ten seasons of the show. He started off as a struggling actor and he ended up as a slightly less struggling actor, who was appearing in movies with Gary Oldman (well, a movie star played by Gary Oldman – so basically Gary Oldman). This character was inspired to be an actor by the great Al Pacino, and once got the chance to be his butt double. Who is he?
Who is this 30 Rock leading lady?
Tina Fey originally wrote 30 Rock as a sitcom that took place on the set of a TV news show, but the NBC executives who read it could tell that she was veiling her experiences from working on Saturday Night Live, so they encouraged her to make the show about an ensemble sketch comedy series instead, and it went on to become a huge hit. The show is anchored by Fey’s performance in the lead role. What’s the name of her character?
Who is this outspoken feminist from Seinfeld?
This character, played hilariously by Julia Louis Dreyfus, is one of the earliest outspoken feminists on primetime network television. This character never held back in telling people about her views on abortion and gender discrimination in the workplace and fur, and she fought for those views, too. She climbed the corporate ladder as a woman in the ‘90s and became the CEO of a company. She slept with whoever she wanted and was content to be unmarried without kids and ignored society’s pressure to do otherwise. Who is she?
Who is this never-nude from Arrested Development?
David Cross is one of the best and edgiest comics on the standup stage and he has been for over twenty years now. He’s gone from joking about Bush to joking about Trump. And it’s not just his standup. He and Bob Odenkirk revolutionized comedy completely with their sketch show Mr. Show during the 1990s. In Arrested Development, he played an untalented actor who struggles in his home life and words things terribly. What is the name of this pathetic character?
Who is this Always Sunny freak?
Danny DeVito is easily the funniest actor on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The star of this FX sitcom only joined the show in its second season, when it was decided that a little star power was needed to boost the show’s ratings. That was the best decision they could’ve made, because his dark and twisted and surreal portrayal of this unusual character is most of what makes the show so great. What is the name of his Always Sunny character?
Who is this flamboyant Modern Family character?
This character from Modern Family is a highlight on the show. All of the fans of the show love him and his romance with his husband and his relationship with his adopted daughter. This character and his family have broken down all the barriers and taboos and prejudices against the LGBTQ community in the media, and now, we’ve been seeing a lot more gay characters on television. This flamboyant, emotional, and hilarious character is a fan favorite. Who is he?
Who is this alcoholic scientist?
The fan base of this Adult Swim cartoon have become pretty infuriating in the past couple of years. They think they’re better than everybody else, just because they watch a show that has some clever writing and science fiction concepts. Still, it’s a great show and you shouldn’t let that ruin the show. This lead character is a mad scientist with a penchant for alcohol who goes on intergalactic adventures through space and time with his grandson. Who is this alcoholic scientist character?
Who is Jerry Seinfeld's wacky neighbor?
When Larry David proposed this character to his co-writer Jerry Seinfeld back in the late 1980s for the new sitcom script they were working on for NBC, Seinfeld was initially resistant, because he was worried about falling into the pitfalls of the cliché of the wacky neighbor. However, David convinced him to do it, because the character is an original and unique creation based on his own neighbor from New York. What is the name of Seinfeld’s wacky neighbor in the show?
Who is this 30 Rock comedian?
Often in sitcoms and other forms of fictional media, it can be difficult to portray a movie star or a famous comedian as being a relatable character who the viewers can identify with. The trick with 30 Rock was that this character was more or less written for the actor and comedian who played him, as he was an old colleague of Tina Fey from SNL and he’s a hilarious human being. He lights up the show. Who is this 30 Rock comedian?
Who is this uptight chef from Friends?
Courteney Cox was original credited as Courteney Cox in the opening credits sequence of Friends, but then when she married David Arquette, she requested that her name in the credits be changed to Courteney Cox Arquette. The first episode after this was tagged with the dedication, “For Courteney and David, who did get married” (the theme of the episode was a failed Vegas marriage). The character she played on Friends was a talented chef who was anal retentive. Who is she?
Who is this Dunder Mifflin employee?
Everybody likes to think they can relate to this character from The Office, who sits around the workplace on his ass, barely says a word, laughs at the misfortune of others, and puts in the absolute minimum amount of effort required to get his job done and not get fired. This character, played by Leslie David Baker, became a TV legend with three words: “Did I stutter?” What is the name of this character from the US version of The Office?
Who is this self-proclaimed bodyguard from It’s Always Sunny?
This guy has body dysmorphia in the opposite way from most people. He sees himself as being totally ripped and muscle bound. He often speaks about “tacking on mass” and “getting a pump on” down at the gym. He gives potential threats an “ocular pat down” to see if they’re any danger to him. He considers himself to be the Patrick Swayze from Road House of Paddy’s Pub in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Who is this self-proclaimed bodyguard from It’s Always Sunny?
Who is this straight-faced police captain?
Who would’ve thought that the most utterly humorless character on a show that is filled with wacky and zany and loud characters would end up being the funniest one of the lot? Well, that’s what happened to this police captain from the cop sitcom Brooklyn Nine Nine. He takes his job very seriously and he doesn’t joke about anything and he barely ever lets loose and has fun, but he’s so lovable and watchable. Who is this straight-faced police captain?
Who is this Arrested Development kid?
If you want to see a good kid who follows all the rules and works hard – a model son, basically – then look no further than Michael Cera’s character in Arrested Development. Cera’s performance in the criminally short lived and underrated show was so brilliant that it led to film roles in the likes of Juno and Superbad and This is the End, in which he played himself as a cokehead. What is the name of this hilariously nerdy Arrested Development character?
Who is this Canadian newscaster?
In How I Met Your Mother, this Canadian journalist moves to New York with dreams of anchoring a major news show and, within the first few days of being there, as if by fate, she meets Ted Mosby. He’s a lovelorn guy, trying to find the one in the chaotic modern world of dating. We know he’s going to find the one eventually, since he’s telling his two kids that exact story, but we also know he’s in love with this girl and we know she’s not the one, because he said so. Who is she?
Who is this stuffy dork from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air?
The Fresh Prince of Bel Air was the catalyst we needed between Will Smith the hip hop star and Will Smith the movie star. The train journey of his career made a stop at Sitcom Junction before taking him on the Film Line to Hollywood. He played pretty much himself in the show, a kid from Philly who moves to Bel Air and adjusts to his family’s upper class life. Included in that part of the family is this cousin of his. Who is this stuffy dork from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air?
Who is this Curb Your Enthusiasm star?
We finally got a ninth season of Curb Your Enthusiasm recently. This guy only kept fans waiting for the better part of a decade since season 8. He plays himself in this innovative HBO show, which utilizes a technique that no other show has dared to go near – all of its dialogue is entirely improvised, with nothing but a story outline to go by. This Seinfeld co-creator plays himself in the show. Who is this star of Curb Your Enthusiasm?
Who is this Black-ish patriarch?
Black-ish is the African American answer to Modern Family, just as Fresh Off the Boat is the Asian answer to Black-ish. All three shows are great, by the way, if there are any of them that you haven’t seen, and they’re all definitely worth checking out. The actor who plays this lead character from Black-ish used to be known for playing Antwon Mitchell in the gritty FX cop drama The Shield, but he’s much funnier here. What’s the name of his character?
Who is this spiritual Friends hipster?
Hippies have been making a comeback recently in the form of hipsters. Hippies used to be known for their liberal political views and drug addictions and rock ‘n’ roll. Now, hipsters are known for their liberal political views and their tight pants and their ironic mustaches. Right in the middle of those two movements is that character from Friends, who believes in ghosts and plays awful songs on the guitar and works as a masseuse. What is the character’s name?
Who is this King of Queens weirdo?
The King of Queens is often criticized by people as being a “cookie cutter sitcom,” meaning there’s nothing original or inspired or unique about it. It’s got the blue collar fat guy, his unrealistically gorgeous wife, his black friend, and the weirdo who lives in the basement. But Jerry Stiller’s performance as that weirdo certainly is original and inspired and unique. He’s hilarious! This character and the show are totally underrated. What’s the name of the character played by Jerry Stiller?
Who is this politically incorrect chump from Community?
Every TV show needs to have a resident old guy, and every TV show needs to have a resident movie star to draw in the initial viewership to get the show on the road. Sometimes they’ll combine the two, like Danny DeVito in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Another such example of this is Chevy Chase’s character in Community, who didn’t last very long, since he was a nightmare on set. But he was fun while it lasted. Who is he?
Who is this one-eyed badass?
There was a lot of pressure built around Matt Groening’s second animated series, which came after his first show The Simpsons had been on the air for ten years and become the biggest show in the history of television, but his satire of the science fiction genre did not disappoint for a second. It’s hilarious and full of lovable characters. This badass character has one eye and could beat up anyone else on the Planet Express team. Who is she?
Who is thi s dry-humored restaurateur?
This head of the family has the arduous task of coming up with a different specialty burger day after day. He's the chef de cuisine, even if the cuisine is burgers, and takes running his greasy spoon just as seriously as if it were a 4 Michelin star restaurant. Even so, he's a family man to the core and makes sure to take time for his wife, two daughters, and son. Oh, and he's been know to sing a tune or two.