Time for some good ol’ sitcom nostalgia because we’re about to dive into the golden era of situational comedy. We’re talking about those beloved sitcoms from the 1990s to the 2020s that made us laugh, cry, and sometimes even snort with laughter. Now, imagine if we could bring together the most iconic characters from these shows and create our own Sitcom Gang. Sounds like a blast, right? In this article, we’ll delve into iconic characters and handpick one from each category to construct our very own Sitcom Gang. Join us as we explore these beloved characters and imagine the hilarious dynamics that would unfold if they were brought together in one sitcom ensemble. Get ready to meet our handpicked sitcom stars and envision the comedic chemistry that would light up the screen!
But what are these categories, I hear you ask? Well, most of these sitcoms have characters that generally fall into certain character archetypes: There is a lot you can read about these character archetypes, and in truth, there are so many classifications out there, but for this article, we are just talking about the following 6:
- The Smart Logician
- The Funny Wise-cracker
- The Eccentric Goofball
- The Lovable Dimwit
- The Neurotic Controller
- The Grounded Square
Parameters
I am personally a 90’s kid and for this article I am using characters from popular ensemble sitcoms that were popular from the late 90’s onwards. Two exceptions in this article are ‘Cheers’ and Seinfeld’ which I strongly believe are classics and should not be left out.
For this article I am going to exclude anyone from animated shows. We will also be omitting any characters who are below the age of 18 or above the age of 40 as we do want some realism in our final gang.
I’d like to point out that this is opinion based and, although there will be many characters that seamlessly fit into an archetype, there will be some judgement call decisions.
Honourable mentions
The Narcissistic Dreamer: A last minute omission to the list but there are a breadth of characters that fit this archetype. Often the more materialistic characters in the gang. Characters like Jackie Burkhart and Diane Chambers come to mind.
The Sage: This character is typically a father figure or mentor. Although there is a lot of overlap with the TV Dad, this character always makes for a gripping story. Initially viewed as a superhero but usually chinks in his armour are revealed. Think Captain Holt, Dr. Cox.
The Child: As in Man-child. This archetype makes for a great addition to any gang but don’t worry because there is lots of overlap with other archetypes.
Let’s Begin Shall We
The Smart Logician
Viewed as the smart one of the gang, the one who always has a witty retort and an IQ that could rival Einstein. This character represents logical thinking, stands out in the group because of it and is often portrayed as ‘dorky.’
Sheldon Cooper: The smartest of the smartest. ‘TBBT’ sets a pretty high standard when it comes to smart characters so Sheldon puts the rest of this list to shame.
Ross Geller: This palaeontology professor is perhaps a classic example of the archetype. The smart one of the ‘Friends’ gang never fails to showcase his smarts every episode and is often made fun of for it.
Frasier Crane: I would like to say that maybe Frasier was more of a neurotic archetype in his spin-off. That being said, as a member of the ‘Cheers’ gang he clearly fits the archetype.
Ben Wyatt: This is where we start to include more judgement calls. When Ben is first introduced in ‘Parks and Rec,’ He is a numbers guy who comes to help the city of Pawnee. Throughout the series we see him have multiple brief stints at an accounting firm and many fellow characters come to him for campaign and financial advice. He created a board game even.
Chidi Anagonye: It is definitely one of the more obscure sitcoms mentioned in the article, but ‘The Good Place’ had a great run and deserve representation here. In fact, a huge plot point from the show comes from this ethics professor teaching the other characters. Chidi uses logic and ethics to overthink every decision and this makes his character hilarious.
Alex Dunphy: So I wanted to stay clear of tv families for these lists but had to make the exception for Alex. Her smarts set her apart from the rest of the cast and I’m sure she can hold her own against almost anyone on this list
Oscar Martinez: Oscar Martinez starts as a relatively peripheral character on ‘The Office’ and I believe he’s a good final addition to the list. Throughout the series, Oscar chimes in with brainy facts and cultured retorts. There was one episode that centered around Oscar being the ‘smart one’ even so this character is a very worthy inclusion.
Honorable Mentions: Anyone from ‘TBBT’ and Annie Eddison. Let’s be honest, almost the whole cast in ‘TBBT’ can be included and Annie from ‘Community’ deserves a mention as well for being the brainy hard worker in ‘community.’
The Sarcastic Wise-cracker
Otherwise known as simply ‘the funny one,’ this character known for their sarcasm and witty remarks. Other than the three most notable ones, there are not many characters who fit perfectly into the archetype so there may be some judgement calls here.
Chandler Bing: Just felt I had to start with Chandler here. The ‘Friends’ character is an iconic representation of this archetype. With sarcastic remarks and his amazing physical comedy, even the cast know that he’s the ‘funny one.’
Jerry Seinfeld: Just mentioning that this guy is a comedian should be enough. The famous titular character brings a joy and a comedy to all the antics on the ‘show about nothing.’ One could argues he is also the Square archetype.
Norm Peterson: Norm!!! This Character one-liners are easily one of the best parts of the show. Norm enters the bar and everyone greets him asking how he is. Norm gives a quick-witted answer often alluding to his love of beer or his wife. Tale as old as time but who doesn’t love it.
Liz Lemon: The ’30 Rock’ character is a hilarious one who never disappoints to make the audience laugh. Admittedly, I am not as big a fan of the show but I know that Tina Fey’s character always keeps me laughing.
Will Smith: The ‘Fresh Prince’ was a fantastic show and a large part of it was all the sarcastic remarks and quotes from Will. I feel this maybe gets lost but Will Smith was a hilarious character that could make people of all ages laugh.
Jake Peralta: The golden boy of the ‘Nine Nine’ never disappoints with bringing the humor and antics to the workplace. Jake riffs off the other characters so well and his child-like attitude just makes people feel good all the time whether its through sarcasm, wit, games or just observational humor.
Honorable Mentions: Hawkeye from M.A.S.H and Marshall Erickson. M.A.S.H may be a little outside the parameters here and I’m not a huge fan, but Hawkeye is a character that fits the archetype so well. With Marshall you may have to hear me out but he is actually the source of a lot of laughs in ‘HIMYM.’
The Eccentric Goofball
Referred to as the Eccentric or the goofball, these wonderfully weird characters always seem to be in their own little world. They are a standout from the gang as they often have a different view of what is ‘normal’ and you can always count on them to be doing something extraordinary.
Cosmo Kramer: Kramer is without a doubt the goofball of the ‘Seinfeld’ gang. Even the way this guy opens the door is weird and we love it. Every episode has Kramer doing something out of the ordinary and ending up in hilarious situations.
April Ludgate: April has her own standards and her own ideals that make for a very unique demeanour. The ‘Parks and Rec’ gang is much better of with her in it.
Phoebe Buffay: Phoebe is the best. She is always doing weird and wonderful things and brings a very different perspective to the ‘Friends’ gang. Her songs alone are a perfect example of her eccentricity.
Tobias Funke: Tobias Funke honestly deserves to top this list. Every episode sees Tobias get him self in a completely different situation. All yo can do is laugh at his physical comedy and say “you can’t write that stuff up.”
Daphne Moon: The care-giving psychic is a great addition to this list. her psychic premonitions and tangential out-of-context rants always make for good comedy. In a show like ‘Frasier,’ Daphne’s kind of comedy is extremely refreshing.
Abed Nadir: Abed brings the meta to ‘Community,’ so its possible that he’s not just the eccentric one but he knows it is well. It’s been a while since I binged this one but I do think I remember that he said so himself in an episode.
Charlie Day: Can’t exclude the self proclaimed wildcard of the ‘Always Sunny’ gang. Charlie is perhaps an extreme in this archetype category and is always in his own world doing his own thing.
Honorable Mentions: Dwight Schrute, Creed Bratton. Both these characters from ‘The Office’ deserve honorable mentions for two very different reasons. Creed is an obvious candidate but his omission is because of the age parameter. Dwight however may not be a perfect fit for the archetype but he’s not a bad fit.
The Lovable Dimwit
Everybody loves this character. Things tend to go over the head of this character and that is probably why. They are a staple of the gang and oftentimes they are also the lover of the group. Their intelligence is often mocked but they have a great heart. At this point I do want to say that I do not mean to bash any of these characters.
Joey Tribbiani: Who doesn’t love Joey. Also the lover of the group, Joey is not the brightest tool in the shed and is often made fun of for it.
Michael Kelso: BURN!! Kelso is great to watch because he is what you get when you cross this sitcom archetype with a hormonal teenager. Worth noting that we would be taking the character from the later seasons to fit with the age parameters, but his Misadventures in ‘That 70’s Show’ are undoubtedly hilarious.
Woody Boyd: Woody from ‘Cheers’ is the king of having things go over his head. He has an act for taking things literally and disregarding subtext that adds so much to the show.
Roz Doyle: Maybe this one is harsh and I do feel bad about this one but I’m putting Roz in this category. Her lack of IQ is made fun of from time to time in ‘Frasier’ and things tend to go over her head. Although I do feel like that is more because of Frasier and Niles’ characters.
Kevin Malone: The fact that Kevin is an accountant in ‘The Office’ is a joke itself. It’s worth pointing out that in the first few episode, Kevin’s character was not meant to be the dimwit of the group.
Andy Dryer: Andy from ‘Parks and Rec’ gives us so many of the funny moments on the show. Maybe a contender for the eccentric but I felt like this was the archetype for him. Things go over his head, he’s impulsive and he tends to do things with out thinking.
Jason Mendoza: Jason Mendoza from ‘The Good Place’ is perhaps the epitome of this archetype and I couldn’t exclude him. He has made a lifetime of bad decisions (literally) and people are genuinely shocked when he has a good idea.
Honorable Mentions: Luke Dunphy and Penny Hofstatder: I feel Luke is actually a good fit for this archetype and he easily could have been included however I left him out for age reasons. Penny’s inclusion would have been harsh, but just like Roz Doyle, it would have been more of a comparison to the other characters in her gang.
The Neurotic Controller
Perhaps this category should fall more under ‘The Stick’ archetype as well as the ‘neurotic one.’ This character is viewed as the obsessive in the group. They like everything to be controlled and they are a staple of most sitcom gangs.
George Costanza: This list of overthinkers starts with George Costanza there is no better place to start than with this ‘Seinfeld’ character. From his irrational fears to his tendency to overanalyse every situation, George’s neurotic tendencies add a layer of comedic chaos to the show.
Monica Geller: Monica’s obsession with cleanliness and her need for control is always apparent to everybody in the ‘Friends gang so she has to have her place on this list.
Elliot Reid: Throughout the whole of ‘Scrubs’ Elliot is a perfectionist with a host of insecurities. Her constant need for reassurance, worry about making mistakes, and tendency to overthink even the simplest decisions make her a relatable and comedic neurotic character.
Amy Santiago: Excessive organisation, a need for control and self doubt are three things that are ever present in Amy from ‘Brooklyn Nine Nine.’
Grace Adler: As one of the titular characters from ‘Will and Grace,’ Grace represents the neurotic archetype with her dramatic personality, indecisiveness, and constant self-doubt. Her overthinking and tendency to worry about the smallest details create comedic situations and contribute to her dynamic relationships with the other characters.
Niles Crane: Finishing off this archetype we have he cautious germaphobe from ‘Frasier.’ His meticulous attention to cleanliness, hypochondria, and neurotic tendencies make him a memorable character who often finds himself in humorous and awkward situations.
Honorable Mentions: Ted Moseby and Leslie Knope. Ted and Leslie are both similar to the characters in this group but I feel it is more accurate to include them in the next group.
The Grounded Square
To wrap up the gang we have the Square. There were a few unused archetypes to choose from here but these options really bring the gang together. This character serves as the main perspective lens for the viewers as we get to relate to their reactions to the rest of the gang. Although it may be wrong to call them ‘the main characters,’ it is reasonable to think sometimes that their respective shows revolve around them.
Ted Moseby: Ted is one of the characters in this list who actually provide a running narration. In ‘HIMYM’ it is Ted who tells the story and so the viewers get his perspective on everything.
John Dorian: JD’s internal monologue is a staple of ‘Scrubs.’ On occasion this monologue would switch to another character for an episode, but the audience sees things through JD’s POV.
Jim Halpert: There are so many good characters in ‘The Office,’ but it certainly makes sense to say he is a major perspective in the show. He is central to the show both literally and figuratively and his on-camera reactions are a huge relatable component to the show.
Jessica Day: Maybe a bit of a judgement call here, but Jess embodies the square archetype with her innocent and wholesome personality, traditional values, and adherence to social norms. She is the ‘New Girl’ with an optimistic outlook and a desire to fit into societal expectations.
Leslie Knope: Similarly to Jim, Leslie stars in a documentary and give the viewers one of the predominant perspective and points of view for the whole show. It is safe to say that Leslie is the central; character in ‘Parks and Rec’ that all of us relate to.
Michael Bluth: ‘Arrested Development’ is practically about Michael being the only ‘normal’ person in his family. Through the Narration and his reactions to, we are treated to his perspective throughout the whole series.
Honorable mention: Rachel Green. This one could be a bit of a stretch because there are definitely more suitable archetypes for her. Some argue however that ‘Friends’ is not so much about the six character but rather about Ross and Rachel. The series starts when Rachel is introduced to the group and follows her relationship with Ross from friends to lovers.
The Sitcom Gang
Well there you go. Naturally these categories are all generalisations and the intention is not to pigeon-hole all these great characters, but hopefully you ended up with a good gang of buddies that’s not too unrealistic.
Now what left is to decide where they all hang out. Whether its a coffee shop, a bar, an apartment or a workplace, every gang needs to come together. Every sitcom need to have a good setting where the gang hangs out so where is your gang convening?
