Favourite fictional comedy characters

[Nearly Sane]

Humph's 'pointless rant' about Del Boy not being a cockney has triggered off in my tiny brain the question about what is my favourite comedy character. I love Jason's  portrayal of Del Boy, it always seemed deeply affectionate for the character,but in the end the ones I most love are Norm from Cheers and Niles from Frasier.

[Rhiannon]

I love Niles too, you probably heard my cheer when Daphne didn't marry Donny from Glasgow. Not that Donny was from Glasgow, but you know what I mean. As an aside, Ham Radio is the only sitcom episode that has made me quite literally snort with laughter.

One of my favourite jokes ever was in Cheers - an old man walks into the bar and talks about all the changes that had been made since the last time he was there so many years ago, how everything was different. Can't remember the exact wording but the gist was:  'And the staircase was someplace different'. 'Really? Where?' 'Right over there behind Norm.'

I really like Miranda, I know the lines are blurred between acting and reality there but she's been a fantastic role model for my girls and her humour is so warm. I love Phoebe from Friends, too.

I think though that my favourites are Kevin and Maggie from Outside Edge when it was turned into a sitcom, as played by the incredibly sexy Timothy Spall and the glorious Josie Lawrence.

[Nearly Sane]

One of the great memories of Cheers was Norm walking into the bar, and being asked 'What's up?' to which the reply was 'My nipples, it's cold out there!'

Ham Radio is a work of genius but then Niles is a work of genius.


Oddly I could never take to Outside Edge, though Spall, with whom I used to frequent the same off licence,and Lawrence are great.


As an aside my current most enjoyed sitcom is The Good Place.

[Sebastian Toe]

Nighty Night.
Jill and Glen.

[Nearly Sane]

Just realised that I see myself as a cross between Niles and Norm, and yes that is as weird as it sounds.


Another favourite is Kenneth from 30 Rock but I don't see myself as him at all. Patsy from AbFab and maybe just that one night was I close to being her.

[Shaker]

One of the great memories of Cheers was Norm walking into the bar, and being asked 'What's up?' to which the reply was 'My nipples, it's cold out there!'

On another occasion somebody said "What's shaking, Norm?" to which he replied: "All four bellies and a couple of chins".

[Nearly Sane]

On another occasion somebody said "What's shaking, Norm?" to which he replied: "All four bellies and a couple of chins".

Sitcoms are when well done the highest form of art we have. At its best The Simpsons was a deeper investigation of humanity than all of poetry rolled up into a haiku and spray painted with 25 carat gold.

[floo]

My husband and I quite enjoy detective fiction, usually the ones shown a few years ago. At present we are watching re-runs of 'A Touch of Frost' (David Jason), Foyles War (Michael Kitchen), and Wycliffe (Jack Shepherd). 

[Nearly Sane]

My husband and I quite enjoy detective fiction, usually the ones shown a few years ago. At present we are watching re-runs of 'A Touch of Frost' (David Jason), Foyles War (Michael Kitchen), and Wycliffe (Jack Shepherd).

I kill myself watching them, just hilarious.


Leaving aside the this about favourite comedy characters for a moment, I think Kitchen as Foyle is a beautiful piece of acting.

[floo]

I kill myself watching them, just hilarious.


Leaving aside the this about favourite comedy characters for a moment, I think Kitchen as Foyle is a beautiful piece of acting.

As for comedies we like the old ones the best, 'Dad's Army', 'Hi di Hi', 'Allo Allo' and 'Are you being served'. We do watch Mrs Brown occasionally, which can be amusing, although we dislike the frequent use of the 'F' word.

[Nearly Sane]

As for comedies we like the old ones the best, 'Dad's Army', 'Hi di Hi', 'Allo Allo' and 'Are you being served'. We do watch Mrs Brown occasionally, which can be amusing, although we dislike the frequent use of the 'F' word.

Dad's Army is Croft and Perry at a creative highlight. Almost every character is astounding to the extent that one of our members is currently named after the fourth? lead.  Hi de hi and Allo' Allo I find jejune and grating, though Officer Crabtree is a brilliant creation.


There are words for Mrs Brown's Boys - I will refrain from using them

[floo]

Dad's Army is Croft and Perry at a creative highlight. Almost every character is astounding to the extent that one of our members is currently named after the fourth? lead.  Hi de hi and Allo' Allo I find jejune and grating, though Officer Crabtree is a brilliant creation.


There are words for Mrs Brown's Boys - I will refrain from using them

We watched the modern re-run of Dad's Army, which we thought was very poor and not nearly as good as the original.

[Owlswing]

Can't remember the name of the bloke who played him, but the character was an incompetant idiot, NOT the appaling Mr Bean, - but his long-suffering girlfriend was played by, I think, Michelle Dotice?  I'm not even sure I got her name right!

[Sebastian Toe]

Can't remember the name of the bloke who played him, but the character was an incompetant idiot, NOT the appaling Mr Bean, - but his long-suffering girlfriend was played by, I think, Michelle Dotice?  I'm not even sure I got her name right!

Frank Spencer . Some mothers.....

[Aruntraveller]

I give you the one, the only, Endora from Bewitched.

[Nearly Sane]

Can't remember the name of the bloke who played him, but the character was an incompetant idiot, NOT the appaling Mr Bean, - but his long-suffering girlfriend was played by, I think, Michelle Dotice?  I'm not even sure I got her name right!

As Seb has covered, you are talking about Frank Spencer, I hated him but the actor you are very slightly mis naming is Michele Dotrice, child of Roy. 

[Gordon]

Not a massive fan of US comedy, but the TV series of MASH was an exception (though it wasn't just comedy).

Frank Burns (played wonderfully by Larry Linville) was a absolute delight.

A few years ago the BBC (I think) put out some episodes of MASH with the canned laughter removed, which emphasised the darker aspects and highlighted the pathos - wish they'd do it again.

[Shaker]

As Seb has covered, you are talking about Frank Spencer, I hated him but the actor you are very slightly mis naming is Michele Dotrice, child of Roy.

... a superb actor who died only recently, incidentally.

[Nearly Sane]

... a superb actor who died only recently, incidentally.

Roy, that is, rather than Michele Dotrice or Michael Crawford

[Aruntraveller]

Not strictly a sitcom but Roy Dotrice was in the excellent 80's production of Clochmerle. Edit: Make that 70's. 

[Rhiannon]

As Seb has covered, you are talking about Frank Spencer, I hated him but the actor you are very slightly mis naming is Michele Dotrice, child of Roy.

And who was married to the rather lovely Edward Woodward.

[Rhiannon]

Father Dougal McGuire - genius.

[Shaker]

And who was married to the rather lovely Edward Woodward.

... whose name was (apocryphally) said by Sir John Gielgud to sound like a fart in the bath.

[Rhiannon]

... whose name was (apocryphally) said by Sir John Gielgud to sound like a fart in the bath.

And is the punchline of one of my favourite jokes which my kids don't get because they haven't seen the Wicker Man yet.

[Shaker]

It's time.

(The Director's Cut Special Edition bells and whistles deleted scenes chocolate sauce and sprinkles whatsit is in front of the telly crying out to be watched again. Dear old Christopher basso profundo Lee of blessed memory thought it was pretty close to the finest film he'd ever made).