TV Shows with only one funny character

Last updated: Thursday, June 21, 2007, 4:36 AM EDT

Ever notice that a lot of TV comedies seem to have only one funny character, often a supporting character? I started noticing that whenever I'd mumble about shows I can sit through without cracking a smile (e.g. Seinfeld). I started noticing that my main complaint wasn't that the show wasn't funny at all, but that only one person was really funny (e.g., George).

Well, I made a list.

ShowCharacter Actor
SeinfeldGeorgeJason Alexander
FriendsPhoebeLisa Kudrow
Family GuyStewieSeth MacFarlane

I listed the actors here for an important reason: often when only one character is funny on the show, the writers are mediocre (and/or not according to my taste), and it's only the actor's timing and delivery that manages to make the character funny. Sometimes a show relies mostly on situational humor, but one character manages to be funny even without it (e.g. Stewie on Family Guy).

I might as well also list the opposite extreme: shows that have lots of balance.

Show
Cheers

(More will be added to these lists as I think of them.)