r/The10thDentist • u/WarwickReider • Jul 16 '26
TV/Movies/Fiction Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang Theory is the funniest TV character ever created
I’ve watched sitcoms from just about every era. From the 1970s I’ve seen MASH*, Happy Days, and Fawlty Towers. The 1980s gave us Cheers and The Golden Girls. The 1990s had classics like Seinfeld, Friends, and Frasier. The 2000s brought The Office, How I Met Your Mother, and Scrubs. Then in the 2010s and 2020s there were shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Modern Family, Schitt’s Creek, Ted Lasso, and plenty of others.
They’re all great in their own way, and many have genuinely hilarious characters. But none of them make me laugh as consistently as Sheldon does. It’s not just the jokes. It’s the way he delivers every line, his complete lack of social awareness, his confidence that he’s always right, and the way everyone around him reacts. Even after watching episodes multiple times, I still laugh at scenes I already know are coming.
There have been a lot of legendary comedy characters over the years, but for me, nobody has matched Sheldon Cooper. He’s the funniest TV character I’ve ever watched, and I don’t think it’s particularly close.
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u/Reviewingremy Jul 16 '26
Sheldon isn't even the funniest character in the big bang theory
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Jul 16 '26 edited Jul 26 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/magistrate101 Jul 16 '26
It should have aired without the laugh track so the world could see it in its most authentic form
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u/Yze3 Jul 16 '26
It's disingenious because the laugh track is part of the writing and the acting. Of course without it, it has weird pauses, because the actors need to stop to let the laugh tracks plays.
I don't find BBT funny or even like it, but come on, there's a lot of other things to criticize.
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u/Consistent-Ad-6506 Jul 16 '26
Not saying that this show was funny but like all sitcoms filmed in front of studio audiences, they’re stopping for the audience. Not the laugh track.
Of course editors take the audience’s best laugh and mix it in. So without the audience the pauses don’t make sense.
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u/Substantial-Time-421 Jul 16 '26
I think it’s more just pointing out the jokes are carried by the laugh track and don’t land without it
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u/Pro_Extent Jul 16 '26
carried by the laugh track
There is no laugh track. BBT was filmed in front of a live audience, which is why the pauses exist at all. They're waiting for the audience to stop laughing.
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u/DynTraitObj Jul 17 '26
It is worth also mentioning those live audiences are prepped beforehand with "When the LAUGH sign lights up, LAUGH DAMN IT". Not technically a laugh track, but they're entirely scripted and coached out of the audience at set times. It's not just the audience finding things actually funny
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u/Backfoot911 Jul 16 '26
Yeah it's still just a silly Gotcha!™ though because the pause for audience is part of the rhythm of the performance. It's different then say Hal from MITM roller skating, where you can laugh over it and still take in what's happening without missing information. It's like funk vs rock, it works differently
The thing is, a lot of filmed standup shows, say if you took Louie CK, and cut out the audience laughing and even CGI'd them out visually, you would end up with him telling a story about his penis to an empty room that would also be pretty awkward
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u/tylerthetiler Jul 16 '26
I don't think people are nagging on the beats left in between the laugh track. They are pointing out that these aren't even really jokes or funny things. If you had them play it out without an audience, in a normal tempo, it would still be the same. Dry and lacking any real comedy. Obviously this is subjective, but I'd argue I don't know if there was a single punchline in that entire clip.
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u/nicholus_h2 Jul 16 '26
say if you took Louie CK, and cut out the audience laughing and even CGI'd them out visually, you would end up with him telling a story about his penis to an empty room that would also be pretty awkward
yeah, but it would still be funny. you'd still laugh. because his jokes and stories are actually funny.
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u/clutzyninja Jul 17 '26
Stand up is absolutely funnier when there's an audience.
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u/nicholus_h2 Jul 17 '26
I don't disagree. But good stand-up would still be funny without an audience.
Meanwhile, a person saying "ahh nothing makes beer taste better than cool, clear Rocky mountain spring water" is not funny. There's nothing funny about that. But somehow, the laugh track, err studio audience, thought that was pretty funny. They make people / edit people laugh at the setup to jokes.
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u/clutzyninja Jul 17 '26
There could be something funny about that. Jokes on TV don't happen in a vacuum. There's setups and settings that can completely change the context of a joke
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u/Ctenophorever Jul 17 '26
Exactly. I listen to David Sedaris. When the audiobook includes live performances they suck. Because he’s funny on his own. When it’s just him, I smile, I snicker, I laugh, and he continues with his story. When there’s an audience I had to try to hear what he’s saying over their braying at every other word.
The mighty Boosh had a discussion about whether or not to add a laugh track/audience laughter, and they nailed it.
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u/ZubatCountry Jul 16 '26
Yeah but...duh?
Timing is incredibly important to comedy. If you remove the laugh track you break the rhythm they're going for
Go ahead and do this with any show that has a laugh track and it will have the same effect
Hell, take a stand-up and ask them to tell you a joke cold. Turns out even people who are genuinely funny and make a living off of it kind of need to set a certain pace to make their material hit correctly
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u/flexxipanda Jul 16 '26
Your right. You could do this with any sitcom.
Heres death note without inner monologues and it looks super weird too
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u/nicholus_h2 Jul 16 '26
it's not about the weird pauses.
the thing it highlights the most is how the jokes wouldn't actually make you laugh.
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u/Equivalent-Body5913 Jul 16 '26
I’ve always hated it but watching this actually made me laugh at how much more terrible it is when it’s silent 😭😭
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u/HiHoJufro Jul 16 '26
They didn't use a laugh track as far as I know. I think they had a live audience.
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u/ATLUTD030517 Jul 16 '26
That's still a laugh track, live or canned, it's still part of the audio mix. And while I can't say whether or not this is the case for TBBT, filming in front of a live audience doesn't mean they aren't also using canned laughter to bump it up.
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u/magistrate101 Jul 16 '26
Live audience doesn't always mean genuine reactions. It's common enough for audiences to receive laugh and applause cues that it was referenced in Shrek.
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u/WildLudicolo Jul 16 '26
Say, why did Felonius have to handwrite an "Awwww" card? It's a wedding; why wouldn't they already have one?
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u/magistrate101 Jul 16 '26
Because that wasn't part of Farquaad's plan. Laughter for when he humiliates the ogre that he expected to show up, sure. But a beautiful, wholesome moment that deserves an "Awwww"? Not his style.
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u/Nuka-Crapola Jul 16 '26
Apparently, they’ll also have an intern doing slapstick if the audience is particularly uncooperative.
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u/ConnorOfAstora Jul 17 '26
It's a sitcom written in the style of a stage play, the kind that would have a live audience.
I never understood why people have such a hate boner for the laugh track, it doesn't make it funnier but it doesn't kill the joke either.
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u/rtshtbtshtdrtyldtwt Jul 17 '26
biggest burn I ever got was my sister saying I don't like that show because I'm that dude IRL lmao
I've learned to chill the fuck out since. show still sucks shit though, that will never change
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u/whysohawt Jul 16 '26
I thorughly enjoyed and it did make me laugh a lot, but yeah was bit of drag in last seasons
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u/Triscuitmeniscus Jul 16 '26
Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory isn’t even the funniest Sheldon Cooper.
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u/Batman_AoD Jul 16 '26
I don't like TBBT, but Jim Parsons definitely seems like the funniest actor, at least in season 1 (after which I gave up).
What characters are funnier?
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u/ad240pCharlie Jul 16 '26
I actually think post-character development Howard is hilarious, after he stops being nothing but a total creep.
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u/unguibus_et_rostro Jul 16 '26
The fact that the show changed to center him as the main character instead of Leonard the original main character speaks volumes about Sheldon's popularity.
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u/corobo Jul 16 '26
Even without TBBT hate this is wrong haha
Mr Bean generates more laughs per minute than Sheldon without uttering a word
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u/OgreJehosephatt Jul 16 '26
Man, I don't get how people can laugh so much at Mr. Bean, outside of social conditioning. Like, it's amusing, but the laugh-worthy stuff isn't frequent. Mr. Bean feels like it's a comedy for people who think it's unseemly to laugh. I think the Sensible Chuckle gif is talking about stuff like Mr. Bean.
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u/SmoothOperator89 Jul 17 '26
Mr. Bean feels like it's a comedy for people who think it's unseemly to laugh.
Well yeah, they're British.
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u/r3dd17sux69420 Jul 17 '26
comedy isn't always meant to be gut-busting. It's lighthearted and family-friendly. it's old school British mime. You ever see a mime? They're silly.
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u/OgreJehosephatt Jul 17 '26
I never seen a mime I would watch for 20 minutes, much less seasons of episodes, and rewatching those.
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u/arlenelopezmy Aug 01 '26
To be fair, Mr. Bean only had like 14 episodes total. It was never a long-running show with multiple seasons, just a handful of specials spread over five years. That's probably why it worked without getting completely old.
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u/_SKETCHBENDER_ Jul 17 '26
Lowkey mr bean is atkinsons least funny comedy series. Blackadder and even johnny english are both funnier
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u/logosloki Jul 16 '26
I don't think that Sheldon is the funniest character but Jim Parsons did a very good job on the physicality of selling Sheldon Cooper. if you watch the show you'll see all sorts of tells and micromovements that accompany Sheldon whether they are talking, doing something, sitting down, or as a background character while other parts of the ensemble have their scenes.
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u/illarionds Jul 17 '26
I'll agree with that much, he's a solid physical actor.
(I don't think it makes him funny though).
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u/Plenty_Structure_861 Jul 16 '26
Tobias Fünke
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u/Cultural_Road_1684 Jul 16 '26
OP I upvote you, but only because this is the correct forum for that kind of comment. just know, I am shaking with anger as I upvote.
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u/GirthLongshaft Jul 16 '26
10th Dentist is a stretch; there's absolutely no way you even made it into dental school with this take. I hate that I have to upvote this.
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u/DocHavelock Jul 16 '26
Not the 10th dentist, everyone over the age of 60 or an iq below 90 agrees with you.
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u/ForceOfMortality Jul 16 '26
on Reddit it’s definitely a 10th dentist opinion to be fair, so to me it’s in the spirit of the sub
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u/Yandoji Jul 16 '26
Based on my actual, physical, real-life lived experiences with people who like BBT, this is the ironclad truth. Especially the second qualifier.
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u/CrossXFir3 Jul 16 '26
Yes, I remember reading something that basically argued BBT is a show about smart people, for stupid people.
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u/ThatArtNerd Jul 16 '26
I always think of Arrested Development as the other side of this coin-a very clever show about very stupid people 😂
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u/zer0guy Jul 20 '26
I always heard the other side of the coin was Always Sunny.
But Arrested Development makes sense too.
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u/weightyinspiration Jul 16 '26
100% Actual smart people dont talk the way the characters do on that show.
The characters, (mostly sheldon) talk how dumb people think smart people talk.
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u/Lower-Reward-1588 Jul 16 '26
Taste, especially with comedy is subjective.
That’s why you can be correct in saying that from your perspective and I can be correct saying that everything you said? The opposite.
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u/Moonlitoaks Jul 16 '26
I mean sure, but where is Fran Fine??? The Nanny was not listed, therefore opinion invalid 😂
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u/Shannaro21 Jul 16 '26
I think that Niles is even funnier..
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u/AbyssWankerArtorias Jul 16 '26
The scene where Fran says "Has anyone seen an old bag anywhere?" And then CeCe walks in and Niles just bites down on something to not say anything lives in my head lol. That and him dancing in his underwear to old time rock and roll
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u/Master_Grape5931 Jul 16 '26
I grew up as a nerd.
So I had already heard all the jokes on that show. I was not impressed.
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u/UtkG Jul 16 '26
As a person who had been an intense and hardcore big bang theory fan for almost 10 years, you've earned this upvoter.
I don't think anyone from that show would even crack my top 10 sitcom characters of all time. Idk what kind of bias or skewed sense of humor someone would have to see all the shows you listed and still pick sheldon as #1.
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u/Desperate-Pirate7353 Jul 16 '26
imagine saying this while Bender from Futurama exists
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u/Wardens_Myth Jul 17 '26
I’d quite confidently say just about any main character, as well as most of the side characters from Futurama all are funnier than Sheldon lol
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u/StrongAsMeat Jul 16 '26
Have you not watched ANY of those shows you mentioned? Every one of them has a character funnier than Sheldon
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u/Soggy_Supermarket100 Jul 16 '26
I always thought Sheldon Cooper is a terrible terrible person but a well-written character.
"Well-written" doesn't always equals "likeable".
He's definitely not funny most of the time though, but he does have his funny moments.
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u/Prior_Angle Jul 16 '26
I upvoted. Took it away and did it again. Purely in the hopes Reddit would glitch and count it twice.
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u/Resident-Method8260 Jul 16 '26
"See that piece of rotten fish in the trashcan? It's my favorite piece of rotten garbage in the whole thing."
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u/Ghost4000 Jul 16 '26
I don't think it is possible to pin a single character as the funniest TV character.
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u/BlazeOne416 Jul 16 '26
That’s a wild statement my man. Couldn’t be more wrong but I respect your opinion.
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u/Emcee_nobody Jul 16 '26
Reddit main characters be like:
"______ is the best ______ of all time. Nothing else compares!"
Their reasoning:
"I like it the best!"
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u/Astecheee Jul 16 '26
Humour requires subversion of expectations. Sheldon, by his nature, does not change or subvert. I found him predictable, dull, and annoying start to finish.
Have your upvote you weirdo.
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u/Taylor_sy Jul 16 '26
I’m gonna agree with u, not sure if I’d put it as funniest of absolutely all shows but I agree in most part, the actors mannerism is on point, my favorite is his delivery of some of the more subtle jokes, most of the ones that are revolving around his lack of social awareness. I truly don’t understand the hate
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u/OscarCookeAbbott Jul 16 '26
Lilith from Cheers/Frasier is just Sheldon but actually good and funny, and 20 years earlier.
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u/brother_bart Jul 16 '26
I’m pretty sure Karen Walker is the funniest network sitcom character. Outside of that, I always found the sister on Sleezebag to be hysterical.
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u/TheMoMo562 Jul 16 '26
Hawkeye (Alan Alda) from M.A.S.H. will always be the funniest character ever created, to me. But Sheldon is hilarious as well.
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u/Strange-Order-6550 Jul 16 '26
You think he’s genuinely funnier than Sybil from Fawlty Towers? Well this is a true tenth dentist.
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u/Expensive-County4890 Jul 16 '26
I experience physical pain anytime I see The Big Bang theory come up on screen
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u/the_bionic Jul 16 '26
I’m old so I remember both Tom Hanks (Kip / Buffy) and Robin Williams (Mork from Ork) in sitcoms. They were the funniest guys I’ve ever seen. Carol Burnett was hilarious as well but she was in a skit show.
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u/Keiji12 Jul 16 '26
So I've never been a fan of tbbt, it either didn't air here at a time or wasn't popular enough to catch me, however I started stumbling into moments and shorts of the show and found them quite funny, I was enjoying the dynamic between characters and slight growth in later seasons. Then I watched the show, it's really not that good, it turns out all the funny moments are way to scarce and there's so many that don't fit and the characters just keep repeating their tropes and same conflicts over and over again. Outside of Leonard and Amy and Penny (way later though) I just kinda disliked most of them outside of funny quirks here and there. I enjoyed the show about Ypung Sheldon though, outside of the mother character.
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u/Amazing_Divide1214 Jul 16 '26
He's annoying. I preferred young Sheldon to be honest. I think people only like the show because it makes dumb people feel smart.
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u/Stabpology Jul 16 '26
I think it's a generational humor thing where older generations laugh because "lol, nerd"
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u/2_late_4_creativity Jul 16 '26
lol, not even remotely true. do i have a suggestion as to who is? NO. but I do know it is not Sheldon.
edit: just to add, this is indeed the 10th Dentists Opinion
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u/ATotallyNormalUID Jul 16 '26
Ok, but do the neurodivergent people in your life know you don't think of them as people?
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u/Bountyclaw Jul 16 '26
This made me want to reflexively down vote it, grats. Gonna go throw up now, take the upvote. Cause this is insane.
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u/kristamine14 Jul 17 '26
This definitely the same guy who posted about how SpongeBob isn’t that funny, then immediately displayed in the comments why that is it by not understanding the first comment saying “The 100000th Dentist” lol
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u/ByronScottJones Jul 17 '26
You've clearly never watched I Love Lucy. She's still funnier even dead than most comedians are while alive.
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u/Thasquashman Jul 17 '26
I try not to judge people on their preferences but I cannot help myself, you sicken me.
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u/illarionds Jul 17 '26
He's just a stereotype of autism, barely even a character.
I would say every show you named has funnier characters, including the ones I really don't like.
I mean, comedy is highly personal - you can't be wrong here. I fully believe you find Sheldon the funniest.
But in terms of how the rest of us experience it, this is more like a 10,000th dentist opinion.
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u/YeahYeahYeah6789 Jul 17 '26
My dad loves The Big Bang Theory. I have seen many episodes while he was watching and I genuinely can’t think of once I have ever laughed while it was on. It’s just not for me.
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u/Toramenor Jul 17 '26
I like The Big Bang Theory & Sheldon a lot, but for me the funniest show was Frasier... I have rewatched it many times & still laugh every single episode - it's got a mix of different jokes, verbal quips, physical comedy, funny situations, irony, highbrow humour, lowbrow humour, but most importantly it doesn't actually make fun of anyone in the sense that it doesn't try to belittle anyone. You laugh WITH people not AT people. Everybody has their funny flaws and idiosyncracies & all the characters are funny in their own right. So that's why I like Frasier the most, though I enjoy other sitcoms as well (Will & Grace, TBBT, Brooklyn 99 are also favourites of mine)
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u/Podberezkin09 Jul 17 '26
Every main character in Always Sunny is significantly funnier, and most side characters.
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u/reddiwhip999 Jul 17 '26
I like how "watched sitcoms from just about every era" conveniently excludes the 50s and 60s...
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u/Orsonio Jul 17 '26
Every main character on Always Sunny, Arrested Development and Curb Your Enthusiasm is funnier easily, what a crazy take.
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u/AccountingTroll Jul 17 '26
Bill McNeal (NewsRadio) has entered the chat.
After Phil Hartman died, that show collapsed.
And the funny thing is his lines alone weren't always even that funny by themselves, but Hartman sold the delivery better than any other comedic actor I've ever seen (for the only cloze competitor, I prefer Robin Williams' stand-up to his acting).
Fans of the show will recite "Everybody loves a cane" which is nothing by itself but everything in his delivery (and, to be fair, Dave Foley's straight-man reaction).
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u/jfklingon Jul 17 '26
Y'know, I will always admit that the show has its funny moments, but character is actually all that funny. They come up with funny situations for the characters, but that's the only thing making them funny.
As a Friends enjoyer, at least Phoebe, Chandler, and Joey are funny, while the other 3 are the situation comedy characters. They keep it balanced.
Even Fraiser has Daphne and the dad as dedicated funny characters, while Fraiser and Niles have some jokes, it's mostly situation comedy that they rely on.
And yes, I know these are all situational comedies, better known as sitcoms, but you still need a funny character thrown in for balance.
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u/RankedFarting Jul 17 '26
Its literally just making fun of autism. Its the unfunniest most sexist POS show of all time and i will judge your character if you enjoy it.
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u/Montenegirl Jul 18 '26
I would not call him funniest ever but I do find him super funny so you can have my downvote
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u/ronshasta Jul 20 '26
He’s the most annoying character on the show and I don’t even like big bang theory
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u/qualityvote2 Jul 16 '26 edited Jul 17 '26
u/WarwickReider, there weren't enough votes to determine the quality of your post...