Useless sitcom characters

[Guest Anglesault]

We've all seen them. Be it Crystal on Roseanne, or Fitz on Still Standing, or that nameless guy that sat on the other side of Cliff on Cheers, sitcoms have always had the incredibly useless and unneeded "buddy" character that isn't in every episode, almost never has a real story arc and never seems to exist if not on TV.

 

Still, they are in enough episodes and lines to annoy you with their over all uselessness and presence, because they're not really likable and almost always take the place that would normally be used by one of the good characters in the scene.

 

What is your favorite useless sitcom character?

[Vern Gagne 0]

The oldest daughter and her wimpy husband on the Cosby Show served no purpose.

 

Alex on One Day at Time. He was useless and worst of all annoying.

[justsoyouknow 0]

Crazy Joe Divola. (Not sure on the spelling on that one, but he was by far the best character that was there a couple times, but never mentioned unless he was on the episode.)

 

On Seinfeld, by the way.

[Guest Anglesault]

The oldest daughter and her wimpy husband on the Cosby Show served no purpose.

Elvin. Ug.

 

They were there to produce more "cute" children that Bill and what's her face were too old to produce.

Edited April 19, 2004 by Anglesault

[Nighthawk 0]

that nameless guy that sat on the other side of Cliff on Cheers,

Um... Paul? I'm not sure if that's who you mean or even if that's the character's name, but the fat bald guy with glasses. I actually found him fairly funny when he got some airtime.

 

The Cosby Show had a bunch of these characters. Cliff's parents were basically purposeless. His father looked pretty much the same age as he was, and I've in fact checked and seen that he was only 11 years older. I'd say any of the kid's spouses on that show were useless as well. Any show where there's more than two kids, at least one of them is usually lost in the shuffle. On Cosby the third wheel seemed to shift between them depending on the season, except Theo always seemed to have something to do. Could have done without Pam and all her ghetto friends too.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

If you watch the first season of 'The Cosby Show' Cliff tells Claire "This is why we didn't have more than 4 kids" during a story of his day where one of Cliff's patients is having their umpteenth child and they can't remember the names of all of them off the top of their head. Sandra was added in season 2 because they thought a mature and leader-esque child would be a good idea.

 

I watch alot of Nick@Nite and they tell you these things from time to time.

[Nighthawk 0]

You should also know that it was not merely the first season, but the pilot where that exchange took place.

 

edit: Or perhaps that was another time. The circumstances in the pilot were different, I think. Anyway, they changed how many kids they had, yeah.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

In the Pilot of Roseanne DJ was played by a different boy and was actually 3 years older.

[Guest Anglesault]

He was definitely different, but I didn't think he was older.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

DJ of Pilot = 9

 

DJ in season 1 = 6

[Guest Anglesault]

DJ was nine in the pilot? Damn

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

Hmm...I'll say on Family Matters, they had the young useless daughter that suddenly disapeared in around the middle of the series.

[Guest sean pyro]

Seven from Married with Children.

[Mole 0]

The oldest daughter and her wimpy husband on the Cosby Show served no purpose.

But they brought in Olivia and she was SO damn cute.

 

Kimmy from Full House.

[BlackFlagg 0]

The oldest daughter and her wimpy husband on the Cosby Show served no purpose.

But they brought in Olivia and she was SO damn cute.

and has since grown into a great rack

[Nighthawk 0]

Seven from Married with Children.

I'd call him more actively bad than useless.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

Seven from Married with Children.

I'd call him more actively bad than useless.

I hardly remember any episodes with this kid. All I remember is his parents (relatives of Peggy I'm guessing) ditched him and drove off in their trailer. And the kid was 7, so he was named Seven. How fucking genious of them.

[Guest Banders Kennany]

The nana on Suddenly Susan. There a lot mother-type characters like her that only are there to give advice once in a while and make dumb comments. Most parent roles are either they are like that or meddling and bickering with each other as if they were little girls.

 

While I am posting, how did they explain it when Jody (the lil sis) from Family Matters and Seven from Married With Children dissappeared? And now that I think of it a lot of characters from Family Matters seemed to disappear....Laura's friend Maxine (?), Little Richie, Aunt Rachel and her popular restaurant "Rachel's Place", the tall white guy leiutenant that had it out for Carl but was also his friend sometimes, that drug dealer with the shaved head that Eddie hung out with that was always chewing gum (don't know his name, sorry), Myra Munkhouse (I don't think they ever had her a Steve break up), and I think Waldo Faldo even disappeared at the end of the series. Anyone have the scoop on any of those characters?

[Slayer 0]

If you watch the first season of 'The Cosby Show' Cliff tells Claire "This is why we didn't have more than 4 kids" during a story of his day where one of Cliff's patients is having their umpteenth child and they can't remember the names of all of them off the top of their head. Sandra was added in season 2 because they thought a mature and leader-esque child would be a good idea.

I'd always thought they had the four girls and one boy to reflect Cosby's real kids

 

And I wouldn't count Seven in this, he only lasted a half-season and the writers eventually came to their senses, removing him from the show.

[treble 0]

The kids on Everybody Loves Raymond. I can only think of one episode off the top of my head where they actually played a big role in the plot (of course, I haven't seen every episode, but I've seen enough).

[CanadianChris 0]

If you watch the first season of 'The Cosby Show' Cliff tells Claire "This is why we didn't have more than 4 kids" during a story of his day where one of Cliff's patients is having their umpteenth child and they can't remember the names of all of them off the top of their head. Sandra was added in season 2 because they thought a mature and leader-esque child would be a good idea.

 

I watch alot of Nick@Nite and they tell you these things from time to time.

Clair: Cliff, why do we have four children?

Cliff: Because we did not want five.

 

They had four children in the pilot episode only. They mentioned they had five children in the early episodes, and Sondra made multiple appearances in the first season.

[Guest Razor Roman]

The kids on Everybody Loves Raymond. I can only think of one episode off the top of my head where they actually played a big role in the plot (of course, I haven't seen every episode, but I've seen enough).

I always forget about the kids.. until there is a "kid" epsiode... let me think

 

The one where one of the sons draws a picture about a fighting family,

the one where the daughter needs a fancy dress for a party,

the one where one of the sons sucks at basketball

and the one where Ray's wife wants to write a children's book.

 

Other than that, they're just kind of there. Or not there at all.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

The kids on Everybody Loves Raymond. I can only think of one episode off the top of my head where they actually played a big role in the plot (of course, I haven't seen every episode, but I've seen enough).

Actually, I think the way they're used on the show is quite clever. I know it's a sitcom and those almost always involve kids, but I get tired of the same old family sitcoms with the annoying kids. I like how in this show, they're more background characters than anything.

[treble 0]

Yeah, I like how they're not the main focus, too, but most of the time it seems like their only purpose is to have an excuse for Ray's parents to be in his house when him and Debra get back from being out. They just ask, in passing, where the kids are, Marie says they're in bed and then it moves on to the usual sitcom fare.

[Guest netslob]

The kids on Everybody Loves Raymond.  I can only think of one episode off the top of my head where they actually played a big role in the plot (of course, I haven't seen every episode, but I've seen enough).

Actually, I think the way they're used on the show is quite clever. I know it's a sitcom and those almost always involve kids, but I get tired of the same old family sitcoms with the annoying kids. I like how in this show, they're more background characters than anything.

even Ray admits it...in the opening, where the family goes by on a conveyor belt, he introduces the kids and then adds "It's not really about the kids."

 

as for useless sitcom characters, i nominate the entire cast of "The Big House". that show is fucking HORRIBLE. god the main guy is like a mini-Chris Tucker and not even a fraction as funny.

[Guest MD2020]

Hmm...I'll say on Family Matters, they had the young useless daughter that suddenly disapeared in around the middle of the series.

Fun fact: The actress who played the child who was written off briefly became a porn star.

[Guest MD2020]

that nameless guy that sat on the other side of Cliff on Cheers,

Um... Paul? I'm not sure if that's who you mean or even if that's the character's name, but the fat bald guy with glasses. I actually found him fairly funny when he got some airtime.

 

The Cosby Show had a bunch of these characters. Cliff's parents were basically purposeless.

Yeah, don't be dissing Paul. He would chime in every now and then. I had no problem with the character.

 

And your point with Cosby characters being pointless made me think of the Simpsons episode where Bleeding Gums Murphy talks about when he a guest appearance on the "Cosby Show":

 

"Kids, come and meet your Grandfather Bleeding Gums."

 

"But we have three grandfathers already."

 

"But he's a great jazz musician."

 

"They're all great jazz musicians."

[razazteca 0]

John Witherspoon and Heavy D as the mechanics from the Tracy Morgan Show.

[Guest Razor Roman]

as for useless sitcom characters, i nominate the entire cast of "The Big House". that show is fucking HORRIBLE. god the main guy is like a mini-Chris Tucker and not even a fraction as funny.

That show is such a waste of the "Is it the Frank or the Beans?" dude.

[Guest netslob]

as for useless sitcom characters, i nominate the entire cast of "The Big House".  that show is fucking HORRIBLE.  god the main guy is like a mini-Chris Tucker and not even a fraction as funny.

That show is such a waste of the "Is it the Frank or the Beans?" dude.

which one is he?