by Stacy Calvert

Created on: December 05, 2009

George Costanza (Seinfeld): George is one of the funniest TV characters of all time. He is the weasel-y guy that represents what none of us wants to be. Yet, he strikes a chord because we all have those not-so-proud moments of small-minded, selfish behavior, despite our best efforts. He is our collective Id.

Sheriff Buck (American Gothic): This sheriff isn't just head of the good ole' boy network in the southern town of Trinity. He's no Bible-thumping simpleton with a beer belly; he's a complex philosopher with a supernatural streak who has a way with the ladies and the most chillingly evil persona of any TV villain. Ever.

Lindsay Weir (Freaks and Geeks): Lindsay holds her own as the straight guy among some really funny characters. She has her own humorous moments, especially when she obviously feels like a geek among her freak friends. But the reason Lindsay makes the list is that she convincingly straddles different worlds in the group-think-oriented, one-size-fits-all world of high school.

Nick Andopolis (Freaks and Geeks): Nick is kind of like Lindsay in the sense that he's a middle-class kid with an uptight dad, but while Lindsay is smart and her parents obviously love her, poor Nick is a little short on intellect, and his dad is a real jerk. Despite his difficulties, Nick manages to be a nice kid, and doesn't mind looking a little schmaltzy in front of his tough-guy friends from time to time.

Endora (Bewitched): Every episode featuring Endora makes you wonder how Samantha ended up being so nice. With her exotic get-ups and globe-trotting, time-traveling lifestyle, she makes everyday life look positively boring. And when she slings a zinger at Derwood, er, Darren, you can practically feel the burn.

George Jefferson (The Jeffersons): George, like the other famous George on this list, isn't exactly a potential candidate for sainthood. He's grouchy and condescending to the point where it's sometimes hard to believe his sweet, charming wife Louise has stuck with him all these years. But he usually ends up redeeming himself by the end of the episode, and his constant sparring with his sarcastic housekeeper, Florence, makes this show one of the funniest sitcoms of the seventies.

Tobias Funke (Arrested Development): What can you say about a guy whose phobia of nudity forces him to wear denim cutoffs in the shower? Or who wore his wife's blouse while participating in a gay rights protest and looked better in it than she did (at least, according to her own mom...)?

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